Black Friday week is here - The Englishman is only $0.99 ! *

To celebrate this special week and the forthcoming sequel, The Navy Wife, The Englishman Kindle copy is only $0.99! *

But hurry, the offer ends Sunday 29th November!

                          ‘A stylish Nordic tale of long-distance love'

“The Englishman is quite the page-turner, I had difficulty stopping myself from devouring it in one go. All the small details about Finland and Sweden give the book such colour, and I love seeing England through Kaisa's eyes! Highly recommended!” – Tania Hershman, author of 'My Mother Was an Upright Piano'.    

The Englishman 

Kindle copy

now only 

$0.99 *

Plus, I still have a few copies of the paperback bundle, including Coffee and Vodka and The Englishman for only £10!

Remember, you can have the books signed and posted to you for FREE ! **

Please email me on HHalme@icloud.com with details of what book you'd like and if you'd like them signed, and I will send you a bill via Paypal and ask my elves to post the book to you.

But hurry, this is a strictly limited offer until stocks last!

But, as always, don’t keep this offer under you hat, sharing is caring. Let your friends and cats and dogs know about my offers! 

Thank you, Helena xx

*  Excludes tax

** FREE postage to UK only.  If you are in the US, Europe or elsewhere in the world, please contact me on HHalme@icloud.com. Thank you.

Limited Special Offer - signed paperback books for Christmas!

I have an exciting limited offer on The Englishman and Coffee and Vodka!

Normally  the paperback copies of each book are £7.99, but now I can offer them to you for a very special price.

Both titles for £10, or each for £6!

Plus, you can have the books signed and posted to you for FREE ! *

Please email me on HHalme@icloud.com with details of what book you'd like and if you'd like them signed, and I will send you a bill via Paypal and ask my elves to post the book to you. Or you can simply leave a message below.

But hurry, this is a strictly limited offer until stocks last!

And, as always, don’t keep this offer under you hat, sharing is caring. Let your friends and cats and dogs know about my offers!

* FREE postage to UK only.  If you are in the US, Europe or elsewhere in the world, please contact me on HHalme@icloud.com Thank you.

CoScan magazine is now online

Just a quick note to let you know that a magazine for which I write articles about Finland, is now online.

CoScan, or confederation of Scandinavian Societies of Great Britain was set up in 1950 and acts as a coordinating body for societies which work for cultural exchange between UK and Ireland on the one hand and the five Scandinavian countries, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Sweden and Norway, on the other.

My article on Finnish tango is on page 14, and there's also a really lovely and insightful review of my novel, Coffee and Vodka on page 31.

You can see the magazine here, and join CoScan here.

Five Places to Eat and Drink in Tampere, Finland

I was born in Tampere, this former Finnish industrial town, but now we live in London, I don't often spend more than a couple of days here.

Last week, however, my father was rushed into hospital, and the Englishman and I flew into town, having cancelled our skiing holiday in Lapland. My dad is now better, thank goodness, but the week spent here has allowed us to sample some of the eateries in town. Here's five of them (in no particular order):

1. Scandic Tampere Station
The first night we were here was Valentines Day, and having not thought to book, we found it difficult to get a table anywhere. Even the restaurant in our hotel, the new Sokos Solo Torni, a towering construction by the railway station, could only accommodate us at ten pm. So we decided to grab a quick beer by the Scandic hotel opposite. It was a bitterly cold night (for us soft southerners at least), so we ended up eating there too. I had a perfectly reasonable reindeer steak and the Englishman and Big Sis a sirloin, washed down with a bottle of Malbec. If in a hurry before grabbing a train, you could do worse than eat here.

2. Stockmann's Fazer Cafe 
I'm really not able to visit Tampere without having lunch or coffee at the top floor cafe at Stockmann's. This place brings so many memories of my childhood and since, and although the food doesn't exactly stand out here, it doesn't disappoint either. We had a very enjoyable salad followed by coffee - which to be fair wasn't so brilliant - and an excellent cinnamon bun.

3. 4 Vuodenaikaa Restaurant at Kauppahalli
Kauppahalli, the covered market at Hämeenkatu, has several good cafés and lunch places, but the best in our opinion is the 4 Vuodenaikaa (4 Seasons). It's a French style restaurant with a short, daily changing menu of fish and meat dishes, nestled at one end of the market. It gets very busy, with seating on first-come-first served basis, so there's often a queue at the till. It's worth the wait, however. We had fried pike-perch with carrot risotto and spinach sauce, a dish which would have been a star turn in any Parisian bistro. 

