About Holly

There is no way to soften the blow of this and Mom never liked euphemisms, so I’m just going to speak plainly.

Mom died due to complications from cancer on the 27th of August. Yes, this was the cancer that she’d originally had that had gone into remission. She had been dealing with this for 2 years, but demanded it be kept private. A handful of folks knew, and that’s all. I know some of you have noticed her absence, but we promised we would not say anything. There were a few exceptions Matt deemed allowable due to difficult circumstances through Help Desk or messages, but otherwise we kept our promise to her.

That’s all I feel like saying on this part of the matter, other than these last two things: 1. she died at home with loved ones caring for her properly and 2. she had the aid of the some of the very best medical care for cancer available in the United States.

Let me get a few things out of the way now:
1. Lifetime Access to courses and purchases will remain. Whatever I have to do to make sure her customers always have what they bought, I will do.
2. The site may take some time for me to adjust to because, while she wanted me to one day take it over to her, she didn’t want to give up the reigns. I don’t blame her at all, ha.
3. The new course will still launch, but it might be several months still. We are picking up the pieces of a life surrounded by, and filled to the brim with, a woman who is no longer here. No one is doing this more than my dad/step-dad, and he will not be rushed through grief for a course launch.
4. There is a plan to release the Ohio novels. There is work to be done, we have no deadline, we will figure things out as we go.
5. Katharina Gerlach is taking over the Moon & Sun series, something Holly was very excited about. If you’re interested in the sequels, you can sign up here for updates..
6. Other things she had finished, like stories or The Wishbone Conspiracy (Cadence Drake) will be published as we work through what she had on her computer. There is no deadline.

The family is still reeling. To say my mother was special is a particular breed of understatement all it’s own.

Holly would have not wanted platitudes (she hated them with a passion) or condolences. However, none of you are just “usernames” to me. You’re all real people. You have feelings and many of you had a fondness, friendships or minor/multiple personal interactions with her. I refuse to negate your pain or say it doesn’t matter just because I am deep within my own. Your pain isn’t less important just because mine might be worse because I am (and always will be) her daughter. Your pain or sadness matters. We waited until now to say anything so that the family could grieve together without worries.

So, instead of writing those platitudes or condolences, I want to pitch an idea. If you have access to the HollysWritingClasses forum, fill this thread with the following:

* What her courses meant to or for you.
* What this forum meant to or for you.
* What her books meant to or for you.
* What SHE PERSONALLY meant to you.
* What her work on the podcast meant to or for you.
* Personal interactions with her that you found meaningful, cute, deep, silly, insightful, hilarious (honestly, she would love knowing she made people laugh probably as much as helped with their writing), heartwarming, etc.

Matt, (her husband/partner of 30 years, by the way) gave me great comfort by telling me this: she is everywhere. She within her kids, him, her books, courses, and all of the things she has made. I believe that no better example exists of just how “everywhere” my mom is, than a forum post with a shitload of responses from people all over the world telling us and everyone else what she meant to them.

The rest of the world might not know what it lost, but we do.

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8 responses to “About Holly”

  1. Watson Davis Avatar

    I had no idea.

    I started getting into writing at the end of her Forward Motion days. I had lots of ideas but couldn’t finish anything, was purely a pantser who wrote himself into impossible corners. Holly and her courses were fundamental to me realizing my dream of being a writer.

    I didn’t complete a first draft until I read her techniques for completing drafts. I didn’t put anything out on Amazon until a challenge on her forum.

    I helped with some of her software transitions (at least, I tried to) and was a moderator on the forum for a hot second.

    I’ve got several self-published books now although since covid, I haven’t published anything new. I had come to this site after years of being away just to see what she was up to and get focused again on getting things published.

    So.

    To find her gone was a surprise.

    She meant a lot to me. I’m sad I didn’t get the chance to tell her that.

  2. Hunter McAuley Avatar
    Hunter McAuley

    The Scottish Book Trust.

    Adult writers winner November

    Hunter McAuley

    It was the driest summer in living memory. The sun beat down mercilessly. Plants and crops wilted in the prolonged drought. The reservoirs dried up and water was worshipped like gold. Every living thing sought shelter. After many months a huge dark cloud appeared on the horizon. At last, hope.

    This story is dedicated to Holly Lisle, a great writer, a fantastic writing tutor and, most importantly a wonderful and generous human being.

  3. Hunter McAuley Avatar
    Hunter McAuley

    I’ve been writing for years and Holly was one of my main inspirations. I loved her ‘can do’ attitude and her unstinting support for her pupils and her generosity with her time. Pretty unique for these times I think.
    Finally, after years of trying, I have won a flash fiction competition at the tender age of 59! I have dedicated my win to Hollys memory. I don’t think it would have happened without her.
    She’s still inspiring so many people, and will go on doing so. Thanks Holly.

  4. Dyre Avatar
    Dyre

    You asked for comments, and I wanted to give them sooner but I had a lot of trouble with the ‘what to say’. I wouldn’t know of Holly were it not for her being one of my husband’s favorite authors, before we were even dating he convinced me to read the entirety of the Secret Texts. They were the second fantasy novels I’d ever read, first being the Hobbit.

    I loved them. I loved her writing style, her humor, how everyone and everything felt real and alive and I got lost. I ended up hunting down every book he didn’t have of hers, ones not in print anymore then. Ones in an unfinished series…and I adored all of those as well. It didn’t matter that there wasn’t an ending, seems trite to say but the journey was enough. What was there was enough. Later in our relationship he bought me ‘Mugging the Muse’ because I loved her style so much and was a writer myself, if I hadn’t written in years.

    Still my favorite non-fiction book. I tell every author I meet to read it.

    I took her courses when I learned of them and she helped me, through those and the newsletters, to rediscover my love of writing. I’m published now, I’m writing and selling on my own because of those courses.

    I looked forward to her emails, they were always a delight. It felt less like a newsletter from someone I hardly knew and more like family checking in. The podcast too, such a lovely thing to listen to. You were both so funny and sweet and closer than any mother and daughter I’ve ever known. I can’t imagine losing that.

    So I didn’t know what to say when I heard the news. I didn’t know what to say and now I’ve said too much…

    She was incredible, she will be missed and if I can say nothing more useful let me say that we are all of us the memories we leave behind. Immortal in the minds we’ve left our mark on.

    …and she left one hell of a mark.

  5. Katherine Avatar
    Katherine

    I first encountered Holly way back in the Forward Motion Community days, and still value the kind of mutually supportive community she built there. I’d drifted out of her orbit in recent years, as happens, but checked in today because I found some old advice that still applies. Only to find this news.
    I’m so sorry for your loss. Please know that great teachers, like Holly, live forever through their students.

  6. Elise Avatar
    Elise

    I’m so sorry to hear about her loss 🙁

    Is it still possible to purchase her courses, in light of this?

    1. Rebecca Galardo Avatar

      Yes. I’ve made it my goal to keep her classes and her forum alive, whatever it takes <3 Her classes, her enthusiasm, and belief in others made such a huge impact on so many writers. I cannot see ever letting them disappear if I can help it.

  7. Carol Avatar
    Carol

    I first read one of Holly’s books in the 90’s. It is still my favorite series. I was so sad to hear of her passing and have tracked done a number of her books which I did not have. I am so sorry for your loss.

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