Holly Bourne
Author Interview - Holly Bourne
Author of Pretending.
“A novel that examines dating in the wake of #MeToo. Pretending follows April, a woman who struggles to get past date five with men, as they're always put off by her traumatic past. After a particularly painful dumping, April decides to get revenge and starts pretending to be the perfect woman, 'Gretel', to lure in an unsuspecting Josh. Inevitably, Josh falls for carefree Gretel, but how long can April keep on pretending? To him, as well as herself?”
Author Interview - Holly Bourne
Author I draw inspiration from: Marian Keyes. She tells the blunt, dark truth about the female experience but always with humour. I've read everything she's ever written.
Author Interview - Holly Bourne
Favorite place to read a book: In bed before I go to sleep. I find it physically impossible to sleep without reading first.
Book character I’d like to be stuck in an elevator with: Gabriel Oak from Far From The Madding Crowd. He is my ultimate book crush. I'm not sure how Thomas Hardy made Mr Oak puncturing multiple bloated sheep's stomachs so sexy, but he did.
Author Interview - Holly Bourne
The moment I knew I wanted to become an author: Like so many other authors, I was lucky enough to have a brilliant English teacher at school, who helped me believe in my writing and voice. He ran a creative writing club at lunchtimes and I went every week, and fell in love with telling stories and writing (terrible!) poetry.
Hardback, paperback, ebook or audiobook: Paperback always. I rarely break this rule.
The last book I read: See What You Made Me Do by Jess Hill. I'm an ambassador for a UK domestic violence charity, and read this recently for research. It's by far the best book I've ever read about domestic abuse.
Author Interview - Holly Bourne
Pen & paper or computer: On a computer, always. My handwriting looks like a drunk spider fell in some ink and went on a rampage over the paper. Plus, I have terrible spelling and need the computer's autocorrect.
Book character I think I’d be best friends with: Elizabeth Gilbert as Elizabeth Gilbert in Eat, Pray, Love. I think she's so wise and marvellous. Plus, I'm quite a meditation-y type person, and would love to have friends who don't look slightly freaked out when I start harping on about enlightenment and gurus.
Author Interview - Holly Bourne
If I weren’t an author, I’d be a: Psychologist. I spent many years helping young people with their mental health for a charity. I'm obsessed with learning more about trauma-informed approaches to mental illness. I think it's going to blow the word of psychiatry/psychology apart in the next ten years, and, if I wasn't so busy writing, would love to be a part of that. I take a trauma-informed approach to every character I write.
Favorite decade in fashion history: I really loved the boho vibe of the early noughties. I long for the day we can all wear flattering floaty dresses with disk-belts again.
Place I’d most like to travel: A road trip to the Four Corners in the US is top of my list. Zion National Park looks beyond belief in its beauty. I also once travelled through New Mexico and was only supposed to stay two days, but the food was so incredible, I stayed for ten. I long to return and stuff myself with red chilli for as long as my gut allows.
My signature drink: An Old Fashioned. I live in London and my favourite thing to do is go to a glitzy hotel bar and drink these while people watching.
Favorite artist: I love Nan Goldin's photography, and did a whole project about her in school.
Number one on my bucket list: My bucket list is always more a 'list of food I want to eat'. Number one? I actually achieved it recently. In Scotland, they have 'Macaroni cheese pies'. It's basically mac n cheese in PASTRY. I couldn't think of a more marvellous concept. I was near Balmoral last month and stumbled across the Queen's bakery, walked in, and found a macaroni cheese pie. I squealed, bought one, and sat on the ground outside eating it. I can say it was probably one of the best moments in my life.
Find more from the author:
Twitter - holly_bourneya
Instagram - hollybourneya
Author Bio: Holly Bourne is a bestselling and critically acclaimed author in the UK.
Holly started her writing career as a news journalist and was was nominated for Best Print Journalist of the Year. She then spent six years working as an advisorfor a youth charity – helping young people with their relationships and mental health. Inspired by what she saw, Holly started writing fiction that helps people make sense of their lives.
Alongside her writing, Holly has a keen interest in women’s rights and is an advocate for reducing the stigma of mental health problems. She has helped create online apps that teach young people about sexual consent, and works with Women’s Aid to spread awareness of abusive relationships.
