Interview with Elizabeth Holloway

Well, folks, the week is nearly over. Aren't you glad? Me too. To help get us through the last couple days, let's partake in a chat with a wonderful aspiring writer, Elizabeth Holloway.

Welcome, Beth! Tell us a bit about yourself.

I'm a late-night, snack-munching writer, an avid reader and the deliverer of babies, both fictional and literal.

How long have you been writing?

I started writing poetry when I was able to hold a pen in my hand. I wrote my first short story when I was fifteen and my first novel, NIRAMI, at eighteen. NIRAMI is safely under the bed where it can't hurt anyone other than the dust bunnies. I promise.

LOL, I have a few stories that can join it. What is the name and genre of your current manuscript?


I'm currently seeking representation for my YA paranormal, THE COLLECTED, and I'm working on another YA paranormal entitled GRIM.

Here’s the part where you pitch it. What’s your story about?

THE COLLECTED is the story of a murdered girl, Emma, whose soul was collected as a trophy by her killer. Years later, Emma manages to escape the Collector. When she realizes there is hope for life (and love) outside of the glass bottle he kept her in, she risks her freedom, and possibly the soul of her living accomplice, to rescue the rest of the souls still trapped in the killer's morbid collection.

Wow, that's a great premise! How did the idea of the story come to you?

Ha! I love this question. The seeds of this story came from a creepy urban legend. A boy picks up a beautiful, hitchhiking girl and takes her to her house. As he drives away, he realizes she left her sweater in his car. Excited by the prospect of seeing the girl again, he returns to her house only to learn the girl has been dead for years. *cue spooky music*
I loved the idea of the boy falling in love with the ghost girl and thought more about it. I wondered why a ghost would be hitchhiking. Where was she going? Who was she running from, and why? My story snowballed from there.

That's great. Now I really want to read it! Do you have a critique group/partner or beta readers, or do you self-edit?

I have a group of ridiculously talented beta-readers and I self edit.

What’s the hardest part of writing for you?

Writing is hard. It really is. But the hardest part is taking time away from my family and sleep to sit down and DO it!

Let’s get to know you on a deeper level. What do you absolutely have to have nearby when writing?


I wish I could say something like my signed copy of , but I'm boring. I only need my computer, a dictionary, a thesaurus and a diet Pepsi...Okay, okay...and snacks. Lots and lots of snacks.


Yes, snacks fuel the imagination, I believe, lol. If you could have any super power, what would it be? 

Ah, the ability to telepathically transport my thoughts to my computer and have it come out the masterpiece it is in my brain. That would be pretty cool.

Ooh, yeah, can I have that too? That would come in so handy.

Quick writing test! Use the following words in a sentence: Academy Award, Wite-Out, and pajamas.

I knew when my stylist held up a pair of black pajamas with the words 'I didn't want it anyway' scrawled across the shoulders in Wite-out that my chances of getting the Academy Award for best screenplay were smaller than I thought.

Hehehe, ingenious. Here’s the part where you thank the people who are supporting you. Whom would you like to give a shout out to?

I'd like to thank my family and friends for their continued patience with the lump who stares at the computer screen all day (me). I'd also like to say thanks to my fantastic beta-readers, Crystal, Kara, Laura, Heather, Steve, Jenn. And thank you, Dorothy, for the awesome interview!

Aw, you're welcome! And finally, where can people find you online?

I occasionally blog at http://writingbynightlight.blogspot.com, I recently joined twitter and I'm an active member of the AW forums. You might see my work entered in contests here and there, as well.

Thank you so much for letting us get to know you, Beth. I'm crossing my fingers that your book snags an agent soon. Let us know when it's published, because I can't wait to read it!