An Interview with Ohio Author Holly Bargo

 An Interview with Ohio Author Holly Bargo

When we network with other writers, we enhance our own creativity. In October, I had the great opportunity to connect with Holly Bargo, a writer from Ohio who has penned many tales. From Holly’s bio:

"Unlike many authors, Holly writes her own books; she doesn't hire ghostwriters. She does, however, ghostwrite for others and currently works as a freelance writer and editor. More information about Holly's freelance services can be found at www.henhousepublishing.com. Holly lives in southwest Ohio on a small hobby farm with her husband and a small menagerie of furred and feathered friends." .

Welcome, Holly!

GM: What's the premise for your new book?

HB: Knight of the Twin Moons returns to the world of the immortal fae and is very loosely based on the mythos of the medieval black knight. Black knights really did exist; they were mercenaries who painted their armor black to prevent rust. The mercenary in this book, Ishjarta Ornstal, is the son of the mighty Erlking who leads the Wild Hunt which is the highest arbiter of justice in this fae world. Ishjarta serves those who seek a more personal justice and whose motives might not be altogether pure.

Because of what he is as well as who he is, Ishjarta is lonely and wants to find his true mate. He seeks assistance from the oracle who sends him to modern day Earth where he finds her. A running theme in the Twin Moons Saga is the “fish out of water trope.” The heroine must adapt to the changes wrought around and within her, because there’s no going back. This story focuses on the development of the relationship between a divorced mother whose son has died and an ancient, immortal being who wants someone to love and to love him.

GM: Intriguing storyline. Tell us about your main character...

HB: This story has two protagonists. The main male character is Ishjarta Ornstal, an ancient, immortal fae and justice-dispensing mercenary. He’s aloof, dispassionate, and often cruel, but not necessarily unkind. The main female character is Cassandra, a middle-aged human woman whom Ishjarta saves from death and transports to his world where she is transformed through the power of that world’s two most powerful beings, unicorns, into an immortal fae. The complete change of self and surroundings force her to adapt to new rules and customs and she proves up to the challenge.

GM: How do you maintain storyline thoughts and ideas?

HB: Writing, for me, is not a disciplined exercise. I’m a diehard pantser, not a plotter. Ideas come to me and percolate in my mind. Eventually, the good ones demand expression, so I put fingertips to keyboard and type. The story comes to me in fits and spurts.

GM: Describe your writing workspace and writing process...

HB: I’m a freelance writer and editor; that’s how I make my living. I have an office with windows on three walls. (You have no idea how important it is to have windows until you’ve worked in a place without windows.) I have a desk with a computer. I do all of my client work there. It’s a workspace. I don’t do much of my own writing there. For that, I use my laptop computer, a 10-year-old device that does what I need it to do. I’ll curl up on the sofa or in the recliner in the living room and write, usually while music plays in the background. My music preferences depend on my mood. My tastes are eclectic.

GM: I know a few writers who are not open to writing to music, but it does provide a muse and motivation. How do current events and your environment play a role in storyline scenarios and final drafts?

HB: Current events and my environment don’t usually play a huge role in my stories, except for maybe to add an ambiance of familiarity where my characters exist. More influential are the movies and books I read and my own experiences. In January 2021, my elder son died by suicide. In Knight of the Twin Moons, Cassandra’s son has died by suicide. In the story, she’s further along her grief journey than I was when I wrote it. The grief doesn’t go away, but time gives us distance as a buffer against that grief so we can function.

GM: The author of several titles, what books have you written? Of all of your titles, which is the most popular with readers?

HB: I have published over 20 books:

Tree of Life Trilogy: Rowan, Cassia, and Willow

Russian Love series: Russian Lullaby, Russian Gold, Russian Dawn, and Russian Pride. This is my bestselling series. I am currently working on a fifth book in the series, tentatively titled Russian Revival.

Immortal Shifters series: The Barbary Lion, Tiger in the Snow, Bear of the Midnight Sun, The Eagle at Dawn.

Twin Moons Saga: Daughter of the Twin Moons, Daughter of the Deepwood, Daughter of the Dark Moon, Knight of the Twin Moons. This is also a popular series, and I’m working on fifth book, tentatively titled Champion of the Twin Moons.

Standalone books:
FOCUS (This is my bestselling single book.)
Shot from the Hip (collection of short westerns)
The Mighty Finn
Triple Burn. (I’m working on sequel to this book.)
Hogtied (I started a sequel to this book.)
The Falcon of Imenotash
Ulfbehrt’s Legacy
The Diamond Gate
Pure Iron
The Dragon Wore a Kilt

GM: Wow! Congratulations on your success! Most writers are avid readers. Who is your favorite author?

HB: That’s never a fair question. I read a lot and have many favorites spread among diverse genres. These authors include some of the biggest names in publishing, even if I seldom read their work anymore: Zane Grey, Walter Farley, Robert B. Parker, Robert Crais, Guy Gavriel Kay, Robin Hobb, Nora Roberts, Jayne Ann Krentz/Amanda Quick, Julia Quinn, Madeleine Hunter, and Mary Balough.

GM: Do you have advice for novice writers?

HB: I’m a professional writer and editor, so, yes, of course! Remember that writing is first and foremost a craft. It takes practice and effort to master. Good craftsmanship trumps poorly execute “art” every time. This means to learn the craft of writing and master it. Readers expect and deserve well-written content that meets standards of professionalism. Anything less disrespects our readers.

For those who pursue traditional publishing, this means to self-edit, revise, and rewrite the manuscript as often as necessary until it’s as good as you can possibly get it before you submit it to the publisher or literary agent.

For those who intend to self-publish, this means you are responsible for all the tasks a traditional publisher undertakes to produce a professional quality book, which obligates the author to invest the time and funds into ensuring that book’s quality. Ensuring quality involves hiring professional editors, proofreaders, cover designers, and book designers.

GM: List 10 things that your fans may not know about you...

HB: The pseudonym Holly Bargo is the registered name of an Appaloosa mare I used to have. (She died many years ago. I still have horses.)

I prefer large breed dogs. (I currently have a Great Dane and a German Shepherd.)

My musical tastes range widely from classical to movie soundtracks to country to hard rock, but I dislike rap and hip hop.

I swore for many, many years that I would never have chickens—nasty, filthy, vicious beasts. Two years ago, I got hens and I like them. The fresh eggs are good, too!

I didn’t follow my own advice with the first handful of books I published and regretted it.

I love Jane Austen’s stories, but I don’t much enjoy reading her books.

I loathe horror and detest cliffhangers.

I don’t like the color of my hair, but am too lazy to dye it.

I will do almost anything to avoid housework and yard work. (I’d rather muck stalls than vacuum the carpet.)

I’m politically conservative.

Connect with Holly…

Amazon Author Page

Hen House Publishing