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Helena Harper is a native of England, but she grew up in a household that did things somewhat differently to other English households, because her mother was German. From an early age she loved to read and write, particularly fantasy stories for young children, and later she enjoyed studying foreign languages. After a brief period in a bank (never to be repeated!), she trained to be a teacher and then started her career as a modern languages teacher, a career which has lasted twenty years. Now she is a private tutor. In the past few years she has also discovered the joys of writing poetry for adults, and her first two books are poetry collections: “It's a Teacher's Life...!” and “Family and More – Enemies or Friends?”, which have been inspired by her professional and personal life. To learn more about Helena, go to helenaharper.com or helenaharpersblog.blogspot.com.

Hello, Helena, and thank you for taking the time to answer some questions for us!  To start, please tell us about your latest project.

Well, there are actually two projects I'm working on at the moment. My ebook “Family and More – Enemies or Friends?” will be coming out in the next few months as a paperback, so I'm busy finalising the details for that. The paperback will have an extra poem in it, called 'The Adopted Aunt', which tells the story of a dear, old friend of the family who was like an aunt to my sister and myself and who, at the age of 15 no less, set a new motorcycling world record at Brooklands! The paperback will also have photos in it which will really enhance the whole book, including one of my aunt during her world record-breaking attempt.

The second project I'm working on is a picture book, which is set in space. The illustrations for the story are being done at the moment and when they're ready, I'm going to submit the book to a publisher.

How has your education, profession or background helped you in your writing career?

My language studies have helped me appreciate the sound, rhythm and meaning of words and my teaching has taught me a great deal about what makes people tick. My profession and my background have also been the source of inspiration for my first two published books.

What will your next project be?

I want to finish another picture book story and have the illustrations done for that as well.

Who inspires you on a personal or business level?

People who go above and beyond what they have to do, who overcome obstacles no matter what, who carry on with little or no appreciation from others – in short the unsung heroes of life, people who are the salt of the earth. I've talked about some of these people in my books “It's a Teacher's Life...!” and “Family and More – Enemies or Friends?” My mother, for instance, who inspires because of her enormous determination, resilience and resourcefulness; my sister because of her unfailing generosity of spirit and willingness to show her heart on her sleeve; and my physiotherapist because he's “always ready to give up time / to squeeze in patients here and there, / for his gentle, feeling heart / can never bear the sight of / a soul pained and distressed. / If he can lighten the load / and free the spirit, / then his conscience he’s followed, / his calling’s been done, / and he can sleep easy / when the time comes to rest.” (from my book “Family and More”)

Why is your second book called “Enemies or Friends?”

That's got a lot to do with the fact that my mother is German and my father English, and I kept thinking about the fact that, had I been born a few years earlier, all my German relatives would have been my 'enemies'. To me they could never have been 'enemies', just 'family'. It got me thinking about how futile it is to talk about so-called national divisions.

Do you prefer writing poetry or children's stories?

I like both of them equally. When I write poetry, I can concentrate on the rhythm and sound of the words and use vocabulary I wouldn't be able to use in my children's stories. It's a marvellous linguistic challenge - the sound of words has always been something that's fascinated me. It's one of the reasons I studied modern languages. When I write my children's stories, it's more about escaping into a wonderful world of fantasy, leaving the mundane 'real' world behind – I find it wonderfully exciting and liberating.

How would you describe your style of poetry?

Easy-to-read, easily accessible free verse. I want people to be able to read and understand what I'm writing about from the word go. I don't like things to be hidden in obscurity. I write simply as I'm inspired to write. The poems I've had published in my two collections are really stories and character sketches that just happen to be in verse. One of the reviews on Amazon talks about me developing a new form of poetry, called the 'anecdotal poem', and I think that describes my style of poetry very well.

For new readers, what can they expect when they read your books?

I hope they'll find something to make them smile or cry or think. I hope they'll be able to take something positive from what they've read.

What does a typical work day look like for you?

I don't really have a 'typical' work day. As far as my writing is concerned, I fit that around my other commitments and write whenever I have the opportunity to write, which could be any time of the day or night!

Have you ever had a mentor, or someone who sparked your passion for writing?

I was born with a passion for writing. Even before I went to school and learned how to write, I sat at a desk and wrote line after squiggly line on blank sheets of paper. The first story I remember writing was a story about pots and pans and other kitchen appliances who were having a competition to see who could be the cleanest. I really enjoyed writing that story.

What can you recommend for aspiring writers?

If you want to write, just give it a go! You have to be willing to step into the unknown, but if you don't try, you'll never know and you may end up regretting that. All you need is an idea. It doesn't have to be fully developed, just sit down and start writing something and it will develop as you go along. You never know, it may be the best thing you ever do! You can develop your craft by attending courses and conferences and when it comes to getting published, learn as much as possible about the publishing business, so that you're prepared for all eventualities, whether you want to go down the traditional or self-publishing route. Inform yourself about the pros and cons of both.

Finally, a most important question: what was the last song you sang out loud when you were by yourself?  :)

I have no idea! I frequently hum tunes to myself, but I do it unconsciously – I usually don't have a clue what I'm humming, I just hum because I feel like it!

Thank you Helena! We wish you great success with your upcoming picture book!