Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Lark Holiday. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Alright, Lark thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?

My partner has never read a book in his life. Or at least he hadn’t until he discovered audiobooks. Now, he’s unstoppable. When he first told me that he didn’t enjoy reading at all, I was flabbergasted. How was that possible??? Reading is life! I will tell you how. He has ADHD and dyslexia. Undiagnosed through his school years, he spent most of his time in the classroom miserable. He never attempted to read outside of school for that reason. Once he was diagnosed with ADHD and dyslexia as an adult, it helped him to finally understand why he struggled with certain things. But it sure didn’t do anything for his feelings about reading!
Then audiobooks came into the picture. Now he reads more than me! He reads while he’s eating breakfast, walking the dogs, driving to work…and he LOVES it. So when I published my first book, I knew I had to put out an audiobook version along with it.
For the record, that goes against most of the advice out there. Audiobooks are expensive to produce, and most authors don’t pursue audiobooks until the book is a proven seller. You can guess what that means (RIP my savings account).
Worth every penny! I found an incredible audiobook company that put together the most spectacular audiobook. It’s basically a movie in your ears! Their whole team is so fantastic, and everyone who works there is superbly talented.
I have had to cut expenses elsewhere, but I will do my darndest to make sure that audiobooks stay in the budget. There are so many people who can only enjoy a book in an audiobook format: busy parents, commuters, people with learning disabilities, and more. Why shouldn’t they get to enjoy a great story too? I understand it’s not in everyone’s budget, and I am very lucky that I can afford it. But it is a serious passion project for me thanks to my wonderful partner.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I feel like every author starts his or her story the same way. But hey, it’s the truth. I loved reading so much that I took my first crack at writing books when I was in elementary school. I even bound the book and made a little about the author page. A real self-publishing trailblazer! It took about 13 years (yikes!) of sincere writing efforts before I finally got the gumption to publish my first book. Of course, you’re ready when you’re ready. But part of me wishes I had tried sooner. You learn so much by actually doing the thing!
Each one of my books starts as a question that I am dealing with myself. Questions like why can’t we always know the “why” behind something? What happens when we don’t get closure? Will I ever feel like enough?
Because I am but a human, I know these kinds of ponderings aren’t unique to me. So from there, I fit exploring the question into a small town contemporary romance novel. I find stories are such a wonderful way for the mind to really explore different concepts. My books are light-hearted and wholesome. They have more humor than heat. There are lots of curse words, quirky locals, and usually a dog. But they are more than that. They are a way to remember who we are.

What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?

If you are excited about someone or something, talk about it! Even something as simple as leaving a review can make a huge difference to any creative. I wish people talked about what they loved more. I think the world would be a happier place.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

Do not wait for anyone to give you permission to live the life you want. For so long, I waited for someone to tell me I was good at something. Especially writing. Why? So that it would finally be okay for me to be an author? Then I realized that no one was ever going to give me permission. So I gave myself permission instead. Thank goodness! The only one who has to live your life is you. If something makes you happy, pursue it with wild and joyful abandon!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://larkholiday.com