Helena O'Connor
@helenafiction.bsky.social
Aussie SF/fantasy author, ex-academic, chronic illness. Debut horror novella Willow Close out now from IFWG publishing! Short stories in Nature, Kaleidotrope, Aurealis. Likes video games, cats, coffee and lil treats. She/her
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New Release: Willow Close by Helena O’Connor
IFWG is very pleased to announce the release of Helena O’Connor’s new horror novel, Willow Close. “Helena has been published by IFWG before,” said Gerry Huntman, Managing Di…
ifwgpublishing.com
My debut short horror novel is here! 🐙🎉
ifwgpublishing.com/2025/04/07/n...
ifwgpublishing.com/2025/04/07/n...
Wrote a chapter, accidentally added more mages 🤷♀️
November 21, 2025 at 10:14 AM
Wrote a chapter, accidentally added more mages 🤷♀️
Reposted by Helena O'Connor
behold my cat and his inherent majesty
November 13, 2025 at 11:58 PM
behold my cat and his inherent majesty
Reposted by Helena O'Connor
doing real productive shit tonight (making a slide deck of why you should buy my book, a piece of content NO ONE asked for and is NOT what does well on ANY social media)
November 18, 2025 at 3:08 AM
doing real productive shit tonight (making a slide deck of why you should buy my book, a piece of content NO ONE asked for and is NOT what does well on ANY social media)
Is so funny being roughly three books ahead all the time, like i say "my new book", oh you mean Willow Close? nope, thats already out. Oh, the mermaid horror? no, thats in the endless queue. Oh, the weird Sci Fi one? Nope, also in a queue 🙃 So for reference, current new book is royal mage isekai 👍
November 21, 2025 at 6:30 AM
Is so funny being roughly three books ahead all the time, like i say "my new book", oh you mean Willow Close? nope, thats already out. Oh, the mermaid horror? no, thats in the endless queue. Oh, the weird Sci Fi one? Nope, also in a queue 🙃 So for reference, current new book is royal mage isekai 👍
Worldbuilding for new novel, knowing i have to sell it in the first three chapters...
Me: with all the character development in chapter two, i hope it doesn't lag too much...
My brain: i mean, you have a lot of mages, what if some of them just... blew up?
Me: with all the character development in chapter two, i hope it doesn't lag too much...
My brain: i mean, you have a lot of mages, what if some of them just... blew up?
November 19, 2025 at 9:31 AM
Worldbuilding for new novel, knowing i have to sell it in the first three chapters...
Me: with all the character development in chapter two, i hope it doesn't lag too much...
My brain: i mean, you have a lot of mages, what if some of them just... blew up?
Me: with all the character development in chapter two, i hope it doesn't lag too much...
My brain: i mean, you have a lot of mages, what if some of them just... blew up?
Write book to make money? Haha, no
Write book to get famous? Haha, also no
Write book because you cant live if you dont put words on the page and you know it probably wont get published and probably noone will read it, but none of this matters because it is your calling and you love it. Haha, yes 👍
Write book to get famous? Haha, also no
Write book because you cant live if you dont put words on the page and you know it probably wont get published and probably noone will read it, but none of this matters because it is your calling and you love it. Haha, yes 👍
November 18, 2025 at 4:45 AM
Write book to make money? Haha, no
Write book to get famous? Haha, also no
Write book because you cant live if you dont put words on the page and you know it probably wont get published and probably noone will read it, but none of this matters because it is your calling and you love it. Haha, yes 👍
Write book to get famous? Haha, also no
Write book because you cant live if you dont put words on the page and you know it probably wont get published and probably noone will read it, but none of this matters because it is your calling and you love it. Haha, yes 👍
Stayed up till 5am editing a novella for sub, then immediately saw a call for novels id love to sub to, but its due in jan and the best fitting project i have is only like 2 chpts in... i can do it tho right 😭👍
November 15, 2025 at 5:09 AM
Stayed up till 5am editing a novella for sub, then immediately saw a call for novels id love to sub to, but its due in jan and the best fitting project i have is only like 2 chpts in... i can do it tho right 😭👍
Finished Cloudward Ho, which was awesome, and now im watching Starstruck and its already so goood 💕✨️
November 13, 2025 at 11:32 AM
Finished Cloudward Ho, which was awesome, and now im watching Starstruck and its already so goood 💕✨️
Editing my novella and just did the sci fi version of the world works the way i say because ✨️magic✨️ in that I had a moment of panic wondering whether peach blossoms could still be falling in late spring at sea level... and decided yes, because ✨️science✨️ 👍
November 13, 2025 at 5:25 AM
Editing my novella and just did the sci fi version of the world works the way i say because ✨️magic✨️ in that I had a moment of panic wondering whether peach blossoms could still be falling in late spring at sea level... and decided yes, because ✨️science✨️ 👍
The latest Aurealis (issue 186) includes a lovely review from Jemimah Brewster of my book Willow Close!!
