It gives me great pleasure to welcome Anna Holmes onto the website today. Anna is the author of two novels: Wayward Voyage and Blind Eye, and a third is in the pipeline.
Alex: Tell me a bit about yourself, Anna.
Anna: I have come to novel writing later in life, though communication, through different mediums with different audiences, has been at the heart of all my work from broadcast journalism, choreography and performance, writing arts policies and reviews, and constructing screenplays (none produced... yet).
I grew up in New Zealand, my parents and siblings having emigrated from England, and in turn, I left to explore the world aged 24 and for decades the UK has been my home.
My childhood memories are from growing up in a schoolhouse next to a rural primary school my parents taught at.
Reading was always important – as you’d expect with parents who were teachers. Aged 10 or so I filled exercise book after exercise book with my first ‘novel’ about children who put on a play. I loved Noel Streatfeild’s stories and watched loads of black-and-white Sunday matinee films. Surely, I saw Babe’s in Arms? And I adored Fred Astaire. Yes, I love cinema too.
Dance has shaped my life. From the age of six I took ballet lessons and later studied many dance forms. It was a wish to explore contemporary dance that took me away from New Zealand. I have an MA in dance studies and have been a specialist dance and theatre officer with Arts Councils England and Wales. I’ve enjoyed years as an independent producer and as an artistic and quality assessor for ACE. Combining my love for film and flamenco, I produced and directed a documentary about the older generation of flamenco dancers in the UK and the disappearing world of Soho, London. This was a labour of love to capture this before it was too late.
Now I am into my novel writing phase and loving it. The Book Guild is proving to be a good publisher for me to work with.
Alex: Tell me a bit about yourself, Anna.
Anna: I have come to novel writing later in life, though communication, through different mediums with different audiences, has been at the heart of all my work from broadcast journalism, choreography and performance, writing arts policies and reviews, and constructing screenplays (none produced... yet).
I grew up in New Zealand, my parents and siblings having emigrated from England, and in turn, I left to explore the world aged 24 and for decades the UK has been my home.
My childhood memories are from growing up in a schoolhouse next to a rural primary school my parents taught at.
Reading was always important – as you’d expect with parents who were teachers. Aged 10 or so I filled exercise book after exercise book with my first ‘novel’ about children who put on a play. I loved Noel Streatfeild’s stories and watched loads of black-and-white Sunday matinee films. Surely, I saw Babe’s in Arms? And I adored Fred Astaire. Yes, I love cinema too.
Dance has shaped my life. From the age of six I took ballet lessons and later studied many dance forms. It was a wish to explore contemporary dance that took me away from New Zealand. I have an MA in dance studies and have been a specialist dance and theatre officer with Arts Councils England and Wales. I’ve enjoyed years as an independent producer and as an artistic and quality assessor for ACE. Combining my love for film and flamenco, I produced and directed a documentary about the older generation of flamenco dancers in the UK and the disappearing world of Soho, London. This was a labour of love to capture this before it was too late.
Now I am into my novel writing phase and loving it. The Book Guild is proving to be a good publisher for me to work with.
Alex: How would you describe your writing, and are there particular themes that you like to explore?
Anna: I love world building and am a plot and character-led writer. I write about serious subjects in an accessible way. Readers describe my style as visual and as page turners.
Research is vital. Must be the academic and journalist still lurking. For Wayward Voyage, my historical novel set in the early 18th century about female pirate Anne Bonny, I read loads, visited public records archives, sailed as voyage crew on a tall ship to learn to handle ropes and experience going aloft. I visited South Carolina to imagine where Anne grew up before she became a sea rover.
With Bind Eye, my environmental thriller about illegal logging and government collusion, I called on my partner’s contacts for specialist advice. This included tropical foresters, Indonesian environmental organisations, and I made sure my UK political scenes passed muster by asking a Westminster insider to read them. I have just returned from visiting Dublin where my next novel is set. This one is about a bog body find. A bog body specialist is advising me on scientific aspects, sequencing and time frame. What fun!
Alex: Are you a writer that plans a detailed synopsis or do you set out with a vague idea and let the story unfold as you write?
Anna: I find writing, like choreography, is equal parts creativity and practicality. I am a plotter for sure. I’ve had rows of file cards spread across my floor. I think my Wayward Voyage planning spreadsheet amounted to around 50 pages of scene-by-scene analysis. A few years ago, I did a Curtis Brown Creative course about finishing and editing your novel which included this diagnostic plan. I find it useful. A book coach I worked with for Blind Eye had a different scene by scene analytical approach asking, What is the Point? We care because…? And because of that… I have used both approaches.
That said, when I know my characters fully, I can put them in a scene and let them improvise like actors. Some of my favourite scenes have come about this way.
