Christina Hollis

Christina Hollis is an English writer on countryside matters, and an author of romance novels. She was born in Somerset, England and is the elder of two children.

Early Writing Career
Hollis was a keen reader and writer from an early age; her enthusiasm for literature was inherited from her family who were all avid readers. When it came time to choose between employment and further education Hollis's school could only suggest nursing or teaching, both of which called for more years of study. Neither would allow Hollis the time to use her imagination and write, so instead she took up a clerical job in the financial sector. Hollis worked briefly in Marketing, but she was not comfortable in that role. At that time she met her husband on a blind date. At first they lived in the city for convenience, but then moved to rural Gloucestershire. Hollis began writing full time about life in the country; producing articles and photographs for national magazines about her exploits in keeping chickens, geese and pigs, and in growing fruit and vegetables.

First foray into novels
During this period Hollis also worked on her first full length historical romance novel, Knight's Pawn, which was accepted by Mills & Boon's Masquerade imprint and published in 1990 under the pen name Polly Forrester. Five further books in the genre were published under the same pen name before Hollis took a career break to raise her family. Several of her novels from this period were referenced in articles on the Teach Me Tonight academic blog, discussing various subjects including Why children might be included in romances and Some of the ways in which sex in romance can be educational.

Return to novels
Once her children were old enough, Hollis joined a creative writing course run by respected poet Paul Groves to explore other literary avenues. Here she discovered the art of the short story and was also encouraged to try writing contemporary romance. Her first Mills and Boon Modern Romance, The Italian Billionaire's Virgin was published in 2007.

As of July 2012 Hollis has sold over one million printed copies of her romance novels, individually and as parts of ominbus editions including one published in the form of a Manga comic. Between them Hollis's books have been translated into six languages (French, German, Greek, Japanese, Russian and Italian).

As Polly Forrester

 * Knight's Pawn, Mills & Boon Historical Romance 1990
 * Jewel Under Siege, Mills & Boon Historical Romance 1990
 * Winter Of The Wolf, Mills & Boon Historical Romance 1991
 * Lady Rascal, Mills & Boon Historical Romance 1991
 * Changing Fortunes, Mills & Boon Historical Romance 1997
 * Double Dilemma, Mills & Boon Historical Romance 1998

As Christina Hollis

 * The Italian Billionaire's Virgin, Mills & Boon Modern Romance 2007
 * Count Giovanni's Virgin, Mills & Boon Modern Romance 2007
 * One Night In His Bed, Mills & Boon Modern Romance 2008
 * Her Ruthless Italian Boss, Mills & Boon Modern Romance 2008
 * The Ruthless Italian's Inexperienced Wife, Mills & Boon Modern Romance 2008
 * The Tuscan Tycoon's Pregnant Housekeeper, Mills & Boon Modern Romance 2009
 * The Count of Castelfino, Mills & Boon Modern Romance 2009
 * The French Aristocrat's Baby, Mills & Boon Modern Romance 2010
 * The Italian's Blushing Gardener, Mills & Boon Modern Romance 2010
 * Weight of the Crown, Mills & Boon Modern Romance 2011
 * The Count's Prize, Mills & Boon Modern Romance 2012

Omnibus in collaberation

 * An Innocent In His Bed Bundle (with India Grey, Lindsay Armstrong, Kathryn Ross)
 * Forced To Marry Bundle (with Daphne Clair, Sara Craven and Margaret Mayo)
 * Hired: For the Boss's Pleasure Bundle (with India Grey, Lindsay Armstrong, Kathryn Ross)
 * Taken: At the Boss's Command Bundle (with Helen Brooks, Chantelle Shaw and Kathryn Ross)
 * The Hot-Headed Virgin (with Melanie Milburne and Trish Morey)
 * Irresistible Bosses & Expectant Mistresses Bundle (with Anne Oliver, Susan Stephens and Cathy Williams)
 * Claimed by the Italian (with Diana Hamilton and Kathryn Ross)
 * Harlequin Magazine Manga comic Volume 7 (December 2011) (with Christine Rimmer, Michelle Reid, Diana Hamilton, Lee Wilkinson and Sara Craven)

References and sources

 * Christina Hollis in Fantastic Fiction
 * Christina Hollis in Harlequin