Holly Du was born and raised in Hanoi, Vietnam. Her early life was shaped by political upheaval, displacement, and the enduring search for home. In 1978, with an “Exit Visa” from Vietnam’s Ministry of Public Security and a “Certificate of Return” from the Chinese Consulate in Hanoi, she left Vietnam and entered China. For a brief time, she lived in the Returned Overseas Chinese Collective Farm in Guangxi before fleeing in 1979. Her journey led her through the port of Beihai, across treacherous waters, and eventually to Hong Kong, where she stayed in the Kai Tak refugee camp for ten months.

In April 1980, Holly arrived in Canada under the sponsorship of Bethel Presbyterian Church in Scotsburn, Nova Scotia. From there, she began rebuilding her life — not only finding a new home, but also discovering a deeper faith that would later anchor her writing.

Holly holds a Master of Theological Studies, a Certificate in Occupational Health & Safety Instruction, a Certificate in Counseling, and a Certificate in Drafting. Before her retirement, she worked as a mental health social worker, serving those navigating trauma and emotional hardship — experiences that deepened her empathy and sharpened her understanding of the human spirit.

Holly began writing at the age of fourteen and has since authored fourteen non-fiction books and translated two from English into Chinese. Her works, primarily written in Chinese, have been published across Hong Kong, China, and Taiwan. Her autobiography, The Multi-cultural Self-Identity, published in Taiwan, has been used in psychology studies for its exploration of cross-cultural identity and personal resilience.

Now, with her first English work By the Riverside of Kampuchea, Holly continues her lifelong mission: to tell true stories that reveal the strength of faith amid suffering, and the quiet grace that transforms pain into peace.

Through every chapter she writes, Holly bears witness to the enduring truth that faith can transcend borders, heal wounds, and illuminate even the darkest paths.