20 Questions

1 . What is your full name?

Helen Mary Francis Cleary Escott

2 . Where and when were you born and where do you live today?

I was born at St. Clare’s in St. John’s, Newfoundland in 1963. I live in St. John’s today.

3 . What is one thing you would like people to know about you?

That I am a creative person and I see things differently. I know there are others out there who are questioning themselves because they see things differently or think they’re strange; You’re not. There’s a lot of us who are different, Picasa was different, Shakespeare was different and I’m different.

4 . What would people be surprised to learn about you?

The amount of time I put into things. People are often surprised at how much time and research goes into everything I do. I could spend a whole day writing one paragraph because I want it to be perfect.

5 . What is the hardest thing you have done?

Moving forward and accepting that this is not my place of belonging and that I need to move up to the next place. When I was laid off from my first job, I thought my life was over. But I had to accept that the universe was telling me, you need to move on .

6 . Can you describe one experience that changed your life?

Meeting my husband, Robert. For a long time, no one believed me, and he was the first person to. He saw my dreams before I could.

7 . What is your greatest indulgence

Walking in the woods with my pets, when I wake up in the morning my first thought is where can I take Memphis, my rescue beagle. It inspires me so much to get out in the woods.

8 . What is your favourite book?

All Agatha Christie’s books. I grew up reading Agatha Christie and I loved her not just because she was a brilliant writer, but because she was a female, writing about crime.

9 . What is your favourite movie?

My favourite movie is “Jesus Christ Superstar”.

10 . What music do you like to listen to?

I listen to everything from Christmas music in July to Elvis to Rod Stewart.

11 . How do you like to relax?

Being organized, that’s how I relax, I have to be organized.

12 . Who would play you in a movie about your life?

Sandra Bullock; she’s somebody who can be funny and serious at the same time.

13 . What is your greatest fear?

I learned a long time ago to face my fears. So, I really don’t fear anything.

14 . What is your greatest joy?

My family, I have my husband, two sons and a daughter and it’s with them that I created the family I always wanted to have. .

15 What is your most treasured possession?

If my house was burned down, I wouldn’t run back for anything other than my children, or my pets. My favourite possession might be Wormwood because it was my first book but then again, I wouldn’t run into a burning house for it.

16 . What is the best advice you got from a parent or mentor?

My psychologist is my favourite mentor, and the best advice she gave me was to keep moving forward.

17 . What would you say is your best quality and what would you say your worst quality is?

My best quality is that I am an organizer, I will organize everything, my work, my personal life, to what we’re having for supper. My worst quality is that I am an organizer and organize everybody. 18 . Where is your favourite place in the world?

Home and when I say home, I mean my husband and children. My home is with them.

19 . What advice would you give to your 12-year-old self?

Keep dreaming and keep going because I’m gonna make that come true as an adult.

20 . Which three people would join you for your dream dinner party?

Agatha Christie, Dorothy Sayer, who was another amazing author, and Dan Brown.

Note: answers have been edited for length and clarity.