Meet Livvy Hollis of Mio

Today we’d like to introduce you to Livvy Hollis

Hi Livvy, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
My work as an author is just beginning, though I’ve been writing all throughout my childhood. I wrote (but did not publish) my first book in middle school and haven’t stopped since.

In April of 2020 I had my first and only son, the pandemic began, and I struggled with the stress, isolation, and postpartum depression. I did what I always do when I’m going through a difficult time–I began to write. This is when I wrote my debut novel, In the Shadow of the Lark.
Originally I never intended to publish In the Shadow of the Lark; it was just a story I wrote because I needed it. I shared it with a few close friends who enjoyed it and encouraged me to publish. I was hesitant for a few reasons, one of which was my $0 budget that did not allow me to hire developmental editors, copy editors, proofreaders, etc. Still, I took a chance and published it just to see if I could do it; I needed to know if I was capable of writing, publishing and selling a story. It turns out, with just under 300 copies sold with minimal advertisement, and three extremely enjoyable book signing events, I was completely capable!

The experience I had with In the Shadow of the Lark gave me a huge boost in confidence and truly ignited my passion for publishing books. I started saving up money in 2021 after I released my first book and have since been able to invest in my writing craft and skill set. I’ve used these ever-growing skills to write my newest novel, Grasping for Starlight. I have also been able to hire a professional developmental editor, book coach, illustrator, and more for this project, meaning I was able to produce a higher quality novel this time around.

All of my stories (published, soon to be published, or in development) are filled with imaginative fantasy elements, exciting adventure, strong friendships, and a touch of romance. Currently I write for a Young Adult audience. This age group is typically considered anyone in their mid/late teens, to college-aged adults. I chose the fantasy genre for several reasons including the escapism that it provides from this sometimes unpleasant reality, as well as the beauty of the landscape, creatures, and people in a world so incredibly different than anything I could ever experience in real life.

I’m extremely excited to release Grasping for Starlight on April 8th of 2025. More so, I’m looking forward to all of the future stories that I have under development. I encourage you to follow me on my social media accounts to stay up to date on all of the progress!

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
The biggest struggle I’ve experienced as an independent, or “indie”, author (a writer who publishes their work without the help of a traditional publishing company) has been my extremely tight budget and limited access to resources.

When you are an independent author, you have to wear many hats. Not only do you have to be the writer and be able to self edit, you are in charge of ensuring the success of all advertising and marketing, formatting, design, printing, distribution, and more. A lot of the time you’ll have to hire freelance professionals to handle certain tasks, which, of course, comes at a cost.

Many indie authors–myself included–do everything they can to emulate the way a traditionally published author may present their book. To do this, the out of pocket costs can rise into the thousands of dollars. When royalties on a book average anywhere from a few cents to a couple of dollars per book in rare circumstances, it can be hard to fund these expenses.

Being an indie author has always been and will always be my first choice for publishing. I do not want a traditional publishing contract for several reasons, the biggest of which being that I truly enjoy having my hands in every little piece of the publishing puzzle. I don’t want to hand over that creative control to any publishing company, even if that means a higher cost to publish.

Fortunately, the editors, designers, and fellow indie authors I’ve met along this journey have all been extremely worth the price, sincerely encouraging, and have even resulted in great friendships.

When thinking about the obstacles and challenges I’ve overcome over the last few years of writing, I can’t help but acknowledge that I could never have succeeded without the support of my incredible husband. He ensures that I have all of the love, encouragement, and uninterrupted time I need to work on my projects. My parents have also been incredibly helpful when they are able to–always interacting with my social media posts, encouraging me, and even taking on some of the above mentioned costs.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
1. Currently I have one book available for purchase: In the Shadow of the Lark: Parts One and Two. Synopsis below.

Eighteen year old Cassidy Larken is navigating life after the death of her grandmother, Charlotte, the only family member she had ever known. In an attempt to stay connected with Charlotte, Cassie begins unearthing details of her grandmother’s past, uncovering secrets she cannot at first fathom. After discovering a hidden door, she and her loyal friend, Emily, are transported to the magical kingdom of Lark’s Valley. There, they quickly learn humans are the minority in a land ruled by a tyrannical Faerie Queen whose reign will only end when Cassie brings a long-buried truth to light.

With the help of a talented Green Witch, a powerful Alchemist and a handsome half-Faerie warrior, Cassie exhumes the truth about an old prophecy, fulfills her destined role, and reclaims the life that was stolen from her.

2. My newest novel, Grasping for Starlight, is now available for pre-order. Synopsis below.

Everyone unlucky enough to carry the Dawson family name is doomed to die in their prime…and Mari Dawson might be next.

When she learns a fabled Seelie Goddess can break the family curse, Mari pushes through her fear of the unknown and jumps into the Realm of Faerie, only to learn humans have been banned from the land by the Unseelie King. Willing to accept any help she can get to stay alive, Mari is grateful when she’s taken in by Alek, a Fae, and his friends.

Despite her best efforts to fly under the radar, Mari is captured by Cylan, the beautiful yet insufferable Unseelie Crown Prince. But once they realize they’re both searching for the Seelie Goddess, Mari and Cylan embark on an adventure across the realm in an attempt to earn her favor.

However, Alek won’t give Mari up so easily. He vows to do whatever it takes to free her-even if that means awakening a vengeful and evil Unseelie God.

But what if Mari doesn’t want to be saved?

3. I have several other projects in development! The next story I will be working on will be a cozy fantasy novella– not a continuation but a companion story to Grasping for Starlight– that focuses on what happens to the side characters of the story after their journey is over. Follow along for more!

So, before we go, how can our readers or others connect or collaborate with you? How can they support you?
The best way to support any indie author is to simply get the word out about their work. While nothing beats the promotion that word of mouth provides, the easiest way to help their work get seen is by interacting with their social media and/or leaving reviews on sites that their book is sold. Always be sure to like, share and comment on an author’s posts–the best part is, it’s free for you! Of course, if you can afford to purchase their book as well, that’s certainly helpful and appreciated!

I intend to eventually post articles on my website and send email newsletters to share my experience with self publishing and all of the tips and tricks I’ve learned along the way. However, I am always available to collaborate with and support my fellow writers in any way that I can. I encourage anyone with questions on publishing –or even just anyone who wants to chat about books–to reach out to me on any of my social media accounts or via email at livvyhollisauthor@gmail.com

Contact Info:

• Website: https://livvyhollisbooks.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/livvyhollis/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Livvyhollisauthor
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@livvyhollis