Born in Walthamstow, Hollick worked as a library assistant at a Chingford library for 13 years, during which time she developed a passion for Dark Age history and King Arthur. She wrote her Arthurian trilogy, which was accepted for publication by Heinemann three days before her 40th birthday in 1994.

Previously she had published a children's personal safety book, Come and Tell Me, a story she had written for her daughter when she was 3. "I wanted to tell her how to keep safe in a clear and simple manner — with a message that could be easily remembered," Hollick wrote on her web site. "'Always come and tell me before you go anywhere with anyone' fitted nicely." Her story became an official safety book of the British Home Office for use nationwide by police and schools. An updated and revised version of the book has been published by Happy Cat Books.

Hollick lives in Walthamstow with her husband, Ron, who is retired, and adult daughter, Kathy.In a review of King Harold, Cliff Moore wrote in the Dorset Evening Echo, "What is most inspiring about Hollick is that she can produce such a mammoth book from a household where she is the only reader — both her husband and daughter suffering from severe dyslexia."

She is a member of the Society of Authors. As of early 2006, she was involved in the pre-production of the proposed movie 1066 as story consultant and co-script writer. She has recently completed a lecture tour of the Netherlands and is working on her next novel in her Sea Witch pirate series — Pirate Code is to be published by D.A. Diamonds in June 2007.In 2009 Hollick was approached by Sourcebooks Inc, a mainstream USA/Canada publisher with the view to publishing her entire Historical Fiction list.

the Pendragon's Banner Trilogy

• The Kingmaking (new edition published by DA Revivals UK 2006 & Sourcebooks Inc USA 2009)
• Pendragon's Banner (new edition published by DA Revivals UK 2006 & Sourcebooks Inc USA 2009)
• Shadow of the King (new edition published by DA Revivals UK 2006 & Sourcebooks Inc USA 2009)

The three books are a re-telling of the King Arthur legend. They look to show Arthur Pendragon as he might have really been - no magic, fantasy or Medieval legend. This is the basic, post-Roman view of Arthur as a battle-hardened warlord.

Books in the trilogy garnered a number of positive reviews and endorsements. Best-selling historical fiction author Sharon Penman called one of the volumes "A wonderful book...breathes new life into an ancient legend". Publishers Weekly said, "Hollick's interpretation is bold, affecting and well worth fighting to defend." Books Magazine called her work ""Uniquely compelling" and "bound to have a resounding and lasting impact on Arthurian fiction."

A reviewer in Pendragon Magazine said of one of the books, "Helen Hollick joins the ranks of Rosemary Sutcliff, Mary Stewart and Marion Bradley with this splendid novel," and Historical Novels Review enthused that one of her books "weaves together fact, legend and inspired imagination to create a world so real we can breathe the smoke of its fires and revel into Romano-British lust for life, love and honour."

The books are available in the UK, USA and Canada from any good bookstore or online.

the Sea Witch Series

Pirate-based historical fantasy novels for adults (published by Discovered Authors Diamond) swashbuckling adventure that you'll love to pieces of eight!

• Sea Witch Being the first voyage of Captain Jesamiah Acorne - 2006
• Pirate Code The second voyage of Captain Jesamiah Acorne (2007)
• Bring It Close The third voyage of Captain Jesamiah Acorne (2009)

The Saxon Series

• Harold the King (published by DA Revivals 2006)

• A Hollow Crown: The Story of Emma, Queen of Saxon England (William Heinemann/Arrow Books 2004)

Other published work

• Come and Tell Me Be Sensible and Safe (published by Happy Cat Books 2002)