A Brontë Fix: Holly on Haworth, Writing and Keeper the Dog

Hello Joy Risers,

Alice here again, popping by to share some more thoughts with you before Holly returns and regular Joy Rise programming resumes shortly. I think every human with a working internet connection will be aware that this weekend, Emerald Fennell’s Wuthering Heights will open in cinemas. The early reviews are mixed, but one thing is certain: the Brontës are having a moment, and it seems possible that a whole new generation of readers will discover the work of the Brontë sisters as a result. Here’s hoping.

As long time Joy Risers may remember, Holly has written previously about the huge influence the Brontë sisters had on her work, particularly on The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart. She first visited Heathcliff’s moors in 2010, and the landscape soon became an important part of Holly’s creative process:

To walk through the outer landscapes of the Brontë women helped me to navigate and walk inner landscapes of my mind that had previously been too difficult to face, and offered me a chance to metaphorically lay purple flowers at the feet of past selves.

I thought you might enjoy this video from the archives, when Holly was in Haworth walking the moors in 2024, talking about the influence of that landscape and Emily and Charlotte’s work on her writing.

But, what I’m really here to share today is a glorious podcast interview Holly did recently with Sam and Mia from the Brontë Museum, on Behind the Glass: A Parsonage Podcast. In which Holly dives deeply into her love of the Brontës and their enduring influence, and she shares a new piece of writing for the first time: a poem inspired by Emily Brontë’s dog Keeper (which I think is about as on-brand as we can get for The Joy Rise).

So, if you’re itching for a Brontë fix and the weekend feels just a little bit too far away, you can listen to the podcast here or wherever you get your podcasts.

Until next time,

Alice