Featured Interview With Paula Wynne
Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I was raised in South Africa, spent many years in the UK and my husband and I have now fulfilled a life-long dream to live in Spain!
I’m an award-winning entrepreneur who day-dreams up new plots while walking through the Andalusian countryside with my springer spaniel, Dexter. The Grotto’s Secret, is my début novel after two best-selling business books, Create A Successful Website and Pimp My Site.
Along with Dexter my house is also home to his 4 sister cats, Daisy, Minny, Tiger and Socks.
At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
My life-long dream to be a novelist has come true thirty-five years after I first decided I would be one. Harbouring a near-obsessive love of learning the craft of writing, I have been scribbling down the stories in my head ever since I can remember.
At the age of eighteen I used my first South African pay-check from the Natal Mercury to buy a long-distance writing course. Many years later I received an ‘Honourable Mention’ in the 75th Annual Writers Digest Writing Competition for two novels (written and not yet published), which inspired me to continue writing.
Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
So many it is hard to even know where to begin! I love the old classical authors and started out reading Enid’s Nancy Drew and The Hardy Boys. They probably gave me a taste for adventure and thrilling mystery. Over the years I have read different genres but as I love reading thrillers and action adventure, I started writing in that genre.
I’ve just finished a book by Graham Brown and another by Boyd Morrison. I have Steve Berry, Scott Mariani, Simon Toyne, James Rollins, JF Penn and Dean Crawford all waiting to be read! Phew … who has time to write when there is so much great reading to be done.
‘The Power of One’ by Bryce Courtney stands out amongst a pile of best ever books. I also love books by Dean Koontz and Scott Mariani and Glenn Cooper. I read and re-read most of Wilbur Smith, but wouldn’t include his latest books as they’re just not him. My childhood favourites were definitely The Famous Five.
Tell us a little about your latest book?
My latest book is The Grotto’s Secret; it’s a historical conspiracy thriller, with added mystery, suspense and a little bit of romance thrown in!
Moving to Spain fulfilled my lifelong dream to write novels. During the hunt for our new home in rural Andalusia, my husband and I found a tranquil home with stunning views down the Valle del Guadalhorce towards Malaga and Marbella.
Apart from a white-washed village in the far distance, the valley is lush with green wheat fields and rolling hills, shadowed by layer upon layer of distant mountains. The magnificent Sierra del Torcal towers over the back of the house. My first sight of the Guadalhorce Valley gave birth to the fictional location of The Grotto’s Secret.
As I gazed at the stunning view, a medieval character just popped into my head and I could see her in that landscape. She was so real and had a story to tell. It’s taken a couple of years to get her story into the real world but it’s been such a great journey!
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