Inspiring Speaker
Award-Winning Author
“Writing Setting
& Sense of Place”
Global Travel & Retreats
Herbal Medicine
Press Kit
Bio
Holly Bellebuono is the author of 6 works of nonfiction in three languages, with her most recent book Once Upon a Place: Forests, Caverns, and Other Places of Transformation in Myths, Fairy Tales and Film (foreword by Dr. Jack Zipes) inspiring writers to develop a strong Sense of Place. Her book Women Healers of the World was awarded the Thomas DiBaggio Book of the Year by the International Herb Association, and her articles and essays have appeared in Parabola and Taproot Magazines, among many others. She is a frequent speaker at universities, conferences and associations and has lectured in England, Costa Rica, Canada, Italy, Greece (2026), and all across the US. She directs The Bellebuono School of Medicine and the Integrative Mental Health Academy, and coaches writers and aspiring authors in fiction, setting, Sense of Place, and the publishing process. Holly's goal is to get writers (and their characters) off the couch and into transformative places.
Published Books & Audiobooks
Once Upon A Place:
Forests, Caverns, and Other Places of Transformation
in Myths, Fairy Tales and Film
foreword by Dr. Jack Zipes
Publisher: Llewellyn Worldwide (print) 2025
Publisher: Tantor Media (Audiobook) 2025
Product Details:
-
Language: English
-
Print Paperback: 264 pages
-
ISBN-10: 0738779377
-
ISBN-13: 978-0738779379
-
Item Weight: 1.11 pounds
Women Healers of the World: The Traditions, History, and Geography of Herbal Medicine
foreword by Rosemary Gladstar
Publisher: Skyhorse HC 2014, PB 2017
Product Details:
-
Language: English
-
Print Paperback: 304 pages
-
ISBN-13: 9781510717367
AWARDS: Thomas DiBaggio Book of the Year by the International Herb Association
.jpg)
An Herbalist's Guide to Formulary
Publisher: Llewellyn Worldwide, 2017
Llewellyn's Little Book of Herbs
Publisher: Llewellyn Worldwide, 2020
Language: English; Also available in Italian
.jpg)
The Healing Kitchen
Publisher: Shambhala Publishers (Roost Imprint), 2016
ISBN-13: 9781611802788
English Hardcover: 256 pages
Language English; also available in Polish (paperback)
The Essential Herbal for Natural Health
Publisher: Shambhala Publishers (Roost Imprint), 2012
ISBN-13: 9781590309476
Hardcover: 336 pages
Most Recent Book: Once Upon a Place
Published in print by Llewellyn Worldwide, and as an audiobook by Tantor Media, narrated by April Doty. Foreword by Dr. Jack Zipes. 2025
Holly Bellebuono's Once Upon a Place: Forests, Caverns & Other Places of Transformation in Myths, Fairy Tales & Film is an acclaimed exploration of symbolic storytelling.
It is the first in-depth literary criticism analyzing Mythic Settings: how five core landscapes (the forest, cavern, deep, vessel, and labyrinth) function within myths, fairy tales, and modern cinema to propel a story's hero toward transformation. Writers of epics, quests, adventures, and fantasy especially appreciate Once Upon a Place for its examples of Mythic Settings from world literature.
The book reaches broad audiences seeking personal growth and specifically writers seeking skill development, storytelling craft, and mythic fiction authors. Available as a curriculum extension for colleges and universities, the book supports writers develop strong settings for their epic stories, teaching how to integrate either a tangible or metaphorical PLACE where action happens for successful results.
"A must for any college library." Susanne Evens, Indiana University
Author Photos, Bio, Blurbs and more
Go here to a Google Folder with high-res photos available for journalists, blurbs, an author bio, and OUAP book synopsis.
Author Videos, Interviews & Podcasts
Go here to Holly's YouTube Channel for video and interview content
Go here to download a transcribed interview from Holly's interview with the Pan Society
Interview Questions
Suggested interview questions about the writing process and Sense of Place:
-
Is setting just as important as character development for an author?
-
What is the secret sauce for creating the right setting for a story?
-
What are 3 types of settings writers need to know about?
-
What is the difference between Essential Settings and Mythic Settings?
-
What are examples of stories with strong settings?
-
What is your criteria for a “strong setting”?
-
Is it true that setting can actually “be” a character in a story?
-
How can a writer make their setting more dynamic?
-
What are the 5 Mythic Settings found in epic literature?
-
What challenges or dangers do Mythic Settings provide that influence a hero's growth?
-
Where do you travel (in real life) with writers to teach?
Sample Quotes by Holly
"My goal is to get writers--and their characters--off the couch and into transformative places."
"The Forest is a fantastic opportunity to get lost, and then to find yourself. It’s a great place, symbolically, for these epic journeys to begin. The forest is both familiar and a little bit terrifying at the same time, especially if you're there alone or if you're lost, so it’s a great symbol for our own personal journeys."
"Setting in a story is all about impact; what challenges will your character face? What decisions will they make? Would they make the same decisions if they were in a different place? As the author, your job is to put them in the absolute right landscape to wring the most powerful decisions from them that lead to the greatest impact."
Speaker Sheet download PDF
Holly provides two dynamic lecture/workshops for writing conferences and events: Writing Essential Settings for all Fiction, and Writing Mythic Settings for Epics, Quests and Fantasy. She can also customize workshops for your event.
Past speaking events include Walden Forum (US), Botanica2018 (England), The Open Center NY, Michigan Herb Associates, The Association for the Study of Women & Myth, and many more. She has taught and keynoted for conferences and universities in England, Canada, Costa Rica, Italy, Greece (2026), and across the US. Download her Speaker Sheet with details here.
Social Media
Upcoming Events
Saturday July 11, 1-3pm
Location: Barnes & Noble Asheville, NC.
What: Holly will have a variety of her herbal medicine books and her most recent Once Upon a Place available for purchase through B&N. Get your books signed (think gifts!!) and learn about Holly's upcoming retreat to Italy and online herbal medicine courses!
Contact
Holly Bellebuono
Phone: 774-563-9677
Email: Holly@HollyBellebuono.com
Representation:
Agent: Jody Kahn, Brandt & Hochman Literary Agency, New York
Phone: 212-556-2760
Publisher: Liz Stewart, Llewellyn Worldwide
Phone: 651-312-8575
Email: lizs@llewellyn.com