Welcome!

…to the website of British author, Helen Cross.

I am the author of novels, stories, radio plays and screenplays. My first novel, My Summer of Love, won a Betty Trask Award and became a BAFTA award winning feature film.  Mighty Atom Entertainment are currently working on a film adaptation of my latest novel, Spilt Milk Black Coffee, and I am  completing a fourth novel.

My next BBC Afternoon Play, Rowena Returns,  will be broadcast at 2.15pm on Friday 12 June 2020. The week before, on Friday 5 June, the BBC will broadcast an earlier play,  Rowena The Wonderful,  at 2.15pm.

I was educated at Goldsmiths College, University of London and am a graduate of the MA in Creative Writing at the University of East Anglia. I teach creative writing at various universities in the UK

ONLINE Writing Course 15-18 May 2020

I will be teaching another writing course for L’atelier des ecrivians. It was due to be  in the South of France in 2020 from 15-18 May 2020, but now will be an online Masterclass from me and a sessions from Carrie Plitt, Literary Agent, and others.   It costs £49 for the weekend. More details here: https://www.latelierdesecrivains.com

Write Here writing course – October 2019

WRITING COURSE IN BIRMINGHAM’ S JEWELLERY QUARTER OCTOBER 2019

I am working with WriteHere again on a  seven-week creative writing courses.   It takes place on Wednesday evenings between 17 October and 27 November – and will feature expert tuition, one-to-one tutorials, dedicated weekly workshops that focus on students’ novels, and a visit from literary agent Carrie Plitt of Felicity Bryan Associates.  Bookings are now open.

Deeds Not Words – short film ready to watch now

I’m delighted that the screenplay, Deeds Not Words, which I wrote, based on Dr Nicola Gauld’s lovely book about Birmingham’s radical Suffragettes, is now a short film from Ice Productions. It will have its premiere on Friday 6 July at the IET Austin Court in Birmingham.

After that you can watch the film here.

In conversation with novelist Geoff Beattie at Edgehill University

I’m looking forward to interviewing Prof Geoff Beattie about his new novel, ‘The Body’s Little Secrets’ at Edgehill University on Tuesday 22 May at 6pm. More details and to book here.

Geoff Beattie, Professor of Psychology at Edge Hill University, is an internationally-renowned writer and broadcaster, best known for his detailed analyses of non-verbal communications. He was the on-screen psychologist on 11 series of Big Brother (UK), and has presented a number of shows for the BBC.

Chairing debate: 2018 The Year of Publishing Women?- April 28th 2018

I will be chairing this debate in the Birmingham Literature Festival’s spring programme.  Catherine Mayer (writer and co-founder of the Women’s Equality Party) will discuss with Tara Tobler (Fiction Editor at And Other Stories) and Sian Norris (writer, founder and director of the Bristol Women’s Literature Festival) the lack of female voices in UK publishing.

Date: Saturday 28 April 2018, 2.15pm – 3.30pm
Location: The STUDIO, Birmingham REP
Tickets: £8 / £6.40 (concs)

Further details and to book here

Part of Birmingham Literature Festival’s Spring Programme which takes place from 27-29 April 2018.