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 >>