David Ellis (Tunbridge Wells, UK) – Poet, award-winning author, co-founder of poetry forms, with a fondness for found poetry. He has released several poetry collections including Life, Sex & Death (which won an Inspirational Poetry Award), Soul Music the Colour of Magic, Lemons, Vinegar & Unvarnished Truths, See A Dream Within (based on the entire collected poetic works of Edgar Allan Poe), along with a Fifty Shades of Grey parody 50 Shapes of Cakes. Think of him like a thriller novel – fast paced, relentless and impossible to put down!

Cendrine Marrouat (Winnipeg, Canada) – Poet, photographer, short story writer, multi-genre author, fiction writer, podcaster, (co-)founder of literary forms. She has released more than 40 books, including Tree Reflections (2022), In Her Own Words: A Collection of Short Stories & Flashku (2022), After the Fires of Day: Haiku Inspired by Kahlil Gibran & Alphonse de Lamartine (2021), Songs in Our Paths: Haiku & Photography (2020-2021), and In the Silence of Words: A Three-Act Play (2018). Cendrine’s work has appeared in many publications. She is the creator of the Sixku, Flashku, Sepigram, Vardhaku, and Reminigram.

1) First, I want to thank you for taking the time to do this interview with me! When did you know that writing is what you were called to do? What is it about being a writer that you love the most? What about being a writer frustrates you the most?

Cendrine Marrouat: Thank you for having us! I never really knew I wanted to be a writer. Writing stalked me until I was ready to pen my first poem. What I love the most about writing is how it allows me to express myself and entertain / help others. Writing in itself is not frustrating. It can be a lonely pursuit at times, but that’s about it.

David Ellis: A sincere pleasure to be here! Just like Cendrine, I did not know I wanted to be a writer or more specifically, I did not know what type of writer I wanted to be until later in life but the signs were all clearly there. My grades in school were reasonable but I always excelled in English Language and Literature over and above everything else. It was a combination of allowing my life experiences to feed my stories and writing experiments, which ultimately culminated in a discovery of a passion for and skillfulness in poetry. Funnily enough though, this epiphany originally came from me writing tons of spoof song lyrics with long verses and realising that I was actually writing poetry through writing songs without music.

What I love most about writing is that you can transport the reader to anywhere you want and you can also get to go there yourself as well. Travel the globe from the comfort of your own home! The only thing I find frustrating about writing (and in particular poetry) is how seriously it is treated by people as a vocation and how it is not respected as much as I would prefer it to be. It is not easy to write/create when you have a million other things vying for your attention trying to take priority but for me, it is the most satisfying thing to do in my life, to win the hearts and minds of other like-minded readers with just a few simple words, now that is glorious!

2) Can you tell us a little about your book(s) and where our readers can find out more about them and you?

Cendrine Marrouat: I am the author and co-author of more than 40 books in different genres, including poetry, photography, and theatre. With every release, my goal is to inspire people to think differently about the world. Many of my multimedia collections deal with the need to connect / embrace nature. To find out more about my books, visit https://creativeramblings.com/books

Our latest book is titled A Particle of You: Love Poetry. This collection of poems explores how embracing love can fundamentally shape and change you; feed your inner life; and ultimately define you as a person. Link: https://abpositiveart.com/particle-you

Cendrine Marrouat:

Website: https://creativeramblings.com

Blog: https://creativeramblings.com/latest-posts

Books: https://creativeramblings.com/books

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/cendrinemarrouat

Twitter: https://twitter.com/haiku_shack

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/haikushack

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/cendrinemarrouat

David Ellis: I am the author and co-author of over thirty books, with a specific focus on found poetry (romantic, inspirational and occasionally humorous), along with short stories and I have even written a 50 Shades of Grey spoof as well. To find out more about my own books, visit https://toofulltowrite.com/my-books

Since Cendrine has mentioned our latest co-authored release, I would also like to share with you a publication we made together called 30 Creative Prompts to Take Your Art to the Next Level. We designed it specifically with artists, photographers and writers in mind. If you are struggling to find a creative direction for your next project, this could give you the boost that you sorely need!

