Sarah Holland (born November 1961 in Folkestone, Kent, England) is a writer, actress and singer best known for her 22 romantic novels for Harlequin which have been published in over 130 countries, selling millions of copies worldwide. She has also written for television, newspapers and the screen as well as appearing in films; most notably the multi-award-winning Texan movie Artois the Goat (2009) and a supporting role with Academy Award-winning American actor Jack Palance in Treasure Island (1999). Holland wrote her first book, Too Hot To Handle at 18, and became one of the youngest romantic novelists in history when it was published in 1982.
Biography
Personal life
Holland in San Angelo, Texas, with a sheep
Holland was born in November 1961 at Folkestone, Kent, England. The daughter of Sheila Coates Holland (best-selling novelist Charlotte Lamb) and classical biographer, ex-Times journalist Richard Holland, she has four siblings, including poet and novelist Jane Holland.
Holland suffered epilepsy in her teens and had to leave Wanstead High School, London with a handful of O levels at sixteen. Subsequently, educated at home by her parents, she moved to the Isle of Man with them in 1978 and, in 1980, began training to write at her mother's side.
Holland lives in Scotland and works in Edinburgh.
Writing career
Holland at the San Angelo Standard-Times building
Because of the speed of her writing and the success of her books, Holland was nicknamed Mouton Cadet, a wordplay on Lamb's Daughter, by publishing brothers Alan Boon and John Boon, who then ran Mills & Boon. This industry nickname was later reported in the non-fiction book The Merchants of Venus: Inside Harlequin and the Empire of Romance by Paul Grescoe (1998).[2] Holland was living in San Angelo, Texas in April 2008 when the FLDSMormon-splinter sect case shot to international prominence and, as a contributing journalist, wrote about it for the San Angelo Standard-Times sparking a news debate as well as giving interviews to Texan news agencies including San Angelo Live. In late 2008, Holland moved to London, England, where she worked as publication director for EMP Media's national celebrity magazine empire At Home Magazine[3] for three years.[4][5] In June 2011, she was appointed editor-in-chief of Victory House Publishing'sLa Creme Magazine.[6]
Influences
Holland is also an actress and singer and many of her books reflect this. The heroines of Bluebeard's Bride (1985), Adult Love (1991) and Desert Destiny (1991) are all singers and the books have music business backgrounds. The Devil's Mistress (1982), Forbidden Passion (1991) and Blue Fire (1994) are all set in the film industry with both movie star heroes and heroines. The hero of Too Hot To Handle (1982) is a pop star; the hero of Red Hot Lover (1998) is a movie star.
Screen writing career
In 1995, Holland studied screen writing with Robert McKee in London and was invited to write a 6-minute teleplay for Island of Dreams, part of the Granada Television series, Being There. Island of Dreams was nominated for Best Documentary of 1996 by the RTS (Royal Television Society) (Northern) and sold to over 13 countries. In 1999, Holland wrote a film screenplay, Abuse of a Dominant Position for Iron Pictures, Manchester Ltd.
Acting career
At 20, Holland enrolled at the London East 15 Acting School and embarked on an acting career which has included film, television and theatre. She performed Shakespeare for BBC 2's Bard on the Box series (1994) and won the supporting actress role opposite Hollywood superstar Jack Palance in Treasure Island directed by Peter Rowe; also starring Patrick Bergin and Kevin Zegers. Her Equity registered stage name is Abigail Rhode (Abby Rhode). She has appeared in a number of films through the Isle of Man Film Commission. In 2008, Holland played French author Eva Verrane in the award-winning film Artois The Goat, which she also narrated; it was directed by Cliff and Kyle Bogart and shot in Austin, Texas for the 2009 Sundance Film Festival with the world premiere at the SXSW Film Festival 2009 at Austin, Texas. Artois the Goat gained a string of nominations and awards at international film festivals in 2009–10.[7][8] Holland appeared as Audrey in the Summer 2013 production of Shakespeare'sAs You Like It in Hampstead, London[9] and is appearing in the autumn 2013 season of Chekhov plays including The Bear, The Proposal and The Cherry Orchard.[10] Sarah has also written theatre reviews, most recently for the opening week of Stephen Ward the Musical, music by Andrew Lloyd Webber, lyrics by Don Black and Christopher Hampton.[11][12]
Music career
Holland is also a professional singer with over 20 years experience. She has performed blues, jazz and pop all over London and the Isle of Man. She has been singing modern and classical music with St James's Choir[13] London since 2009.
Television career
Holland has been the subject of three television documentaries. In 1982, BBC1's Nationwide made a 10-minute programme about her: – Young Writer at Drama School. In 1993, BBC 2 filmed Sarah Holland and Charlotte Lamb for the 50-minute documentary Paradise Road directed by Phillipa Lowthorpe. In 1996, a 30-minute documentary was made about Sarah Holland and Charlotte Lamb; Island of Dreams, Granada Television.
