My Story
Emily Houghton is the author of BEFORE I SAW YOU and LAST TIME WE MET.
She is an Essex girl at heart but now spends most of her time between London and Suffolk. Emily spent seven years working in digital product management at Tesco and Barclays. It was during a sabbatical from work, travelling around India, that her first book was born; the draft is still written on her phone!
After a whirlwind few months, Emily quit her corporate job to live her dream of writing full-time. A true Gemini at heart, she’s got many interests and is a trained spin and yoga teacher. She has a curiosity for life and a passion for all things well-being, one day hoping to create her own retreat space with lots of dogs! Her writing, whilst focussing on love stories, often touches on deeper emotional themes such as self-love, healing and the power of finding yourself.
'Words are, in my not-so-humble opinion, our most inexhaustible source of magic. Capable of both inflicting injury, and remedying it.'
Albus Dumbledore.
Get to know Emily...
Why love stories?
I am a true romantic at heart, and have always been in love with the idea of love. It is the great equaliser of humankind. It unites us. Because no matter where we’re from, what we look like, or how we choose to show up in the world, I truly believe that deep down everyone desires to be loved. It is incredibly powerful and allows us to connect on a much deeper level.
What does writing mean to you?
For my entire life, writing has always been something I’ve relied on to process, express and connect with my emotions. As a child it gave me the opportunity to lose myself in imaginary worlds and escape into someone else’s shoes for hours on end. As someone who has found it hard to vocalise their feelings, writing has become my sanctuary, my safe place, and the bridge between my internal and external world. It gives people permission to feel and connect. To use their imaginations freely and without judgement. It is a gateway, a portal and to me, it has been truly transformational.
What is your favourite book?
A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara. I have only read it twice, but no other book has stirred my soul like it. It is such a profoundly beautiful story and one that captures the horror and depravity of human relationships whilst also celebrating the sweetness and kindness that can exist too. I absolutely adored it.
Where do you get your inspiration from?
Often it comes from thinking about what my deepest desires are. What do I long for? What relationships do I want in my life? I also get inspired by the people I know, or interactions I have witnessed. People’s quirks and mannerisms are so interesting to me, and forming characters based on these traits is always fun.
What is your writing process like?
If I’m being totally honest, I still feel like I’m figuring it out! The more books I write the more opportunities I have to understand what works for me and what doesn’t. So far, however, I have tended to work in bursts, often going through intense periods of non-stop writing and then nothing. Consistency is something I am trying to master but for a Gemini like me that can often be easier said than done!
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve been given?
I have two that spring to mind. The first is ‘what’s meant for you will never miss you and what misses you was never meant for you.’ This always brings me comfort and hope in times that feel a little uncomfortable or hard. And the second is ‘nothing changes if nothing changes.’ For me this helps motivate and inspire me to take action in my life, to take responsibility for the life I want to create.
What would you say are the great loves of your life?
Top of my list would have to be my family and friends. I treasure these connections so deeply and feel extremely blessed to have such kind and wonderful people in my life. A very close second would be dogs. I love all kinds but a very large part of my heart belongs to Molly and Daisy, my family Schnauzers. Then I would say music, movement and chai lattes!