4 QUESTIONS WITH LOW COUNTRY AUTHOR AND LONGEVITY MEMBER, PAUL ATTAWAY

Our community continues to make us proud of their personal achievements both inside and outside the studio; one talented individual in particular recently debuted a novel! Meet Paul Attaway - father, husband, author, and Longevity Fitness member. 

ABOUT PAUL
Paul was born and raised in the Atlanta, Georgia area. Paul and his wife, Lyn, met in college at Georgetown University and were married after Paul graduated from the University of Georgia School of Law. They moved to Phoenix, Arizona in 1988 where Paul embarked on a thirty-year business career before retiring so he could write fiction. Paul and Lyn raised three children together in Phoenix and now split their time between Phoenix and Charleston. Blood in the Low Country is his debut novel. Writing this book, along with the move to Charleston, is a coming home of sorts, a return to the South. 

ABOUT BLOOD IN THE LOW COUNTRY
“The year is 1973, and by all appearances, Monty Atkins has a wonderful life. He lives in beautiful Charleston, SC, his small law practice is growing, and he and his wife are raising two boys. Walker is their own son and Eli is a child from Rose’s first marriage, a troubled union she has been running from since its dissolution. But brewing beneath the surface lurks a conspiracy of lies, about who they are and what they believe. When a brutal murder and a shocking betrayal turn their world upside down, Monty’s faith in God and in everything he holds true is stretched to the breaking point. He must decide if there is anything he won't risk to save his family. This Southern family mystery will captivate you as the hunt for the killer threatens everything Monty holds dear."

4 QUESTIONS WITH PAUL:
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At what point in your life did you set your heart on becoming an author? Was that always the end goal for you?
There was no single point in time. My decision to become a writer was one that occurred over time. In early 2017, I decided to write a book. However, at the time, I was still working. Following the sale of a business in 2015, a business I had co-founded, I kept myself busy consulting and the word 'busy' best describes my consulting experience. The work kept me busy but was hardly satisfying. So, writing a book, I hoped, would better satisfy a desire to create or build something. I had a hard time though completely letting go of a professional career so I kept busy consulting through March 2019. Consequently, I didn't write as much as I had hoped but I did write enough to give me the confidence to forge ahead. So, in June 2019, I stepped away from the business world I had occupied, gave up consulting, and committed myself to finishing the book and becoming a writer.

When it comes to writing fiction, where do you source inspiration and creativity from?
Real life. The best source of material for fiction is real life. We've all heard the phrase "you can't make this stuff up" to describe something that has happened.  Well, I believe that's true. So, I draw on my own life experiences such as what it was like to grow up in the South in the 70s. But, I also read a fair amount, fiction and nonfiction. But friends can also be another source of inspiration. Ask a friend to tell you a funny and maybe slightly embarrassing story about a family member, maybe a distant cousin or crazy uncle, or something they observed at work, and you'll have a never ending source of scenes from which you may be able to stitch together a story. 

Most of us at Longevity are quite acquainted with Charleston; what is something we should know about life in Phoenix, AZ?
​We have two seasons in Phoenix, Heaven and Hell. Life in Phoenix is defined by the weather and the outdoors. Many people assume that since Phoenix is in the desert that it must look like Saudi Arabia. The wildlife, vegetation and sunsets are really quite extraordinary. Springtime in the high desert is beautiful. So, we lived as much of our lives outdoors as possible, bar-b-quing almost every night. And in the Summer, we all headed to San Diego.

Tell us about your fitness and wellness regimen... specifically your Pilates journey!
Over the years, running was my only consistent form of exercise. I would workout on occasion, swim every now and then and I tried cycling for awhile. I typically come back to running. However, running takes a toll on the knees and back so I needed to find something else. I first tried pilates in Phoenix, probably ten years ago. I signed up for a series of classes. The instructor was running around the room, screaming at us and the music was pumping. The 50 minute class was an aerobic tortue session. I was totally fried at the end of it. I enjoyed the classes but don't know if I really got the most from them because the emphasis was on maximum effort all the time. I didn't stick with it that long. I started up with pilates again last fall at Longevity as a favor to our daughter, Jillian. She had two standing classes each week with Diana. Well, last September, Jillian had a baby boy, Rowan. (He's adorable, by the way.) She didn't want to lose her spots on Diana's calendar so she asked if I wanted to take her classes until she was able to return. I did and now I'm hooked. Jillian is back and has reclaimed her two classes but I now take at least one class a week. Diana is helping to strengthen those muscle groups that are over-fatigued by running and the golf swing and I have noticed a difference, and she can ramp up the aerobic aspect and kick my a@# too when she wants to.

You can learn more about Paul, his upcoming appearances, and his next novel at www.paulattaway.com. Blood in the Low Country is available for purchase at local bookstores: Buxton Books, Itinerate Literate Books, The Edisto Bookstore, The Village Bookseller, and E. Shaver Bookseller.