Author Interview: Henrietta Holland Unleashes Love in Small Town Style

Another book has dropped, and you get to meet the author, Henrietta Holland. I had the pleasure of working with Henrietta when she attended my course about the card deck, Purple Passion Reflections for Women. During the course, I learned Henrietta was a writer and wanted to get back into writing. As the spark of a romance series around the cards occurred, it seemed destined for her to be in the Cards of Passion Series writing group.

Who are you as a writer, Henrietta Holland?

I learned to read at age three. Books and stories have always played a major role in my life. I
wrote my first book at age eleven, for my sixth grade English class. I will be forever grateful to
Mrs. Kirby. Not only did we have to write and illustrate the story; we had to create the cover,
bind the book (we used colorful tape), create the front matter pages, and a table of contents.
Unfortunately, she kept them, so I do not have my first book. I do remember it was science-
fiction and the book was triangular in shape, as were my characters.
I enjoy telling stories, both written and oral. I enjoy using my imagination and recording what my
mind creates. Some of what I write may come from an observation or experience, but that is just
a seed, a beginning.

How did you decide to participate in the Cards of Passion Series?

I was stunned to be asked to participate in the Cards of Passion Series by Dr J. I haven’t done a
lot of writing recently and I’ve only ever published one item in a university publication. I’ve never
considered myself an author, writer–yes, author–no. I looked at writing Wild Within as a
personal challenge and an opportunity to fulfill a lifelong dream. It was also a chance to write in
a very safe environment with lots of encouragement, support and guidance.

What was your process for coming up with your story?

When I was asked to write a novella I already had the cards and had been using them in my
own life for several months, along with the workbook. I looked over the cards but already knew
which cards spoke the loudest to me and which I felt most comfortable incorporating into my
writing. As this is my first novella, it was extremely important to me to feel comfortable with the
card topic I chose. And thank you to the author who also wanted body image but let me take it.
I don’t really think of it as a process, but in retrospect it is. I chose my Sexuality Cards topic–
body image. An idea popped into my head. I thought about it for weeks. After mulling it over, I
grabbed a pen and began writing. I would stop and leave the story for a time and then go back
to it. Eventually, I sat down and made myself finish it because I was running out of time. Being a
champion procrastinator, I could have stretched the writing out even longer. I just wrote
whatever my brain came up with. Some of the writing got deleted, some moved, some
expanded, a lot changed, it’s a typical writing process for me. I simply write. Toward the end of
this journey, I created a timeline and a rough outline, but I only use them so I don’t get confused
as the story gets longer.

Tease us and tell us about your story.

Molly is a divorced mom still recovering from the emotional/mental and verbal abuse of her ex.
She has relocated to a small town. Her neighbor Josh left the police force after an on-the-job
injury. Molly finds him extremely attractive. She dreams of him but believes he could never be
attracted to her. You’ll have to read it to see how life throws Molly a curve ball.

What are your future plans-events, new books, other?

I’m working on a children’s book that I set aside to write Wild Within. I’ll be getting back to that,
working with a great photographer for the pictures I need. And have a concept in work for a
second children’s book. I’m also writing an epistolary novel; it is ongoing and will be years in the
making.
I did not plan to write anything else in the romance genre. Now I’m toying with the possibility of
writing about other characters or locations that appear in Wild Within. My imagination is also
contemplating and creating a Sci-Fi murder mystery set about five hundred to one thousand
years in the future.

What fun talking with Henrietta today. Follow her on Instagram

Wild Within: Cards of Passion Book Five by Henrietta Holland is available September 5, 2024.