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Helen Laycock - Poet and storyteller

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Poetry Online

The Dirigible Balloon

  • Peeping June 2024

  • Situation Vacant June 2024

  • Purr-fect Packing June 2024

  • Ode to a Brussels Sprout Dec 2023

  • My Voice June 2023

  • At Cocolicious June 2023

  • Personal Preference June 2023​

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The Broken Spine

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Folkheart Press

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Black Bough Poetry

 

Visual Verse

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Poetry Roundabout

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Spilling Cocoa Over Martin Amis – Jonathan Pinnock

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  • Matt Kendrick’s website Prattlefog and Gravelrap published To the Unborn:

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Inclusion in Anthologies/Magazines​

  • Blink Ink Summer Nights #57 'Little Pleasures'

  • The Winged Moon: The Waking of the Dragon

  • Winter/Christmas Anthology: Bloodless, Recollections, February. (Black Bough)

  • Many Mewsings, Ed. Sean McGillis

  • Showcase by Fevers of the Mind

  • Popshot, Solar Issue, May 2023: Brilliance

  • BOLD, poetry about Masculinity . Damaged (​Broken Spine Arts)

   ISSN: 2516-515

  • Poems for Grenfell Tower (Onslaught Press) 30.3.18

   ISBN: 9781912111558

  • The Caterpillar, Issue 16 Spring Edition (20.2.17): ‘Marmite’

     ISSN: 2009-6186

  • The Caterpillar, Issue 15 Winter edition (1.12.16): ‘Wind’

     ISSN: 2009-6186

  •  ‘Popshot’ (Theme: Future) April edition (30.3.17): ‘To the unborn’

    ISSN: 2041-4382

  • Full Moon and Foxglove (Three Drops Press): ‘The Dwelling’

  ISBN: 9781326800048

  • The Best of CafeLit 6 (Chapeltown)

   ISBN-13: 978-1910542170

  • The Best of CafeLit 5 (Chapeltown)

  ISBN-13: 978-1910542040

  • The Best of CafeLit 4 (Chapeltown)

  ISBN-13: 978-1910542026

  • The Best of CaféLit 3 (Chapeltown)

  ISBN: 978191054200

  • Silver Lining by Poets Against Violence (Baer Books Press): ‘Daddy’s Home’ and ‘For Better, For Worse’

  ASIN:  978-1508835448

  • A Quick Read compiled by Candy Simonson (Aspen Run Press)  

  ISBN: 978-1508835448

  • An Earthless Melting Pot, Vol. 2, (Quinn Publications) June, 2014: ‘Drop-Dead Gorgeous’

  ISBN-13: 978-1500263560

  • Aspiring Writers 2013 Winners Anthology (Blue Dragon Press), July 2014

  ISBN: 978-1622200177

  • Songs of Angels (Thynks): ‘Unfit for Purpose’

ISBN: 978-1900410700

  • One Word Anthology by Talkback Writers (Alfie Dog Ltd.)

 ISBN: 978149039682

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Flash Fiction Online

 

Flash Flood, the National Flash Fiction Day Journal

 

Ekphrastic Review

 

Reflex Fiction​

 

Paragraph Planet

  • ‘White-knuckled’ April 29, 2021

  • ‘Lost Words’ Aug 7, 2020

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CafeLit (100 words)

 

     

Visual Verse

 

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​​ The Beach Hut, December 2019

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Stories Online

Lucent Dreaming

 

The Cabinet of Heed

 

 

CafeLit

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Jotters United

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Awards/Competitions

 

Poetry

  • Broken Spine Arts Poetry Chapbook Contest shortlisting  (‘The Exit Sign is Flickering’)Sept 2024

  • Winner of Poetry collection competition (Black Bough), Jan 2024

  • Pushcart nomination for Night Fire by Black Bough Poetry Nov 2023

  • Longlisted for the Dai Fry Mystical Poetry award August 2022

  • Honourable Mention in the National Poetry Day competition run by Liz Brownlee/Forward Arts, judged by Trevor Millum and Phil Waddell for ‘To the unborn’.

  • Shortlisted for Poetry for Children Competition, Writing Magazine, March 2015

 

  • Shortlisted for Poetry for Children Competition, Writers’ News, November 2013

  • 1st place in “The Aspiring Writers Poetry Competition" yearly anthology, August 2013 with Ready, Steady, Go!

  • Shortlisted, plus Honourable Mention for Humour Verse Competition, Flash 500, July 2013

  • Shortlisted for Shadows Poetry Competition, Writers’ News, August 2013

  • Runner up in Songs of Angels Competition, Thynks Publications, June 2013

  • Shortlisted for Horror Poetry Competition, Writing Magazine, October 2012

  • Longlisted for Humour Verse Competition, Flash 500, July 2012

  • Shortlisted for Humorous Poetry, Writing Magazine, October 2011

  • Shortlisted for Humour Verse Competition, Flash 500, July 2011

  • Shortlisted for Generation Gap Poetry, Writers’ News, February 2011

  • Shortlisted for Street Life Poetry, Writing Magazine, September 2009

  • Shortlisted for Last Line Poetry, Writers’ News, August 2009

  • Shortlisted for Humorous Poetry, Writing Magazine, August 2009

  • Shortlisted for Moon Poetry, Writing Magazine, January 2008

  • 1st prize in the David St John Thomas Writing Awards for Novice Poetry (Under 55), May 2006

 

 

 

Short Stories

  • One of five runners up in the Words With Jam Bigger Short Story Competition, 2013 with Drop Dead Gorgeous

  • Shortlisted for Tea and Tale/Milton Rooms Short Story Competition as part of the Ryedale Book Festival, October 2013 for Drop-Dead Gorgeous

  • 4 pieces published in One Word Anthology by Talkback Writers

  • 1st place in “The Aspiring Writers Short Story Competition" yearly anthology, August 2013 – ‘Minibeast Feast’.

