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Helen Hollick

Goodreads Author

Born

in Walthamstow, North East London, The United Kingdom

Website

https://blog.helenhollick.net/

Twitter

HelenHollick

Genre

Historical Fiction, Nautical Fantasy Adventure, Mystery

Member Since

December 2008

URL

https://www.goodreads.com/helenhollick

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I escaped London in January 2013 to live in North Devon - but was born in Walthamstow, North East London in 1953 I began writing at the age of 13. Desperately wanting a pony of my own, but not being able to afford one, I invented an imaginary pony instead, writing stories about our adventures together at every spare opportunity. In the seventies I turned to science fiction - this was the age of Dr. Who, Star Trek and Star Wars. I still have an unfinished adventure about a bit of a rogue who travelled space with his family, making an honest(ish) living and getting into all sorts of scrapes. Perhaps one day I might finish it.

I had wanted to become a journalist when leaving secondary school, but my careers advice was not helpful. "Don't be sil I escaped London in January 2013 to live in North Devon - but was born in Walthamstow, North East London in 1953 I began writing at the age of 13. Desperately wanting a pony of my own, but not being able to afford one, I invented an imaginary pony instead, writing stories about our adventures together at every spare opportunity. In the seventies I turned to science fiction - this was the age of Dr. Who, Star Trek and Star Wars. I still have an unfinished adventure about a bit of a rogue who travelled space with his family, making an honest(ish) living and getting into all sorts of scrapes. Perhaps one day I might finish it.

I had wanted to become a journalist when leaving secondary school, but my careers advice was not helpful. "Don't be silly," I was told, "you can't type." (I still can't, I use four fingers.) Instead, I worked in a Chingford library where I stayed for 13 years although I was not very happy there - I did not realise it, but I wanted to write. The one advantage of the library, however, was the access to books, and it was there that I came across the Roman historical novels of Rosemary Sutcliff, the Arthurian trilogy by Mary Stewart, and the historian Geoffrey Ashe. I was hooked on Roman Britain - and King Arthur!

Reading everything I could, I eventually became frustrated that novels were not how I personally felt about the matter of Arthur and Gwenhwyfar (Guinevere).

By this time, I was married with a young daughter. I had time on my hands and so I started writing my idea of Arthurian Britain . I deliberately decided not to include Merlin and Lancelot, there was to be no magic or Medieval myth. My book was to be a "what might have really happened" historical novel, not a fantasy, and most certainly not a romance! What I didn't know, when I started, was that my one book was to grow into enough words to make a complete trilogy.

I found an agent who placed me with William Heinemann - I was accepted for publication just after my 40th birthday. The best birthday present I have ever had.

I had previously had a smaller success with a children's personal safety book (stranger danger) called "Come and Tell Me," a little story that I had written for my daughter when she was 3. I wanted to tell her how to keep safe in a clear and simple manner - with a message that could be easily remembered. "Always come and tell me before you go anywhere with anyone" fitted nicely. I was immensely proud when my little story was taken up as an official safety book by the British Home Office to be used nationally by the police and schools. An updated and revised version of "Come and Tell Me" was re-published by Happy Cat Books but is now out of print.

I followed on with two Saxon period novels A Hollow Crown and Harold the King - both are about the people and events that led to the Battle of Hastings in 1066 - from the English point of view.
(these titles are published as The Forever Queen and I Am The Chosen King in the US)

When Heinemann did not re-print my backlist I took my books to a small UK independent publisher with their even smaller mainstream imprint, adding my historical adventure series the Sea Witch Voyages to my list.
Unfortunately Discovered Authors / Callio Press, were not as organised as they should have been and the company closed in the spring of 2011. Not wanting my books to fall out of print in the UK I took them to an indie company - SilverWood Books of Bristol UK - and with their technical assistance "self published"

I am also with Sourcebooks Inc in the US, with Artemis Yayinlari in Turkey, Sadwolf in Germany at Catnip Edizioni in Italy.
I was delighted to make the USA Today bestseller list in 2011 with The Forever Queen (US title of A Hollow Crown)

I have published two non-fiction books: Pirates Truth and Tales with Amberley Press and Smugglers : Fact and Fiction with Pen & Sword.

I also run an historical fiction review blog, Discovering Diamonds, with a dedicated and enthusia ...more

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Combine Editions
Helen Hollick’s books

Average rating: 3.92 · 10,043 ratings · 1,217 reviews · 58 distinct works • Similar authors

	The Forever Queen (Saxon #2) 3.73 avg rating — 4,105 ratings — published 2004 — 10 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	I Am the Chosen King (Saxon #1) 4.12 avg rating — 2,348 ratings — published 2000 — 13 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Kingmaking (Pendragon's Banner Trilogy, #1) 3.88 avg rating — 1,736 ratings — published 1994 — 25 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Shadow of the King (Pendragon's Banner Trilogy, #3) 4.13 avg rating — 581 ratings — published 1997 — 15 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Sea Witch (Capt. Jesamiah Acorne Book 1) 3.78 avg rating — 289 ratings — published 2006 — 10 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Pirate Code (Capt.. Jesamiah Acorne Book 2) 4.07 avg rating — 106 ratings — published 2007 — 11 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Bring It Close (Sea Witch Voyages, #3) 4.18 avg rating — 84 ratings — published 2009 — 7 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	A Mirror Murder (Jan Christopher Mystery Series #1) 4.33 avg rating — 67 ratings — published 2021 — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Ripples in the Sand 4.24 avg rating — 54 ratings — published 2012 — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Pirates: Truth and Tales 3.40 avg rating — 58 ratings — published 2017 — 6 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

More books by Helen Hollick…

1691 posts
Helen Hollick's Blog

AN INTERLUDE:

Past Perfect? Writing historical fiction – how much of it should be historical, how much of it fiction?

by Helen Hollick

Powerful stories that recreate the history of the past.