Anna: I love world building and am a plot and character-led writer. I write about serious subjects in an accessible way. Readers describe my style as visual and as page turners.
Research is vital. Must be the academic and journalist still lurking. For Wayward Voyage, my historical novel set in the early 18th century about female pirate Anne Bonny, I read loads, visited public records archives, sailed as voyage crew on a tall ship to learn to handle ropes and experience going aloft. I visited South Carolina to imagine where Anne grew up before she became a sea rover.
With Bind Eye, my environmental thriller about illegal logging and government collusion, I called on my partner’s contacts for specialist advice. This included tropical foresters, Indonesian environmental organisations, and I made sure my UK political scenes passed muster by asking a Westminster insider to read them. I have just returned from visiting Dublin where my next novel is set. This one is about a bog body find. A bog body specialist is advising me on scientific aspects, sequencing and time frame. What fun!
Alex: Are you a writer that plans a detailed synopsis or do you set out with a vague idea and let the story unfold as you write?
Anna: I find writing, like choreography, is equal parts creativity and practicality. I am a plotter for sure. I’ve had rows of file cards spread across my floor. I think my Wayward Voyage planning spreadsheet amounted to around 50 pages of scene-by-scene analysis. A few years ago, I did a Curtis Brown Creative course about finishing and editing your novel which included this diagnostic plan. I find it useful. A book coach I worked with for Blind Eye had a different scene by scene analytical approach asking, What is the Point? We care because…? And because of that… I have used both approaches.
That said, when I know my characters fully, I can put them in a scene and let them improvise like actors. Some of my favourite scenes have come about this way.
Alex: Tell us about your latest novel.
Anna: Blind Eye is an environmental thriller. Set in the Indonesian rainforest it explores moral predicaments and choices. In writing about illegal logging, big business interests and government collusion, my story locates the plight to save this forest in a global context. Despite being about a serious subject it is not preachy, and I leave readers with a sense of hope and ideas for what actions they might take.
My partner has been involved with sustainable forestry for decades, so it was through him that I first thought of writing a screenplay on this subject. In 2008, with development funding from Film Agency Wales, Blind Eye took shape. A decade or so later I updated the screenplay and last year it was awarded joint first prize in Green Stories screenplay competition. I am thrilled that The Book Guild published my novel in autumn 2021. Having published Blind Eye, I was invited to join Climate Fiction Writers League.
Alex: What was the first book you read?
Anna: I can’t be sure of the first, but certainly an early read was Artie and the Princess by Marjorie Torrey. The illustrated story about the little dragon and young girl captivated me. So much so, the a few years ago I traced how I could buy a newly published edition. When I re-read it, I found it rather dated. Sad.
Alex: How much research do you do and what does it usually entail?
Anna: Lots, as I have described! I recently visited Dublin where the next novel I am working on is set. Having completed umpteenth drafts it was time to fine tune aspects of what I have on the page. It was great to visit museums which feature in my story and consider layouts, where offices are; consider travel time between locations; sit on a park bench where I have one of my characters sit; travel by bus and tram to suburbs to decide where my characters live…
Alex: Do you ever base your characters on people you have encountered in real life?
Anna: In all my characters there is a whiff, a trace, an essence, of someone I know or have known. They would never guess, but it is enough that I know.
Alex: Which was the last book you read that blew you away?
Anna: I’m offering three books from the past 6 months that I devoured. All the Light We Cannot See, Anthony Doerr; A Gentleman in Moscow, Amor Towles. Where the Crawdads Sing, Delia Owens.
Alex: How do you market your books?
Anna: Being ‘visible’ is an issue for most of us who are not in the famous author league published by one of the big publishing houses. Not for me a banner at a major book expo, or seeing my book(s) stocked and promoted on retailers’ front tables. Each week I receive an email newsletter from Dan Blank containing useful advice about connecting with readers. For me this is sometimes one at a time or in small groups. I enjoyed attending a local book club to engage directly with readers. Summer 2021, Hastings Pirate Festival provided an opportunity for a small gig: live traditional music and me reading passages of Wayward Voyage between sets (and selling a handful of books). I have launched both my novels with blog tours which gave me the opportunity to gauge reactions. What impact blog tours have on sales I don’t know. Social media plays a small part, but I’m not a huge fan.
Alex: What are your interests aside from writing? And what do you do to unwind?
Anna: I start my day with an hour yoga practise before having breakfast and getting on with my writing day. I teach Iyengar Yoga, from home, currently with some here and the majority participating via Zoom.
Dance is a big love – always has been from a young age. Until a few months ago I was participating in weekly flamenco classes. I am currently a Friend of the Royal Ballet School. Via Zoom, it was a joy to watch some student classes recently, and I adored watching YouTube classes with top companies around the world marking World Ballet Day. Seeing the very best dancers, on stage or screen, is my idea of heaven.