The restaurant is also right next to the best fish mongers in town, the Ahlströms. If you are able to buy and cook your own food while in Tampere, you must get the fish from here. They do fresh, smoked and pre-prepared dishes, and their version of the traditional Savo rye pastry pie of sprats and bacon, Kalakukko, is slightly lighter and can be bought by the slice. Perfect for a light supper.

4. Pikkubistro Kattila 
On Tuesday night we stumbled across this little new restaurant on Alexis Kiven katu, (just off the main street, Hämeenkatu which runs through Tampere centre) and were very pleasantly surprised about the quality of the food and the friendliness of the staff. We were not going to have a big meal, but as we sat down and saw the menu, we couldn't resist the starters. This was the right choice, as the Englishman's cold-smoked pike perch was absolutely delicious, as was my main of slow cooked beef. The Englishman had Moroccan lamb, which he reported was excellent. After such good two dishes, we couldn't resist pudding either. I had chocolate mousse to die for, and the Englishman had sea buckthorn pastry with vanilla yoghurt mousse. Kattila has a different menu every night of the week, and we'll definitely sample their cooking again.

5. Kaffila 
This small, cozy coffee place serves most delicious coffees, teas, cakes and pastries. This time of year in mid-February, they had the traditional cream buns, Laskiaspulla, eaten in Finland for Shrove Tuesday. We've had quite a few of these light, cardamom scented buns during the week, but Kaffila served by far the best ones. They also had Oatly oat milk for my no-milk latte, and the Englishman reported that his Americano was perfect too, so we were both happy.

Lastly I must mention Pispalan Pulteri. Not one of the five because I wasn't so very impressed by it, but if you wish to visit an authentic Tampere institution, make your way Pispala. This is an old worker's quarter which has since become the most desirable area to live in, mainly due its old charm provided by wooden houses, built higgledy piggledy during the first part of the 20th century, on a hillside overlooking one of the large lakes surrounding the city, Näsijärvi. Pispalan Pulteri is an old bar/pub which various Tampere artists have frequented over the years, and if I'd asked for coffee and vodka, I'm sure I would have been served it without an eye brow being raised. Instead we had two beers, but the Englishman refused point blank to eat there after a visit to the gents. Say no more.

Coffee and Vodka - out now in paperback!

It's finally here! My family drama, Coffee and Vodka, is now out in paperback.

Here's the blurb:

Nordic Noir meets Family Drama

‘In Stockholm everything is bigger and better.’ 

When Pappa announces the family is to leave their small Finnish town for a new life in Sweden, 11-year-old Eeva is elated. But in Stockholm Mamma finds feminism, Eeva’s sister, Anja, pretends to be Swedish and Pappa struggles to adapt. 

And one night, Eeva’s world falls apart. 

Fast forward 30 years. Now teaching Swedish to foreigners, Eeva travels back to Finland when her beloved grandmother becomes ill. On the overnight ferry, a chance meeting with her married ex-lover, Yri, prompts family secrets to unravel and buried memories to come flooding back. 

It’s time for Eeva to find out what really happened all those years ago… 

Coffee and Vodka is now available to buy from the Finn-Guild office, 1A Mornington Court, Mornington Crescent, London NW1 7RD Tel 020 7387 3508 at the special price of £5 (and part of the proceeds will go to support this worthwhile charity). Please telephone to ask about postage and packing - this, I'm afraid, will be extra.

On 29th November both of my novels, Coffee and Vodka, and The Englishman, will be on sale during Finn-Guild's annual pop-up shop from 11 am to 2 pm. Do come along if you find yourself in London on the day!

Or you can buy the book online from Amazon at the equally reasonable price of £7.99.

Coffee and Vodka paperback is nearly here!

I can hardly believe it myself that I'll soon be able to hold a copy of Coffee and Vodka, with its spanking new cover, in my hands. But today I've had the final versions of both the interior layout by the intrepid Roz Morris and the front and back cover design by Jessica Bell, so that wonderful day will soon be here.

I thought after publishing my first book, The Englishman, the second novel would just be run of the mill, but no, in some ways it's even more exciting. It could be because this time around I'm more knowledgeable about the process of getting a Kindle book into a paperback version, and so feel much more in control of the process. (Even though I've been much busier with my day job).

Anyway, here is the new cover in its full glory. What do you think?

The paperback copy

 will be on sale very soon

 - watch this space...

Are you enjoying the Sochi games?

I know there's been a lot of controversy over these Winter Olympics in Russia, and I understand how many people feel they want to boycott the games. I totally abhor Putin's politics and can only image what horrors people have to endure merely because of their sexual orientation, or because they want to have the (basic!) right to free speech.

But as a Finn, I am completely hooked on winter sports. I don't believe that by watching the games I approve of Putin, or condone his actions.