How far does a historical fiction author have to go to provide a good read? Are facts more essential, or is the story the prime importance?

I have a confession to make; well a couple actually. One of the reasons w

Series by Helen Hollick

Saxon (2 books)
by

Helen Hollick (Goodreads Author)

3.88 avg rating — 6,453 ratings

Sea Witch Chronicles (5 books)
by

Helen Hollick (Goodreads Author)

3.97 avg rating — 557 ratings

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Helen Hollick wrote a new blog post AN INTERLUDE: Past Perfect? Writing historical fiction – how much of it should be historical, how much of it fiction? by Helen Hollick Powerful stories that recre Read more of this blog post »
Apr 12, 2026 12:19AM · like
Helen Hollick liked Cel Jel's review of When the Mermaid Sings: "How wonderful it was to read this story of Jesemiah starting out on his adventures on the high seas. To know that this was written after the other books, but to enjoy the way the threads to come later have been introduced, was just sheer pleasure. If" Read more of this review »
Mar 26, 2026 06:35AM · see review
Helen Hollick liked Laura's review of When the Mermaid Sings: "I am kicking myself now. I had been offered the opportunity to review books in the Sea Witches Voyage series and I decided at the time that I was too busy to do them justice. Now that I have read and loved Jesamiah Acorne's story and experienced the " Read more of this review »
Mar 26, 2026 06:35AM · see review
Helen Hollick liked Emelia Hendrix's review of When the Mermaid Sings: "I came to this book having already fallen in love with Jesamiah Acorne in the Sea Witch series and wanted to understand where he came from. What I got was so much more than I expected. Helen Hollick has a rare gift for making you feel the salt air and" Read more of this review »
Mar 26, 2026 06:34AM · see review
Helen Hollick is now following Mary Yarde and Laura
Feb 15, 2026 11:48AM

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Quotes by Helen Hollick (?)

“Two people can only live as one when each is prepared to give and receive trust and understanding. Above that lies respect. Without respect for how the other feels, no marriage is worthwhile.”
― Helen Hollick, The Kingmaking

tags: love, marriage, respect, trust, understanding

92 likes

“Change has to come for life to struggle forward.”
― Helen Hollick, The Kingmaking

tags: change, life, moving-forward, moving-on

67 likes

“We had so many dreams as children. Where do they go when we grow? Are they swallowed up by the mundane things of everyday life? Or do we lose them, leave them behind us in the dust, for new children to find and take up?”
― Helen Hollick, The Kingmaking

tags: dreams, growing-up, helen-hollick

48 likes

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Polls

November's genre is historical fiction. This poll will be open until Thursday, October 25 (extended).

I Am The Chosen King

Helen Hollick

2 votes, 33.3%

Two Empresses

Brandy Purdy

1 vote, 16.7%

America's Daughter

Stephanie Dray

1 vote, 16.7%

Circe

Madeline Miller

1 vote, 16.7%

Blue Asylum

Kathy Hepinstall

1 vote, 16.7%

The English Wife

Lauren Willig

0 votes, 0.0%

6 total votes

2 comments

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Topics Mentioning This Author

topics	posts	views	last activity
European Royalty: Hollow Crown: May 15 - Jun 15	17	48	Jun 01, 2009 05:50AM
Historical Fictio...: April/May 2011 Group Read -- Madame Tussaud: A Novel of the French Revolution by Michelle Moran	51	168	Apr 14, 2011 06:12PM
Historical Fictio...: Challenge #7 - REPORT POINTS HERE	279	156	Sep 02, 2011 11:34AM
A History of Royals: * OPEN READs guidelines	3	73	Sep 16, 2011 02:37PM
European Royalty: Oct 15 - Nov 15: Nominating	10	47	Sep 16, 2011 07:17PM
Nothing But Readi...: Shay's Reading Challenges	54	139	Sep 30, 2011 06:52AM

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Helen’s Friend Comments

Comments (showing 1-4) post a comment »

date

newest »

message 4: by Aletta

Dec 04, 2016 06:32AM

Thanks for connecting! Looking forward to your recommendations.

reply | flag

message 3: by Juliew.

Mar 22, 2014 11:46PM

Hi Helen!Thanks for adding me!Looking forward to reading The Forever Queen!

reply | flag

message 2: by Kimberly

Aug 14, 2013 09:37AM

Thank you for the friend add Helen I can't wait to read your books. They look like amazing reads!

reply | flag

message 1: by Derick

May 18, 2012 07:09AM

Thanks for the connection, Helen! You may like my 2012 debut,a hilarious Irish romcom called 'Dysfunctional Romance!' which has 17 five star reviews on Amazon and over 6,000 followers on Twitter already. see my blog for details:
www.derickhudson.blogspot.com
Kind regards,
Derick

reply | flag

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