Holly Barratt - Fiction Writer

Hi – my name is Holly. I write short stories in lots of genres and I’m also working on a couple of longer projects (watch this space!).

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   I grew up in Burton-on-Trent, in the East Midlands of England, but I live in South Wales. I studied English and Politics at Aberystwyth University, and Creative Writing at Chichester University.

   I’ve been writing stories since before I could actually write. My earliest work involved speaking directly into the microphone of my parents’ cassette recorder to tell stories about witches and fairies. I transitioned into writing embarrassing poetry and the odd spooky story during my teens. Since then, I’ve written a lot about death, love, magic, nature, families – and also witches and fairies. I’m influenced by folklore and folk histories, and inspired by the coastlines, forests, mountains and towns of the British Isles.

   My work has been published by Leaf Books, Wyldblood Press, Kalopsia, Fudoki and Retreat West. I won the first Oxford Flash Fiction Prize in 2021 and the Lucent Dreaming Short Story Prize in 2022. I have been longlisted for the Brick Lane Short Story and Cranked Anvil competitions.

   I am currently editing one novel, and writing another. The first is a piece of science fiction set on the west coast, with a lot of action, fight scenes and monsters from the deep. The second is a Victorian Gothic-inspired ghost story that begins in the Midlands in the mid 1990’s.

   I also occasionally write short screenplays. Sometimes I act too. I have been involved a few times in the Sci-Fi London 48 hour Film Challenge, including on the shortlisted piece Urges in 2021.

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   Some authors who’ve inspired me over the years include Roald Dahl, Daphne Du Maurier, Margaret Atwood, Joanne Harris and Neil Gaiman. More recently I’ve enjoyed work by Silvia Moreno-Garcia, Jess Kidd and Kirsty Logan.

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   When I’m not writing I work for a university, giving advice and guidance to adult learners. I have a magpie-like approach to hobbies and am always trying new things in a search of dopamine hits. I consistently love yoga, hiking, history, martial arts, and my two beautiful cats.

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   Yes, I do share my name with an Australian Olympic swimmer. No, we are not the same person (I like to swim, but not that fast).