Lucy Hounsom | |
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 Lucy Hounsom at Cymera festival, 2024. | |
| Born | Lucy Claire Hounsom April 1986 |
| Pen name | Lucy Holland |
| Occupation | Author |
| Alma mater | Royal Holloway, University of London |
Lucy Claire Hounsom (born April 1986) is a British author of fantasy and myth, who also writes under the name Lucy Holland. [1] She is best known for her 2021 novel, Sistersong. She also co-hosts British Fantasy Award-winning [2] feminist podcast Breaking the Glass Slipper. [3]
Hounsom grew up in the Thames Valley [4] of Berkshire and attended Redroofs Theatre School in Maidenhead. [5] Though she initially trained as an actress and dancer, Hounsom wrote stories from an early age, and named Alan Garner, Tolkien, Terry Pratchett and David Eddings as her influences. [6] She went on to graduate with a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in English and Creative Writing from Royal Holloway, University of London. [7] She then pursued a Master of Arts (MA) under Andrew Motion. [8]
Hounsom worked as a bookseller for Waterstones for twelve years before becoming a full-time author. [3] Her debut novel Starborn was published by Tor after having been discovered by an intern on an agent's slush pile. [6] It was followed by two further novels, Heartland and Firestorm, completing the Worldmaker Trilogy.
Under the pen name Lucy Holland, she went on in 2021 to write Sistersong, a novel loosely based on the child ballad Twa Sisters , [9] which was followed in 2024 by Song of the Huntress.
In 2009, Hounsom moved to Sidmouth, Devon with her parents. [4] Her younger sister, also a novelist, writes under the name Laura Madeleine. [10]
Hounsom's writing covers themes such as gender roles, [11] reimagining myths, [12] and the different concepts of heroism, [13] as well as "the search for identity, and our lost connection with nature." [14]
Starborn was shortlisted in the 2016 Gemmell Awards for Best Fantasy Debut. [7] The Independent listed it among the best fantasy debuts of 2015. [15] Sistersong was a finalist for the Goldsboro Books Glass Bell Award [16] and the British Fantasy Award for Best Novel in 2022. [17] The AU Review describes it as: "authentic and well researched... the writing is as strong and beautiful as you could hope for, and the folkloric end result is fantastic." [18]
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