Link: https://abpositiveart.com/30-creative-prompts/

David Ellis:

Website: https://toofulltowrite.com

Email: davidellisbusiness@gmail.com

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/toofulltowrite

Twitter: https://twitter.com/TooFullToWrite

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TooFullToWrite

Auroras & Blossoms:

Website: https://abpositiveart.com

Blog: https://medium.com/auroras-blossoms

Books: https://abpositiveart.com/store

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ab_positiveart

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/abpositiveart

3) Where do you draw your inspiration from for the stories that you manage to weave together and the characters that you create?

Cendrine Marrouat: Whether it is poetry, theater, or short stories, I always draw inspiration from personal experiences and the lessons they taught me. For example, In the Silence of Words: A Three-Act Play was born out of a simple premise: How the suicide of a loved one can lead to a deep understanding of oneself. And What Will Happen Next? A Short Story focuses on the consequences of unconscious trauma.

David Ellis: I draw a lot of my inspiration from the world around me. I consume a lot of pop culture when it comes to films, novels and music. I believe that as creative individuals, we draw deeply from our influences that pour into us and then it comes back out again in unique ways. I have an active imagination, I can often fantasize about having conversations in character with myself that make me laugh and sigh in wonder. If I can impress the reader within myself then I know that what I am creating will be relatable to others.

I am a huge believer in mashing up ideas and concepts, making a culinary soup of different things, taking a little dab/pinch here and a little sprinkle there. Most creative endeavours need at least a couple of different ingredients (preferably more) to make a fresh and exciting dish that stimulates the senses. If I was not a writer, I think I would be a chef or a musician because of how I compose things and use the resourcefulness of my creativity to conjure up something very special.

4) Do you have a schedule for when you write? Do you outline your books? How long does it generally take you to finish a book? What projects are you currently working on?

Cendrine Marrouat: I do many different things, so it is impossible for me to have a fixed schedule. I write when I have time and/or feel like it.

Poetry books are different from novels or short story collections. You do not really need to outline anything. The length depends on the project. Some books have taken me years to complete, while others were done in a few months.

Right now, David and I are busy putting the finishing touches to the promotional campaigns for our new books. If I am not too exhausted after that, I plan on working on a multimedia book featuring my poetry, fractals, photography and AI-generated art.

David Ellis: I don’t have a particular schedule because of the sheer number of projects that we can have on the go at once. I do like to try to write every day but I don’t get upset if I cannot manage to do this, we all need to take breaks to recharge our batteries regularly. I’ve never written a novel but you can bet I would have chapter outlines and a book outline to help me navigate my way through it. I would plot a bare bones outline and then pants my way through to victory!

As Cendrine mentioned, some books can be written very quickly when we have the concepts, content and resources in place. I went from publishing 4 of my own books in 2016 to forming our literary partnership with Cendrine in 2019 and now having been involved in over thirty publications, the growth has literally been exponential, with many books being created in a series of weeks rather than months! I do not feel that we are rushing but when you start publishing, you can become extremely efficient and generate significantly more ideas/projects than when you just dabble as a hobby. Cendrine & I are professionals who are hungry to keep on publishing projects. We have and will always have multiple books on the go.

As for myself, I have an infinite supply of poetry books that I wish to publish and it is simply a matter of time getting round to publishing them all, which will take me many years!

5) What’s the first book you ever read that really moved you emotionally? Who is your favorite author to read? What book are you currently reading?

Cendrine Marrouat: That would be Kahlil Gibran’s The Prophet. I have read many great books in my life, but this one literally saved my life. Gibran and Alphonse de Lamartine are my favorite authors.

Right now, I am reading The Silk Roads: A New History of the World by Peter Frankopan.