"It takes skill to pull different kinds of horror together into one story"
"This is a very Halloween-y book, great for fans of slasher and cosmic horror in particular"
Thank you so much!! 🙏💕🐙
"It takes skill to pull different kinds of horror together into one story"
"This is a very Halloween-y book, great for fans of slasher and cosmic horror in particular"
Thank you so much!! 🙏💕🐙
November 13, 2025 at 4:32 AM
The latest Aurealis (issue 186) includes a lovely review from Jemimah Brewster of my book Willow Close!!
"It takes skill to pull different kinds of horror together into one story"
"This is a very Halloween-y book, great for fans of slasher and cosmic horror in particular"
Thank you so much!! 🙏💕🐙
"It takes skill to pull different kinds of horror together into one story"
"This is a very Halloween-y book, great for fans of slasher and cosmic horror in particular"
Thank you so much!! 🙏💕🐙
Reposted by Helena O'Connor
A really fun day @supanovaexpo.bsky.social with @ifwgpublishing.bsky.social
Gave away 50 of these sneak peek (peak! haha) 👀 previews of my novel Staerstone. Just a few left!
It comes out next year. Can’t wait!
If you want to know when it’s published sign up to IFWG’s newsletter or my blog.
Gave away 50 of these sneak peek (peak! haha) 👀 previews of my novel Staerstone. Just a few left!
It comes out next year. Can’t wait!
If you want to know when it’s published sign up to IFWG’s newsletter or my blog.
November 8, 2025 at 10:07 AM
A really fun day @supanovaexpo.bsky.social with @ifwgpublishing.bsky.social
Gave away 50 of these sneak peek (peak! haha) 👀 previews of my novel Staerstone. Just a few left!
It comes out next year. Can’t wait!
If you want to know when it’s published sign up to IFWG’s newsletter or my blog.
Gave away 50 of these sneak peek (peak! haha) 👀 previews of my novel Staerstone. Just a few left!
It comes out next year. Can’t wait!
If you want to know when it’s published sign up to IFWG’s newsletter or my blog.
Random 4am thought. My book Willow Close is basically Scooby Doo x Cthulhu, with pizza, coffee and cats. Is this genius or am i very sleepy, idk will revisit in the morning 👻🐙🍕☕️😻
November 4, 2025 at 6:02 PM
Random 4am thought. My book Willow Close is basically Scooby Doo x Cthulhu, with pizza, coffee and cats. Is this genius or am i very sleepy, idk will revisit in the morning 👻🐙🍕☕️😻
Reposted by Helena O'Connor
Spread Me, my erotic horror novella about an isolated research team and the specimen that wants to explore them back, is available everywhere you buy books.
us.macmillan.com/books/978125...
us.macmillan.com/books/978125...
Spread Me
Spread Me is a darkly seductive tale of survival from Sarah Gailey, bestselling author of Just Like Home. A routine probe at a research station turns deadly ...
us.macmillan.com
September 29, 2025 at 12:10 AM
Spread Me, my erotic horror novella about an isolated research team and the specimen that wants to explore them back, is available everywhere you buy books.
us.macmillan.com/books/978125...
us.macmillan.com/books/978125...
Reposted by Helena O'Connor
Photo from my collection that I call “The Talk”. Obviously ca. 1970s.
October 27, 2025 at 4:37 PM
Photo from my collection that I call “The Talk”. Obviously ca. 1970s.
My new year's resolution is gonna be somehow do better at socials media 🙃
October 27, 2025 at 11:28 PM
My new year's resolution is gonna be somehow do better at socials media 🙃
Reposted by Helena O'Connor
"What advice would you give early career writers?"
