PAUL WATKINS
Paul Watkins lives in Hamilton, New Zealand, with his wife, Karen, and is now enjoying semi-retirement, allowing him to devote more time to writing and researching the stories that have fascinated him for much of his life.
Drawing on a career spanning marketing, business ownership, consulting, and tertiary education, Paul has written several practical business books designed to help people and organisations succeed. Alongside this, he works part-time as a facilitator for a New Zealand polytechnic, delivering leadership and facilitation programmes throughout the country.
His greatest passion, however, is military history and historical fiction. Paul enjoys uncovering the remarkable stories of ordinary people caught up in extraordinary events, whether researching the wartime experiences of members of his own family or creating compelling Young Adult novels inspired by real history.
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When The War Came Here
Its 1942, and thirteen-year-old Gloria's peaceful life in coastal New Zealand is upended when the realities of World War II arrive on her doorstep. As she discovers a Japanese reconnaissance force in her homeland, she is thrust into a world of uncertainty and fear. After her best friend Elizabeth is captured, Gloria must summon unprecedented bravery to confront the dangers that lie ahead.
Gloria encounters the complexities of loyalty, the sting of betrayal, and the unexpected kindness of enemies. Her journey is one of self-discovery, as she learns the true meaning of honour and the strength that can arise from adversity. This novel offers a unique perspective on the impact of war through the eyes of a young girl determined to make a difference.
Willie's War
Willie's War tells the true story of William Watkins, a New Zealand soldier of the 2nd Auckland Battalion, New Zealand Expeditionary Force (NZEF), who fought on the Western Front during the First World War.
Serving for almost nineteen months in France and Belgium, Willie fought through some of the war's most significant battles, including the Somme, Messines, Passchendaele, and the German Spring Offensive of 1918. During that final offensive, he was mortally wounded, evacuated to England, and died from his injuries twenty-five days later on ANZAC Day, aged just thirty.
Drawing on extensive military records, family history, battlefield research, and a personal journey across England, France, and Belgium, this book reconstructs Willie's wartime experience and the life he left behind in New Zealand. It follows him from enlistment through the trenches of the Western Front to the hospital where his life came to an end.