Helen Cooper
@helencooperwriter.bsky.social
Thriller writer, wine lover. THE DOWNSTAIRS NEIGHBOUR, THE OTHER GUEST, THE COUPLE IN THE PHOTO & MY DARLING BOY out now with Hodder (UK) & Putnam (US).
https://www.helencooperwriter.com/
https://www.helencooperwriter.com/
Pinned
My Darling Boy is still in the 3 for £7.50 deal at The Works but apparently selling fast! Pick it up for your hols and then send me pics so I can holiday vicariously
www.theworks.co.uk/p/thriller-b...
www.theworks.co.uk/p/thriller-b...
Family walk to my granddad’s memorial bench ❤️
December 27, 2025 at 11:45 AM
Family walk to my granddad’s memorial bench ❤️
Reposted by Helen Cooper
The UK Ghost Story Festival is back in Derby this February and March. and what a line-up we have incoming for you for three days of ghoulish goings-on! www.derbyquad.co.uk/ukgsf/#derby #derbyshire #writing #writers #authors #ghoststory #ghoststories #gothic #fiction #ghosts
December 20, 2025 at 1:30 PM
The UK Ghost Story Festival is back in Derby this February and March. and what a line-up we have incoming for you for three days of ghoulish goings-on! www.derbyquad.co.uk/ukgsf/#derby #derbyshire #writing #writers #authors #ghoststory #ghoststories #gothic #fiction #ghosts
Realising Emma Thompson’s Sense & Sensibility is on has changed my afternoon plans 😁
December 20, 2025 at 3:19 PM
Realising Emma Thompson’s Sense & Sensibility is on has changed my afternoon plans 😁
Sometimes I’ll find a sentence in my MS that’s been there since the very earliest draft & realise it doesn’t really belong in the book anymore but I’ve just stopped noticing it. Kind of like an old piece of wallpaper when the rest of the house has been redecorated
December 12, 2025 at 8:28 AM
Sometimes I’ll find a sentence in my MS that’s been there since the very earliest draft & realise it doesn’t really belong in the book anymore but I’ve just stopped noticing it. Kind of like an old piece of wallpaper when the rest of the house has been redecorated
My husband says keeping our Wordle starting words a secret is the last bit of mystery left in our marriage 🤣
December 6, 2025 at 9:56 AM
My husband says keeping our Wordle starting words a secret is the last bit of mystery left in our marriage 🤣
Reposted by Helen Cooper
As someone whose children were at Girl Guides Scotland, it impressed me that they were so open and welcoming.
To see this change now, because of *one* parent (presumably backed by a bitter GC terf billionaire) is genuinely upsetting.
www.change.org/p/allow-tran...
To see this change now, because of *one* parent (presumably backed by a bitter GC terf billionaire) is genuinely upsetting.
www.change.org/p/allow-tran...
Sign the Petition
Allow transgender women and girls back into GirlGuiding UK
www.change.org
December 3, 2025 at 8:17 AM
As someone whose children were at Girl Guides Scotland, it impressed me that they were so open and welcoming.
To see this change now, because of *one* parent (presumably backed by a bitter GC terf billionaire) is genuinely upsetting.
www.change.org/p/allow-tran...
To see this change now, because of *one* parent (presumably backed by a bitter GC terf billionaire) is genuinely upsetting.
www.change.org/p/allow-tran...
Just discovered something dangerous.
You can have store-baked pastries as your Sainsbury’s meal deal snack option.
As the SNACK.
This means today I have had a Cajun chicken wrap and an enormous chocolate and hazelnut croissant as lunch 😬. I need to unlearn this information
You can have store-baked pastries as your Sainsbury’s meal deal snack option.
As the SNACK.
This means today I have had a Cajun chicken wrap and an enormous chocolate and hazelnut croissant as lunch 😬. I need to unlearn this information
December 3, 2025 at 2:32 PM
Just discovered something dangerous.
You can have store-baked pastries as your Sainsbury’s meal deal snack option.
As the SNACK.
This means today I have had a Cajun chicken wrap and an enormous chocolate and hazelnut croissant as lunch 😬. I need to unlearn this information
You can have store-baked pastries as your Sainsbury’s meal deal snack option.
As the SNACK.
This means today I have had a Cajun chicken wrap and an enormous chocolate and hazelnut croissant as lunch 😬. I need to unlearn this information
Superman impression
November 29, 2025 at 7:06 PM
Superman impression
Reposted by Helen Cooper
We're thrilled to announce the highly acclaimed “queen of the psychological thriller” and bestselling writer Lisa Jewell as Programming Chair for the 2026 Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival.
👉 Find out more: bit.ly/3XiRnnu
👉 Find out more: bit.ly/3XiRnnu
November 26, 2025 at 7:41 AM
We're thrilled to announce the highly acclaimed “queen of the psychological thriller” and bestselling writer Lisa Jewell as Programming Chair for the 2026 Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival.
