Big 4 With Bec: Paula Weston
Paula Weston is a Brisbane-based author and co-owner of a two-woman writing/design consultancy. She is an avid reader and blogger, a huge fan of Australian literature andfantasy/paranormal stories, a closet comic reader and TV addict and is borderline obsessed with the Foo Fighters. She and her husband share their home with a retired greyhound and a moody cockatiel. Shadows, the first book in the Rephaim series, is her debut novel.
1. Congratulations on the release of Shadows (Rephaim Book 1). This series centres on ‘love, nightmares, angels, & war’. Paula, what was the inspiration behind this theme and what interests you most about creatures from other worlds?
Thank you. The initial idea for Shadows sprang from my interest in exploring the relationship between a girl and guy with a complicated history that only he remembers. I knew there were paranormal elements in how she had lost her memory, and that the two of them were part of a conflict in a much bigger context. As I researched ideas, I realised the best fit for my story was the fallen angel myth. And then as I fleshed out the plot, the themes of ‘love, nightmares, angels and war’ naturally arose.
With creatures from other worlds there are fantastic possibilities of where you can take a story – as well as challenges to make the world you create believable and engaging. But in the end, the paranormal, fantasy, sci fi or dystopian elements only form the broader the context; the thing that will hook and keep readers is the characters and their journeys.
2. Do you believe in angels, and which of the angels from ‘traditional’ lore intrigue you the most?
That’s a deceptively profound question! My thoughts on angels are based on traditional Judeo-Christian concepts (of which warrior angels play a role).
When I started researching fallen angel lore, I found the story about Semyaza and the two hundred in the Book of Enoch.
It’s a real document that was considered – and rejected – for inclusion in the official Christian canon. Regardless of whether or not the account of fallen angels is true, it’s a fascinating premise for a story. Why did this group of angels feel so strongly about human women they were prepared to fall from heaven to be with them? Would they regret the decision? How would they feel about any offspring from those relationships? What would happen if they got their freedom back? What would be the consequences of being a child of the Fallen? Fertile ground for a story!
3. What initially attracted you to YA fiction and to what do you attribute your ability to create stories for young adults (not that, as we know, they are read strictly by this demographic).
Interestingly, I didn’t set out to write a YA novel, but was very comfortable when Text Publishing felt the Rephaim series was YA. I read eclectically, but some of my favourite books and writers are YA. I think some of the most creative and innovative writing is happening in YA, where there is often greater freedom to push boundaries and tackle sensitive topics.
As a young adult, I had a wide range of experiences (read: misspent youth), and vividly remember the emotional ups and downs of that time of my life: the confusion, the freedom, the frustration, the anger and the heartbreak. It’s very easy to slip back into that mindset when writing – and obviously I did just that on a sub-conscious level when I wrote Shadows. 🙂
4. Which of your fictional characters Burns Brightest in your mind and why?
It would be easy to say Gaby because Shadows is told through her eyes, but in truth it’s Rafa. He’s fun to write, but he’s also complex and on a very interesting journey, knowing what he does about his history with Gaby and not being sure how to deal with it – or her. He’s got one of the strongest character arcs in the series, and I’m looking forward to how it unfolds.
