Two things you should know:
Holly was destined to be writer. Her grandmother’s neighbour - on hearing the newborn Holly’s name - said “Holly Farrell . . . She’ll be a writer.” So really Holly had no choice. Even though she doesn’t believe in over-the-fence prophecies of surburban grannies, it’s been something of a relief to her to discover that writing is one of her favourite things to do (others include reading, eating chocolate and walking Iolo, the dog).
Writing about yourself in the third person is very odd indeed.
Prophecies notwithstanding, the road Holly took to becoming a writer was long and winding, with detours into film and law and a history degree from the University of York; stops at the usual making-ends-meet student hospitality and retail jobs; a cul-de-sac career in the National Trust; and a biscuit-baking business in lieu of a service station. To torture the metaphor, Google Maps even sent her on a brief but extremely misguided diversion to a big five accountancy firm. She was built for words, not numbers.
As a teenager, summer holidays were made for reading, and Holly would stock up on cheap paperbacks from the boot fair on the green every Sunday morning, then read them through the week, sprawled on a rug on the lawn or sat in the bows of a narrowboat. Holly fell in love with nature and books in equal measure.
Wanting to learn gardening from the best, Holly worked on a Dorset chilli farm and then studied horticulture at RHS Gardens Wisley; she was awarded the prestigious Wisley Diploma in Practical Horticulture. She started writing gardening books and articles for The Garden, The Simple Things and other magazines. Holly has been published into 11 languages across Europe, and in China, America, Australia and New Zealand.
The tiny island of Guernsey is Holly’s home now, with her husband, daughter and Iolo the dog. She’s the Administrator/Speaker Liaison for the Guernsey Literary Festival, volunteers in her daughter’s school library (because a houseful of books still isn’t enough) and a member of the Society of Authors Sustainability Committee.
Perhaps it’s something in the sea air - it was good enough for Victor Hugo - because after a decade of writing non-fiction and sixteen books under her belt, Holly is now (finally) writing stories as well . . .