Still Laughing by Helen C. Escott | The Miramichi Reader

What the world needs now is more laughter and Still Laughing delivers. A collection of authentic tales celebrating Helen C. Escott’s life as a frazzled mother, a doting daughter, a loving wife and a writer of crime, this collection is one that offers the reader more than pure humour and relatable truths.

The comedic re-telling of stories that range from time in a gym class, to searching for lingerie after menopause, and her dream of becoming a nightmare (AKA Night Mayor) worked together as a distraction in plenty of laugh out loud moments. Mixed in this collection of comedic relief was essays of a more serious sort, with pleas to keep her home clean, to the heart break of becoming an empty nester.

The juxtaposition seemed odd, with this being marketed as a collection of tales to make the reader laugh, yet it can be argued that the break in humour added to the appeal. Each heartfelt piece more serious than the next added a break from the moments that made one’s cheeks hurt from laughing. Much like a comedian taking a detour to express a moment that sobered them, only to make the forthcoming punchline ever more spectacular.

Each heartfelt piece more serious than the next added a break from the moments that made one’s cheeks hurt from laughing.

Helen has lived through the situations many stress about – being stuck in shapewear, told of a hole in an inappropriate location while at the gym, the size and weight of the bags women carry, to a serial killer lurking while one showers. Her writing style pulls a reader in, holds their hand through the worst of it and offers a warm hug and assurance that the experience wasn’t nearly as bad as we imagined.

In “Hiding Evidence,” the author gives sound advice many shoppers will find useful in disguising their purchases from suspicious husbands. “A Game of Thongs” reveals the two problems with leggings including camel toe and underwear outlines, offering solutions to both.

Still Laughing is a fulfilling collection of tales to make a reader think, exercises to avoid for fear of breaking parts always deserving of protection, complete with a bit of a travel guide and love letter to Newfoundland. This book is for the hoarder, the outcast, the extroverted, the woman approaching perimenopause, going through menopause and the survivor of it all. It is ideal for the mother, the daughter, the gym rat and the romantic. The author, and therefore main characters, opens the door to “Crack Dealers in the Hood,” offers solutions to store owners to avoid their clothes being covered in urine, and clarifies what is considered “Granny Panties.”

This collection offers insight into the male mind, the purpose of plastic surgery and who would benefit from it; fashion; fairies; and fruitcake. The journey is uplifting, hilarious and thoughtful, revealing love, secrets, and that “Mom Doesn’t Have a Penis,” in ways that pull at the readers heart strings and tickles until the sudden (and constant) need to pee arises.

This book is for the hoarder, the outcast, the extroverted, the woman approaching perimenopause, going through menopause and the survivor of it all.

The refreshing part about all of these stories is they are honest, sweet without being sugar-coated, and raw. Each one of the tales reminds the reader they are not alone, they have a friend in Helen and they should get themselves to Newfoundland.

Helen C. Escott is an award-winning, bestselling Canadian author and playwright. Before becoming an author, she had a ten-year career in radio and TV. In 1998 she joined the Royal Canadian Mounted Police as Senior Communication Strategist. She began writing books full-time in 2014 upon her retirement.

Described as a prolific writer, she has written seven novels and one play. Two novels from her operation crime thriller series have been short-listed for the Crime Writers of Canada’s best first crime novel award and won the Silver Medal – Best Regional Fiction at the 24th annual Independent Publisher Book Awards.

Escott is a retired Civilian Member of the RCMP and was the communications lead on high-profile events including the RCMP’s Newfoundland response to the September 11th terrorist attacks. She wrote and implemented the Atlantic Region Communication Strategies to combat organized crime and outlaw biker gangs, created a media relations course, and taught it in several provinces as well as at the Canadian Police College, Ottawa. She also served as a communications strategist at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics.

Publisher: Flanker Press (April 3, 2026)
Hardcover 8.5″ x 5.5″ | 265 pages
ISBN: 9781774573242

Sarah Butland

Website

I am a struggling artist, a challenging and challenged mother who always thinks she is failing, an emerging freelance writer and reporter, an author with my name on several books crossing genres and always hoping to find more readers who enjoy them.

I am also a successful artist, a wonderful and thriving mother of one, a reacher towards both people and dreams despite all of the turned backs and obstacles in my way. I am a thriving freelance writer and reporter, an author loved by enough readers to make it worthwhile and a discombobulated conundrum who loves to hear new music, tell new tales and meet new authors. And I’m doing something I always dreamed of doing – reviewing books to support others as well as myself and my family.