In this episode, wedding celebrant and writer Holly June Smith talks to me about her lifelong love of storytelling, and her journey to becoming a self-published author. We discuss Holly's early foray into the world of film-making, her side step into the charity sector, and the myth of having it all that made her turn her love of love stories into a full-time job when she became a wedding celebrant, which she continues to do now alongside being a self-published author of some seriously great and spicy romance novels. Holly and I share a love of romance stories, romantic comedies and yes – romatic teen drama Dawson's Creek, which was a formative show for both of us – so we dive into that as part of a wider discussion about the romantic comedy genre and the tropes and story arcs they usually explore. There's also great insight for anyone who wants to write and put their work out into the world. Holly discusses her initial snobbery around self-publishing, how wrong she was, and how well it works for her as she grows her back catalogue.

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