Ask the Author: Gill Paul

“I'm happy to answer questions about any of my books. It's always lovely to hear from readers, so fire away!” Gill Paul

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I really loved The Secret Wife and The Lost Daughter (especially the latter!) and I was wondering if you are planning to write any other books about the Romanovs in future?

Gill Paul Hi Abby, I'd love to go back to the Romanovs some day, but there have been so many novels about them recently that it might be hard to find an original subject. Do let me know if you have any ideas! If readers suggest a topic that I end up writing about, I dedicate the book to them.
Glad you enjoyed my books - many thanks for getting in touch.

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I just finished The Manhattan Girls! I'm a massive fan of Dorothy Parker and actually on a visit to NYC was lucky to sit at the actual Round Table. Did you visit any haunts in the book?

Gill Paul Hi Lisa, I've been to Manhattan a few times but haven't yet visited the Algonquin. My editor and I are planning to have a cocktail there later this month. It sounds very special. Location research has its limits when you are writing a novel set 100 years ago, but fortunately there are plenty of sites with photos of 1920s New York, which helped me to imagine the places I wrote about. Hope you enjoyed the book!

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Will your books be available in Large Print anytime soon? Thank you.

Gill Paul Hi Bella, There are large-print editions of Women and Children First and No Place for a Lady. Which title were you interested in and I'll check with my publishers? All best, Gill

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I am so sad that The Lost Daughter ended - I could have kept reading it forever!!! Thank you once again for a marvellous page turner. Do you ever do a sequel?

Gill Paul I'm so happy you liked it! I've written two novels about the Romanovs now – this one and The Secret Wife – so I think I'll give them a break for a while. But I'm not saying never again…

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Wow!! Many congratulations to the author, I have not read a book like this one in a long long time! I read it in couple of days, not knowing what's been happening around me. I did not know much about Romanovs, but I've been Googling and researching while reading a book and became obsessed with their story. I even tried to find out if any of this was true. I hope other books by @GillPaul are as good as this one?

Gill Paul Thank you, Renata. If you like reading about the Romanovs, I highly recommend Helen Rappaport's non-fiction books about them, especially Four Sisters. Many thanks for reading.

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Hello, I have read "The Secret Wife" and "Another Woman's Husband" and thoroughly enjoyed them both. I have been one of many who are fascinated with the possibility that a daughter of Nicholas II might have escaped. I am looking forward to reading "The Lost Daughter" soon. Will you be writing about the other two Grand Duchesses? I am looking forward, also to reading the new release for 2020. Please keep writing!

Gill Paul Hi Tonia, Thanks so much for reading! I'm really glad you liked my Romanov novels. I don't have any immediate plans to write more about them but I can recommend "I Am Anastasia" by Ariel Lawhon if you would like to read about the youngest sister and Anna Anderson, the woman who claimed to be her. I may return to the Romanovs in a few years - they're a bit of an obsession of mine. Many thanks for getting in touch.

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I have just finished reading the Lost Daughter ( posted review on Waterstones website ) and loved every page. What is next and when ?

Gill Paul Hi Anne, I'm really glad you liked it and many thanks for the review. You sure know how to make an author's day! My next novel won't be out till 2020 - it's taking longer to write than the last few. I'm not revealing the subject yet but it is set in the 1950s-60s and is the story of two famous women whose lives interact… I hope all is going well with you and that you are enjoying the early spring weather. All best, GIll

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I'm looking for a printed biography to present to my book club! We select an author for everyone to read and then possibly a book or two and review everything we can at our monthly meeting! any suggestions?

Gill Paul Hi Sandy, I recommend That Woman, Anne Sebba's biography of Wallis Simpson, or Helen Rappaport's Four Sisters, about the Romanov grand duchesses. Enjoy!

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loved this book, I too stayed up late, let other things go - just to be able to read more pages. I can't wait to get started on another one by you. I was born in Prague and loved that my homeland was included in this gripping story. The Cafe Slavia is on the banks of the Vltava river though? [ Prague is on the Vltava ( a.k.a Moldau)].pg 306.

Gill Paul Hi Renata, I have been mercilessly teased for getting the name of the river that runs through Prague wrong, since my partner is from a Czech family and I have been there with him and stood on the Charles Bridge over the Vltava. Whoops! I'm really glad you enjoyed the story. It's good of you to get in touch – many thanks. All best, Gill

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Hi Ms. Paul! I am thoroughly enjoying "The Secret Wife" right now... so much so that I started looking through Goodreads to see what I should read next by you. Having watched "The Crown" I am intrigued by your book "Another Woman's Husband" but I can't seem to find it in my library's database. By any chance, was this book published under a different name? Thanks so much writing such wonderful historical fictions!

Gill Paul Hiya, I'm glad you're enjoying The Secret Wife. Are you by any chance based in the US or Canada? Another Woman's Husband does not come out there until 21st August this year (possibly a bit earlier in Canada). It is published under my name. Thanks so much for getting in touch, and I do hope you like AWH!

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Is your name pronounced with a hard "G" or as though it was a "J"? I am an American so would do "J", but since you are Scottish I thought it might be the hard "G". Also, is it short for Gillian?

