Ever since the appearance of his debut novel in 1995, Tommy Wieringa has been an unstoppable force in Dutch literature. Despite penning nine novels, including several bestsellers, winning multiple awards including de Gouden Uil and the Libris Literatuurprijs, and being named ‘The Netherlands’ best writer’, Wieringa stays down-to-earth. By not putting his faith in critical success, he means to keep free from the pressure of expectations. Wieringa, an avid reader since early childhood, has grown from an unruly teen in a chaotic household into a middle-class dad. His latest novel, De heilige Rita (Holy Rita), is inspired by his childhood experiences on his father’s old farm in a rural Dutch village.