After leaving school, Helen Brady went into the antiques trade her local town was renowned for. After a few years she opened her own business specializing in antique porcelain and pottery, but after trading successfully for some years decided she wanted a change. She undertook an undergrad degree as a mature student, and went on to a Masters. It was a toss up between Science Fiction Studies or Feature Film Screenwriting – scriptwriting won. After completing her MA, she was awarded places on various film industry sponsored writing initiatives. In the process completing nine feature length spec screenplays, three of which were optioned, but unfortunately the producers couldn’t secure the finances to proceed.

At this point she decided to use her original stories and turn them into novels. Rag and Boyd: The Fabulous Zoo was always intended to be the first of a five film series – now it’s the first in her novel series. Followed by The Elfstone, and book three The Unicorn Keeper. The fourth book, The Hidden Key is a work in progress.

Helen has also worked as a script editor on feature films, and in the gaming industry, and has written two theatre scripts and a number of short stories.

She says: ‘I’ve always been in the fortunate position to enjoy what I do for a living, sufficiently so that it has never seemed like work – even when you have to get up at 3am to go to an early morning antiques market in London, or stay up all night because a film is doing a night-shoot. My working life as a writer is still a pleasure… but my sleep patterns are shot!

Helen lives in a small rural town in Warwickshire. She has two married grown-up children, a son in Melbourne, Australia, and a daughter living in Chester with her family. When she’s not writing, Helen volunteers at her local independent theatre, and for the past 15 years has been Head of Wardrobe, responsible for all of their productions.

Author photo by Ilona Walentynowicz