David Ellis: I have always been a lifelong fan of Terry Pratchett and the Discworld series. I have had such immense, intense joy from reading his works, they are delightful books that will endure forever. They moved me so deeply when I first started reading them at a young age, I just had to keep on going with them all. Every single one of them has something incredible to recommend in the sublime, superb genius of their storytelling. I was terribly sad when Terry passed away a few years ago, it upset me enormously.

Neil Gaiman is another one of my favourite authors who writes simply wonderful books, his prose is easy to digest, he makes the process of writing seem so effortless because his flow is magical and superbly entertaining.

As for what I am reading right now, I have just found out that Charlie Higson has written a new novel called “Whatever Gets You Through the Night”, an adult crime thriller. I’ve read multiple books from him in the past and he has a very intelligent writing style that is witty, funny, original and very engaging.

6) What has been your most significant achievement as a writer thus far? Where do you see yourself within your career in the next five years?

Cendrine Marrouat: The greatest achievement has been achieved through my business and creative partnership with David.

Since 2019, we have co-authored several multimedia books and guides for authors and artists, and co-created poetry forms. We are also the co-founders of Auroras & Blossoms and the PoArtMo movement, which celebrate inspiration and upliftment in the arts. Every year we release two volumes of our flagship publication—the PoArtMo Anthology. One features works from adult artists and the other is dedicated to young writers between the ages of 13 and 16. We hope to release the second volume of The Auroras & Blossoms PoArtMo Anthology: Youth Edition at the end of the year. Interested in checking out our anthologies? Visit https://abpositiveart.com/store.

In the next five years, I see myself on the same path as today. It’s a great one, so I would not change a thing.

David Ellis: I would agree with everything Cendrine has said above, our creative partnership is a milestone that is constantly worth celebrating. It is where I would like my writing career to keep on going by publishing alongside her because our achievements will first and foremost be the greatest of our lives and then some. Our enthusiasm keeps us on the path we were born to take and run with indefinitely 🙂

From my own personal perspective regarding achievements, I won an Inspirational Book award for my first poetry book “Life, Sex & Death”. Up until that point, I would never have thought that I could write or publish a book but to have it win an award as well was a significant triumph. It made me feel immensely proud of what I had done and gave me the confidence to keep on publishing, knowing that I am giving readers everywhere some literary gifts for them to look forward to in the future!

7) How have you dealt with rejection within your writing career? What is your advice for other writers to better be able to cope or navigate their way through the publishing process, be it traditional or self-publishing?

Cendrine Marrouat: Of course. Every writer has experienced it. Rejection can be hard, but you should never take it personally. Publishing books is a business, and as such, personal feelings are irrelevant. So, keep your head high and continue doing your best.

If you opt for the traditional route, remember the following: A publisher will always choose its bottom line over your manuscript. You can be the most talented author in the world, if your work is not deemed marketable enough, it will probably be rejected.

The path you choose to publish is not important. But if your goal is to sell books, you must have a strategy and write for an audience. There is no way around it.

David Ellis: There are only a finite number of places to publish and those places are only going to have limited slots available as well. You are going to get rejected and it will upset you but you simply cannot take it personally. If anything, you should be proud of yourself that you submitted something into the public domain for critique and the chance of getting yourself published. Despite all of the competition out there, there will be a time when you submit something to a publisher and they will accept it. This is because your persistence will pay off eventually when they get to see your professionalism, the quality of your work and a publishing slot becomes available.

I would advise that you don’t send the same piece around for people to look at all the time, be sure to select a variety of your best works to send out to different places. If you are going to submit to a publisher, please ensure you have followed their guidelines and are submitting something in a genre that is specifically relevant to them.

Self-publishing is far more preferable if you want to get your book published a hell of a lot sooner than the traditionally published route. However, it is only worth considering if you are willing to get your book properly formatted, edited/proofread and make/purchase a beautiful cover for it. Self-publishing gets a bad reputation because the assumption is that the quality is going to be bad, so the best advice I can give is to make your book look amazing, so that the average person on the street would not be able to tell that it has been self-published!

