S.E. Linn explores the quirks of online romance with humor and honesty in her new collection of real-life dating stories.
How Many Frogs Must You Kiss? Inside One Author’s Journey Through Digital Dating
When a man chases you down the street waving an adult toy like it’s the Olympic torch, you have two choices: cry… or turn it into chapter one.
For Canadian author S.E. Linn, that surreal moment wasn’t a one-off—it was just another absurd entry in her ever-growing anthology of digital dating disasters. In her latest release, The Adventures of Online Dating: True Stories from the Shallow End of the Dating Pool, Linn dives headfirst into the chaotic, cringey, and occasionally charming world of swipe-right romance.
Drawn from her own misadventures—this memoir-style collection offers unfiltered snapshots of dating in the age of emojis, ghosting, and “emotionally available” men with pink man bibs. Each story leans into the comedy of human connection gone sideways, while subtly reflecting on the resilience, hope, and dark humor it takes to keep logging back in.
Because sometimes, the only way out of the shallow end… is to laugh your way through it.
From Global Travel to Personal Reflection
S.E. Linn is an award-winning writer based in British Columbia. Her literary work spans children’s stories, poetry, creative fiction, nonfiction, travel guides, and self-publishing mentorship. Past titles such as The Marmot in My Culvert and Premier Family Travel Guide to Banff National Park have been recognized for their impact and accessible voice.
Her experience as a travel writer has taken her across more than 25 countries, but the challenges of online dating presented new territory.
“I’ve been in unfamiliar places around the world,” Linn says. “But online dating has its own landscape. It’s constantly shifting, and it doesn’t come with a map.”
Rather than offering advice or predictions, her new book documents what actually happens when connection is pursued through screens.
Humor Grounded in Reality
Each chapter in The Adventures of Online Dating captures a different facet of modern dating, from lighthearted miscommunications to moments of genuine vulnerability.
Linn writes with sharp clarity and dry wit, never needing to exaggerate—because the truth is already absurd enough. Whether she is being ghosted, stood up or running for her life, Linn captures the awkward brilliance of digital courtship with a storyteller’s eye and a comedian’s timing.
Through all of it, she remains observant rather than judgmental.
“I’m not here to make fun of anyone,” she explains. “At this stage, everybody is dealing with their own relationship trauma. I’m sharing what it feels like to show up, try again, and be real about the process.”
Rather than positioning herself as an expert, she presents her experience with transparency. Some moments are funny, others frustrating, but each contributes to a broader exploration of modern connection.
Storytelling With Purpose
Linn is also the director of Wild Child Publishing Ltd., a small press focused on authentic voices and story-driven work. Her own writing reflects a commitment to honesty, emotional nuance, and thoughtful storytelling.
This latest book is consistent with her style: personal, introspective, and grounded in experience rather than theory.
By turning her dating journey into narrative, she invites readers to consider their own experiences in a more compassionate light. The result is not just a reflection on relationships, but also on self-discovery and resilience.
“Writing became a way to process absurdity,” Linn says. “And to remind myself that humor helps, even when things don’t go as planned.”
A Shared Experience
Although the book is rooted in Linn’s personal life, it speaks to a universal experience. Whether readers are actively dating or long past their last first date, the stories resonate with anyone who has ever tried to connect with others under uncertain circumstances.
The book’s strength lies in its relatability. Readers are likely to find their own thoughts and emotions mirrored in Linn’s accounts—along with a few much-needed laughs.
“It’s easy to feel discouraged or embarrassed by awkward moments,” she says. “But those are the stories that remind us we’re not alone.”
An Honest Look at Digital Dating
S.E. Linn’s The Adventures of Online Dating offers an honest and often entertaining look at how dating has evolved in the digital age. It is an online dating survival guide, helping those floundering in the dating pools recognize the red flags that Linn so clearly missed. Linn invites readers to reflect on how they show up in moments of uncertainty, and how humor can be a tool for understanding.
Learn more at selinnbooks.com
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