  • 1st place in “The Aspiring Writers Short Story Competition" yearly anthology, July 2013 – ‘Taking Notes’.

  • 3rd place in “The Aspiring Writers Short Story Competition" yearly anthology, June 2013 – Taking Flight.

  • 3rd place in “The Aspiring Writers Short Story Competition" yearly anthology, May 2013 – Charming Residents.

  • Shortlisted in the Erewash Creepy Christmas Chiller Competition, December 2012 with story entitled ‘The Visitors’.

  • Shortlisted for Fiction Competition, Writers’ Forum, Issue #134, 2012 with Story entitled ‘Drop-Dead Gorgeous’.

  • Shortlisted for Adult Fairy Story Competition, Writing Magazine, November 2011 with story entitled ‘Occupational Therapy’.

  • Shortlisted for Annual Love Story Competition, Writing Magazine, May 2005 with story entitled ‘’Til Death Do Us Part’.

 

 

Flash

  • Longlisted for Mslexia Flash Fiction Competition with ‘(Mother Loved a    Bath)’, Jan 2019

  • 1st prize in Lucent Dreaming’s Flash Fiction Contest ‘Lead’ April, 2019

  • Longlisted in Retreat West’s Flash Fiction Competition with Final Flight

  • Honourable Mention Flash!Friday for High Hopes:

  • “High Hopes“ by Helen Laycock

  • SO: In a week when many stories centred on the idea of the whale’s skeleton reanimating, this one stood out. Its powerful, beautiful, and controlled use of language, and its holographic twist, meant it was deserving of a special mention.
     

  • CA: This one did a great job of mixing the old with the new, the beautiful language (the ribs as silent harp strings, the door closing like a crashing wave) contrasts with the technology of the hologram and the great escape through the skylight. The last line is great too, revealing the cleverness of the title.

 

  • Honourable Mention Flash!Friday for Hearing Voices:

  • Hearing Voices by Helen Laycock

  • TS: From the analogous first sentence (creeping thyme/creeping time) to the last (I feel her joy, and I know she feels mine), this story sings, nearly literally, with longing for the loved one who is absent and the joy of finding him in memory. So good!
     

  • EM: That last line gets me – “Probably nods.” Grief and loss and voices that make make a child feel loved.

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  • Honourable Mention in Flash!Friday with Singular Love:

‘SO: This story was so fresh and interesting, with an interesting and engaging perspective that drew me in right away. Well executed, with excellent details like the blood on the character’s thigh, which let the reader infer the subtext. A story with a whole world in it, skilfully drawn.
 

CA: I loved how this one started, which such powerful imagery of the women all moving in sync, like white smoke. That great imagery continued throughout, with the flames gently cradling the bundle, and the meandering blood, all painting such a vivid picture of a horrifying scene. The ending added a great punch, and twisted the whole tale on its head.

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  • Runner up in Flash! Friday for Untitled:

  • BS: I loved seeing all the ways writers played with point of view with this prompt, and this one felt uniquely special. So much character and story contained within, and the ending is just sublime and heart-level.

  • KR: Taking the low-level photo prompt and staying there, this story gave us a shoe’s-eye view of the daily commute. Some fun, well-written observations (and a lovely soul/sole pun) helped this one reach the podium, and those final lines sealed the deal. Sad and stunning.

 

  • Special mention for Ocean Lament in Flash!Friday for Helen Laycock‘s “Ocean Lament“: for the gorgeous and heart-breaking Romeo/Juliet-esque love story.

 

BS: This one contains such detail, especially “Franco raised his right hand, covering the tear in his trousers with the left.” That says so, so much. Well done.
 

KR: That ‘flip’ moment seals this story for me. Franco’s life has turned upside down, and even if his only patrons now are the pigeons, he’s still trying to recapture what was. The lovely little detail with the torn trousers says that no matter how far he’s fallen, he still has his pride.

 

 

 

Plays

  • Shortlisted for Pint-Sized Plays with Dummy Run, June 2016

 

 

 

Features/Interviews

 

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Articles

http://www.nothinganygood.com/10-marketing-tips-for-childrens-authors/

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‘FYI- Part 1 has been Nothing Any Good's most read article to date. It has been viewed over 250 times in the last 3 days.’

 

http://www.nothinganygood.com/10-marketing-tips-for-childrens-authors-part-2/

 

 

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Lead spot on Visual Verse June 2018

'Dear Helen,

I am writing as the editor of Visual Verse and I hope you won't mind me getting in touch. Every year we have one month where we select two or three regular contributors whose work we admire, to provide a lead piece for the site.

We would be delighted if you would take one of those spots for June. We enjoy your writing very much, and would love to celebrate it by publishing you in a lead spot.'

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Art Exhibition

From Susan Roland Antoinette:

'Helen, I’m an an abstract painter in St. Petersbug, Florida.   In my research for my art show in March, I came across your poem, To the Unborn. I’m absolutely in love with it.  The title on my art show is Words, Worn Well and I would like to work your piece into a creating of mine.  I’m super excited to come across your Facebook page as well as your website where I read many other works of your including, For Better, for Worse. It brought tears to my eyes and a lump in my throat.

I should add that I will be crediting you, of course.'

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Contact Helen Laycock

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