Jun 3, 2009

Guest Post: Holly Denham, Author of Holly's Inbox

I want you to welcome Holly Denham, also known as Bill Surie, to Savvy Verse & Wit. Sourcebooks also is offering 1 copy for one U.S. or Canadian reader of my blog; check out the details below. Now, please welcome Holly Denham, author of Holly's Inbox.

My favorite character in Holly’s Inbox is Granny. She is very much like my own Granny who was for ever finding new and exciting ways to terrorize my mother. When Holly’s parents moved to Spain, Granny had to be ‘involuntarily re-housed’ as she put it and from there on she made it her duty to cause as much mischief and mayhem as possible.

The book came from the website – www.hollysinbox.com (which is once again live and following Holly’s story). The emails appear in ‘real time’ and therefore give a very real feel to her life.

When the site was first launched we set up email accounts for the characters, and as the story progressed and readers became emotionally involved, we began to receive an awful lot of mail directly through to the characters, some complimentary… some rather abusive. Without giving too much away one character in particular stirred up so much emotion that someone once said they were getting into their car right that minute, heading down the motorway to hunt them down and rip their head off – as no one treated ‘their Holly’ like that. Holly’s Inbox deals with many social issues you would find in offices across the world, it should make you laugh (a lot) (although if it doesn’t make you laugh I’ll now look like an idiot) (Oh stuff it – it’s funny so there you go) but it also takes you on a journey which at times can be very sad. I can’t just sit here typing about how fabulous it is, I could, but I imagine the lovely Lori wouldn’t let me. I hope the angry reader managed to calm down before they reached the motorway because London really is a very big place to be searching for fictitious characters lurking in my imagination. However I’m glad there are nice people out there willing to stand up for Holly.

The idea for the site came one day when we had to trawl through an ex-employees work email account. The woman in question was single, extremely flirtatious and had always loved us to bits. We discovered she was married with four children, and couldn’t stand the sight of us. The life she was leading was so full of mystery, intrigue, romance (and many many lies) that it made me wonder what it would be like to read a story told in this way.

I began writing and quickly commissioned a fantastic website developer and together we began working out a way of getting the story across by emails. All I wanted was a way of attracting more receptionists to our agency, and this seemed to be the answer.

An email went out to 90,000 people telling them NOT to visit Hollysinbox.com because unscrupulous IT hacks had posted a live email account of a fellow employee onto the web in total disregard of our privacy laws.

We said - if she was working for your company it was essential you let her know NOW! Before the world discovered what she really thought about her co-workers.

Holly’s Inbox follows the life of Holly Denham a new receptionist on the front desk of an investment bank in London. She attempts to retain her sanity, whilst juggling some rather surreal characters in both her personal and work life. Between her gossipy co-workers, supervisors breathing down her neck, and some intriguing emails from a flirtatious VP, Holly is in for more than she ever imagined. And when a secret from her past makes an unwelcome appearance, Holly’s unsure if she has what it takes to survive the corporate workplace.

As the story reached it’s climax I began to panic. The site would be over and I had no idea what I was going to do next, so I began emailing as many agents as possible the web link; without knowing what I wanted from them. At last a wonderful fabulous woman replied and told me it would work in a book… and it did. Holly’s Inbox has now been translated into 6 different languages but the one place I had always dreamed about being published was of course the USA, and Sourcebooks have at last let me achieve this dream!!!!

Out of interest the character with the most mail was Granny – as it should be.

About the Author:

Bill Surie is the owner of a placement service for receptionists and secretaries in London. He started the www.HollysInbox.com as a place to serialize his first novel. His second novel is now in the works and currently lives in England and Spain with his wife and daughter. You can also find Holly on facebook and twitter!

Giveaway Information: (U.S. and Canada residents only, no P.O. Boxes)

1. Enter a comment on this post for one entry

2. Blog, tweet, or spread the word about the giveaway

3. Follow this blog or let me know if you already do.

Deadline June 10, 2009, 11:59 PM EST

THIS CONTEST IS CLOSED!

Holly's Inbox was reviewed by:

The Book Kitten

Diary of an Eccentric (check out Bill's guest post)


Don't forget these great giveaways:

3 copies of Mating Rituals of the North American WASP by Lauren Lipton, here; Deadline is June 3, 2009, 11:59 PM EST.

1 copy of Reunion by Therese Fowler, here; Deadline is June 4, 2009, 11:59 PM EST

71 comments:

nfmgirl said...

