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- Introducing: Helen Stancey
Introducing: Helen Stancey
- 1st July 2017
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We’re delighted to be publishing book author Helen’s first collection of richly poetic short stories – The Madonna of the Pool. Each story is a reflection of everyday life with its uplifting triumphs and quiet compromises, revealing the subtle intricacies of human adaptation, endurance and optimism. Drawing on a wide array of characters, Helen Stancey shows how small events, insignificant to some, can resonate deeply in the lives of others.
Born and raised in Yorkshire, Helen moved to the capital to study English in the University College London. She was briefly involved in the fringe theatre before teaching psychology in various London colleges. Helen’s earlier work focused on poetry and dramatic pieces for children but she’s best know for her adult novels Words, published in 1983, and Common Ground, released in 1986.
A short Q&A with Helen Stancey can be seen below:
What does writing mean to you and how did you start writing
From very early childhood I wrote, in the sense of inventing stories and poems. I used to do that before I was old enough to be able to write things down. Then I just continued once I’d learnt the physical act of writing. So, it feels like a natural part of me, but unfortunately ‘natural’ doesn’t necessarily mean it’s always easy.
You have a background in English and in Psychology. Do you find either of these to be an advantage when writing?
I don’t consciously apply knowledge or techniques from either of these areas. But what you write comes out of a well which contains all your experiences, so I’m sure they must have an influence of some sort.
Can you tell me more about the iconic pool in the title story of The Madonna of the Pool?
The pool really does exist at a place where my family and I often stayed in Tuscany. It was an infinity pool so it seemed to be absorbed into the immediate landscape. When I was writing the story, I visualized the protagonist in that part of Italy, its turbulent history and spiritual connotations reflecting his own inner struggles.
Read our full interview with this talented author here.