Author. Storyteller. Dreamer.
Paul Wardle — Welcome to my world of stories.From the shadowed depths of the human mind to the fragile complexities of everyday life, Paul Wardle writes stories that explore what lies beneath the surface. His novels blend psychological insight, emotional truth, and compelling characters, inviting readers into worlds that are as thought-provoking as they are unforgettable. If you enjoy fiction that challenges, moves, and lingers long after the final page, you’re in the right place.
About The Author
Paul Wardle was born in 1970 and grew up on the Crabtree Farm Estate in Bulwell, Nottingham. Raised in a working-class community during the 1970s and 1980s, his early life was shaped by family traditions, humour, and the everyday experiences of growing up in Nottinghamshire. Beneath the surface, however, he was also navigating personal struggles that would take many years to fully understand.After decades of life’s ups and downs — including battles with addiction, mental health challenges, and periods of deep personal reflection — Paul eventually found the courage to tell his story. His debut memoir, Paul – Used To Be A Sweet Boy, traces that journey with honesty, warmth, and humour.The book was written following an unexpected turning point during the Covid-19 lockdown, when Paul formed an unlikely friendship with the internationally respected portrait photographer and filmmaker Alistair Morrison. Their conversations and friendship encouraged Paul to begin sharing his story publicly, ultimately leading to the writing of his memoir. Morrison later wrote the foreword to the book.Although Paul had to give up work due to ill health, he continues to stay involved in his local community, including volunteering with the local council whenever he is able. He also continues to write and has developed a growing interest in short fiction. Some of his short stories have been featured in anthologies published by the Nottingham Writers' Studio.More recently, his fiction has appeared in the anthology 21st Century Intolerant: A Collection of Short Stories About the Struggles of Modern Life, published by Sonder Books and available on Amazon.Through his writing, Paul hopes to connect with readers who may have faced their own struggles, reminding them that they are not alone and that it is never too late to find hope, understanding, and a way forward.Paul has one son, Paul Wardle-King, and continues to live in Bulwell, Nottinghamshire.
Books & Co-Authored Works
LIST OF BOOKSPAUL - USED TO BE A SWEET BOY
(Scan QR Code to Buy)In this memoir, Paul Wardle traces a life shaped by hardship, hope, and unlikely friendship.Born and raised in Bulwell, Nottingham, Paul’s early years were marked by joy, humour, and the working-class warmth of 1970s England, but hidden trauma cast a long shadow over his youth. From summer holidays on the East Coast and magical Christmas mornings to a childhood disrupted by violence, loss, and family fracture, Paul’s story captures both the tenderness and turbulence that shaped him.Decades later, during the isolation of the 2020 pandemic, a chance appearance on a global photography project, Time to Pause, created by acclaimed portrait photographer Alistair Morrison, sparked an unexpected friendship that would change Paul’s life forever. Through weekly Zoom calls, raw conversations, and a shared search for meaning in a disconnected world, Paul found a new voice and the courage to confront the past he had carried alone for so long.
AVAILABLE TO BUY ON AMAZON - HERE;
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Paul-Used-Be-Sweet-Boy/dp/B0G3HD8C29TRYING AGAIN
(Featuring Illustrations by Paul Wardle-King)
(Scan QR Code to Buy)Trying Again is a powerful and deeply human collection of stories exploring love, loss, identity, and the quiet resilience required to navigate everyday life.
Set against familiar backdrops—family homes, workplaces, city streets, and moments of private reflection—these stories follow ordinary people facing extraordinary emotional challenges. From a boy finding refuge in music while growing up above a struggling barber shop, to a man confronting addiction and its devastating consequences, each narrative offers an honest glimpse into lives shaped by circumstance, choice, and the search for meaning.
Elsewhere, a reflective voice questions the direction of a changing world, balancing generational tension with a desire to understand and adapt. A deeply personal memoir chapter introduces a character both humorous and unforgettable, while a final, poignant story captures the fragile moments between a father and son at the end of life—where forgiveness, regret, and love finally surface.
Blending fiction with lived experience, Trying Again moves seamlessly between humour and heartbreak, observation and introspection. At its core, this collection is not about perfection or easy answers, but about perseverance—the quiet determination to keep going, to learn, to change, and to find connection even in the most difficult moments.
Because no matter where we begin, or how far we fall, there is always the possibility to start over.OTHER WORKS;Thomas Smith Tries Again is also available as part of the 21st Century Intolerant collection (2026), available from Sonder Books:
www.sonderbooks.co.uk
What Happens Next? and The Light is Fading (2025) are also available in anthologies of the same names, published by The Nottingham Writers’ Studio:
https://www.nottinghamwritersstudio.co.uk/publications-1
Contact
Contact The Author
EMAIL: [email protected]
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