8938_10205192340677113_3352984774788682883_n
A few weeks ago, I received an email from a girl named Hanne Arts who had just published her first novel and asked me to add it to my resource list for girls fighting anorexia.

When I heard about Hanne’s story, I instantly wanted to interview here and I’m thrilled that she’s answering some questions for us today. Hanne is an eighteen-year old budding author. She currently lives in England, but has previously lived in Belgium, Holland, Hungary and Slovakia.

Writing has been her passion since she was seven years old. She recently made the big step into the publishing of her first full-length novel entitled “Just Perfect.” For over two years, she had been working and reworking this story, which finds its roots in the difficult times she herself has gone through. Feeling the need to help others through the sharing of her personal struggles – experienced by so many others as well – she believes it would be incredible to share her work with the largest audience possible.

Before the publishing of her book, Hanne participated three times in Short Story Competition Hungary, for which she received the Short List Award in 2011, Honorable Mention in 2012, and Second Place in 2013. She was shortlisted in the Nancy Thorp Poetry Competition in 2013 and Junior Author Short Story Competition in 2014.

You have quite an interesting life journey. Tell us a bit about yourself.

As a child, my family and I moved frequently. The first time we moved (from Belgium to Holland) I was only two years old; the second time (from Holland back to Belgium) I was eight. After one year in Belgium, we again moved to Holland for two years, after which we lived in Hungary for six years and Slovakia for two years. We’ve moved so frequently because of my father’s work; he works as the Director of Credits at ČSOB Bank, which is part of the Belgian KBC financial group. This summer I will be leaving for England for university, and this time I will do so on my own.

When did you start writing?

I first started creating my own stories when I was about seven years old. I loved reading and wanted to recreate this same feeling in an audience of my own. Of course, I can’t say my work was any good at that age, but the seed had been planted. At that point in time I could only have dreamed of having received all these distinctions and publications without having yet left High School.

How did you perceive your body and food growing up?

I never paid too much attention to any of these issues, and it is only when we moved to Hungary that I noticed that quite a few of my friends dieted. It is at that point that I realized that people did indeed have problems with body shape and appearance. Before, I’d hardly even considered it. I grew up like any ordinary child – too preoccupied with having fun to think badly about my body or truly consider my food intake.

When did you develop your eating disorder?

There is no one single turning point. Had it been that way, it would have been much easier to spot! Instead, the eating disorder sneaked into my body gradually and was therefore more or less unnoticeable – even to me. It started off as an effort to eat healthier and then turned into the restricting of portions as well. I remember one evening when, for one reason or another, we were each having dinner at separate times. I took a small scoop of rice and creamy mushroom sauce. Nobody checked up on me, but I spent several minutes at the table to put up the facade that I had eaten more than just the single bite I had heated up.

What was the moment you knew you had to change?

Strange though it may sound, this moment did not come when I landed in the Intensive Care five years ago, the infusions and monitors were not shaking my senses awake. At the time, I was sadly unaware of the severity of the situation.

The ‘moment’ I knew I needed to change was not just a single moment. It was a series of events. Being constantly isolated and tired, seeing my parents pull their hair out in worry – it all sort of added up.

What helped you most during your healing journey?

Unlike what most people would say regarding their personal recoveries, talking about my problems was not my biggest savior. Nonetheless, it was crucial for me to get things off of my chest. That’s why I turned to writing. Just Perfect is, to a large extent, also my own story.

What lessons did you learn along the way?

I’ve often heard people say that their struggles made them stronger. Personally, I think I could have done just as well without all this trouble! I did learn, however, that my parents love me very much and would do absolutely anything to see me happy and healthy.

ISBN13- 9781505286267What made you decide to write a novel about your eating disorder?

As mentioned above, writing relieved my pain. It helped me cope with events and distanced myself from them. Furthermore, writing allowed me to share thoughts and feelings with others in a way that would allow them to, at least to some extent, also understand what it is like to be in a constant struggle against oneself.

How do you feel about your body, food and life now?

I am still not pleased with my body. It will take several more kilos (upward!) for this to change. My relationship with food is good and still improving. There are no foods on my ‘to be avoided list,’ and going to restaurants or Christmas dinners is not out of the question either. However, because of my underweight and my turbo-metabolism, I need to take in tons and tons more than my peers. Sometimes I love it and sometimes I wish that I would never have had to go through this.

Do you have any advice for teenagers struggling with an eating disorder and/or depression?

Talk about it! Or, if you are like me, write about! Find some way to get it off your chest, whether this be through therapy, journal-keeping, art, music, etc. And, of course, grab yourself a copy of Just Perfect – it might just help you in your journey to recovery 😉

Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts with us, Hanne. 

To buy Hanne’s book, click here. Also, like her on Facebook and subscribe to her blog.

Pin It on Pinterest