Please welcome, friend and author, Paul Smith...

... In his many guises

Writing, it’s a strange way of consuming the time we have on the planet: solitary, frustrating, disheartening, yes, all of these things. Yet, it’s something to savour, and it takes over one’s life. That little snippet of conversation overheard, an interesting character met, a current event or a historical one. All can fire a cascade of thoughts that lead to the unfolding of a story.

My serious writing started with a story set in occupied France during World War II, but with an unusual twist.  It required considerable research, especially about the French Resistance, mostly in the north of France, where men and women joined the Maquis to assist the allies and Britain’s Special Operations Executive, resident in France and conducting clandestine operations, to thwart the German war machine.  The story is in two parts, the same tale told from two perspectives, hence its name A Question Resistance -Two Perspectives 

My other love is Yorkshire and Fantasy:  Imagine a Yorkshire where the vales of York become ‘veils’, pathways to another world where time runs at a different pace, a realm where power is everything and dominion is the goal.  The Shires of York is a series of six parts with each chronicling a different stage of Yorkshire’s history, aided by Elven, Dragons, Goblins, Witches and Dwarves, everything you’d expect from a fantasy world, yet familiar too.  For fantasy, I don a new identity, becoming Joseph Murphy-James in honour of my grandfather who makes an appearance, though only I know where.

As a member of Harrogate Writers’ Circle, I read from prepared texts at regular ‘Manuscript Evenings’ and I created a short story about Yorkshire folk in a small town setting, then added to it at another evening meeting.   Members of the Circle told me that they liked the characters and suggested that I create a novel from the snippets.  I did this in Four Seasons of Heythwaite - the Antics of a Small Yorkshire Town.  It was a departure for me so, not to confuse readers, I wrote using a new pen name of Annie Eileen Rogers.  I’ve been told that it’s a lovely story portraying the richness of the Yorkshire clan, just what I wanted to create.  Heythwaite and the Ghost Train is the sequel, currently in final preparation.

On I go, conversing with my imaginary friends, making them real, becoming close to some and loathing others.  That’s what writing is, an escape from the trials of a real life, yet built from them because, what doesn’t kill you makes a story.

...about the authorI've written two novels and three travel guides in my own name, a six part fantasy series plus some prequels and a sequel under the pen name Joseph Murphy-James and two Yorkshire Sagas under the name Annie Eileen Rogers.

I have also provided proof-reading and editing for some successful novels including Hell Holes, The Khan, The Mission, Sistaz Revenge (loved this one), Above and Beyond, Operation Underpants (and this one), Claudia, The Frenchman's Daughters, The President's Legionnaire and Wolf 359.

I founded and now run the Wise Grey Owl book promotion site that has achieved over 2M book views. You’ll find my blogs on Tumblr, Instagram and Facebook, mostly to assist in the marketing and sales of my own and other authors’ books.

Like many writers, I’ve done other things with my life to pay the mortgage and keep the wolves from the door. Ask me about them if you’re interested but they include testing roles like Senior Management in FTSE 50 companies plus a stint growing a small-to-medium enterpise and helping others to expand theirs.  For the record, I’m keen on technology and know a great deal about it.

I‘ve been a volunteer technology writer for the IET, a Professional Engineering Institution of which I am a Fellow; many of my articles appear in newsletters, blogs and on the Yorkshire IET You Tube channel as short videos. I'm also a freelance writer for an academic technology journal and an active member of the Harrogate Writers’ Circle and my work features in competitions run by it and other writers guilds. My short story 'Change' about homelessness was shortlisted for Story Tyne 2019.

You can follow Paul on Facebook and on  Twitter