News, thoughts and musings from the desk of Paula Hillman
All But The Brightest Star
I finished my second romance novel last summer, only to have it rejected by my now ex-publisher. Was it the prologue that put them off? Was it the duel POV? Or the time frame (1996-2008)? Whatever it was, I feel this is my best novel to date, and the characters (especially Raphael Star) are to…
Coming soon…
Not long until my eighth novel, The Silver Road, is out for publication! I have nothing but praise for my publisher, Troubador. They have supported me every step of the way, and have created a cover design and print layout/graphic that is perfect. They planted a tree to offset the paper used to print the…
On Silver Hill
In the past couple of weeks, as our family cared for my mother-in-law, Olive HIllman, I made the decision to self-publish one of my ‘rejected’ novels. I still have no idea why my original publisher rejected On Silver Hill (or the other three novels) but I am determined these stories will be out for readers…
Lenny Diamond
Looking back at my fourth novel, Chapel Field, made me realise how much I love the fictional Diamond family. I keep coming back to them in my writing and musings. The themes are so compelling: small town dysfunctional families, small town secrets; generational trauma. Chapel Field is my favourite novel in the mystery series I…
You are no ruin
I entered this piece for the 2024 Nature Chronicles Prize. It didn’t get selected, but I quite like the piece. There are some bits from other pieces I have written, and the tone is quite formal, but if you’re a fan of Furness Abbey, you’ll understand the restorative atmosphere of the place! (title stolen from…
The Silver Road
I’m reviewing the first of my unpublished novels at the moment. It’s called The Silver Road and it’s set in a beachside community (locals know it as The Black Huts). I have no idea why the novel was rejected…it’s hilarious and poignant and rather spicy in places. I’ve included this extract, as I was writing…
Darkwater Farm
(Photo of Biggar Village courtesy of The Sankey Archive) I’ve had a read through my attempt at writing a historical novel set in Barrow. I based it on the farm at the bottom of Ormsgill Lane, reinventing it as Darkwater Farm. It was about twin brothers, William and Gabriel Ward, who buy the farm during…
Black Ghyll Falls
I’ve been in the Lake District a lot lately, especially the Ambleside area, where I did my teacher training. Walking up Stock Ghyll got me thinking about setting a novel right there, and I penned a first chapter. I’ve put aside my epic romance now it’s finished, before I think about where to send it.…
Moonlight, chapter two…
More rubbish news about my writing last week, and I had a few wobbly days. When I left teaching, I felt like every door I’d ever worked hard to open had been slammed in my face… this is how I felt last week, too. Then I remembered how those slammed doors forced me to search…
Look for me by moonlight.
After four years of querying my children’s novel, Look for me by Moonlight, I’m giving up. I’ve had one full request (followed by a rejection), and hundreds of form rejections, or simple ‘ghosting’ from agents and publishers. Publishing is a brutal industry, but I knew that from the start, and I’ve accepted that trying to…
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Paula Hillman, author 