8) Do you find it hard to juggle the creative side of being a writer against the business side of being a writer, in terms of marketing and promotion and things of that nature? How hard has it been (or easy) for you to build up your author platform?

Cendrine Marrouat: It can be hard, yes. But as a writer, photographer and digital artist (among other things), I am used to compartmentalizing everything. Very early in my career, I realized that I would never be able to make it without a solid strategy. I have built my platform on my own, without the help of anybody else.

It has been very challenging of course. But I would not have it any other way because it pushed me to excel. Over the years, I have gained valuable experience and important skills in many fields.

David Ellis: There are some divides out there where people believe they are either a creative person or a business-minded person but not both. I have always embraced my business instincts and applied them to my creative side. My father was a terrific artist but he could not market himself for toffee, creating art was all he ever knew. I knew by observing him that I had to be a good marketing person to complement my creative side, if I ever wanted to be truly successful with my writing career. I come from a financial services sales-orientated background and I am able to see the art that I create as a viable product that I can promote to people. I do not believe it is “selling out” to want people to compensate you for art that you make with other people in mind.

It is hard work building up a professional platform but only because it usually requires many hours of unpaid work alongside other day jobs. In the end though, I feel that marketing and promotion comes naturally because it is the only way that you will be able to properly and effectively showcase all of that wonderful art and creativity you have decided to share with the world.

9) So many writers say that they hate reading their own work. Do you ever enjoy reading your own work back to yourself after it’s out there for the rest of the world?

Cendrine Marrouat: I do because I like my writing style.

David Ellis: I delight in flipping the switch with my work and approaching it from the point of view of a reader, rather than a writer. There are times where I will often marvel at what I have written and wonder for hours where it came from or what the original inspiration was for it in the first place.

I will say that I was not happy to read my writings many years ago when it was influenced by negative thoughts or experiences. However, ever since I switched my writing styles several years ago to incorporate romantic, inspirational and/or humorous themes, I never fail to enjoy reading what I produce and if I am enjoying myself then I know for certain my fellow readers will also be having a ball too!

10) Do you believe that there is ever a point in life where it’s too late for an aspiring writer to become successful in this industry? Do you feel a late start would hinder their chances?

Cendrine Marrouat: Very few authors and artists enjoy success early in their career. It often takes decades for them to start seeing results. It is never too late to go after your dreams. The only person who can hinder your chances is yourself.

David Ellis: I would never ever say to someone that it is too late to start. There have been many instances in life where people in their retirement years have become successful actors, musicians, entrepreneurs and authors. The successful ones are the ones who know that there is a chance that they might never be “discovered” and yet they keep doing it anyway, due to their dedicated belief and passion in what they do.

Time is never wasted pursuing dreams; we have to chase what drives and inspires us to be the best version of ourselves and we need to keep on doing it until the day we die.

11) I feel like writing is a remarkable tool to help people not only express themselves, but also to cope emotionally and mentally. I know for me I write to be and feel more authentic. What unique quality is there about you, about your art, that you feel represents your authenticity? How does writing help you to be more empowered in your purpose?

Cendrine Marrouat: I started writing because I needed to express bottled-up emotions that demanded to be out. I quickly realized, though, that there was a greater reward in trying to inspire the world rather than contributing to its negativity. This desire to be inspirational became second nature in no time.

The more you train your brain to be positive, the more likely you are to see half-full glasses everywhere you go. This energy definitely shows in my writing and photography, and I believe that is what makes my body of work unique.

David Ellis: When I write from a romantic or inspirational perspective, I am feeling that I am writing from the truest place in my heart and soul. I try to connect with readers emotionally and I find the best way to do that is through being brutally honest. However, whereas most poetry or writing in life might explore the ugly side of things, I tend to look for the good in everything and let that become infused into the words.

There is genuine hope, determination, courage and support in my artistic leanings. I cannot help but embrace the power that this affords me in my ultimate goals to make lives better, brighter and to keep us going through the dark times when we need it the most.