I’m a fan of arthouse film, and either attend the cinema, or more likely to watch a streaming service at home or something I have recorded.
Alex: Which authors do you particularly admire and why?
Anna: John Irving’s writing, particularly what I think of as his middle period with Prayer for Owen Meany my favourite and World According to Garp a close second. I love his world building with unforgettable characters and twisty story lines. Jane Austen is in the mix with her small world writ large. Such sly humour! Then there are individual books by authors, too many to list.
Alex: I'm pleased to hear John Irving's name here. Surprisingly enough, I think this is the first time his name has come up. I've always admired his writing. Anyway, thank you so much Anna for sharing your writing world with us. Your books sound really interesting. I shall have to look out for them.
Anna: Thank you Alex. It's been lovely to chat like this.
Anna: Blind Eye is an environmental thriller. Set in the Indonesian rainforest it explores moral predicaments and choices. In writing about illegal logging, big business interests and government collusion, my story locates the plight to save this forest in a global context. Despite being about a serious subject it is not preachy, and I leave readers with a sense of hope and ideas for what actions they might take.
My partner has been involved with sustainable forestry for decades, so it was through him that I first thought of writing a screenplay on this subject. In 2008, with development funding from Film Agency Wales, Blind Eye took shape. A decade or so later I updated the screenplay and last year it was awarded joint first prize in Green Stories screenplay competition. I am thrilled that The Book Guild published my novel in autumn 2021. Having published Blind Eye, I was invited to join Climate Fiction Writers League.
Alex: What was the first book you read?
Anna: I can’t be sure of the first, but certainly an early read was Artie and the Princess by Marjorie Torrey. The illustrated story about the little dragon and young girl captivated me. So much so, the a few years ago I traced how I could buy a newly published edition. When I re-read it, I found it rather dated. Sad.
Alex: How much research do you do and what does it usually entail?
Anna: Lots, as I have described! I recently visited Dublin where the next novel I am working on is set. Having completed umpteenth drafts it was time to fine tune aspects of what I have on the page. It was great to visit museums which feature in my story and consider layouts, where offices are; consider travel time between locations; sit on a park bench where I have one of my characters sit; travel by bus and tram to suburbs to decide where my characters live…
Alex: Do you ever base your characters on people you have encountered in real life?
Anna: In all my characters there is a whiff, a trace, an essence, of someone I know or have known. They would never guess, but it is enough that I know.
Alex: Which was the last book you read that blew you away?
Anna: I’m offering three books from the past 6 months that I devoured. All the Light We Cannot See, Anthony Doerr; A Gentleman in Moscow, Amor Towles. Where the Crawdads Sing, Delia Owens.
Alex: How do you market your books?
Anna: Being ‘visible’ is an issue for most of us who are not in the famous author league published by one of the big publishing houses. Not for me a banner at a major book expo, or seeing my book(s) stocked and promoted on retailers’ front tables. Each week I receive an email newsletter from Dan Blank containing useful advice about connecting with readers. For me this is sometimes one at a time or in small groups. I enjoyed attending a local book club to engage directly with readers. Summer 2021, Hastings Pirate Festival provided an opportunity for a small gig: live traditional music and me reading passages of Wayward Voyage between sets (and selling a handful of books). I have launched both my novels with blog tours which gave me the opportunity to gauge reactions. What impact blog tours have on sales I don’t know. Social media plays a small part, but I’m not a huge fan.
Alex: What are your interests aside from writing? And what do you do to unwind?
Anna: I start my day with an hour yoga practise before having breakfast and getting on with my writing day. I teach Iyengar Yoga, from home, currently with some here and the majority participating via Zoom.
Dance is a big love – always has been from a young age. Until a few months ago I was participating in weekly flamenco classes. I am currently a Friend of the Royal Ballet School. Via Zoom, it was a joy to watch some student classes recently, and I adored watching YouTube classes with top companies around the world marking World Ballet Day. Seeing the very best dancers, on stage or screen, is my idea of heaven.
I’m a fan of arthouse film, and either attend the cinema, or more likely to watch a streaming service at home or something I have recorded.
Alex: Which authors do you particularly admire and why?
Anna: John Irving’s writing, particularly what I think of as his middle period with Prayer for Owen Meany my favourite and World According to Garp a close second. I love his world building with unforgettable characters and twisty story lines. Jane Austen is in the mix with her small world writ large. Such sly humour! Then there are individual books by authors, too many to list.
Alex: I'm pleased to hear John Irving's name here. Surprisingly enough, I think this is the first time his name has come up. I've always admired his writing. Anyway, thank you so much Anna for sharing your writing world with us. Your books sound really interesting. I shall have to look out for them.
Anna: Thank you Alex. It's been lovely to chat like this.
