By REBECCA DIXON rebecca.dixon@hexham-courant.co.uk

Last updated 17:34, Thursday, 21 August 2008

FOLLOWING in the footsteps of J.K. Rowling, local author Paul Bajoria released the final book in his children's trilogy this month.

Booked up: Paul Bajoria with the final book in his children’s trilogy The City of Spirits.

Entitled The City of Spirits, the novel completes the 19th century children’s adventure begun in The Printer’s Devil and The God of Mischief.

Paul, who lives in Slaley, published his first book in 1994 and now the final novel in the trilogy is on sale, he's already working on ideas for a new series.

Although passionate about children’s literature, Paul cannot dedicate all of his time to writing – he also works full-time as a radio journalist for the BBC.

After starting his career at Radio Newcastle, Paul moved to Radio 4 where he now works.

Officially based in Manchester, thanks to modern technology Paul manages to do much of his work from home, but this does present some distractions in the form of his two young children, Verity aged nine and five-year-old Dominic.

Thankfully, the 43-year-old author can escape to a converted outhouse, where he works on his writing.

Paul explained: “As the children get older it gets later and later when I find the time to start writing.”

However, having young children around him also helps Paul as an author.

Until recently, his children have been too young to read his work, but Paul's hoping that this year his daughter will start the trilogy as she falls into the 9-12 year age bracket his work is aimed at.

Paul said: “I get increasing amounts of inspiration from the children as they get older, but you have to be careful about reflecting people you know in your characters because some of them need a nasty side too!”

In fact it’s not just Paul’s children who provide him with ideas as he regularly tours local schools talking about his books and, hopefully, inspiring children to read or try their hand at writing.

“I enjoy going into the schools very much and it also helps me develop my skills as a children’s author,” he said.

Often his young audience will come up with some quirky questions to! One child asked Paul who he would choose to finish his book if he was hit by a bus while writing it!

The author said: “Children are very honest with you and who better to hear criticism or praise from, than the people who the books are destined for in the first place.”

And it’s not just the children who offer their criticism of Paul’s writing.

The author had to cope with innumerable rejections before J.K. Rowling’s agent Christopher Little took on his book.

Even then the first version was subject to several rewrites as Paul took tips from the experts on board.

But he believes his journalistic career helped him bear the brunt of those early critics.

He explained: “My job has taught me to accept criticism which helps, but the style of writing is very different and it sometimes takes a while to get out of my journalistic head and back into the author work mode.”

Paul's books have now been translated into nine languages and are becoming increasingly popular with children and young adults too.

And he's hopeful that work on a new series will lead to another publishing contract.

He's setting the next adventure in the South of France – a place the family have often visited – and plans to have the first book in a new series of adventures finished by 2010.

To keep up to date with Paul’s work log on to www.paulbajoria.com and take the mystery tour.