MEET PAUL
Author Paul Attaway pens page-turning family dramas set in Charleston
After a 30-year business career in Phoenix, Arizona, Paul Attaway and his wife, Lyn, retired to one of their favorite vacation spots – Charleston, South Carolina. As a full-time resident, Paul quickly immersed himself in the area’s rich history. He leads walking history tours around the city. He serves as the historian for St. Michael’s Church, the oldest surviving religious structure in Charleston.
So, it’s only fitting that Charleston is a main character in Paul’s series of suspense novels. His books combine a gripping murder mystery, complex family drama, and the traditions of Southern living.
The Atkins Family Low Country Saga follows two brothers across multiple decades. The brothers – and their parents – face a core theme: the struggle to live your life freely.
The books weave Paul’s expertise as a lawyer and businessman with his deep knowledge of the Low Country. He has crafted a deeply moving story full of rich characters, realistic scenes, and plenty of twists and turns to keep you up way past your bedtime.
THE POWER OF STORY
What fiction teaches you about understanding people
The best books have characters that stick with us for days, weeks, or even years after we read the last page. That’s the power of complex characters. They conjure up strong emotions. They teach you something about yourself, about humanity, about empathy.
In today’s “cancel culture,” people make snap judgements based on one viral moment or a snippet they read online. They miss the whole story. Paul believes we can learn a great deal about the importance of context from fiction.
A novel forces you to stick with a person. You learn their history. You recognize the complexities and contradictions of their life. You discover what happened before the decision that made you rush to judgment.
“Understanding is not absolution. It is context.”
— PAUL ATTAWAY
It doesn’t mean you have to like the character or approve of their behavior. It does mean you understand them. As Paul says, “Understanding is not absolution. It is context.”
In writing the Atkins Family Low Country Saga, Paul gives readers the opportunity to see the experiences, relationships, and decisions that shape a character before you judge them. The point is not to excuse those choices but to show how context can change the way you understand the person who made them.
People are complicated. They are more than a single decision or moment in time. Readers will see that theme run through Paul’s novels.
Spoiler alert: There’s a good chance you’ll be thinking about the members of the Atkins family long after you finish the books.
Read more of Paul’s thoughts on understanding, context, and disagreement in America. Visit Newsweek →
BEYOND THE BOOKS
When he’s not writing novels …
When he’s not writing his next thriller, Paul and his wife, Lyn, spend time enjoying Charleston and savoring their role as grandparents. Paul leads walking history tours around the city of Charleston and volunteers as the historian for St. Michael’s Church, a historic church on Broad Street in downtown Charleston.
Paul also has a Substack newsletter, World Views Matter, where he writes about topics from a secular versus Christian view. Subscribe to Paul’s Substack, World Views Matter.
IN THE NEWS
Interviews & media
WATCH THE INTERVIEW
Paul on Lowcountry Live
Hear Paul talk about his writing in his appearance on Charleston’s Lowcountry Live.
FOR MEDIA & EVENT ORGANIZERS
Paul Attaway media kit
Media and event organizers can access Paul’s media kit for interview and appearance information.