3xA MA: Paula Stokes

I feel like authors deserve so much from the readers. I believe that authors are people who really connect with us. It was actually an author who I "sorta" owe my life to. Authors and their words make us feel and they can help us.
In this event, I want to get to know the authors. I’d like to get interviews or blog posts about THEM in connection to their book. Who is the mind behind each author?

For each post, I leave links to connect with the author. Please take the time to use one of those links and leave a message for each author, if you can. It can be towards the book or it can be something as easy as “I love the post you wrote on Out of Time! <33”



Paula Stokes or Fiona Paul is an author a fellow blogger recommended me to! She's queen of twitter and amazing to talk to! I also happen to have a copy of her debut (ish) novel sitting in my room tempting me. I'm so excited for it's release and I hope you will be too.

The Many Faces of Paula Stokes

People ask writers this question a lot: Are any of your characters based on people you know. Here’s my secret. Almost all of my characters are based partly on…me. Maybe it sounds arrogant, or a little too meta, but I started writing a long time ago as a form of self-expression. When I create characters, they’re always a mix of good and bad, of nice and not so nice, of wise and foolish. Even the sweetest girl next door has her cranky moments. Even the smartest scientist character is going to make some bad decisions.

Back in high school, I didn’t really associate with one clique. I came from a gifted middle school program and took AP classes so I had a lot of friends that some people might have labeled “brains” or “nerds.” I played varsity tennis and JV soccer so I hung out with a lot of sporty people too. And from seventh grade onward, I was really passionate about rock music and I fell in with a group of kids who were called “headbangers” or “metalheads.” We wore ripped jeans and Metallica tee shirts. We spent our money on albums and concert tickets.

I remember one of my tennis friends commenting on the concert tees and jean jacket I wore over my tennis uniform, how I was a contradiction to her. I never forgot that moment. In The Art of Lainey, Lainey comments on how it’s funny to her that Micah is a punk rock kid who wants to be a pastry chef, how it feels contradictory. Micah says something about how all people are contradictions. I really do believe this, and each time I read a review that comments on how my characters are deep and believable instead of being one-dimensional stock characters, it makes me feel proud.

So yeah, if you read The Art of Lainey, you can see some of my sporty and boy-obsessed nature in main character Lainey. She also sometimes says or does things that are a little rude without realizing it—that is also very much me. I try hard, but sometimes I mess up. Maybe you know how that goes. My brainy side comes through in Bianca, as well as my shyness, my loyalty, and my love of the outdoors. And Micah, he’s definitely inspired by multiple guys I’ve known, but his love of music (and cooking!) comes very much from within.

Thanks to Nova for inviting me onto her blog. I’m offering a swag pack that includes 4 signed bookmarks, 2 postcards, 2 magnets, and 1 signed bookplate to everyone who comments on this blog post in March or April. Just email me your mailing address to pstokesbooks [at] gmail [dot] com.

Isn't this totally awesome? It's like a giveaway, only everyone wins! Aw <3 Paula is kind of the coolest <333

Enter the giveaway below! Thanks for checking out my blog and remember:  
Be kind to one another. - Ellen

Paula's Facebook | Goodreads | Goodreads for her Book | Twitter | Website |

Paula Stokes is half writer, half RN, and totally thrilled to be part of the world of YA literature. She started out writing historical fiction under a pen name and is now branching out into other YA genres.

When she's not working (rare), she's kayaking, hiking, reading, or seeking out new adventures in faraway lands. She's petted tigers, snuggled snakes, snorkeled with stingrays, and once enjoyed the suction-cuppy feel of a baby elephant's trunk as it ate peanuts from her palm. Her future goals include diving with great white sharks, learning Krav Maga, and writing a whole slew of novels, not necessarily in that order. Paula loves interacting with readers. Find her online at www.authorpaulastokes.com or on twitter as @pstokesbooks.