Are you looking for a new novel to curl up with this winter? Our very own Web Content Writer, Haylee Alise Holt, has released her first novel, To My Wonderwall. “Writing has always been my passion, and it’s really cool that I have the opportunity to write both online as a Web Content Writer, and now, as a published author,” Haylee told Nordonia Hills News in an interview.
The story has all of the facets of a young adult novel (Traveling the world! A tragic love story! Healing after a great loss!) and a message Haylee cannot wait to tell. “With every person that Annie meets and every adventure she takes, she gains a new perspective. She meets a variety of people while traveling including a widowed pastor, a 13-year-old Cancer survivor, and an elderly couple. Every person has a message to share and a lesson to teach.”
About the Book
To My Wonderwall is from the perspective of Annie Kane, an analytic perfectionist who is struggling to live in the moment. Six years after the haunting events of Annie Kane’s past, she now finds herself struggling to live her day-to-day life. When Annie realizes that her time might be more limited than she expected, she sets out to finish the “Someday List” she created with her first love, Ben Bright. On a journey to discover herself, Annie learns the true meaning of living life with all of her heart.
The Story Behind the Story
“Everyone is fighting a battle in their life. I then decided to dive into my work and pour all of my time and energy into a story that expressed that theory, but with a positive twist.” The purpose of Holt’s novel is inspire, motivate, entertain, and touch the hearts of it’s readers. “I am a big reader myself, and I kept searching for a book that had all of these concepts and themes. I soon realized that the only way to find this was to write a book with a positive twist, uplifting message and a true love for each character.”
An Excerpt From To My Wonderwall
We are stardust.
Stars have moments where they are vivid and blazing in prosperity. Other times they are weak, muted, and increasing in inferiority. Despite the differences between all of the stars, the stage they are in, or how bright or dim they shine, altogether they illuminate the black blanket that covers the night sky.
I gazed up at the sky in wonder. I wondered a lot of things lately.
Who are we really? Are we the decisions we choose to make or the opportunities we miss? Are we simply the outcome of what happens around us? Is the person we become purely shaped by all of the qualities of the people who we allowed to have a strong hold on us? Over the past two weeks I felt as if that question crossed my mind more than a few times.
What exactly am I in control of? Do our decisions have meaning or is the purpose of our lives to play out our role in a bigger picture. I used to think that we were all just individuals making up the crowd of unrecognizable faces, but what if there is a deeper purpose in the modest details of our everyday lives?
Space is infinite, overwhelming, and beautiful. There are around 100 billion stars that make up the the sky just like there are billions of people that make up the world.
Every star shining and every person living contributes to the never ending cycle of reality. It is strange how we are made of the very things that spark our curiosity, inspire us to think beyond what we are told, and empower us to have faith in something bigger than ourselves.
I thought I stopped believing in fate, but laying down in a pool of moonlight while looking up at the twinkling sky, I started to believe again.
My eyes felt heavier and heavier with each passing second. Everything that surrounded me slowly transformed into a blurr. I felt myself starting to let go. There was only one person who clung to my weakening consciousness. Duke.
When It Came All Together
After 365 days of writing and editing this piece of work, she created a novel that can appeal to all ages. “As is typical in producing a great work, I had a strong support system,” Holt said. She dedicated the book to her “loving and supporting family.”
“This book truly came to life when we did our first photoshoot for the story,” says Holt. The cover, photographed by Jake Kuick, helped tie the story all together. The photos for the book were modeled by Brandon Friedrich, Izzy Strauss, and Ryan Christy. “Working with such kind, motivated, and spirited people makes the world of a difference. Jake had such a vision for these characters, and I could not be happier with the results.” Haylee Alise Holt’s novel, To My Wonderwall, is now available as an Ebook and paperback on Amazon!
