As production continues on our special-edition episode, please enjoy this reposting of one of our favorite interviews from 2023!

“I want it to be a place for women today, where we can meet and where we can support each other…” explained author Helen Lundstrom Erwin, in this 2023 interview.

We were discussing her pioneering metaverse space, The Foremothers Cafe. This is the first immersive space in the metaverse created by a historical novelist, based on a setting from her book!

Helen first envisioned the cafe in her novel Sour Milk in Sheep’s Wool, set in Sweden in the late nineteenth century. The story explores her great-grandmother’s experience as a single mother, against the background of women who were beginning to explore their options in creating a better world.

As Helen became involved in virtual reality, she realized that one of her locations–the cafe owned by main character Hanna, a women’s rights activist–was perfect for an immersive world.

Paralleling the past, building the future

Like Hanna’s cafe, the “Frog”, The Foremothers Cafe is a space where women can meet to discuss current issues which affect their lives.

Unlike the Frog, though, The Foremothers Cafe, hosted on the ENGAGE platform, is a Swedish American women’s museum and cultural center in VR. Attendees from all over the world, including men, as allies, are welcome.

One of Helen’s goals is the dissolution of borders, as new friends meet in real time to share their cultures and ideas, and explore their roles in creating positive change.

Every Thursday at 11:00 am Pacific time, Helen hosts “fika” at the cafe. “Fika”, she explains, is a Swedish word for “coffee break with something sweet to eat with friends”.

In addition, she hosts a thought-provoking Community Discussion Series, featuring a new guest speaker every month.

Guests also get to learn about Swedish culture through special events such as the Lucia Festival, in December, and the Midsommar celebration.

A personal favorite, however, is the annual Foremothers Day, on November 30th, where guests honor the strong women in their own histories.

Honors and engagement

In the four years since its opening, The Foremothers Cafe has garnered some impressive accolades.

A 2026 Auggie Awards finalist for “Best Indie Creator”, the cafe’s honors also include a 2023 XR Women Awards nomination in the Trailblazing category, and Auggie Awards nominations in the “Best Social Impact” category in both 2024 and 2025.

However, her readers might easily nominate Helen for the “Can’t-Put-It-Down” Award, if such an honor existed.

Her most recent novel, The Lure of Water and Wood, is a historical fantasy which explores two characters from Swedish mythology, from those characters’ point of view. Like her previous books, it is seriously addictive.

Helen talked about her background as a storyteller, shared the story of her trailblazing virtual space, and explained her vision for the future.

On this edition of Over Coffee® we cover:

• How Helen first became interested in writing;

• Why she chose historical fiction as her genre;

• How her great-grandmother inspired her book, Sour Milk in Sheep’s Wool;

• How this historical novel inspired Helen’s metaverse cafe space;

• What visitors will experience, in The Foremothers Cafe;

• Special features to look for, in the cafe;

• A closer look at the two main characters in Sour Milk in Sheep’s Wool;

• Helen’s vision for The Foremothers Cafe;

• What surprised her most, as she researched her novel;

• A preview of her latest book, The Lure of Water and Wood;

• The possibility of a second virtual world!

• How to support her, as an author.