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.
THIS WEBPAGE IS BROUGHT TO YOU IN ASSOCIATION WITH -
THE MONKEY PUBLIC HOUSE - BULWELL - NOTTINGHAM
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.
WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING ABOUT MY BOOKS -Reader Reviews for "Paul – Used To Be A Sweet Boy"⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Incredible!Reviewed February 2026“Wow! I’m not ordinarily a reader, but this captivated me from page one. One man’s story which takes you on an emotional rollercoaster — you’ll cry, laugh, and get angry, whilst at the same time relieving you of your own emotions through this incredible read. Thank you.”⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Excellent Read!!— Simon
Reviewed November 2025“What a refreshing and honest book to have the pleasure of reading. Paul has written from the heart and has managed to bring the reader into his story. Somewhat like Morrissey and The Smiths wrote songs which mirrored listeners’ lives, Paul has done the same through his writing.Paul has obviously led an interesting and full life and Paul – Used To Be A Sweet Boy is a must-read.”⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Enjoyable Book— Karen
Reviewed December 2025“A very enjoyable and gripping book that I struggled to put down. As a Bulwell girl, it reminded me of places from the past.”⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Interesting Book— David Fothergill
Reviewed November 2025“An excellent book describing the life of a working-class boy from a working-class suburb of Nottingham. Very descriptive of his life as both a child and an adult — troubled and addicted to gambling — but through it all he remains full of kindness and optimism.”⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ True Life Struggles— Chel
Reviewed January 2026“A moving memoir, written from the heart. Well worth a read.”⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Well Worth a Read— Nigel
Reviewed December 2025“Well written. I could not put it down. I remember growing up on Crabtree too all those years ago. Thanks Paul for an honest account of your life and struggles.”⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ The Best and Most Authentic Autobiography I Have Ever Read— Simes2112
Reviewed May 2026“I met Paul earlier this year and found him to be a really authentic, down-to-earth, grounded, kind, and intelligent man. We grew up in the same area of Nottingham and when I found out he had written his memoirs, I just had to buy the book.Across around 30 chapters, Paul tells a very honest story of his life to date. Each chapter is a short story in itself, making the book easy to read. I sat down in a local coffee shop and read half the book in about two hours, then finished the rest in a single sitting a few days later.The book is warts-and-all and brutally honest — Paul hides nothing (apart from a few name changes to protect anonymity). I was moved to tears in places because many aspects of his childhood resonated with me. I laughed out loud at times too.Paul also includes testimonial comments from people who have known him throughout his life and, without exception, they describe him as a marvellous man. In the short time I have known him, I know this to be true as well.I heartily recommend this book — not only as an excellent insight into a real life, but also to support Paul as an independent author.”⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ A Great Read— Paula Elliott
Reviewed May 2026“A great read from beginning to end. Funny and heartbreaking — the reality of Paul’s life. I found it hard to put down. Well done, Paul.”⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ A Heartfelt and Inspirational Read— Liam
Reviewed December 2025“This book is honest and heartfelt. Paul tells his story in a way that draws you in. It’s clear he’s lived a fascinating life, full of ups and downs.”Reader reviews for "Trying Again"⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ A Good Read— Susan Barke
Reviewed May 2026“A well-written book of short stories — well worth a read.”— Tim Newbury
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Excellent Short Stories
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 11 June 2026A superb collection of short stories, both introspective and entertaining. Well done Paul!
Books & Co-Authored Works
(Click on a Book Image to Buy)
LIST OF BOOKSPAUL - USED TO BE A SWEET BOYIn 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)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),
& The Boy above the Barber Shop is also available, as part of The Pop Fiction 80s/90s Collection (2026), both from Sonder Books:
www.sonderbooks.co.ukWhat 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-1Ashes to Sand, Sand to Ashes (The Chapel Point Incident) - Features Exclusively as part of the Ashes Anthology from Sonder Books.
www.sonderbooks.co.uk/ashes
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THE LIGHT IS FADING
(As featured in The Anthologies - "The Light is Fading"
& "Trying Again.")The room was silent except for the rasp of the old ventilator and the odd creak on wooden floorboards. Dust floated slowly in the late afternoon sun filtering through the worn curtains. The smell of antiseptic over-powered as Steven sat in a corner, slumped and tired. Tired not from years of labour but through emotional fatigue
In the bed across the room lay his father William. Once William was a looming presence, but now he lay shrunken, with pale skin stretched over frail bones. A pathetic figure, weighted only with his regret.
Cancer had devoured William slowly, ruthlessly. The same man who had stood strong through the hardest years of his life, who had raised a family with fists rather than words, was now crumbled in silence. Steven had been here every day. Every appointment, every fall..
Still, not once had William said it.
"I love you."
Words that Steven had waited his whole life to hear. Words withheld like jewellery, as if affection were a prize that needed to be earned, never given freely. As a child, Steven had taken the beatings and the cold shoulder and shaped them into something he could understand—he always thought it must be his fault.
That was easier than facing the truth: that his father had never known how to love, because no one had ever loved him.
Steven’s addiction—years spent chasing the deadness that gambling brought— At his lowest, he had stolen from his father. Money, Time & Trust. They had fought and threatened each other, estranged for years. And yet, here he was now, holding the frail hand of the man who had broken him, who had taught him to suffer in silence.
And still, he stayed.
Steven had changed. Not faultlessly, but just enough. He no longer gambled away every penny. He had a family now. A son of his own. And every time he saw that boy, he told him he loved him—without hesitation, without fail.
That morning, a preacher had come into the room offering prayers. William, furiously, grated, "Get out. I do not want your damn God.!!" The holy man left quietly. In Fairness, Steven did not believe either. But later, when alone, he had prayed anyway—not to any divine being, but to something, anything. – Just Let him say it. Just once. Before he is gone.The light was beginning to fade outside the hospital window. William disturbed, coughed wetly, his breath a rattle.
Steven leaned over “Dad,” he said softly, “You do not have to say anything. I hope you know. I forgave you a long time ago.”
William’s eyes fluttered open. Hazy, weak. He stared at his son as if truly seeing him for the first time.
His lips moved, barely more than a breath. “I was... so angry. My whole life.”
“I didn’t know how... to be better.”
Silence filled the room like a drifting fog but then, with a strain that fractured his voice, William spoke again.
“I did, you know... I just never knew how to say it., it was never my way.”
“I know,” Steve whispered. “And I love you too.”
The sun descended below the horizon. The shadows stretched longer. And with one last breath, the man who had never known love gave his son the only gift he could—the truth.
Steve sat in the stillness, grief and grace folding into one another like the day into night.
Outside, the light was fading. But inside Steven, something finally began to shine.
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