About Kathryn Holmes
Photo by Justin Marshall
official bio:
Kathryn Holmes is the author of the middle-grade novel The Thirteenth Circle, co-written with MarcyKate Connolly, as well as the Class Critters chapter book series, which includes Tally Tuttle Turns Into a Turtle, David Dixon’s Day as a Dachshund, and Madison Morris is NOT a Mouse!. Kathryn also wrote the young adult novels The Distance Between Lost and Found and How It Feels to Fly.
She grew up in Maryville, Tennessee, and now lives in Brooklyn, New York, with her husband, daughter, and piles upon piles of books. A graduate of The New School’s MFA in Creative Writing program, Kathryn works as a freelance dance journalist, among other writing gigs.
Kathryn is represented by Alyssa Eisner Henkin of Birch Path Literary.
the longer story:
I’ve been a reader for as long as I can remember.
When I was a kid, books always made the best Christmas presents.
As a child, I was known for always having my nose in a book. I read first thing in the morning. After lights-out at bedtime. At the dining room table. In the car. (About that last one…family lore has it that when I got my driver’s license at age 16, I didn’t know how to get anywhere in our small town, because I’d never actually paid attention—I’d always been reading!) Books were my best friends, and I could never have enough. (Another family legend: once, when we were about to get hit by a blizzard—not a common occurrence in East Tennessee—I made my mom take an emergency trip to the library so I wouldn’t run out of reading material while we were snowed in!)
I’ve been a writer almost as long as I’ve been a reader.
Working on one of my stories as a teen with help from my assistant: our pet duckling, Jo.
My first published work was a handwritten and pencil-illustrated short story about a fairy, when my elementary school put together a “literary magazine.” When I was 9 or 10, I entered a local contest and got to read my third-place–winning limerick aloud at the awards ceremony. As a high school freshman, I joined the staff of the school newspaper. Outside of school, I discovered fanfiction and began writing stories about my favorite television show, “The X-Files.” Posting my fics chapter-by-chapter on the official “X-Files” message board gave me my first taste of having readers I’d never met in real life react to my writing. In no time, I was hooked.
In college, there was no question I was going to be an English major. But I’ve also always been a dancer, so I found myself looking for schools where I could explore both of my passions. At Goucher College in Baltimore, Maryland, I double-majored, squeezing in as many creative writing classes as I could. It wasn’t uncommon for me to start the morning with ballet, then throw overalls or sweats over my leotard and tights to rush off for a two-hour Shakespeare lecture, then grab a sandwich on my return trip to the studio for modern dance class, then run to the computer lab to edit and print off a short story that was due that day, then head back to the studio for rehearsals for an upcoming performance—all before diving into my assigned reading. It was overwhelming and exhausting, and I loved it.
After graduation, I moved to NYC to take a job as an assistant editor at a group of dance magazines. I worked my way up to managing editor before realizing how much I missed writing fiction, which led me to apply for The New School’s graduate program in creative writing. At The New School, I concentrated in Writing for Children and Young Adults, which is where I discovered the amazing work that has been happening in children’s literature since I was a young reader myself. Kidlit was where I wanted to make my home.
With my first finished copy of my debut novel, The Distance Between Lost and Found, in 2015.
My debut young adult novel, The Distance Between Lost and Found, published in February 2015. How it Feels to Fly followed in June 2016. In 2017, I celebrated a debut of a different kind: my husband and I welcomed our daughter, who is now five and is absolutely wonderful. (She’s a reader too.) In 2021, I launched the Class Critters series of chapter books with Tally Tuttle Turns into a Turtle. Books two (David Dixon’s Day as a Dachshund) and three (Madison Morris is NOT a Mouse!) released in 2022.
My newest release is my middle-grade debut: The Thirteenth Circle, a STEM-focused sci-fi mystery novel that I co-wrote with MarcyKate Connolly. As for what’s after that…you’ll have to wait and see!
fun facts:
Getting a “grown-up” job as a writer and editor didn’t stop me from dancing! As an adult, I’ve performed with several NYC-area contemporary choreographers, as well as presenting my own work. These days, I try to get to dance class once or twice a week, as well as fitting in at least one yoga class per week. Moving my body is good for my soul.
As a dance journalist, I’ve written for Dance Magazine, Dance Spirit, Pointe, Dance Teacher, and other industry publications. If you Google my name and “dance,” you’ll find tons of articles I’ve written over the years!
In addition to being a mom to an adorable first-grader, I’m also an aunt to five awesome nephews and one very sweet niece.
I’ve lived in Brooklyn for almost twenty years!
My favorite color is purple.
I’m a cat person, but don’t currently have a pet.
I love cooking and baking—especially if chocolate is involved.
I drink a lot of coffee.
Want to know more? Feel free to get in touch!