*most lofty authorly voice* Well as we all know, it is important for an artisan to use the finest tools, and store them in the finest receptacles
*most lofty authorly voice* Well as we all know, it is important for an artisan to use the finest tools, and store them in the finest receptacles
October 5, 2025 at 11:36 PM
"What advice would you give early career writers?"
*most lofty authorly voice* Well as we all know, it is important for an artisan to use the finest tools, and store them in the finest receptacles
*most lofty authorly voice* Well as we all know, it is important for an artisan to use the finest tools, and store them in the finest receptacles
So anyway, there's only three novels, a novella, and a short story i want to write next 🙃
September 30, 2025 at 4:32 PM
So anyway, there's only three novels, a novella, and a short story i want to write next 🙃
Reposted by Helena O'Connor
he is a little baby cat. banana for scale
September 28, 2025 at 6:20 PM
he is a little baby cat. banana for scale
Reposted by Helena O'Connor
Some transgender people see only darkness in front and behind them.
The current climate is especially accelerating this.
Transgender people just want to love the people they love and live their lives as themselves.
Let's all join hands and change the world🫶🌏🫶
The current climate is especially accelerating this.
Transgender people just want to love the people they love and live their lives as themselves.
Let's all join hands and change the world🫶🌏🫶
September 25, 2025 at 9:11 PM
Some transgender people see only darkness in front and behind them.
The current climate is especially accelerating this.
Transgender people just want to love the people they love and live their lives as themselves.
Let's all join hands and change the world🫶🌏🫶
The current climate is especially accelerating this.
Transgender people just want to love the people they love and live their lives as themselves.
Let's all join hands and change the world🫶🌏🫶
Reposted by Helena O'Connor
Those soulful eyes. 🥹 Photo from my collection, no date/info.
September 24, 2025 at 9:29 PM
Those soulful eyes. 🥹 Photo from my collection, no date/info.
Reposted by Helena O'Connor
Spectacular octopus from the floor of the women’s changing room at the Central Baths in ancient Herculaneum.
This magnificent #Roman monochrome mosaic makes quite an impact!
📷 by me
#MosaicMonday
#Archaeology
This magnificent #Roman monochrome mosaic makes quite an impact!
📷 by me
#MosaicMonday
#Archaeology
September 22, 2025 at 11:36 AM
Spectacular octopus from the floor of the women’s changing room at the Central Baths in ancient Herculaneum.
This magnificent #Roman monochrome mosaic makes quite an impact!
📷 by me
#MosaicMonday
#Archaeology
This magnificent #Roman monochrome mosaic makes quite an impact!
📷 by me
#MosaicMonday
#Archaeology
A lil self-promo, forgive me, for my debut novella Willow Close! If you're in the mood for a sweet spooky story with fiesty protags, solid pacing, a dash of cosmic horror, and two really cute cats... check it out 🙏🤍
September 19, 2025 at 10:24 AM
A lil self-promo, forgive me, for my debut novella Willow Close! If you're in the mood for a sweet spooky story with fiesty protags, solid pacing, a dash of cosmic horror, and two really cute cats... check it out 🙏🤍
So my oh it's definitely gonna be a novella, oh well i guess maybe a short novel, oh well i guess it'll be a normal size novel etc etc... came in at 114k words 😭
September 19, 2025 at 10:07 AM
So my oh it's definitely gonna be a novella, oh well i guess maybe a short novel, oh well i guess it'll be a normal size novel etc etc... came in at 114k words 😭
Reposted by Helena O'Connor
“Just we two” Postcard from my collection. Copyright 1907, mailed 1909. This is by C.E. Bullard, my favorite of the Victorian/Edwardian cat photographers. He seemed to genuinely love cats and didn't restrain them or cram them into tiny costumes.
September 14, 2025 at 10:00 PM
“Just we two” Postcard from my collection. Copyright 1907, mailed 1909. This is by C.E. Bullard, my favorite of the Victorian/Edwardian cat photographers. He seemed to genuinely love cats and didn't restrain them or cram them into tiny costumes.
I finally finished my edits, good lord. Why does anyone ever think writing a book is a good idea. It is actually hell. Yes im definitely going to do it again, probably straight away 😭👍
September 2, 2025 at 1:32 PM
I finally finished my edits, good lord. Why does anyone ever think writing a book is a good idea. It is actually hell. Yes im definitely going to do it again, probably straight away 😭👍