Bre Krahn, a newly published author, has enjoyed the art of reading and writing since elementary school. During the pandemic, she worked at the Selkirk Mental Health Centre, working eight-hour shifts at a screening desk. During this time, she started to work on a novel but became stuck with the process due to writer’s block. So, she turned to a different creative project, and that is how her children’s book Honest Holly came to be.
“I decided I needed a different project to work on. There were so many stories in the news that made me think about such a crucial lesson that most kids are taught or should be taught: not to judge others, not to make assumptions based on misconceptions and stereotypes,” shared Krahn. “That’s when I wrote Honest Holly, a story about a raccoon who is accused of lying and stealing a ring from a fox.”
Born and raised in Winnipeg, Krahn has fond memories of coming out to Stonewall to work in a food truck during Quarry days for two summers and spending time in Stonewall and the Rockwood area with her best friend. And as for her love for writing, she used to spend many hours on the floor of her childhood bedroom, writing chapters of fantasy stories and dreaming about becoming a full-time author as an adult. Now, at 28, that prospect looks hopeful for Krahn thanks to the success of Honest Holly.
“This story is supposed to evoke a sense of diverse friendships and loyalty, as well as establishing the importance of kindness and honesty, and of course, not to judge others based on appearances,”
said Krahn.
This is a story about friendship, bullying and misconceptions.
Holly was honest and kind… but because she is a raccoon the other animals judged her too soon.
With the help of Holly’s friends, they hoped to prove the others wrong in the end.
Honest Holly tells the story of friendship and judgements through rhythm and beautifully illustrated pictures. The bright colours and carefully crafted characters add a special flavour to the book to help capture the art of storytelling.
“The process of writing the book was really fun. I felt like a kid again. I chose animals because first and foremost kids love animals and are drawn to them. I also felt animals would be a very distinctive and easy way to show diversity in a way young kids can understand without making it specifically about more sensitive topics. Additionally, having the animals makes a difficult subject easier to approach with young kids and makes the topic more lighthearted.”
Originally, Krahn had written Holly as a fox because of the animals being considered “sly”, “sneaky”, and “cunning”, which would have worked well with the story. However, it was her boyfriend that suggested she make Holly a raccoon because people tend to think of them as “thieves” and in general, look more fluffy, soft and approachable compared to a fox. So, Todd, the other character adventuring with Holly, became a fox.
When it came to publication, however, Krahn’s journey to get her book out into the world became more complicated. She struggled with the choice between traditional and self-publishing. Eventually, she decided to self-publish: “I could keep all the creative control over the book, and I could learn more about the publishing industry itself. I learned a lot about how to make and publish a quality book; there are some aspects I most certainly would not change the process of, but there are also a lot of things I would do differently.”
Krahn is thrilled with the success that Honest Holly has had since its publication in September of 2021: “Honest Holly has been spoiled with the amount of support and love given. I am so thankful to everyone who has read my book.”
In 2023, she won the RW Award. Last year, Krahn also started doing markets, which has increased her sales over 100 per cent since 2022. She has also gone to a school to do readings. She plans to continue self-publishing children’s books and, because of the success she has seen for herself and others in self-publication, she is inspired to reach out to other independent authors and create her own publishing house. She also plans to finish her full-length novel.
Honest Holly was written, illustration, and funded all by Krahn herself. People purchasing the book help a lot with its circulation. The book is available at McNally Robinson, Toad Hall Toys, Bre Krahn Publishing, and on Amazon in paperback for $17.99.
“I believe that Honest Holly doing so well has given my childhood dream of becoming a full-time author a real chance in the future,” said Krahn. “I think that my success can show others, young or old, that it is never too late to pursue your dream and no idea is too small to make a difference.”