This looks like a fun book! Please count me in. Thank you!

nfmgirl AT gmail DOT com

nfmgirl said...

I follow

nfmgirl AT gmail DOT com

donnas said...

This looks like a fun book to read. I would love to be included.

bacchus76 at myself dot com

donnas said...

I am a follower.

bacchus76 at myself dot com

Anna said...

What a fun story! I'd love to read this book. I'll post the giveaway in my sidebar, and of course, you know I follow.

--Anna
Diary of an Eccentric

Pam said...

This sounds like a lot of fun! Enter me please!

melacan at hotmail dot com

Pam said...

Follower

melacan at hotmail dot com

Belinda M said...

Please enter me in the giveaway

"Canadian Contests, Freebies, Coupons, Deals, Games and Fun:
CoolCanucks.ca"

Belinda M said...

I follow

"Canadian Contests, Freebies, Coupons, Deals, Games and Fun:
CoolCanucks.ca"

Julie P. said...

I just saw this book in Entertainment Weekly and have wanted to read it ever since.

bookingmama(at)comcast(dot)net

Jenners said...

Sounds like fun! I love the premise! I'm a totally nosy poke so this is right up my alley! Please enter me!

Jenners said...

I am a follower.

Jenners said...

And now I have tweeted about it. Mission accomplished!

Darlene said...

I'd love to enter Serena. I'm posting on my sidebar and I'm already a stalker/oops follower. lol. Thanks for a great giveaway.

bermudaonion said...

Great guest post - Granny sounds like quite the character! milou2ster(at)gmail.com

Anna said...

I want to read this to find out about granny!

--Anna
Diary of an Eccentric

Tudor Daughter said...

Oh my what a fun read this should be! Please count me in, I am already a follower.

Kristen said...

I definitely want to read this one, voyeur that I am. :-)

whitreidsmama at yahoo.com

Kristen said...

I follow.

whitreidsmama at yahoo.com

Kristen said...

Tweeting the contest now (I'm @booknaround on there).

whitreidsmama at yahoo.com

Unknown said...

Follower

bjhopper(at)me(dot)com

Unknown said...

Linked to my sidebar

http://bridget3420.blogspot.com

bjhopper(at)me(dot)com

Margay Leah Justice said...

This sounds like an interesting book.
Margay

CherylS22 said...

I sure could use a funny book right now - please count me in!

Thanks,
megalon22[at]yahoo[dot]com

Bridget said...

Sounds like a fun book. Just posted on Win A Book, Serena!

Pam said...

I already entered after reading the original post but now after reading the intended post, I'm even more interested in reading the book. It sounds like so much fun! I have to check out the website too!

melacan at hotmail dto com

cqueen2 said...

Looks like a great read

thanks

Unknown said...

Sounds like a good book, enter me please :)

lavery328 at yahoo dot com

Unknown said...

I'd like a chance to read this book thanks.
unforgetable_dreamer_always(at)hotmail.com

scottsgal said...

what a great premise with some fun characters - would love to read this

msboatgal at aol.com

Shooting Stars Mag said...

I think this sounds amazing and like a lot of fun. I just read a short interview with the author in Entertainment Weekly, so I'm excited to see this contest.

-Lauren
lauren51990 AT aol DOT com

Shooting Stars Mag said...

I'm now following. :)

-Lauren
lauren51990 AT aol DOT com

Kristi said...

No need to enter me - Loved the book - Quickest 600+ page book I have ever read and laughed all the way through it!

Mary (Bookfan) said...

Sounds like a fun book. Please enter my name in the giveaway.

I blogged in my sidebar.

I'm following in google reader

Thanks,
Mary

meah56 at gmail dot com

The Bookworm said...

this does sound like fun, great review :O)
(no need to enter me, as usual, i'm swamped with books)

http://thebookworm07.blogspot.com/

Dawn M. said...

Sounds like a fun summer read. Count me in! :0)

Thanks!
librarygrinch at gmail dot com

Belle said...

I have been eyeing (sp? that's not the way to spell eyeing? but eying doesn't look right!) for a while now. Last I checked (last week) it wasn't available in Canada (should probably check again). I'd love to get my hands on a copy, so please enter me! It's on my list of books I want to read while on holiday next month.

Anonymous said...

Please enter me. This looks like a really fun book to read. Thanks!

tiffanyak1986(at)hotmail(dot)com

minishoes1 said...

