EMMA HOLLAND’s debut middle grade book, Stories for the Kid Next Door, is a hilariously unpredictable world where every page is packed with laughter, mischief and a touch of the absurd. Read on for a Q&A.
What inspired Stories for the Kid Next Door?
My favourite books as a kid were short stories/poems. I had a short attention span and craved the endorphin release of finishing a story. I also have very fond memories of my mum reading poems to me as a kid; I basically wanted to create a book I would have loved when I was a kid
What’s your favourite story or character from the book?
I love the last story of the book ‘The Hard Pillow’. As someone who grew up with a sister very close to my age, the competitiveness was rampant. I always wanted to recreate that feeling to an absurd scale and I feel like I finally got to achieve it with this story.
Do you have any writing rituals or habits?
I follow the pomodoro method. It’s where you set a timer for 25 minutes, write for that entire time and then take a 5 minute break. Rinse and repeat. It sounds silly but it works a treat. I also wear glasses even though I don’t really need them. Makes me feel like I’m at work.
Who were your favourite funny authors or comedians growing up?
Obviously, Andy Griffiths and Paul Jennings had a big impact on me growing up. This book almost feels like a love letter to them in some ways. I just loved any comedy with an absurd twist. More recently I’ve been loving the work of Will McPhail.
What advice would you give to young writers who want to write funny stories like yours?
Just start! There’s no rules, you can start writing a book today. Right now. Do it right now, stop reading this and go write six poems NOW.
You’ve done TV writing, stand-up, and now books for kids – what’s the biggest surprise about writing for young readers?
How intelligent they are! The further you get away from being a kid, the more you forget about it. I was worried I’d have to water down a lot of my stories to make them easier to digest, but I realised very quickly how smart young readers are and I fully trust them to come along on the journey with me!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Quirky, refreshing and quick-witted, Emma Holland is one of Australia’s most original young talents. A comedian, collage artist and photographer, Emma’s multi-hyphenated profile continues to rise. She is a regular panellist on the award-winning comedy shows Have You Been Paying Attention?, Thank God You’re Here, 7Days and has hosted multiple episodes of The Cheap Seats. Emma is also a regular writer on The Cheap Seats, Have You Been Paying Attention?, Taskmaster S5 as well as awards shows The AACTA’s and The Logies
After growing up as a military kid in between Australia and Indonesia, Emma started comedy in 2018 and has gone from strength to strength since. A runner up in RAW Comedy and selected cast member for The Comedy Zone, Emma very quickly made her mark as a live performer. Her ambitious live shows are a combination of lighting, multimedia and live action collage.
Her 2023 hour Save The Orangutans, a show exploring her international upbringing, was a Moosehead Award recipient and secured her a nomination for Most Outstanding Show at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival.
In 2024, Emma took this show to Edinburgh Fringe where she achieved sold out shows and rave reviews. Her 2024 show, Here Comes Mr. Forehead, boasted a sold-out season at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, sold-out shows across Australia and glowing reviews.
As an artist, Emma has achieved success in her own right. Emma holds a Bachelor of Visual Art from her studies at the Australian National University and the prestigious Rhode Island School of Design. After graduating in 2016, Emma went on to display her first Solo exhibition The Neighbourhood in Canberra, Australia. In 2020 during the pandemic, Emma received a grant from the Museum of Brisbane as part of their Artists@Home initiative where she created a series of collages exploring the rhythm of comedy in a visual form.
In 2023 Emma was selected as a recipient of the ABC’s Fresh Blood initiative in which she wrote and directed web series, Fine Art. A parody of unsettling 90s kids TV, Fine Art demonstrated Emma’s strong visual sensibilities, comedic acting and original writing.
Emma’s strange PowerPoint presentations have garnered her a following of 30k on TikTok and millions of views.
In 2025, Emma will tour her new hour stand-up, Don’t Touch My Trinkets as well as appearing on the 4th season of Taskmaster Australia.
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