Please Welcome Romance Author, Paula Martin Who Writes at Midnight

Paula Martin had some early publishing success with short stories and four romance novels, but then had a break from writing while she brought up a young family and also pursued her career as a history teacher for twenty-five years. She has recently returned to writing fiction, after retiring from teaching.

She lives near Manchester in North-West England, and has two daughters and two grandsons. Apart from writing, she enjoys visiting new places and has travelled extensively in Britain, mainland Europe, the Middle East, America and Canada. Her favourite place in Ireland. She’s also interested in musical theatre and tracing her family history.

Website: http://paulamartinromances.webs.com/
Personal blog: http://paulamartinpotpourri.blogspot.com/
Writers’ Group Blog: http://heroineswithhearts.blogspot.com/


Paul'a Newest Release - Fragrance of Violets

The title comes from a quote by Mark Twain: Forgiveness is the fragrance that the violet sheds on the heel that has crushed it. The story, set mainly in England’s beautiful Lake District, is about two people who need to forgive each other and also deal with other issues in their lives.

Abbey Seton distrusts men, especially Jack Tremayne who destroyed their friendship when they were teenagers. Ten years later, they meet again. Can they put the past behind them? Abbey has to forgive not only Jack, but also her father who deserted his family when she was young. Jack holds himself responsible for his fiancée’s death. He’s also hiding another secret which threatens the fragile resumption of his relationship with Abbey.

Will Abbey ever forgive him when she finds out the truth?

Fragrance of Violets and Paula's previous novel, His Leading Lady,  are available from Whiskey Creek Press at http://www.whiskeycreekpress.com/store/ also from Amazon and Bookstrand.

And Now Paula Tells Us About Writing at Midnight


I’ve always been a night owl, never a morning person. When I was a child, I used to read under the covers with a flashlight long after my parents thought I must be asleep. Maybe not until midnight but certainly much later than my supposed ‘bed-time’.

As a teenager, I’d turn off my light, wait until my parents went to bed (probably about 10.30 or 11pm) then switch on my light again and either read or continue writing the next chapter of my current story, for my friends to read avidly the next day. Okay, those early romances of mine were very corny but my friends enjoyed them!

For a lot of my adult life, I had to cease burning the midnight oil. Baby era: 10pm feed then get some sleep before she wakes again; 25 year teaching era: have to get up at 6.30am so need to get to bed early.

Not all the time though. When I worked backstage in amateur musical theatre, rehearsals were held at a local sports club which, being a private club, could stay open long after the statutory closing time for licensed premises. We stayed too, often until midnight, although that made it doubly hard to get up the next morning.

Show week itself was even worse. Adrenaline-fuelled, we needed time to unwind after the show, so it was often well after midnight before we left the theatre bar.

I never had any problem staying up late. The problem came the next morning when I had to get up early to go to school. To my credit, I have to say, I was never late for school, although not necessarily alert and raring to go!

My colleagues got wise to me. It was summed up by one of them: “Never ask Paula a question before 10am if you want a sensible answer from her.”

Then came retirement. Oh wow, freedom to do what I want, when I want! And that included staying up as late as I wanted, because I didn’t have to get up at (to me) some silly o’clock in the morning. I might get up about 8am but most of my friends know not to call me until after 10am.

I do my best writing at night. I may have a whole day free (sometimes!) but day-time writing doesn’t work for me. My mind seems to work so much better from about 9pm onwards. My muse is obviously a night-owl too.

I’m full of admiration for people who can get up at 6am and start writing. But me? Yes, I’m a midnight writer.

How about you? Are you an early bird or a night owl? When do you your best writing?

Paula's Website: http://paulamartinromances.webs.com/
Personal blog: http://paulamartinpotpourri.blogspot.com/
Writers’ Group Blog: http://heroineswithhearts.blogspot.com/

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