My name is Helen McClory. I’m a writer, book reviewer and ESL teacher, born and educated in Scotland (and Australia for a wee bit). I lived in New York City for a year and a half, though I now live in Edinburgh. I am represented by Drea Cohane of The Rights Factory.
Currently I’m in the drafting/editing stage with my second novel, Dear Friends and Gentle Hearts. The story tackles the immigrant experience, life for Millennials under the current economic crisis, grief, art, and desire in various guises – all sprawled across the big landscapes of the Southern Rockies, the glamourous misery of NYC, and the Cornwall of the main character’s childhood.
An excerpt of Dear Friends and Gentle Hearts appeared in Sundog Lit in October 2012, and a second appeared in 3:AM Magazine in November 2012. You can also read a short interview with me on Smokelong Quarterly.
My first MS, Kilea, the story of a mysterious but sweet-hearted girl growing up under harsh conditions on a Scottish island, was awarded the Unbound Press Best Novel Award (sadly, as Unbound Press has closed down, this link no longer works). A chapter from Kilea appeared in Necessary Fiction in February 2012. Publication is being sought for the novel. Please do get in touch if you’d like to know more.
I review at PANK and The Female Gaze. I love literary fiction and support small presses whenever I can. Review copies are welcome. Please look up my reviews to get a feel for my style and approach to fiction, or read my reader’s manifesto.
Thanks for reading – and if you would like to ask me anything, or would simply enjoy a chat about writing and bookish matters, email me: wheresthebread[@]hotmail.com
I am also on twitter: @HelenMcClory
congratulations
Thank you CJ!
I hope the controlling ‘father’ is not based on me!!
Love Dad
Absolutely not! He is atrocious, a hypocritical horror somewhat based on the stereotypes of a wee free minister, somewhat crossed with Nosferatu (without the supernatural elements). Rest assured.
Just subscribed. Looking forward to reading more, and seeing how your writing career develops. You look kind of spritely, yourself.
Ha! Thank you, and I look forward to hearing from you now and then
interesting wordpress here – i’ll continue to enjoy your work
Happy New Year from David in Maine USA
(I loved your dad’s comment and your answer to him)
Thank you, David – I have to let my dad know he’s not the influence behind the ‘baddie’ (for want of a more precise word) of the novel.
I’ve only skipped into the edges of Maine, along a lake which bands the dividing line between it and New Hampshire. Beautiful, New England. I look forward to reading more about it on your blog.
I’m assuming you have been playing along the water’s edge of Umbagog, but there several other find bodies of water to enjoy between the states.
someday you’ll have to whisper which area of the USA you enjoyed the most? i think you would have enjoyed Nova Scotia and Cape Breton Island too…
Tough to say which area I enjoyed the most…perhaps New Mexico? I would go again in a heart beat. But then, I haven’t been to Washington State, and I’d really love to go there – to travel from California up, actually. I’d dream of a long trip, perhaps cycling part of the way. This is a fantasy, because I am terrible on a bike,
i think cycling from California to Washington would be fun!
hope you are enjoying the spring season at home these days…
great blog, i relly enjoyed browsing your photogrphy
Awsome blog.
Thank you!
Hello Helen –
I have nominated you for the Versatile Blogger Award…I hope you will accept it as a token of my appreciation for your beautiful blog and the content you share with us. If you choose not to accept it, I will understand. Please follow the link below to read more of the “terms” for accepting the award:
http://seekraz.wordpress.com/2012/01/03/the-versatile-blogger-award/
Scott
I found your blog via Betsy Lerner’s. Based on your comments, I figured you for a Scot and wanted to confirm (I’m Canadian; a child of immigrant Scots) Who else would name their characters Kyle and Hamish? Coincidentally, my son is named Kyle and my dog Hamish. Seriously.
Good guess! Funnily enough, my neighbour’s loyal collie dog was called Kyle, and my babysitter’s child was named Hamish! I love both names.
Oh, and I have some relatives in Canada, we share a surname for the most part. Thanks for clicking over, and for following me on twitter.
Hey Helen,
Just want to say how much I enjoy reading your blog — you’re such a good writer. I just nominated you for the Kreativ Blogger Award in my post this morning. Have a good day!
Mel
S-tree: just to let you know, I’ve linked to your blog… RT
Thank you so much!
Hi Helen,
I have enjoyed visiting Schietree! Your witty remarks and expressive visuals in words are a feast for the senses! The photos are inviting as well — added bliss! Congratulations to you on your PhD!
I have added Schietree to my blogroll. I welcome you to please stop by my little corner of the world sometime at Botaniscape.
Wishing you well!
Thank you for your kind words – I had a look at your site: you have some lovely photographs there.