Interview with Holly Brunnbauer by Freya Bennett
Holly’s debut rom-com What Did I Miss? has hit the shelves, and it’s already capturing hearts with its witty charm and relatable chaos. Following Makayla, a newly divorced thirty-something navigating the adult dating world and ticking off her “missed out” experiences, the novel blends laugh-out-loud moments with a heartfelt journey of independence, self-discovery, and unexpected romance. We caught up with Holly to talk about her inspiration, writing process, and the mischievous cast that brings Makayla’s world to life.
Hi Holly, How are you feeling now that What Did I Miss? is out in the world?
Publishing a book feels like undoing your jeans after Christmas lunch – total bliss. The story I’ve been writing, rewriting, overthinking and loving into existence is now real and on shelves! I doubt I’ll ever tire of readers sliding into my DMs to tell me they love my novel and that Beau is their new book boyfriend. He’s such a dreamboat.
Makayla’s journey is all about reclaiming independence and discovering who she is, how much of her story was inspired by your own experiences or people you know?
What Did I Miss? is inspired by a friend who was in a similar situation to my main character: young, divorced from her high-school dud and navigating the adult dating world for the first time.
I was fascinated by how many fundamental experiences we often go through during our twenties that she’d missed out on.
The opening chapter poured out of me after I’d encouraged her to join a dating app. What kind of friend would be if I didn’t write her profile and use her trauma for a good story?
But let’s set the record straight, Makayla is not my friend, and my friend is not Makayla. This is a fictional story … probably.
The book is full of sharp dialogue and hilarious moments, what’s your process for writing comedy that feels so natural?
For What Did I Miss? the humour really shines in the moments that feel relatable, such as staffroom politics or awful first dates. The laughs often land harder when things go horribly wrong for Makayla – which they often do. There’s something so funny about disasters, especially when they happen to other people.
So, my process was simple – put Makayla through the wringer. Don’t worry, she was a good sport about it.
Makayla’s list of missed-out experiences is such a fun idea! Did you create a similar list for yourself while writing, or do you have a “missed out” list of your own?
The No Regrets List was a lot of fun to write. It actually came about when I asked my married friends, “If you found yourself suddenly single, what new experiences would you want to try?” Responses came in thick and fast. I had the good sense to write them down.
As for me, I don’t have a personal list. I met my husband after a very full and fun chapter of travel and dating misadventures. Ah, the memories. These days, if there’s something I want to do, I’ve got the adult money to go out and do it – which is its own kind of freedom.
Rom-com fans often fall in love with the supporting cast. Do you have a favourite side character in What Did I Miss?, and why?
My main character has a workplace arch nemesis named Agnes, who is delightfully diabolical. She’s on a huge power trip and plays twisted mind games. It was fun to write such a villainous character. Especially one as conniving as Agnes. Readers will love to hate her.
You’ve been compared to Sally Thorne and Beth O’Leary, what’s it like hearing that, and which rom-com authors or books have influenced your writing the most?
I’ll admit, it’s pretty cool to be compared to the likes of Sally Thorne and Beth O’Leary. I don’t necessarily agree, but I’ll take it.
That said, I wouldn’t say my writing is directly influenced by other rom-com authors. When I’m deep in a manuscript, I avoid reading romance altogether. I don’t want to accidentally absorb someone else’s voice or style. Instead, I’ll dive into some non-fiction or other genres to keep things fresh.
However, when I am in the mood for rom-coms, give me local authors any day – Karina May, Melanie Saward, Clare Fletcher … I could keep going. We’ve got some serious talent here.
Without spoilers, what’s one moment in the book that was especially fun (or challenging) to write?
Any scene with Agnes was a hoot to write. She’s such a shit stirrer.
One scene that stands out involves her previous personalised mug. She leaves it in the communal area, but then punishes anyone who dares to use it. It’s a small petty moment that captures the everyday drama of office life – something most of us have witnessed or taken part in.
