Introducing Polly Holyoke to the 2014 MCBF Author Line-Up

Introducing Polly Holyoke...

Polly Holyoke was a teacher for many years and loves reading, camping, skiing, scuba diving and hiking in the desert. She lives with three rescue dogs, two spoiled cats and a very nice husband who tolerates her piles of books all over their house. Her debut middle grade novel, THE NEPTUNE PROJECT, was published by Disney Hyperion in May, 2013 and was recently selected to the 2014 Bluebonnet Master List. She thinks the best thing about being an author is going to work in her pajamas and getting paid for daydreaming.

For more information, visit Polly's website at http://www.pollyholyoke.com/.

Thank you to Polly for answering a few questions so we could get to know her better.  Read her interview below:

At what age did you start writing?

I wrote my first book with my best friend in fifth grade. It was a rather remarkably story about two little girls who outwitted horse thieves. I never tried to sell it to a publisher, but my friend and I had SO much fun creating RUSTLERS OF THE HIGH MOUNTAINS that I became seriously hooked on writing.

Do you outline before you write or just dive in?

I like to daydream twenty key scenes in my story before I start writing. I do usually know my basic story arc before I begin. I’m always amazed by writers who can start with a character, have no idea where they’re headed, and yet they still can produce a beautiful, coherent novel.

 Who is your favorite character you have written or read about?

I love Nere Hanson, the quiet heroine of The Neptune Project. I like to write about shy, unconfident characters on the outskirts. I put them in tough situations and let them find their courage and their ability to lead. I admire the way Nere comes into her own as my story progresses. She has a very strong sense of right and wrong, and she’s way braver than I am!

What is one thing you would like your readers to know about you?

I would venture to guess I’m one of the few authors at this festival who has been bitten by a rattlesnake. I’ve also slept overnight in igloos I made with my dad in the snowy Colorado back country.

Do you have a pet (pets)? Tell us about it (them) and how they help/hinder your writing.

I have three dogs, two cats and two parakeets. They can be wonderful company, but they can also be quite demanding. The parakeets decided to give a concert during my last school Skype visit, prompting the teacher to ask me, “Do you have a monkey?” I stepped away from my computer long enough to thank the birds for their chorus and pop a cover over their cage!

 

Meet Polly on February 15th at the

2014 Montgomery County Book Festival.