I love skiing of all sorts, but get especially excited about ice-hockey. As a child, growing up in Tampere, known in Finland for its strong tradition in the sport, I went to matches regularly and used to be a passionate Ilves supporter. In winter, I'd wear my Ilves woolly hat and scarf with pride.

Ice-hockey has even infiltrated my fiction. In my story of immigration and family drama, Coffee and Vodka, Pappa takes Eeva to see a Nordic derby match between Finland and Sweden in Stockholm. I won't tell you what happens, but it's quite a crucial moment in both Pappa and Eeva's feeling of displacement.

Courtesy of Sochi Games

In Sochi this year, Finns have not done as well in the medal tables as they used to. Still, I'm enjoying watching them in action in cross-country skiing, snowboarding and of course ice-hockey where they beat the mighty Russians to get into the semi-finals. Sadly, though, that is where their Olympic Gold medal dreams were crudely taken away - you guessed it - by the bloody Swedes.

Though absolutely gutted, I'm pleased that we'll still have the chance of a Bronze.

The Year That Was 2013

2013 has been quite a year for me. I'm not sure I can recall a time when so much happened in a mere twelve months.

First of all, I finally took the plunge and published all of my novels on Kindle. After the success of The Englishman (over 2,000 downloads as we speak and counting), I was encouraged to push out into the world both my family drama, Coffee and Vodka and the spy thriller, The Red King of Helsinki.

In November this year I also published a paperback copy of The Englishman, which has been terribly well received. (Even if I say so myself).

Joey at West End Lane Books with the first signed copies.

So, from a writer with three novels languishing in her drawer, in twelve and a bit months I've become a published author with a loyal readership. Bring on more years like 2013!

The 2013 London Book Fair was another game changer in my career as an independent author. I've written about the changes in the publishing industry many times here, but to see the shifting landscape with my own eyes was something to behold.

I also gained a tremendous amount of encouragement and new ideas from the LBF this year, not least thanks to the Alliance of Independent Authors, an organisation which has worked tirelessly to promote and support indy writers and who were very much a presence at the Book Fair. Thanks must got to Orna Ross, Joanna Penn et al for all their hard work this year.

Me with Joanna Penn who gave a wonderfully
informative lecture at LBF 13
on indy publishing.

The Fair was also a wonderful opportunity to make new writer friends: I got to meet the Triskele Books girls through Catriona Troth, other notable indy writers such as Roz Morris, Rohan Quine, Dan Holloway and Grisha Ryzhakov to name but a few. I cannot wait for LBF 2014, wild horses wouldn't keep me away!

The year 2013 has also been eventful in the life of my family: in May, Son asked his long-time girlfriend to marry him  and she said yes! The young couple will marry in 2014, an event that has been a red letter day in my calendar for many months already. I just cannot wait!

Aren't they cute?
Son with his fiancé in Provence this summer.

Not in the least less important, Daughter finished her History of Art degree at University of Birmingham this year and graduated in June. It was such a proud moment for me, and I spent almost the whole of the day holding back tears, only losing the battle when Daughter stepped onto the stage at the Great Hall to receive her degree certificate. Oh well, I'm sure I wasn't the only parent to dab a tissue at the corner of her eye at that point.

Daughter looks pretty happy?

As if all of the above wasn't enough, something equally thrilling happened in my working life in 2013. In late 2012 I took on a part time role at a Finnish charity called Finn-Guild. I've been a member of this ex-pat organisation since the early 1980's, but going to work there to look after the finances of the charity and its commercial arm, Guild Travel, has been a huge trip down memory lane. I'd not worked with Finns since I left Finland some thirty years ago, and just being able to speak your mother tongue in an office in London's Camden has been quite life-changing. I hadn't realised how much of myself I'd hidden away while adapting to life in the UK. Spending time with fellow countrymen has made me feel as if I'd come back home. It's made me a more complete person.

To top it all, in the New Year, I'm going to move to a much more important and challenging role with the Finns. From February 1st, I will be taking over as Development Manager/General Secretary of Finn-Guild. So watch this space, there will be many more posts about Finnish and Nordic culture on this blog in 2014.

So there it is, my short - very personal -  review of 2013. All that remains is to wish you all:

Hauskaa Uutta Vuotta - Happy New Year

2 0 1 4 !

 

Quality Books for Only 99 Cents!

If you're looking for critically-acclaimed contemporary fiction ebooks, a number of them are on sale now until the New Year, including Coffee and Vodka for only 99 cents!

Coffee and Vodka is only 99 cents
for a limited time only!

Over at Awesome Indies the Holiday Bonanza Sale has just started, so pop over and see contemporary fiction at UNBEATABLE low, low prices. This sale won't go on forever. Fill your Kindle now!

Coffee and Vodka FREE Weekend Offer!

