About

Helen Lundström Erwin, born and raised in Helsingborg, Sweden, now calls New York City home, where she has woven a rich tapestry of Swedish and American cultural heritage into her everyday life, in her books, and in Virtual Reality.

Her books transport readers back in time by immersing them in the minds of her characters. Intrigued by activity in day-to-day life that explains the thinking of the past, she crafts characters true to their eras. While many of them were considered radicals by their contemporaries, they, too, like us, were products of their times. To us, their beliefs and views on social norms may be shocking; to the people who lived then, it was reality. As Helen puts it, “Creating historical characters with a 21st-century outlook would be like putting a refrigerator in a 17th-century household. If I did that, I’d be writing time travel fiction.”

That said, Helen is especially inspired by people who had the courage to challenge the beliefs they were raised to accept. In James’ Journey, you’ll meet historical revolutionaries like Harriet Tubman, Dr. James McCune Smith—the first Black doctor in the United States, and Henry Ward Beecher—an abolitionist preacher in Brooklyn and brother to Harriet Beecher Stowe.

In Sour Milk in Sheep’s Wool, you’ll meet notable figures such as Elise Ottesen-Jensen—the co-founder of International Planned Parenthood; Frida Steenhof, an author and lecturer on suffrage; and Emilie Rathou, an activist who believed there was a strong connection between alcohol abuse and the oppression of women and linked the temperance movement with women’s suffrage.

In The Lure of Water and Wood, you’ll meet King Karl IX of Sweden, Princess Elisabet Vasa, Pastor Klint—who in 1599 became known for his drawings and reports on Näcken, the Swedish mythological creature who was believed to be real at the time, as well as ordinary people who were tried in Sweden’s Sorcery* Trials in the 17th and 18th centuries.

The Swedish Sorcery Trials (trolldomsrättegångar) were similar to Witch Trials in many ways. But there was a major difference: instead of people being accused of being witches, they were accused of having spent time with otherworldly creatures, such as malevolent water creatures, mountain, or forest creatures. While they are part of Swedish mythology today, people believed they were real well into the 18th century, even later in some cases. Helen's latest book, The Lure of Water and Wood, explores this fascinating part of history. It's her first historical fantasy novel, and while it's as steeped in actual history as her other books, the protagonists are the mythological creatures themselves.

Helen's children's book, Officer Helga Hedgehog Meets the New Neighbors, is humorous and sweet.  Drawing on her background in early childhood education, she portrays exciting situations—think aliens from outer space—that encourage children to be empathetic, helpful, and open to new experiences and friends.

Helen’s Virtual Reality space, The Foremothers Café, is set in Lund, Sweden, in 1918. It's a replica of Hanna’s café from her novel Sour Milk in Sheep’s Wool. And just like her characters did in her book, women today meet at The Foremothers Café for community, discourse, and support. Please visit the Foremothers Café page to learn more about the VR space and visit the Events page to find out about its scheduled events. The Foremothers Café is a cultural center and community space that is open to all.

She sits on the Steering Committee of The Historical Novel Society, New York Chapter, and is a member of XR Women. In her personal life, she is an avid runner and a lover of all things food.

Helen is the founder of the Virtual Reality Historical Initiative, a brand new initiative inspired by history, virtual reality, and The Foremothers Cafe which is as far as we know, the first Historical Multi-User VR-World in the Metaverse. Please stay tuned as we grow.
Are you a historian and interested in learning more? Would you like to join our initiative? Please contact us.