Hollie spoke to Joy Holley about her latest release, Dream Girl. Bittersweet and intimate, comic and gothic, Dream Girl is a collection of stories about young women navigating desire in all its manifestations.
Tell us about yourself
I’m 25 and a lifelong Wellingtonian. I did my Masters at the IIML in 2020, and wrote most of the stories in Dream Girl that year. This is my first book.
What traits of a Virgo Sun, Sagittarius Moon, Taurus rising do you most possess?
Virgo Sun: I’m detail oriented (in writing and in life) and have a good memory for the specifics.
Sagittarius Moon: I love to party and I love to talk! Definitely an extrovert.
Taurus Rising: I feel very connected to all five senses. I’m obsessed with food and cooking, perfume and candles, pretty things, and soft clothing.
What inspired your short story collection, Dream Girl?
My friends, my crushes, and the queer community. I also wanted the book to reflect my aesthetic world, and contain lots of femme imagery. The stories are very much based in Wellington, and some were inspired by the history of specific places, such as Erskine College and Mount Victoria tunnel.
What was the intention behind the order of the stories in the collection?
The collection starts off pretty grounded in the real world, but most of the protagonists are living in a crush-related fantasy… they’re often a bit deluded. As the stories go on, the characters no longer get to live comfortably in their fantasies: love goes wrong, and the love-interests become less idealised. Meanwhile, the stories become more magical, and the supernatural creeps in. By the end of the book, there’s a broader sense of reality.
What author is a recent discovery for you?
I read Casey Plett’s short story collection A Dream of a Woman last year, and have read both of her other books since. Her work focuses on the lives of trans women, friendship, addiction, sex, and love. Highly recommend!
What is your favorite snack to enjoy while writing?
Bread and butter, always. My fave bread in Wellington is the jalapeño cheddar loaf from Myrtle, and in Auckland I love the smoked rye from Daily Bread. Fave butter: Lurpak.
What makes you happiest?
Being at a party or a concert with my girlfriend and all my friends, wearing an outfit that I love.