Hi, Book Smugglers! We’re super excited about giving you the chance to get to know two fantastic authors this week, Cendrine Marrouat and David Ellis. They are the cofounders of Auroras & Blossoms Poetry Journal and will be publishing their second issue at the end of the year. The submission period closes soon!
While you start brainstorming something to submit, take a look at what David has to say about being an author.
What inspired you to write a book?
I mostly get my own inspiration from life experiences, music, literature and films. For my debut poetry book that I published three years ago (Life, Sex & Death), I was inspired to write it because I had many poems that I wanted to make into a collection. I didn’t want people to have to trawl through my blog for all of my poems, so it made perfect sense to self-publish it. I’m so glad I did, as the book itself won an award, which was the best day of my life 🙂
Was there a book or author that you admired that played a role when developing your book?
For my latest book, the specific author that influenced me was Edgar Allan Poe. I used all of his incredible poetry to help me to write my own found poetry collection, based on his entire poetic works. I have always admired Edgar’s poem “The Raven” (along with all of the people who have read it aloud, including Vincent Price, Christopher Walken, Neil Gaiman and even The Simpsons!)
My book ‘See A Dream Within: Found “Poetry Based On The Collected Poetry Works Of Edgar Allan Poe’ to me is my very own love letter to the writings of Edgar Allan Poe.
It is often said that in order to write something, you must believe in what you are writing. Do you agree with that?
I invest all of my writing with my own deep, emotional content. I sincerely believe in the words that I write and the power that they can have to inspire or motivate people. It’s why I have adopted themes of inspiration and romanticism in all of my poetry because they are the things that mean the most to me and what I want to share most with the readers of the world.
Do you have a set schedule for writing, or are you one of those who write only when they feel inspired?
I tend to write best when I have some sort of deadlines, whether they are actual or self-imposed. I tend to do most of my writing around midnight onwards. I am very much a night owl, as I enjoy the peacefulness and serenity working through the night brings to me, along with the lack of distractions and ease of getting to the refrigerator without being caught.
Tell us about your writing style, how is it different from other writers?
I think I have a very fluid and flexible writing style that can encompass much versatility based on the subject matter that I am writing about. Even with my most negative experiences in life, I have been able to channel them into positive, emotionally inspirational journeys that people can relate to. Ultimately, my style is one of a teaching nature, to be in tune with your own emotions, to inspire positivity and kindness in others through your own actions.
What, according to you, is the hardest thing about writing? What would you say is the easiest aspect of writing?
I think for me, the hardest thing about writing is choosing a concept or a theme when there are infinite resources and choices available. Once the theme/concept is chosen and you are committed to a writing project then for me, that becomes the easiest part of writing because you now have a specific writing purpose/goal that you can build towards.
Have you ever experienced “Writer’s Block”? How long do they usually last? Any tips you would like to share to overcome it?
I believe in a little and often, all the time, regardless of what you are doing, so I don’t tend to experience a lot of Writer’s Block, since I will write as much as time allows and how much I feel like doing on any given day. My biggest motivational tool has been to be emotionally invested in a project and the joy of creating it tends to ward off any feelings of doubt, procrastination or other things that may slow me down or stop me.
However, I do understand when it hits how debilitating Writer’s Block can be. If a project is not working then try writing something else to unblock yourself. This could be your own personal diary or a tiny poem, anything to get the words flowing again, which will hopefully lead you back to your original project. Never force yourself to write rubbish, unless you are willing to just do it to get it out of your system, shelve it and then start writing quality work again for your project. If you have burn out then go take a rest, go for a walk in the countryside or to a museum, watch a movie, or play a video game then come back refreshed and energised to start crafting again.
Any advice you would like to give to aspiring writers?
Don’t be afraid to keep on writing, submitting, marketing and publishing. There is always something for you to be doing regarding your books, be it writing new ones or shining the spotlight on your older ones. It never pays to stay still, be innovative in the ways that you share yourself and your content with the world. You only grow with meaningful experiences by making new, exciting experiences for yourself. Be the one to create writing opportunities for yourself and others. Make friends and be supportive of fellow authors, they too are on a journey that will last a lifetime.
Experiment and decide on what kind of writing you really like creating the most and then evolve yourself around these genres/themes. Writing should be a reward to yourself and a wonderful gift that you can share with others.
Are you working on something new at the moment?
I am currently working on a writing project influenced by William Shakespeare. I anticipate having another collection of poetry available for publication in the next couple of months.
We should also be releasing the second issue of our Auroras & Blossoms Poetry Journal at the end of the year when our current submission period closes. It is a very exciting time for us, since in addition to adults, we have opened up submissions to 13-16 year olds too (via their parents and guardians). We have so many inspirational poets and poems that we want to showcase to our audience, we hope to be doing this for many months and years to come!
Is there anything else you would like to share with our readers?
I appreciate every single one of you for taking the time to enjoy the process of reading, be it Fiction, Non-Fiction or Poetry. Authors love, admire and respect their readers. Thank you for spending time with us and I hope you find the time to enjoy our books too!
About David Ellis
David Ellis is a UK based author of poetry, fiction, and music lyrics. He has been writing poetry and music lyrics for years.
His debut poetry book Life, Sex & Death – A Poetry Collection Vol 1 is an International Award-winning volume, having won an award in the Readers’ Favorite 2016 Book Award Contest for Inspirational Poetry Books.
Think of him like the thriller genre in that he is fast-paced, relentless and impossible to put down!
David’s latest book See A Dream Within: Found “Poe”try Based On The Collected Poetry Works Of Edgar Allan Poe can be purchased via all major outlets. It is available on Amazon Kindle and in print.
For more information on all of David’s published books and creativity resources visit his website, Too Full to Write or you can connect with him on social media.
Also, be sure to like his Facebook Page. It’s full of great resources for writers!
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