A Little About Me — and Why I’m Starting This Blog
Updated: 4 hours ago
Well, this is my first blog — literally.
As you can probably tell by my picture, I’m not part of the newest generation of bloggers, so I thought I’d start by giving you a little peek into who I am.
I spent my youth in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. I grew up there — although, truth be told, I’m not sure I ever completely grew up.
To this day, my body occasionally tries to remind me that I should slow down. My mind usually responds by telling it to stop complaining and let me get on with whatever I’ve decided to do. Sometimes the body wins that argument, and I spend a day or two taking it easy. But more often than not, I still choose to lead with my head rather than my age.
A Lifelong Love of Stories
Throughout my life, I’ve read almost anything that caught my interest.
My father gave me my first adventure books, and J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit started me off at about nine years old. From there, I was hooked.
The Lord of the Rings kept me immersed in a world of fantasy and adventure. Treasure Island made sailing ships and pirates feel real enough that part of me wanted to go looking for adventures of my own.
As I got older, the books changed too. I became interested in stories about different cultures, different periods of history, and the experiences that shaped people and nations — books such as A Tale of Two Cities, The Art of War, War and Peace, Gone with the Wind, and stories about the history and struggles of North America’s Indigenous Peoples.
The Adventures Beyond the Page
My own life has taken me to four different continents through work and travel, often giving me the opportunity to spend meaningful time with people from different cultures.
No, I don’t plan on writing an autobiography.
But some of those experiences may find their way into a fictional story one day.
That is one of the things I have always loved about storytelling. We take pieces of what we have seen, learned, wondered about and lived through — and sometimes they become something entirely new on the page.
And I’d Like to Hear Your Stories Too
One of the things I’ve learned over the years is that everyone has a story worth telling. Sometimes it’s a lesson we learned the hard way, a piece of advice we never forgot, or simply a moment that changed the way we see the world.
I’m currently collecting personal stories and life lessons for a future collaborative book, and I’d love to hear yours.
If there’s something life has taught you that you think might mean something to someone else, I hope you’ll consider sharing it.
If you enjoyed my first attempt at telling a story and you’re waiting for the next books in the Daniel Westin series, beginning with Guilty... Until Proven Innocent, I’d also love to hear from you. Send me a note, leave a comment, or tell me what you thought.
I intend to read every message.
Until next time — stay well, and stay safe.
Paul J. Battle
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