My name is Paula Bardell-Hedley and I was born and bred on the coast of North Wales. I am a nature lover, theatre goer, autism advocate, thalassophile and an avid reader of books.
I was a founding Director of my own company, which my partner and I ran successfully for 26 years, however, my true love has always been reserved for reading and writing. Indeed, after first leaving school, I worked for a year at my local library on one of Margaret Thatcher’s now infamous YOP schemes!
I had great fun as the English Culture Guide for About.com (originally the Mining Company) from 1997-2001, quickly building up a lively and loyal band of readers from all corners of the globe. When the Company axed its entire Cultures’ network in September 2001, I became the English Culture and Poetry Correspondent for All Info-About – an online community created by ex About.com Guides – until its sad demise in early 2008.
I have also dabbled as a columnist, critic, editor and content provider since the age of 14. My work has appeared in a variety of magazines, newspapers and digital publications ranging from Country-Side and Entomologist’s Gazette to Record Collector and Women’s Independent Press.
You will find me on Twitter at @GaiaBird1 (or Mastadon at @BookJotter) and you can also connect with me on LinkedIn or join the Book Jotter group on Facebook.
A few of my favourite books:
- Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland – Lewis Carroll (1865)
- As I Walked Out One Midsummer Morning – Laurie Lee (1969)
- La Bâtarde – Violette Leduc (1964)
- Before Night Falls – Reinaldo Arenas (1992)
- The Crimson Petal and the White – Michel Faber (2002)
- The Diary of Samuel Pepys (1669)
- The Handmaid’s Tale – Margaret Atwood (1985)
- If This Is a Man – Primo Levi (1979)
- Oranges Are Not The Only Fruit – Jeanette Winterson (1985)
- The Outrun – Amy Liptrot (2015)
- Possession: A Romance – A.S. Byatt (1990)
- The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie – Muriel Spark (1961)
- The Regeneration Trilogy – Pat Barker (1996)
- Seven Roads to Happiness – Desmond Marwood (1969)
- Testament of Youth – Vera Brittain (1933)
For more, please see My One-Hundred-Book Library >>
Congratulations, Paula!
I have nominated your blog for the Real Neat Blog Award.
More about this nomination is at
https://dearkitty1.wordpress.com/2017/11/21/real-neat-blog-award-congratulations-to-my-sixteen-nominees/
Thank you very much!
Well deserved 🙂 Keep blogging!
Thank you so much for stopping by my blog and following. I am more than happy to follow back and look forward to reading your work.
Thank you so much. It’s good to meet you. I too look forward to reading your work.
Hi Paula, thank you for visiting and following my blog today. It is a pleasure.
I am now heading over to get to know your thoughts and interests.
Miriam
Thank you so much, Miriam. All the very best for 2018!
Thanks for the follow, Paula. I’m enjoying looking around your blog, as well!
Thank you, Becky. Good to meet you! 😄
So nice to meet you! Thank you for visiting my blog.
Hello Lillian. Good to meet you, too! 😄
So nice to meet you. Thank you for visiting my blog. I look forward to exploring yours!
Hello Lillian. Thanks for stopping by!
Thanks for following my blog and thus getting me to look at yours. I know I’ll enjoy reading your thoughts.
Thank you too, Lizzie. I’m looking forward to reading more of your posts.
What a wonderful blog you have! I have really enjoyed reading your posts today. Thank you for visiting my blog and for the follow.
Thank you, Clare. That’s very kind of you. I look forward to reading more of your posts.
Thank you, Paula.
Fantastic blog. Bookmarked! (Why have I not found this before?)
Many thanks indeed!
Hi, and thanks for the follow! Will browse your blog too 🌹
Many thanks. Good to meet you. 😊