SECRET LIFE OF...

Welcome to ARL’s first ‘Secret Life of...’! 

Members of our talented team demonstrate their skills on a day-to-day basis, from taking care of our customers to driving our trains safely across the network. However, it is often easy to forget that many ARL colleagues have talents which stretch beyond the railway - like train driver Paul Searle. 

Paul’s children’s picture book, ‘Princess Mia and Super Jack: The Witch and The Devil’, was recently published by Austin Macauley Publishers and will be released on Friday 6 January 2023. Let’s find out more about Paul’s writing journey... 

When did you start writing? I started writing in 2020 during the lockdown caused by the Coronavirus pandemic. Outside activities were limited due to the restrictions imposed upon us, so story time with the kids became more frequent. I had pondered the idea of writing a book for a while and the increased downtime gave me the motivation I needed. 

What is ‘Princess Mia and Super Jack: The Witch and The Devil’ about? It's a short story aimed at young children. Essentially, it's about the battle for power between two enemies until our brave heroes step in.

What is the inspiration behind your book? The inspiration behind this particular book is my five-year-old twins, Amelia and Jackson. I liked the idea of them having their own story. Also, after reading The Gruffalo for the hundredth time, I decided it was definitely time for something new! 

What would be your advice to someone who is considering pursuing a passion outside of work, like writing? You'll have to forgive the cliché but my advice would be to seize the day. No more procrastinating, no more excuses. What better time to do it than at the beginning of a new year? Getting started is the hard part, motivation will become natural once you get going. 

If you could take only one book on a long train journey, what would it be?  Hmm, that's a difficult one. I'm a big fan of psychological thrillers, I've read an awful lot of Jefferey Deaver. ‘I Am Pilgrim’ by Terry Hayes was a fantastic read too. It'd probably be one of those. 

Order your book here.