Interview with Author Bronte Huskinson

EA: Creatively Creative is back with a third consecutive interview, this time going international. This afternoon, I spoke with a unique individual who has ventured in the world of modeling, has a photo collection of books, and is a contributing writer for the Huffington Post. From the UK, this is author Bronte Huskinson.

EA: When did you discover your passion for writing?

BH: I’ve been writing for as long as I can remember, starting with short stories and poems. I first started getting serious about writing probably when I was around 10 years old when I started writing two never ending novels. One was about a kidnapping and the other about a girl who turned immortal. I often wish I still had these just so I could look back and see how far I’ve come.

EA: What is the concept of and motivation behind Never Mind My Thigh Gap?

BH: Never Mind My Thigh Gap is a novel based off my own experiences with body issues. When I was fifteen years old I really struggled with how thin I was. I was told that I was ‘too skinny’ and was even told that I looked anorexic. This really knocked my self-confidence, so to feel proud of my body I decided to do the one thing that scared me most: enter a modelling competition. Never Mind My Thigh Gap follows Alice in the lead up to walking down the runway in four inch heels and a bikini and her struggle to feel proud of who she is.

EA: Who are some of your biggest influences?

BH: Maggie Stiefvater has always been a huge influence of mine. Her Shiver trilogy was what started my love for reading. But more recently, I have really loved Laura Ruby’s work and admire Erin Bowman’s ability to create a really unique character voice.

EA: Would you say that writing a book is easy?

BH: No. Anyone who tells you writing a book is easy isn’t doing it right. It’s hard work! It’s countless hours planning out the perfect story, changing the plot halfway through writing it because your character demands you to. It’s having several mental breakdowns because you think your work is terrible and forcing yourself to write even when you’re exhausted. And don’t even get me started on editing the thing! There’s many times when I’ve considered giving up, but it is all worth it in the end.

EA: What started your desire to photograph books?

BH: I first started delving into the Bookstagram world around a year ago when I discovered several accounts with a huge following, but it wasn’t until February of this year where I started thinking “you know what, I could do that.” I never in a million years thought I would become a book photographer  on my Instagram account (https://www.instagram.com/bookishbronte) and never in my wildest dreams did I think that I would get paid to do it for publishing companies!

EA: What are the future endeavors for Bronte Huskinson?

BH: I am still writing with plans to release two novels in the near future. Ever since publishing Never Mind My Thigh Gap I have been working on my writing throughout my Creative Writing degree and can already see how much my work has improved. I’m really excited for my final year of university and can’t wait to release my novels into the world.

EA: What advice would you give to aspiring authors?

BH: Keep. Going. Never stop writing even when you feel like giving up. Writing a novel is the toughest thing you will ever do, but I promise it will all be worth it in the end.

EA: Finally, tell the readers why Never Mind My Thigh Gap is a must buy.

BH: I’ll be completely honest and tell you this book is not for everyone. It was written with a certain audience in mind. It was written for young girls who are not necessarily body confident and to help them (hopefully) find a way to love themselves. I want this book to be a ‘friend’ to girls like me, who need someone to tell them they are not alone and there is a way to love your body.

A common ground that I've found with fellow authors since doing interviews with them is that quite a few have commented about the grind of the editing process, and it can be more taxing more you're doing your own editing, but as Bronte stated, in the end, it's all worth it.

Epilogue

I thought that was a very admirable way of Bronte to conquer her lack of self-esteem and build confidence by entering a modeling competition overcoming her naysayers (internal and external) in the process. I can understand the notion of the novel not being for everybody-- although some just enjoy a good read, regardless of the genre-- and targeting a specific audience. I tend to have an aggressive approach to my work, and I know it doesn't suit everyone, and that's fine with me.

I definitely want to thank Bronte for speaking with me. I believe this conversation will be encouraging for those going through the same struggle. I, myself was teased a lot growing up for my slim stature. For more on Bronte, you can visit her website at www.brontehuskinson.com.