1. What were you before you became an author? Did
this influence your choices as a writer?
I was a high
school history teacher for many years, and my earliest novels (published in the
1960s/70s) did have teachers as the main characters. However, in the 12 novels
that have been published since 2011, only one female character has been a
school teacher. The other ‘heroines’ have included a cruise ship tour guide, a
journalist, a ballet dancer, a cook, a photographer, a Victorian seamstress –
and five actors. Maybe the latter reflects my lifelong interest in musical
theatre, even though I can’t act, sing or dance! The male characters have been
equally varied, ranging from an archaeologist to a veterinary surgeon, which
required quite a lot of research.
As for
history, some of my contemporary novels did feature aspects of history,
especially those set in Ireland e.g. the potato famine, the 1920s civil war,
and the forced adoption of unmarried mothers’ babies in the 1950s/60s. My
latest novel is my first wholly historical novel, but is a result of my
research into my family history, rather than the history I used to teach.
2. Are you genre specific or general? I don’t mean
major genres but subdivisions or romance, mystery or paranormal.
My early books
were contemporary romances, concentrating on the relationship between the two
main characters and whatever problems I chose to throw at them. It was when I
wrote a novel set in Egypt (present-day) that I first introduced a sub-plot of
mystery/intrigue. Since then most of my novels have included an element of
intrigue which has affected the main characters in various ways.
3. What is your latest release?
Despite being
a history teacher for many years, I always said I wouldn’t write a historical
novel, mainly because I was all too aware of the amount of research needed to
ensure any novel was historically accurate. However, my latest release is a historical novel, set in the
mid-19th century, which involved research into homes, fashions, food, etc. in
that era. ‘A Family’s Secrets’ was
published by Books We Love in February, and is based (loosely) on my g-g-grandparents.
It is set in Liverpool and the Isle of Man, as my g-g-grandfather was a captain
with the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company.
4. What are you working on now?
I’m working on
the second book of my ‘Follow Your Heart’
series. The main character is Lizzie, the daughter of Betsy and John, the two
main characters in ‘A Family’s Secrets.’
It is set in the 1870s, and features Lizzie’s fight on behalf of people whose
homes are threatened with demolition, as well as her dilemma about which of the
two men in her life she can trust.
5. Do your reading choices influence your choice of
a writing career?
I have very
eclectic reading choices. Over the years, I think I have read most genres apart
from horror and sci-fi, which don’t interest me. Nowadays, I do read some
‘romance’ novels, but also historical, (mainly late medieval), First and Second
World War novels, and family sagas. However, I don’t think I’m influenced by
what I read, as my ideas for stories tend to come from somewhere in my mind.
6. Where can
we find you?
Amazon author
page: author.to/PaulaMartin
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/paulamartinromances
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