NK Chats To… Helga Jensen

Hi Helga. Thank you so much for inviting Novel Kicks onto the blog tour for A New Life in Amsterdam. What’s your writing process like? Do you plan much?

Firstly, I think of a fabulous location and then work from there. For example, my latest book is set in Amsterdam. From there I will think of all the things that the place offers and work out a story. Naturally, A New Life in Amsterdam just had to be about a canal boat as I pictured what life would be like living on the canals of Amsterdam. Then I usually think about the characters and jot down the pivotal moments on a huge poster. From there, I just start writing. I am definitely not a planner as I start off with a seed of an idea and I literally let my characters take me on their journey as I write. I love working this way as I think if I planned anything I would be too focused on keeping to that story and it wouldn’t be natural.

Out of all the books you’ve read, which have had the most impact on you?

Oh, that’s a really good question. I always remember reading two books by Jane Green back in the early 90s. Mr Maybe and Jemima J. They appealed to me at that age and made me want to write something similar. I grew up with Jane Green and Sophie Kinsella books and I can safely say that both writers made a huge impact on me as I dreamed of being just like them.

Do you have any writing rituals? Do you prefer to work in silence?

I need complete silence. I can’t even take a laptop to a coffee shop somewhere. I have to be in my study, door closed, and nothing but silence. Any disturbance will send me off track and I will lose that line in my head. I love the idea that writers can work with music and churn out a best-seller but, for me, silence is golden!

Which fictional character would you like to meet and why?

I would love to say something sensible and impressive here, but at the moment I am watching Alan Partridge and he is just bonkers. I can imagine a glass of wine with Alan Partridge would be so much fun. I just watched a scene in a book club in his new series and how I laughed. I so wanted to be at that book club!

What’s your best writing moment so far?

Without doubt getting my first contract. I don’t think anything tops selling your debut to a publisher. I would hope that I still have some best moments left though. My ultimate goal is to one day get published by a Harper Collins imprint and I will definitely keep aiming for that. Then that would be my final writing dream come true! How can anyone resist that famous Harper Collins V&A author party? I think I would probably cry if I ever stood there!!

Finally, five tips for new writers?

I have an MA and (almost) a PhD in creative writing and love teaching creative writing sessions. In my classes, I would always say the following words of advice:

Write, write, write and read, read, read!

Do not give up. Tenacity is key.

Enter competitions – if you don’t try then you certainly can’t win.

Be brave and submit! Once you have polished and edited that manuscript and feel that you cannot possibly get it into better shape don’t be afraid to submit. You never know, your dreams might come true with one single email!

Meet other writers. Writing can be very solitary and you need your lovely writing friends.

About Helga Jensen –

Helga Jensen is an internationally award-winning British/Danish best selling author and journalist.

Her debut novel was a winning entry in the 2017 Montegrappa First Fiction competition at Dubai’s Emirates Literary Festival. Her debut was also a contender for the coveted 2021 Joan Hessayon Award for new writers.

Helga’s best selling novel, Fly me to Paris, was a finalist for the 2024 Popular Romantic Fiction Award. In 2025, her novel, A Christmas in Prague, was also a finalist for the Popular Romantic Fiction Award.

Helga holds a BA Hons in English Literature and Creative Writing, along with a Creative Writing MA from Bath Spa University. She is currently finishing a Creative Writing PhD.

 Say hello to Helga on X, Instagram and Facebook.

About A New Life in Amsterdam – 

Could down-sizing her life mean up-sizing her dreams?

Since her daughter grew up and left home, Sandy has found herself filling her house with things – impulse purchases that she just has to have but that quickly lose their sheen. Why would she need an expensive set of copper pans when she has no one to cook for?

Realising that her shopping habit is out of control, she asks herself: can she de-clutter, downsize and start a new life?

She has always wanted to live on a barge, and she reasons that there is no way she would have room for random purchases on a boat. Taking the bravest decision of her life, Sandy buys and refurbishes a barge in the beautiful city of Amsterdam.

Relishing her independence, she is not looking for love, but as the nights draw in and the leaves start to fall from the trees, she finds herself drawn to cafe owner and expert hot chocolate maker Abe.

Is she willing to take a second chance on finding the one?

A New Life in Amsterdam was released by Hera on 9th October 2025. Click to buy on Amazon and Waterstones. 

by

Laura

I’m Laura. I started Novel Kicks in 2009. I wanted a place to post my writing as well as give other writers like me the opportunity to do the same. There is also a monthly book club, a writing room which features writing prompts, book reviews, competitions, author interviews and guest posts.

I grew up by the sea (my favourite place in the world) and I currently live in Hampshire. I am married to Chris, have a cat named Buddy and I would love to be a writer. I’m trying to write the novel I’ve talked so much about writing if only I could stop pressing delete. I’ve loved writing since creative writing classes in primary school. I have always wanted to see my teacher Miss Sayers again and thank her for the encouragement. When not trying to write the novel or writing snippets of stories on anything I can get my hands on, I love reading, dancing like a loon and singing to myself very badly. My current obsession is Once Upon a Time and I would be happy to live with magic in the enchanted forest surrounded by all those wonderful stories provided that world also included Harry Potter. I love reading chick lit. contemporary fiction and novels with mystery.