My guest today is the brilliant author Holly Bourne (recorded in 2021) who started her writing career as a news journalist, where she was nominated for Best Print Journalist of the Year. She then spent six years working as an editor, a relationship advisor, and general 'agony aunt' for a youth charity - helping young people with their relationships and mental health. (TW: This episode discusses rape and sexual assault.)

Inspired by what she saw helping young people, she started writing teen fiction, including the best-selling award-winning 'Spinster Club' series which helps educate teenagers about feminism. When she turned 30, Holly wrote her first adult novel How Do You Like Me Now?, examining the intensified pressures on women once they hit that landmark age, and the book became a Sunday Times bestseller. She now has her second adult fiction book out called Pretending.

In one review of Pretending a reader says: "the book deals with trauma and sexual violence, there is also heart and humour throughout the pages". I feel like this sums up a lot of Holly's work - dealing with tough subjects through a lighter touch that makes her stories feel more accessible and real.

I hope you enjoy this episode and if you did please leave a lovely rating or review.

Read Holly's books: https://uk.bookshop.org/contributors/holly-bourne
My Substack page, come and say hi: https://thehyphen.substack.com/
My books: https://uk.bookshop.org/contributors/emma-gannon
Books mentioned on Ctrl Alt Delete podcast: https://uk.bookshop.org/lists/books-mentioned-on-ctrl-alt-delete-podcast
Twitter: Twitter.com/emmagannon
Instagram: Instagram.com/emmagannonuk

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Full Episode: Wednesday, February 12, 2025