Meet Children's author Annie Holland

“If I could describe my writing style as a food, it would be Spaghetti"
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​Hold onto your forks and grab a bib because Annie Holland's writing style is as deliciously wild as a plate of spaghetti! Her children's books take readers on adventures that are more than just pages on a book, they're rollercoaster rides through imagination. And if that's not wild enough for you, Annie herself has had some crazy experiences too! She's been rescued by a ship named HMS Hermes after a boat crash, and even had a taxi driver in Rome hold her luggage and husband for ransom! Talk about a spicy meatball! So come on and join Annie's crazy ride, where every turn is a noodle waiting to be slurped up!

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​Please introduce yourself and tell us a bit about your life
I'm Annie Holland, and I write books for children! My book 'Stella the Stork's Special Delivery' was a big hit and even made it to number one at Borders! My newest book, 'All at Sea', can be found sailing its way in paperback, Kindle, or even as an audiobook on Amazon! My stories were even read on the radio and put in magazines!
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Some wild things have happened to me! One time, my boat crashed and I had to be saved by a big ship called HMS Hermes. They were practicing how to rescue people, and I got to help them! Another time, when I was in Rome, a bad taxi driver took my luggage and wouldn't give it back until I gave him some money. He even took my husband too! It was really scary, but we eventually got everything back. And you know what? I even missed my plane home from Kenya one time! But instead of being sad, I decided to stay for another 6 months! I had so much fun exploring and learning new things. It's been such an adventure!

​What inspired you to become a children's author?
Many years ago I lived in Portugal and I lived mainly on a boat. There were a lot of children around who hadn’t got books so when we were on the boat, once a week we went into harbour and would have a bonfire and barbecue and we’d read stories to the children and that's how it happened.

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What was your favourite book when you were a child?
I was hooked on Enid Blyton and I liked the Famous Five books

If your life was a book, what would the title be? 
It would be “I don’t know how she got away with it!”

What's your favourite silly word? 
Bumpsadaisy

If you could have a pet dinosaur, what kind would you choose and what would you name it? 
A Brontosaurus. It would be called Dino and I am sure it would be a very friendly one.

If you had to describe your writing style using a food, what would it be? 
Spaghetti

How do you come up with the characters in your stories? Have your ever based them on real people of animals?
I based them on people to a certain extent. We used to moor our boat between Spain and Portugal, it was just a thing we did and in Spain, I used to watch the storks fly across and that’s where my character Stella the stork came from. I like to give my characters human-like qualities.

Do you have a favourite character in your books? Or do you love them all equally?
Stella the stork is my favourite but I do love Doris the Dredger. I saw a real Doris the Dredger once and she was about to be broken up so I turned her into a book character who saves the day.

Have you ever written a story based on a dream you've had?
No I have never written a story based on a dream.

If you could have any magical power, what would it be and why?
To stop the aggression in this world.

If you could live in any fictional world, which one would it be?
I would love to live in The Land of Snow from my Stella the Stork series: The Queen from the Land of Snow.
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If you were stranded on a desert island and could only bring one children’s book with you, which one would you choose?
I would find an omnibus of Enid Blyton.

Have you ever written a story from an animal's point of view? What was it?
I have written about animals but not from their perspective.

Do you have any secret tips for making a story more exciting? Like adding a ninja or underwater city or something?
Try adding a funny animal.

How do you think parents and educators can encourage a love of reading in children?
Keep them supplied with books they enjoy!

Do you have any tips or advice for kids who want to become writers?
Just write, write, write!

Tell us about your books:
You can set sail on a literary adventure with me and my latest release, 'All at Sea'! Join the jolly crew of Captain Cuttle and his mates as they take you on a voyage filled with delightful nautical tales, all written in rhyming style! 'The Little Red Clock', where Captain Cuttle discovers the true value of a clock during a moment of danger. The story, 'A Very Fishy Tale' follows the Skipper and Charles as they embark on a fishing trip, only to end up with more than they bargained for! And in 'Daphne the Dinghy', you'll follow the adventures of a little dinghy who's been abandoned in a garden, and the help she receives from Captain Cuttle. And finally, 'Doris the Dredger' shows us the heroic side of a hardworking dredger who keeps the harbour entrance clear, but only gets noticed when her services are needed in a moment of peril. My beloved 'Stella the Stork's Special Delivery' is a heart-warming retelling of the Christmas story, where Stella herself is called out of retirement to deliver a very special baby to Bethlehem. In 'The Queen from the Land of Snow', Stella and her feathered friends save the life of a young Queen who's feeling homesick for the snow of her own.

So hoist the mainsail and come aboard! These swashbuckling stories are available on Kindle,  paperback and audio so grab yours now and join me on a high-seas adventure!

Where can we find your books?
On Amazon and Audible.

What is your author website? 
annieholland.weebly.com/

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Visit Annie Holland's Author Page

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