Society has told men for as long as time itself that painful feelings and emotions weren't something to be spoken about. When Holden Sheppard discovered this 'rule' as a boy, he began to write his feelings down instead.
Now, 20 years later, Holden from Geraldton is a multi award-winning author.
His debut novel, 'Invisible Boys', was inspired by Holden's personal experiences. It explored identity and sexuality, particularly in young men who suffer at the hands of religious zealots and toxic masculinity.
Now, Holden's released a new book – 'The Brink'. It further explores the wild, dangerous freedom of young adulthood. Plus, there are themes of male vulnerability (reflecting back to the outdated idea that men should be strong and silent, not emotional), toxic masculinity, friendship, grief, and sexuality.
Holden will take part in an upcoming 'In Conversation' event at Brisbane Powerhouse – where he'll be joined by award-winning journalist, ABCQueer's Mon Schafter.
Before the event – within the venue's Writers + Ideas series – takes place, we chat to Holden about his work, what inspires him, and what he'll be bringing to the Powerhouse for attendees.
How would you describe your style of writing?
Raw, unfettered, muscular, punk, exorcism. I like to be brutally honest and vulnerable and just tell it like it is. I’m not here to f… spiders.
Why do you write?
I write mostly for myself: for self-expression, for catharsis, and simply because it makes me really bloody happy. But I also know my words can mean something special to others, so I also write to try to be of service to others, especially in the hope that my words might help them process their own trauma.
And who do you write for?
I don’t write with a specific reader in mind – I figure whoever needs to connect with my stuff will find me. I’ve been blown away that my books have connected with a really diverse readership – male, female, gay, straight, young, old, and everything in between. That said, I am most frequently contacted by gay and bi men, especially those guys from working class backgrounds, who feel seen by the works of a fellow gay bogan. I write hoping that those who want to feel seen, with no shame, will get that from my work.
What was the main thing you learned from writing your first novel, ‘Invisible Boys’?
Personally, I learned a lot about who I was and who I wanted to be – writing that book, and the characters of Zeke, Charlie and Hammer – was like writing myself into existence. From the audience responses to that book, I learned that shame is universal and so many people from all walks of life struggle with it.
What do you hope people take away from your work?
I deliberately write characters with a ton of flaws visible for the reader, because it is our flaws that many of us go through life feeling ashamed of. There’s no shame in being human. I hope that people who read my books will know that they are good enough and can be whoever they want to be, proudly.
In what ways has writing helped you over the years?
When I was younger, writing was almost purely escape – and that helped me a lot, because I found a private space where I could speak and express myself freely, without the fear of being attacked or trampled upon the way I felt I was in the 'real world'.
What is your new book ’The Brink’ all about?
'The Brink' is about a group of school leavers whose schoolies trip to a deserted island goes fatally wrong when someone on the island drops dead. The death tears the group apart at the seams, but also forces them to confront who they really are. The story is told from the points of view of three misfits in the group – shy nerd Leonardo, high-achiever Kaiya and footy jock Mason – who are each carrying a secret that they’ll be forced to confront if they are to survive the week.
What inspired you to write about this?
This book is really about reinvention: having the courage to burn down your old persona, if you built it for others, and show the world who you really are inside. I did that, in my life – reinvented myself after high school – and so I wanted to explore the jagged edges of that experience, as well as how liberating it was to just be myself and do what I want.
What can audiences expect at this upcoming Writers + Ideas event?
I’ll be in-conversation with ABC journalist Mon Schafter and I’ll be talking from the heart, with no punches pulled, about sex, sexuality, masculinity, identity and mental health.
Holden Sheppard will be 'In Conversation' with Mon Schafter on 27 August at Brisbane Powerhouse as part of its Writers + Ideas series.
This story originally appeared on our queer sister site, FROOTY.