I know it's crazy, but I am offering Coffee and Vodka free this weekend only!

You can download a copy from Amazon today until midnight on 27 October 2013.

This is what people are saying about my Nordic family drama:

‘Coffee and Vodka is a rich story that stays with us….with moments of brilliance.’ - Dr Mimi Thebo, Bath Spa University. 

‘The descriptions of the difficulties of childhood, sisterhood, relationships and parenthood transcend national borders.’ - Pauline Masurel, editor & writer. 

‘Like the television series The Bridge, Coffee and Vodka opens our eyes to facets of a Scandinavian culture that most of us would lump together into one. I loved the way the narrative wove together the viewpoint of Eeva the child and her shock at arriving in a new country, with Eeva the sophisticated adult, returning for the first time to the country of her birth, and finding it both familiar and irretrievably strange.’ Catriona Troth, Triskele Books. 

‘I loved reading this. After picking it up (or opening it on my Kindle I should say) it was hard to put it down; I even missed my stop on the bus to carry on reading.’ Gretel, Goodreads.

Hurry, there's only three days to download your free copy of Coffee and Vodka!

(If you don't have a Kindle, you can downloaded a Kindle App from here)

The Fussy Librarian

I came across this new website which promotes books in rather an individual way, called The Fussy Librarian.

This site gives readers their very own personal librarian. You type in your email, tell them what kind of books you like to read and how you feel about profanity, violence and sex in novels. Then a daily email comes with your ebook recommendations. 

What's more they're featuring my book, Coffee and Vodka soon and they're supportive of authors like me, so I hope you'll support them and sign up! 

Here's the site address give them try, I've already downloaded a couple of books they have recommended to me according to my preferences (which I decided myself). www.thefussylibrarian.com. 

Coffee and Vodka

Win a FREE copy of Coffee and Vodka!

I am delighted to tell you that I am in the Author Spotlight over at a lovely book review blog called, Jaffa Reads Too. I talk about the writing of Coffee and Vodka, and about what inspires me (apart from coffee!) and I even proffer some advice for aspiring writers.

 What's more, there's even a giveaway of a FREE copy of Coffee and Vodka!

So hop over to Jaffa Reads Too and enter the competition! There's only 6 days left...

 

Win a free copy of Coffee and Vodka!

I'm giving away three copies of Coffee and Vodka over at Displaced Nation! All you have to do is leave a thoughtful comment on the post, but hurry, the Displaced Nation community is hugely active!

Coffee and Vodka Goes Forth

After my extended week 'away' in Finland, I've come home to a hive of activity on the Coffee and Vodka front.

I already knew before I went away that my second novel would be featured on Triskele Books site as their June book club read, but I was delighted that Kate Battrick of Girlonomics fame posted a review of my 'Nordic Noir Meets Family Saga' tale of immigration on her blog Twisted Skirt today. You can find her review here.

While I was away, I got an email from the great blog for international creatives, Displaced Nation. They wanted to know if I'd like to be a guest blogger on their site for a feature exploring how authors, writing memoirs and novels, convey what it feels like to live in other countries. YES!!! was my subdued (not) reply. My guest blog on how I wrote about Eeva's struggles with a new country, language and culture in Coffee and Vodka, will be up on Displaced Nation this week.

As if this wasn't enough, a fellow Finn, journalist Charlotta Buxton, is also going to be featuring little old me and Coffee and Vodka on her site, London Lotta later this month.

I am feeling very loved!

But there is more potentially exciting news (just between me and you).

Part of the reason I went home to Finland was to meet up with Finnish publishers. I can't say much yet, put please keep everything crossed for a Finnish (and possibly Swedish) version of Coffee and Vodka!

Taking a deep breath and carrying on.

This is where I want to be…
Akateeminen Kirjakauppa
(Stockmann's Bookstore)
in Helsinki

On location in Tampere, Finland

Those of you who know about my books (or have read them), will have noticed that Tampere, my home town, features heavily in two of them. It wasn't something I exactly planned, but I think in my mind I'm often there, even if I was only ten years old when I moved away with my family.

Every time I visit Tampere, I’m reminded of the stories, and the lives of Kaisa (The Englishman) and Eeva (Coffee and Vodka). I take pictures upon pictures of all the locations featured in the two books.

So I thought I’d share with you some of pictures I took of the places I had in my mind when I wrote the two novels.

The steps of the church (Tampere Cathedral)
where
Kaisa and The Englishman were married.

The Tampere Cathedral basking in sunshine.

A few pictures from Kalevankankaa cemetery where Eeva and her sister Anja  (in Coffee and Vodka) played when they were growing up in Tampere.

Here is the magnificent rapids which Kaisa in The Englishman feared when she was little.