Blog Tour: My Lie Your Lie by Paul Clayton
Today I am on the blog tour for My Lie Your Lie by Paul Clayton. And today he is sharing about going from fairy tales to thrillers! And as you know, thrillers are one of my two main genres I read! My Lie Your Lie is available now!
**If you are lucky enough to live in the UK, there is a giveaway to win a signed copy!**
Book Description:
He thought heartbreak was the worst part.
Then came the need for revenge.
Patrick Tyrrell’s perfect marriage shatters the day his husband, Barney, leaves him—for a woman.
Marcella. Beautiful. Alluring. Dangerous.
Patrick can’t let it go. Why her? Why now? The questions consume him — until obsession turns to something far darker. As unsettling events unfold and violence creeps closer, Patrick faces the one temptation more powerful than love or jealousy:
Revenge.
But revenge has its own price. And once it begins, there may be no way back.
A taut, unsettling psychological thriller about betrayal, obsession, and whether vengeance ever truly heals the wound — or only feeds it.
Buy Your Copy Here:
Amazon US
Amazon UK
From Fairy Tales to Thrillers: A Life in Stories
by Paul Clayton
I think the first story I ever wrote was in longhand, aged seven, probably in a lined exercise book with a slightly chewed corner. It was an early attempt at literary justice—I was trying to elicit sympathy for a wolf. A misunderstood creature, maligned by the likes of Little Red Riding Hood and, for some reason, Pinocchio (don’t ask me how I got from one to the other—I was seven). Even then, I think I instinctively knew that every story has more than one side. And that perhaps the “baddie” wasn’t always quite as bad as we’d been told.
That instinct—to question the story, to reframe the perspective—has shaped much of my life. I’ve spent decades telling stories, mostly written by other people, as an actor on stage and screen. Sometimes, as actors, we get to do more than just speak the lines—we build the emotional spine of a character, we shape the rhythm of a scene. We help to tell the story in our own way.
But it wasn’t until later in life that I began writing them myself.
I owe a great deal of that to the joys of modern technology. My handwriting is, to put it generously, expressive. My typing, equally so. Thankfully, dictation software came along at just the right moment, and what began as an excuse to avoid battling a keyboard quickly became a gateway into storytelling in its purest form. Speaking the stories aloud as they came to me felt natural—almost like rehearsal. Lines, rhythms, character voices—they emerged through my own voice, just as they had in all those rehearsal rooms over the years.
Since then, I’ve had the privilege of writing columns, articles, blogs, two books on the acting profession (not so much “how to act” as “how to stay sane while doing it”), and—most wonderfully—three psychological thrillers.
Thrillers have always been my favourite genre to read. I do, once a year, force myself to break away from them—usually with an autobiography or something more earnestly literary—but I’m always drawn back to a good mystery. A story with secrets, with twists, with characters you’re not entirely sure you trust. The sort of book that makes you say, “Just ten more minutes,” even though it’s already well past midnight.
As a child, those kinds of nights were more difficult in summer—my bedroom had hopelessly thin curtains and the sun would sneak in around 8:30pm, which was still officially bedtime. But winter nights were perfect: dark, cold, silent. The ideal setting for a gripping story. I remember being bundled up in bed with a torch and a book, completely immersed in other people’s lives, hoping to find out who did it, or what happens next, before my mum came in and caught me still awake.
That feeling—of being completely pulled into a story—is what I now hope to give to readers of my own books. Whether it’s The Punishment, The Hoax, or My Lie, Your Lie, my aim is always the same: to tell a good story. One that grabs you. One that twists just when you think it won’t. One that leaves you, hopefully, just a little unsettled when the final page is turned.
I don’t pretend to have all the answers when it comes to writing. I’m still learning, with every new idea. But I do believe in the power of storytelling—in its ability to entertain, to challenge, to comfort, and occasionally to disturb. Whether you’re reading under the covers as a child, or propped up in bed with a Kindle and a mug of cocoa, the right story still has the power to transport you.
And sometimes, if you’re lucky, it might even make you see things from the wolf’s point of view.
About the Author:
Paul Clayton is a familiar face on screen, best known for his roles as Sophie’s dad in the BAFTA-winning Peep Show and Graham in the acclaimed Him & Her. Currently, he appears as Drew Peacock in EastEnders, Dennis in Disney’s sequel to The Full Monty and has featured in Brian and Margaret, Wolf Hall, House of the Dragon, and over 300 stage and screen roles.
He’ll be seen in the new ITV thriller Secret Service, and in Season 3 of House of the Dragon.
Beyond acting, Paul is an internationally recognised creative event director and sought-after presentation coach. His previous thrillers, The Punishment and The Hoax, have gripped readers, while his books for actors—So You Want to Be a Corporate Actor? and The Working Actor (both published by Nick Hern Books)—offer invaluable industry insight.
He lives in London with his partner.
Contact Paul:
X: Claytoncast
Instagram: Claytoncastgram
Giveaway to Win a Signed Copy of My Lie Your Lie (Open to UK only)
Click here for the giveaway if you are in the UK!
*Terms and Conditions –UK entries welcome. Please enter using the link above. The winner will be selected at random via Gleam from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then Rachel’s Random Resources reserves the right to select an alternative winner. Open to all entrants aged 18 or over. Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. This will passed to the giveaway organiser and used only for fulfilment of the prize, after which time Rachel’s Random Resources will delete the data. I am not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize.
See the Full Blog Tour: