Nadine Holland is the author of ‘Hallie and the Broken Ghost’ — available now from all good bookshops! In this silly and spooky middle-grade novel, readers follow Hallie Collins and her new spectral sidekick through a thrilling paranormal adventure.
In this Q&A, Nadine talks all about how her early childhood influenced the story, her love of the paranormal, and what it was like to write her first-ever middle-grade novel.
‘Hallie and the Broken Ghost’ by Nadine Holland is available now!
What First Inspired you to write ‘Hallie and the Broken Ghost’? Was there a particular idea, moment, or thing that helped spark the idea for the story?
I moved house for the first time when I was 11 years old. I moved from Devon to Gloucestershire, having never visited Gloucestershire before because my Dad got a promotion. I was half way through Y7 and had just established a friendship group and got settled and then suddenly I was whisked away from my extended family and all the friends I’d ever known to start again at a new school in a place I’d never been before.
It was a huge upheaval and I found it really hard to make new friends and re-start school while also getting used to new surroundings and missing my Nan (who had lived in the same street in Plymouth). I felt that a story that centred on moving and the struggles of making and keeping friends was one that might comfort children who had gone through something similar. I’ve since moved about ten times to various different cities so I now consider myself a moving pro! It definitely gets easier the more you do it.
Like a lot of children her age, Hallie loves all things paranormal. Is Hallie a reflection of you and your interests at her age?
Yes! I was obsessed with the paranormal after I got a book about real-life ghost sightings in Britain. That hasn’t really changed, to be honest and I’ve gone on ghost tours and watched tonnes of programmes about hauntings over the years. It’s something I find really fascinating – people are obviously experiencing something given the repetition in sightings stories but what are they actually seeing? Is it really ghosts? Pure imagination? Environmental and atmospheric conditions, or something in between?
The book deals with the paranormal in a very fun way. How did you approach the paranormal aspects, and get that balance between spooky and silly just right?
I tried to focus on the humanness of Gerry (the ghost) and in particular his failings and weaknesses as a way to build the connection between Gerry and Hallie. Obviously fart jokes never get old so his unexpected flatulence at the beginning helped to diffuse the tension and fear that Hallie had felt and helped to show him in a more approachable light. After that I took my cue from Beetlejuice – it was one of my favourite films as a kid and I wanted to give a nod to it in the book – so there’s an element of face manipulation as Gerry seeks to scare off the villain, and they also share sarcastic quips throughout.
Friendship is another of the big themes in the book. Can you tell us about Hallie’s feelings on friendship and how children might be able to relate?
Because Hallie has had to move repeatedly due to her mum’s job she has been forced to leave friends behind and has been left feeling hurt after they ghosted her (excuse the pun) once she’d left. This happened a few times and has left Hallie feeling guarded. She doesn’t want to get hurt again and fully expects to move once the new house is renovated, so when her neighbour, Mila, tries to befriend her she shrugs off her offers to hang out and puts up a wall to protect her feelings. I think this is a totally natural reaction to the situation, but it’s a lonely way to live. Luckily, Gerry manages to break down her barriers and after a traumatic event (you’ll have to read the book to find out more) she decides that Mila is worth taking a risk on.
‘Hallie and the Broken Ghost’ features a pretty unlikely friendship between Hallie and Gerry. Without giving too much away, can you tell us a bit about Hallie’s new ghostly friend?
Gerry is a big personality, just as he was in life. He lived to entertain and loved being the centre of attention, which unfortunately got him into a spot of bother when he was alive, which Hallie almost ends up paying the ultimate price for. Gerry sees Hallie’s brilliance and loves to do a bit of sleuthing alongside her. He becomes her confidante and supports her when things seem most desperate. Gerry doesn’t remember much about his life until the end, where he discovers that he actually wasn’t a very nice person, but he has a satisfying redemption character arc.
Gerry has some pretty… unusual characteristics, to say the least. What inspired you to give Hallie such a quirky spectral sidekick?
I had been watching a comedy TV programme called The Marvellous Mrs. Maisel which was filled with well-dressed entertainers and comedians who were quick-witted but warm, so I based Gerry on them. His flatulence problem felt like a huge contrast with the suave, witty man Gerry presented as, so naturally that humanised him all the more.
The story is centred around Hallie having to move house, and not for the first time. How do you feel young readers will relate to Hallie and her struggles with this?
I think moving can be a stressful time and anticipating all the things that could go wrong can understandably make young people nervous and possibly a bit resentful of that fact that they have no control over the situation, which is very much how Hallie feels. She tries to make the best of it though, and the deal is sweetened a bit by the fact that her mum allows her to choose her own bedroom. So, I think it’s important to show that even in these uncertain situations, there is room for lightness and fun.
The book is a really fun read. We can’t wait for readers to get their hands on it. Was it as fun to write and do you have any favourite scenes or moments?
I loved writing Hallie and it was actually my first ever Middle Grade novel, which I worked and re-worked with the help of others’ critical eyes. I really enjoyed writing the quips between Hallie and Gerry and the dialogue between Hallie and her mum, who have a very close relationship. The scene where Gerry finally manages to scare someone was my favourite to write and I tried to tap into some horror movie tropes to build the tension, which I found really fun.
Hallie and Gerry clash with archaeologist Edgar Dolos. He seems like quite a formidable foe! Without giving too much away, can you give readers a hint at what they can expect from their coming together?
Edgar is a horrible person, hiding behind the mask of a smug, self-satisfied archaeologist. He will do unimaginable things to restore the reputation of his family, which Hallie unfortunately gets caught up in – wrong house, wrong time. Gerry is also unknowingly the cause of Edgar’s murderous mission… but you’ll have to read the book to find out why.
As much as the book features comedy and action, there’s a lot of heart within ‘Hallie and the Broken Ghost’ as well. What do you want readers to take away from it?
I want readers to know that although having friends and letting your guard down can make you feel vulnerable, it’s also essential to forming real and lasting relationships. Sometimes we choose the friends we make and sometimes it’s accidental, and not all of them stick around, but all of our friends contribute something to our lives – occasionally that might be in the form of a hard lesson that we need to learn and sometimes it might be a life-saving phone call to the emergency services…
Would you like to explore more stories in the world of ‘Hallie and the Broken Ghost?
I do have a sequel planned where we get to know more about Gerry’s ghostly friends and watch Hallie’s friendships deepen while facing new and unexpected challenges, and of course, it wouldn’t be complete without a fantastic villain.
Finally, if you could give one piece of advice to aspiring writers, especially those interested in writing for children, what would it be?
Read as widely as you can (particularly books from the last 5 years when it comes to children’s book) Read books from a range of authors from all over the world and different backgrounds. They don’t just have to be children’s books, we absorb all sorts of wisdom and knowledge so it’s good to broaden your range – read across genres and age ranges.
