Donna B. Comeaux

Author and Poet

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Author Interview – Holly K. Miller – “A Shattering of Memory”

Today, I have the privilege of interviewing the debut Canadian author of “A Shattering of Memory,” Holly K. Miller. Let me begin by acknowledging this is the author’s pen name. I also want to acknowledge, in full disclosure, that I have not read the book. But it is definitely in line with others I plan to read and review in the near future.

Holly launched her debut novel on August 18, 2026. Purchase options are below.

To avoid wasting additional time, let’s delve into our interview.

Holly, help my audience get to know you by telling us something about yourself.

As Donna mentioned, Holly K. Miller is a pen name. It’s a combination of names that are meaningful to me but still create a separation from my real life. Like other fiction writers, I draw on real emotions – the ache of first love, the pull of the past – even when specific people and events are invented. It’s what makes the book feel true, though none of it happened exactly this way.

When did you begin writing?

I’ve been creative my whole life and my formal training is in visual arts. I’m an award- winning photographer and artist (acrylic mostly). As far as writing with the intent to publish, I started what would eventually become “A Shattering of Memory” in August 2025. After a full year of rewrites and edits, here we are!

Share your writing process. What time of day do you begin? What does your writing space looks like?

I meet over zoom once a week on Saturday mornings with another group of authors. We learn our craft together and spend time working on our individual projects. We also have “Sprints” every weekday morning for an hour. It’s a “join when you’re able” set up, which is perfect for me. For someone with ADHD, like me, it’s like a body doubling session and I get a good solid hour of writing in before I have to switch gears into my 9-5 job.

In the summer, I like to sit out on my back deck and write. We have a very quiet property where I can hear water flowing and birds. It’s pretty zen most of the time. Otherwise, I have an office in the house where I work and write. It’s a very creative space that I’ve decorated with all of my favourite things. There’s a proper desk for working and a cozy corner reading nook where I can read or write if the desk doesn’t feel right at that time. Oh, and there’s usually a cat somewhere in there. On my keyboard… Walking on my keyboard… On my lap… On my chair…

Give us a short synopsis of “A Shattering of Memory.” (e.g., Genre, Setting, POV)

SHE THOUGHT IT WAS SAFE. NOSTALGIC. SHE WAS WRONG.

Thirty-five years after their first love ended, Christina has the life she built on purpose – a steady marriage, a career she’s proud of, and a past she thought she’d made peace with. So when she sends Mark a random friend request, it feels harmless. Just two people who used to know each other reconnecting.

For Mark, it was the opening of a door he thought he’d nailed firmly shut on his past. But once opened, some doors refuse to close and the past stops being something you remember fondly and becomes something you can’t escape.

Told across dual timelines — the ache of first love in 1989 and the reckoning it stirs up decades later — A Shattering of Memory is a story about the people we choose, the ones we leave behind, and what it means to discover you’re someone else’s unfinished chapter.

What inspired you to write “A Shattering of Memory?”

A single moment. I was thinking about someone from my own past a long time ago – the kind of person who made a lasting impression on your life. And I started wondering: what if that curiosity became real? What if you actually reached out? That “what if” turned into “Who’s This” which was actually the working title of this book for most of the year that I worked on it, and once I started pulling on that thread, dozens and dozens of decades of old memories shook loose. I had to do something with them, so I wrote a book.

What was the most difficult scene to write for “A Shattering of Memory?”

[Spoiler Alert!] Most would think the crash, but it was actually a toss-up between the scene where Tina ugly cries into Michael’s fur and when Mark leaves Diesel with his sister’s family to keep him safe and walks away. Diesel is innocent in all of this, and I wanted to protect him at all costs, which meant Mark had to walk away from him at the exact moment he needed him most.

Wondering who Michael is and why he has fur??? Guess it’s time to read the book, eh? (Sorry, my Canadian snuck out there for a sec).

I understand there are discussion questions at the end of the book. What prompted you to dedicate space for discussion questions?

Two things, actually. I recently read a book and was pleasantly delighted to see a book club discussion guide at the end of the book and thought it was a brilliant idea. And two, I belong to a book club, and they offered to be ARC readers for me. It was a lot of fun to go through the discussion questions with my group to get their thoughts and perspective on the book.

What are you hoping readers will gain by reading “A Shattering of Memory?”

Nostalgia plays a huge part in the book and I’m hoping (and already hearing back from early readers) that it spurs a trip down memory lane for readers. Taking them back to their high school days and their first loves. Obviously, I also hope they enjoy the story, appreciate Christina’s strength in what she has to face, and the bond she has with Elliott.

What do you know now that you didn’t know before writing “A Shattering of Memory?” (e.g., Self-discovery; Writing techniques; Marketing)

Writing the book was the easy part! Seriously, as much of a learning curve as that was, marketing and promoting the book is a MASSIVE learning curve that no one really warns you about – and I work in marketing!! No one can read and appreciate a book, no matter how good it may be, if they can’t find it. So, getting word out about it is literally the lifeblood for a book and an author if it’s your debut. Things like this newsletter interview you’ve invited me to do are invaluable and deeply appreciated! Thank you!

What five tips would you give new writers?

a. Your first draft is supposed to be messy. Just get the ideas out on paper. You’ll have plenty of opportunity to massage them into a book with the help of professionals as you move through the process.

b. You don’t have to write in order. You can, if that works for you, but you don’t have to.

c. If you’re stuck. Stop. Take a break. Get some fresh air. A change of scenery. Or write something completely different. My ideas don’t come to me in chronological order, but I like to write that way. If I get stuck, sometimes I force myself to move on to another idea, then circle back and try again.

d. Keep a pad of paper and a pen beside your bed. I have incredibly vivid dreams and I’ve jotted down some pretty amazing ideas at 3:00 a.m.

e. Find a writing group or at least a writing buddy, especially if you have something like ADHD. Body doubling, even over zoom, is a thing and it has helped me keep moving forward on this and other projects.

Tell us of your next work-in-progress. (e.g., Title, Genre, Expected Launch Date)

Since A Shattering of Memory is brand spanking new to the world (just released on August 18, 2026), my focus is still on promoting and marketing it. I suspect I will be on to something new by the end of the year or early next year though. Make sure you’re following me on social media for updates!

BIO:

Holly K. Miller is a Canadian author drawn to the space between who we were and who we’ve become — and to moments when the two collide. She writes about memory, choice, and the people who shape us whether we invite them to or not.

Her debut novel, A Shattering of Memory, is upmarket women’s fiction told across dual timelines: a first love in 1989 and the reckoning it stirs up thirty-five years later. It’s a story about the people we choose, the ones we leave behind, and what it means to discover you’re someone else’s unfinished chapter.

Website: https://linktr.ee/hollykmillerauthor