Count me in! I would love,love to read this! Thanks! jacquecurl1@gmail.com

minishoes1 said...

I am already a follower. jacquecurl1@gmail.com

Mishel (P.S. I Love Books) said...

I've heard such great things about this and I've really wanted to get a copy to read.

Thanks so much for the chance,

mishtakes AT gmail DOT com

Mishel (P.S. I Love Books) said...

I'm a new follower =)

mishtakes AT gmail DOT com

Mishel (P.S. I Love Books) said...

&& I posted a link to this contest on my sidebar.

Thanks again,

mishtakes AT gmail DOT com

Carlene said...

Please include me in your giveaway.
Thanks
carlene
iluvreading(at)verizon.net

Anonymous said...

Hi, I would love to read this book. Books that are funny and light are always the best reads.

zip_noid AT YAHOO DOT COM

janetfaye said...

I would love to read this.

Thanks!

janetfaye (at) gmail (dot) com

Bcteagirl said...

OoooOOO

Being a bit of a snoop myself, I love this contest! It is funny what you found out about your coworker :P

teagirl1 at telus dot net

heatherzilla said...

This book sounds like a fun read. Please include me in the giveaway.
heatherzilla(at)care2(dot)com

Wrighty said...

Please include me too! This sounds fun. Thanks for your contest.
- I'm a follower
- I've added this to my sidebar.
www.wrightysreads.blogspot.com

5wrights1[at]verizon[dot]net

Marie said...

I would love to read this, it sounds great!

marielay@gmail.com

Marie said...

I am a follower.

marielay@gmail.com

Carrie K. said...

This sounds like such a fun read - please enter me!

nnjmom at yahoo dot com

Carrie K. said...

I'm a follower.

nnjmom at yahoo dot com

Carrie said...

I blogged about your giveaway here:

http://booksandmovies.colvilleblogger.com/2009/06/06/bookish-links-for-saturday-june-6-2009/

nnjmom at yahoo dot com

Gaby317 said...

This sounds like so fun! Please count me in.

thanks

gaby317nyc AT gmail DOT com

Gaby317 said...

i'm a follower!

gaby317nyc AT gmail DOT com

Gaby317 said...

i'm posting a link to this contest on my blog's sideroll

www.startingfresh-gaby317.blogspot.com

gaby317nyc AT gmail DOT com

Holly Denham said...

Hi
THANK YOU SOOOOOOOO MUCH FOR HAVING ME ON YOUR SITE!!!! And for all these amazing comments - I can't tell you how much this lifts me - I am now bouncing along on a big fluffy cloud
If anyone has any comments or questions for me - I'll be coming by regularly back to check etc.
This is an amazing site - and I'm so lucky to be here - this competition has had such an amazing response
Love
Holly/Bill

Holly Denham said...

PS Kristi - glad you liked it!!!
x

Lisa said...

I'd like to be in this one, please! Email is in my profile.

Suzanne Yester said...

Hello! What a great giveaway! This book has gotten a lot of great buzz! Please enter me!
*I just became a follower!
*I just tweeted about this giveaway @ Http://twitter.com/ChickwithBooks

Thanks!
Suzanne
www.chickwthbooks.blogspot.com

quzy(at)mac(dot)com

Anonymous said...

Please enter me! I also blogged about it here: http://debbiesworld.wordpress.com/other-book-giveaways/

dasuzuki at yahoo dot com

ossmcalc said...

Please sign me up for this drawing. I think that this would be such a fun book to read. In fact, it somewhat sounds like some things that my family is actually going through at this time.

Thank you,

Christine
womackcm@sbcglobal.net

ossmcalc said...

I am a follower.

Thank you,

Christine
womackcm@sbcglobal.net

Luvdaylilies said...

I would like a chance to read this book, Thanks!!!

Luvdaylilies at bellsouth dot net

dag888888 said...

I think this book will be fun to read! Thanks,
dag888888 at yahoo dot com

dag888888 said...

I think this book will be fun to read! Thanks,
dag888888 at yahoo dot com

mrsshukra said...

Great giveaway, thank you!
delilah0180 at yahoo dot com

mrsshukra said...

I follow!
delilah0180 at yahoo dot com

dag888888 said...

I follow - google reader!

Kitten said...

I just wrote a review about Holly's Inbox here: http://thebookkitten.blogspot.com/2009/07/hollys-inbox-by-holly-denham.html. I linked back to this post as well. :)