👉 Find out more: bit.ly/3XiRnnu
👉 Find out more: bit.ly/3XiRnnu
Wonderful night at the @leicwritersclub.bsky.social annual awards
November 7, 2025 at 12:00 PM
Wonderful night at the @leicwritersclub.bsky.social annual awards
Decided to delete a detail about condoms in a cupboard from my WIP as it became irrelevant. Searched ‘condoms’ to delete all refs & now it’s in my search box permanently. Every time I bring up my chapter list or search for something else, I’m haunted by condoms. Opened a different doc & same 🤣
October 18, 2025 at 2:15 PM
Decided to delete a detail about condoms in a cupboard from my WIP as it became irrelevant. Searched ‘condoms’ to delete all refs & now it’s in my search box permanently. Every time I bring up my chapter list or search for something else, I’m haunted by condoms. Opened a different doc & same 🤣
Took a break this evening from working on my stressful book and watched two stressful TV programmes and then a stressful film
October 12, 2025 at 8:30 PM
Took a break this evening from working on my stressful book and watched two stressful TV programmes and then a stressful film
Reposted by Helen Cooper
Hello #Booksky and bookish pals! I’m working a gorgeous book which is a supportive guide for those with caregiving responsibilities and I would love to send some copies to UK-based writers and readers who fit the bill. Please let me know if that’s you?
October 1, 2025 at 5:36 PM
Hello #Booksky and bookish pals! I’m working a gorgeous book which is a supportive guide for those with caregiving responsibilities and I would love to send some copies to UK-based writers and readers who fit the bill. Please let me know if that’s you?
My friend found this pic from when we walked the coastal path from Scarborough to Whitby a few summers ago. Yep that’s me on the floor
September 26, 2025 at 5:07 PM
My friend found this pic from when we walked the coastal path from Scarborough to Whitby a few summers ago. Yep that’s me on the floor
Reposted by Helen Cooper
And today The Leicester Writes Short Story Prize Ceremony featuring Matt Cook, The Curve Theatre, Janine from Eastenders, a swingers club, and short story shenanigans.
open.substack.com/pub/drewgumm...
open.substack.com/pub/drewgumm...
On the Leicester Writes Short Story Prize
I attended the Leicester Writes Short Story Prize ceremony this week.
open.substack.com
September 25, 2025 at 7:26 AM
And today The Leicester Writes Short Story Prize Ceremony featuring Matt Cook, The Curve Theatre, Janine from Eastenders, a swingers club, and short story shenanigans.
open.substack.com/pub/drewgumm...
open.substack.com/pub/drewgumm...
Me messaging my husband from upstairs in my office.
I am a writer, honest 🤦♀️
I am a writer, honest 🤦♀️
September 18, 2025 at 11:18 AM
Me messaging my husband from upstairs in my office.
I am a writer, honest 🤦♀️
I am a writer, honest 🤦♀️
A tough morning’s work looking at pictures of Umbrian vineyards as novel setting research 😎
September 15, 2025 at 11:11 AM
A tough morning’s work looking at pictures of Umbrian vineyards as novel setting research 😎
Reposted by Helen Cooper
Just so you know, I actually really love short novels: as a reader, as a writer, and as an editor and head of an imprint. I don’t believe in boxing people in for what they’re writing. I’m publishing all lengths at @starsandsabers.bsky.social, long & short. Different readers want different things.
September 14, 2025 at 7:16 PM
Just so you know, I actually really love short novels: as a reader, as a writer, and as an editor and head of an imprint. I don’t believe in boxing people in for what they’re writing. I’m publishing all lengths at @starsandsabers.bsky.social, long & short. Different readers want different things.
Chuffed to have a blog post on novel hooks published on the Writers & Artists Yearbook website. Look out for more of my blog posts there in the future on a range of writing topics! These may or may not be sneak peeks of a bigger project I’m working on 👀
www.writersandartists.co.uk/advice/model...
www.writersandartists.co.uk/advice/model...
www.writersandartists.co.uk
September 9, 2025 at 3:55 PM
Chuffed to have a blog post on novel hooks published on the Writers & Artists Yearbook website. Look out for more of my blog posts there in the future on a range of writing topics! These may or may not be sneak peeks of a bigger project I’m working on 👀
www.writersandartists.co.uk/advice/model...
www.writersandartists.co.uk/advice/model...
Contents of a writer’s Notes app
August 20, 2025 at 8:08 PM
Contents of a writer’s Notes app
Reposted by Helen Cooper
Do you want to build a career as a writer? I'm once again running my hugely popular online Zoom workshops, sharing my experience as an award-winning author of 20+ trad published books and an editor and publisher for an independent imprint. Find out more and book here: www.garethlpowell.com/classes/
August 6, 2025 at 7:22 AM
Do you want to build a career as a writer? I'm once again running my hugely popular online Zoom workshops, sharing my experience as an award-winning author of 20+ trad published books and an editor and publisher for an independent imprint. Find out more and book here: www.garethlpowell.com/classes/
Tiny dad & tiny sister
August 2, 2025 at 1:23 PM
Tiny dad & tiny sister
Felt like a spiritual experience swimming out on this lake early this morning, with soft mist and nobody else around. Bliss!
July 28, 2025 at 2:08 PM
Felt like a spiritual experience swimming out on this lake early this morning, with soft mist and nobody else around. Bliss!