Gill Paul Hi Mary Lou, It has a soft G, and is short for Gillian. I used to complain bitterly to my mother for calling me that but she said it was her favourite name at the time! x

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I am an animal rescuer and advocate; it is distressing that when Dmitri died, he did so without making any arrangements ahead of time for the care of his 3rd and final dog. It would have been a lesson for readers who do have pets, to make that arrangement in their own lives, for their own pets. So now we only can surmise that the dog left bereft, starved and died unknown to anyone?

Gill Paul Hi Jan, What a great job you do! You're right that in the novel Dmitri did not make any plans for his dog but fortunately the policeman who found his body took it home and looked after it (this is mentioned earlier when he visits Kitty at the cabin). I was trying to imply that in the last few years of Dmitri's life, he had a form of dementia so it did not occur to him. But I absolutely agree that old people should make these arrangements, especially when they live in such a remote place. Thanks for getting in touch! Gill

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Love your books. Especially THE SECRET WIFE! What is the next book to come out?

Gill Paul Hi Mary Alice, Thanks so much for reading my books. Another Woman's Husband, my novel about Wallis Simpson and Princess Diana, is out in paperback on the 2nd of November. I really hope you will like this one as well.

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Is it okay to not ask a question ?? just wanted to say I just finished The Secret Wife today, loved it so much!! Kept me up half night and upon waking had to finish it. One of best stories I read this year!!! Thank you for such a special spin on this story!!

Gill Paul Thanks, Sally. Really glad you liked it and hope you catch up on the lost sleep soon! G

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Love your books! Just want to know how you come up with your ideas and how do you put them together so well?

Gill Paul Hi Victoria, Thanks for getting in touch and sorry it took me so long to reply. The ideas for my books often come from a scrap of information: in the case of Another Woman's Husband, the fact that Diana visited the Duchess of Windsor's house hours before her death. Why? No one is entirely sure. I then mull it over for a while, thinking about where a story that linked them could go, then I write a long, very detailed outline, planning how the two plot strands will interlink. Really glad you like my stories. Thank you for reading! Gill

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Hi Gill, greetings again from Glasgow. Having previously read The Second Wife, I have just completed Another Woman's Husband and Wow !! another 5 star review. What a captivating story. Have also placed a review on Waterstones website under name of Milton of Campsie Annie. I have just purchased No Place for a Lady from Amazon and cannot wait to read it. Are you currently working on another novel ? Anne.

Gill Paul Hi Anne, Thank you so much for the reviews. I really appreciate you taking the trouble. Glad you like Another Woman's Husband. It was great fun to write, both because I find Wallis so entertaining, and for the chance to write about vintage fashion, which I love. The novel I'm working on now, which comes out in July 2018 in the UK, is once again set in Russia and it begins with the Romanovs but spans several decades of Russian history. Tons of research, which is a challenge, but am enjoying it. Hope all is well in your life. Gill

Stunning story and so immersive! I didn't want this to end but was dying to know how all the characters fared. It's very clever how you've woven fact and fiction in to such a captivating plot! What was it like to 'meet' Wallis Simpson?

Gill Paul Hi Susan, Thanks for your very perceptive review of the book. I absolutely love Wallis: wouldn't have wanted to have her as my best friend but what fun to sit next to her at a dinner party. And it was great fun to write about her, but I have a soft spot for Mary too. Such a fascinating time.

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Hi Gill. My question is about the time scale you are able to write within. Historical novels involve a huge amount of research and time-slip means two stories woven together, so twice the work. I'm amazed you write so many books so quickly, as you never skip or fudge the details, everything is perfect and your stories are fabulous. Do you ever sleep?

Gill Paul Hi Susan, I don't sleep very much and I have a painted sign behind my computer that says 'Work Hard!!'. On average I will do around 4 months of research then spend a month writing a rough plan for the novel (quite a detailed plan - 30,000 words or so) and I'll show that to my agent & editor. If they are happy, I'll spend the next 4 months writing then 2-3 months revising, getting opinions from readers, having things fact-checked, and doing whatever my editor wants me to do. Lots of time for revising is essential. What is your schedule for you books?

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I just read my first book of yours- The Secret Wife- and I'm hooked! I want to know about the Romanov family, a topic I knew practically nothing about! Thank you! I love being surprised by how much I enjoy a book! What would you say is your favorite book you've written?

Gill Paul Ni Nicole, I'm delighted to hear you liked The Secret Wife. I think it is my favourite of my books so far, although I'm very excited about one I'm working on at the moment. Thanks so much for getting in touch!

What persuaded you to write historical fiction and does it relate in any way with what you are like as a person or did you have an experience at some time in your life that persuaded you to specialise in this kind of genre of novels?

Gill Paul My mother gave me a love of history. We used to watch TV historical dramas together and read Jean Plaidy and Antonia Fraser. I studied History at uni (amongst other things) and have always loved reading historical fiction. But as to how it reflects what I'm like as a person, I don't know. I tend to be stuck in the past in terms of technology: don't have a smartphone, for example. I also like wearing vintage clothes… Great question. I've never really thought about this before. Thank you!

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