Helena Halme Author

Nordic Fiction with a hint of Noir and Romance

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2020 Review

January 7, 2021 by Helena Halme

I was going to begin this blog post on the 2020 review about the books that I wrote and my weightloss during lockdowns, with my good wishes for the New Year.

I was going to add some hopeful messages about 2021 being better than 2020. And then what we most feared here in the UK happened: we went into another national lockdown. That’s No3. Although there is good news regarding the vaccine, 2021 and especially the long winter months ahead do seem bleak.

And now there is terrible news from the US where the very foundations of democracy are being threatened. Let’s hope the situation calms down soon, because I, for one, am very scared about what migth happen next.

Happy New Year

Still, we must remain positive and hopeful that 2021 will indeed turn out to be better than 2020. The sun will rise tomorrow too. Right?

Happy New Year

2020 Review: Books and Writing

What can you say about 2020? There are so many things I missed (and still do today): travel, family get-togethers, Finland in the summer and now in the snow, skiing, seeing my friends, fellow writers, connecting with my readers in real life. And hugs. Oh, my, how I miss hugging everybody!

Yet, there were so many things that I achieved in 2020, which I know I wouldn’t have done without the lockdowns.

Being forced to stay at home at my desk made me more productive and enabled me to complete difficult projects that I’d been putting off. They included updating my nonfiction title, WRITE YOUR STORY as well as my first published novel, THE ENGLISH HEART, Book 1 in The Nordic Heart series. I also managed to write two new titles, THE ISLAND DAUGHTER, and WRITE EVERY DAY. And I published the BOXSET OF BOOKS 1-3 in Love on the Island series. Whoop, whoop!

Book production in 20202

I am now knee-deep into the first draft of AN ISLAND SUMMER, Book 4 in Love on the Island series. This novel will be out on pre-order very soon, so watch this space!

New book: An Island Summer cover

2020 Review: Weight Loss

Something even more important than writing projects (yes, I KNOW!) happened in 2020, for which I feel a great sense of achievement.

I’ve talked a little bit here about my weight loss in 2020, although it has absolutely nothing to do with books. Oh, that’s not quite right. It all started with a book! I saw an article in a newspaper about a book on how, if you lose 15 kilograms, you can beat Type 2 Diabetes.

I’d been suffering from this condition for a few years and try as I might hadn’t managed to control my sugar levels with a healthy eating plan, vegan diet, or added exercise. Nurses and health professionals repeatedly warned me against ‘extreme dieting’, and I myself didn’t really believe that I could ever lose weight again.

Over the previous 10 years, I’d gained about 10 kilograms and just didn’t seem to be able to shift this extra weight whatever I did. I have to admit, I have never been very good at dieting, and haven’t really ever followed a proper program in my life. Before I hit 50, I was slim enough, and if my weight began to rise, all I needed to do was to eat a little less for a day or two. I did try Michael Mosley’s intermittent fasting diet a few years ago and lost a little that way. But when I got my Diabetes diagnosis I stopped that. Foolish, I know.

The Book That Changed Everything

The book that changed everything for me was Life Without Diabetes by Professor Roy Taylor.

This book gave me the confidence to go on a 700 calorie diet for eight weeks. I began losing weight very much as it states in the book, 4kg in the first week and about 1.5kg each week thereafter. I am now 17kg lighter than I was at the start of the diet in August and eating normally. Naturally, I avoid sugary things and white carbs, but occasionally I do have those too now. I gained 1.5 kilos over Christmas, but am now back to my ideal weight of around 70Kg. I also do regular exercise, as I did before the diet.

2020 Review: Pilates

Which brings me to Pilates. Before we moved to London some ten years ago (coincidentally?) I stopped doing Pilates. Before this, I’d been taking one-to-one lessons with Anne Moss for years, but just couldn’t get myself going to find a new teacher. I also had a health scare which meant I had to have a small operation, stopping core exercises for a while, and that was that. Apparently, it takes just three weeks to form a habit, and I guess the same is true backwards. I got used to not doing Pilates.

Lockdown in 2020 changed all that! I found out via Instagram that Anne (or Annie to her friends) was starting online classes via Hive Yoga in Bath. I was delighted! I’ve been taking classes three times per week for what must be nine months now and I am loving it. I feel more flexible again, and more toned and just generally happier with myself. The daily runs or walks help too. ๐Ÿ˜‰

Weightloss
One downside from weight loss is that every piece of clothing I own is now far too large for me.

You can find more pictures from my daily writing life on Instagram here.

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Whoo hoo! My new book, an enemies-to-lovers winter Whoo hoo! My new book, an enemies-to-lovers winter romance, To Melt A Frozen Heart, is now on pre-order!
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To Melt A Frozen Heart is Book 1 in a new series, titled, The Andersons.  In the first novel in the series, we meet  Kat Andersson, a passionate environmentalist TV producer. Heartbroken after a devastating betrayal by those whom she most trusted in her life, she travels to Lapland, where she meets โ€“ and immediately hates โ€“ Mikael Hult, a ski instructor from a wealthy Finnish mining family.
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When trust is betrayed by those closest to you, can love still find its way?

Kat, a TV producer nursing a shattered heart from a celebrity chef's betrayal, seeks refuge in Lapland. There, she crosses paths with Mikael, a Finnish ski instructor from a wealthy mining dynasty.

Their worlds collide like ice and fire, yet an irresistible attraction blooms. Kat, an ardent vegan and environmental advocate, has sworn off holiday romances. Mikael embodies everything she detests about privilege: fast cars, inherited wealth, and disregard for the environment.

But destiny has other plans. When disaster strikes in Lapland's pristine wilderness, Kat and Mikael find themselves drawn together. In their struggle for survival, they uncover shared values and a connection they never expected.

Will Kat's heart thaw, granting her a second chance at love, or will it remain frozen forever? 

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You can now pre-order the eBook version of To Melt A Frozen Heart from your favourite store for just $0.99. This is a time-sensitive offer, so if you want to read my next novel, Book 1 in a brand new series, as soon as it hits the virtual shelves go to my profile or here: helenahalmebooks.com to secure your copy.
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To Melt A Frozen Heart will be out on 30 November 2023, at which point the price will go up to $4.99. 
๐Ÿ’™โ„๏ธ๐Ÿ“˜๐Ÿ“–
Happy Monday! I started my week with Pilates @moss Happy Monday! I started my week with Pilates @mossymummy . Now wonderfully energized, Iโ€™m at my desk with coffee (naturally), running through the first edits of my Lapland book (cover and title reveal coming soon - watch this space ๐Ÿ‘€). 
I hope your week has kicked off well too!
โ˜•๏ธ๐Ÿ“˜๐Ÿคธโ€โ™‚๏ธโค๏ธ
Iโ€™ve had a glut of tomatoes from the cherry toma Iโ€™ve had a glut of tomatoes from the cherry tomato plant, but not so many from the โ€˜bigโ€™ one. Itโ€™s very satisfying to eat fruit from your own #London balcony though! ๐Ÿ…๐Ÿชด
Thereโ€™s nothing like meeting up with a good frie Thereโ€™s nothing like meeting up with a good friend who also happens to be an amazing author! 
โœ๐Ÿป๐Ÿฅฐ
Freddie @freddieppeters and I write in  different genres but we have so much in common. Our 3+ hour lunches are legendary.
๐Ÿฅ‚๐Ÿ“š
Always prolific, Freddie has once again beat me to publishing her latest financial thriller, Book 2 in the Nancy Wu series, SON AND CRUSADER. I cannot wait to read it!
๐Ÿ“˜๐Ÿ•ต๏ธโ€โ™€๏ธ
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