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AUTHOR | JOURNALIST  | EDITOR

     Hello and welcome to my website. This is where to find news about A Different Kind of Courage —One Man’s Story of Triumph Over Paralysis. 

     It’s also the place to become better acquainted with me. I am a veteran Virginia journalist who has worked at two of the state’s metropolitan daily newspapers and Virginia Business magazine. I loved working as a reporter and editor, traveling the state where I met interesting people from all walks of life. 

     I am also a grandmother to three grandsons, who fill my life with joy and curiosity, and the mother of two grown daughters. In addition to reading and writing, I enjoy playing pickleball, travel, theatre, music (I sing in a church choir) and a good wine tasting. 

     After retiring in 2018, I decided to turn my attention to writing books. My current release is a nonfiction account about the life of Donald Bridges Jr., a Chesterfield County resident, who has lived with paralysis for 35 years. At age 24, Don dislocated his neck while playing rugby. Today, at 60, he is one of the longest living, ventilator-dependent quadriplegics in the country. The book chronicles his challenges, how he has persevered and reports on some of the new technologies and treatments available today to the spinal cord injured. 

     Please check the website for appearances and events related to A Different Kind of Courage and other literary events.

About Paula
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About Paula

Paula C. Squires is an award-winning journalist. Based in Virginia, she has reported for the Virginian-Pilot and the Richmond Times-Dispatch, where she also served as the consumer affairs columnist. As former managing editor of Virginia Business magazine, Squires traveled the state interviewing top business leaders and covering major events. Her stories have won state and national awards, and her work has appeared in regional magazines and the Associated Press. Squires is the author of a history of the Virginia Realtors Association, the state’s largest professional trade association. A graduate of Radford University, she lives in Midlothian, Va.

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Books
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A Different Kind of COURAGE

One Man’s Story of Triumph Over Paralysis

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by  Paula C. Squires

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Published by  Dementi Milestone Publishing

ISBN: 979-8-9856150-6-7

146 pages, with color photos

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$25.00

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My new book, A Different Kind of Courage, shows how one man overcame incredible odds to rebuild his life after a devastating spinal cord injury. Despite paralysis, Donald Bridges Jr. moves forward. His remarkable journey testifies to the imagination and resilience of the human spirit. Today, Bridges is one of the longest living, ventilator-dependent quadriplegics in the country. Readers will learn how he persevered and come away wondering how they might react if their lives changed in an instant. 

Available at:
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Book Signings
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BOOK SIGNINGS

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Other Upcoming Events: â€‹â€‹ 

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James River Writers 21st Annual Conference

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October 6 - 8, 2023

 

James River Writers 21st annual conference, Greater Richmond Convention Center, Richmond, Va. More than 40 speakers from the publishing industry will be on hand. To see the full conference schedule:  go to jamesriverwriters.org

CHIP JONES, author of The Organ Thieves

“Paula Squires paints a sensitive and nuanced portrait of a truly different kind of man: Donald Bridges Jr. His embrace of the totality of his life—despite its many challenges and obstacles—serves as a reminder that true strength comes from deep within. When he declares, “I’m still here. There must be a reason,” Donald boldly begins a lifelong journey to find the answer. Along the way, he touches many lives and provides hope in the face of despair. As one friend marvels, “I’ve learned... there’s nothing in life, with God’s help, that you can’t overcome.”

 

— CHIP JONES, 

author of The Organ Thieves: The Shocking Story 

of the First Heart Transplant in the Segregated South

winner of the Library of Virginia 2021 Literary Award for Nonfiction

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