“… writing about love made me accept myself even more.”
Cendrine Marrouat – 3 October 2022
Love is an incredible motivator and a fascinating subject to explore time and time again.
Dan Ellis – 3 October 2022
The Back Flap
In this new collection from well-established authors Cendrine Marrouat and David Ellis, enjoy a series of love poems delicately crafted to stimulate emotional and endearing aspects of our deep connections with each other.
Cendrine and David have selected poems for this volume that perfectly capture feelings and nuances relating to romantic notions. They explore how love can fundamentally shape and change you, how it can feed your innermost muses/desires and ultimately how it can define you as a person, if you fully embrace it with every fibre of your being.
Love need not be scary or complicated. This collection shows us that even the simplest of intimate gestures can mean more to us when speaking from the heart and soul.
About the book
What is the book about?
Our most recent publication is all about romantic love poetry, what it feels like to be in love and how it influences our thoughts and perceptions of the world around us.
When did you start writing the book?
We started assembling the book a couple of months ago. Since we are both passionate professional publishers, the process did not take too long for us to bring it to fruition.
How long did it take you to write it?
Cendrine Marrouat: It took me 16 years to write my part of the book.
David Ellis: For my contribution to the book, all of the material was brand new and written within the last few months. I too have written in the romantic genre for years.
Where did you get the idea from?
Cendrine Marrouat: A majority of the poetry written about love seems to focus on pain and suffering. I wanted to offer a different vision. And I knew David would be the perfect co-author for this book.
A Particle of You: Love Poetry seeks to show that the beauty of love often lies in the mundane. Grand gestures are not a prerequisite for meaningful relationships.
David Ellis: We wanted to create a collection of love poetry that celebrates the inspirational and uplifting nature of love. Our primary idea came from creating a series of positive experiences for people to savour and intimately relate to, as even if they have their own individual experiences of how love has affected their lives, we believe this collection will move people deeply in many familiar and recognisable ways.
Were there any parts of the book where you struggled?
Cendrine Marrouat: I do not recall struggling with my part of the book. I would say, though, that writing about love made me accept myself even more.
David Ellis: That was the best part about writing this book, it came together very quickly and felt effortless to create. When I am very enthusiastic about my subject matter, writing becomes an easy process and for this book, it was as if the stars were aligning for me. I felt like my words were flowing from the moment I started creating the poems. Love is an incredible motivator and a fascinating subject to explore time and time again.
We all know how important it is for writers to read. Are there any particular authors that have influenced how you write and, if so, how have they influenced you?
Cendrine Marrouat: I am a huge fan of Kahlil Gibran, Alphonse de Lamartine, and Emily Dickinson. At the beginning of my writing career, I tried to emulate Gibran’s and Lamartine’s styles, to no avail. But it was not a complete failure, since the experience taught me the importance of embracing my own style, despite its quirks and imperfections.
David Ellis: I think that I am influenced heavily by a lot of romantic writers. I have been compared to Jane Austen at times. I am extremely enamoured with the Romanticism poets/poetry movement of Blake, Coleridge, Wordsworth, Keats, Byron and Shelley, along with other masters such as Poe, Shakespare, Emily Dickinson and Sylvia Plath. I have many male and female muses that all have had an incredible impact on how I write/approach my craft and how I perceive the world through my literary lenses.
Do you have a target reader?
Cendrine Marrouat: The message behind A Particle of You: Love Poetry is quite universal. I am confident that each person who picks up the book will find something relatable within its pages.
David Ellis: I would say that for me the target readers would be anyone who is a fan of the love and romance genre. The book is a quick, easy and relatable read, our poetry is very intimate, sensual at times (but not erotic) and will always make you feel better about yourself after you have experienced it.
About Writing
Do you have a writing process? If so can you please describe it?
Cendrine Marrouat: If you asked me the question a few years ago, I would have told you that I needed a title to start writing. But this answer no longer applies.
I am a very strange kind of writer in the sense that my process is all over the place. I write when I have time and feel like it.
David Ellis: The vast majority of the poetry that I write nowadays is found poetry, so the most important part of the process for me is to find the ideal source material that I will use to assist in writing the poem. This element is crucial, as with the right source material, it can provide me with infinite inspiration and give me a guiding hand as to how I will compose the piece of writing that I am working on.
I don’t write every single day but I use that as a motivational tool to encourage me to at least write something the following day if I need a break. My biggest motivational tool when it comes to writing is to always be keen to enhance my mood through relaxation or background music. I think it is important to set soft deadlines and to build projects, with the goal to work on them in small bursts until they are completed. Little and often is an amazing way to make progress and to be kind to yourself as well.
Do you outline? If so, do you do so extensively or just chapter headings and a couple of sentences?
Cendrine Marrouat: The only time I did some outlining was for my play, In the Silence of Words. Otherwise, I record the main ideas and concepts in a document, and then go with the flow. With that said, I have a vivid imagination. I don’t forget details easily.
David Ellis: I do not outline my poems, since they usually reveal themselves once I have painstakingly crafted them line by line. I have outlined short stories in the past, as I feel it is important to have some specific elements that I am working towards.
Stories need tentpoles and I believe it is an excellent idea to have a combination of flexible plotting structure that allows you to pants and plot together! By all means, outline extensively if this helps you to write your book, use what works for you. If however you want to let the creativity flow then at least know where your characters are going to end up at the end of each chapter and work your way backwards from there!
Do you edit as you go or wait until you’ve finished?
Cendrine Marrouat: I am a perfectionist, which I have learnt to embrace over the years. Every draft is a mixture of several editing sessions. So, my second draft would be most other authors’ sixth or seventh draft.
David Ellis: Depending on how the poem is going, if I notice the flow is being affected by what I am writing, I may edit halfway through writing a particular line or stanza. However, for me this is rare, I will usually want to get my ideas down first and then see if there is anything that needs tweaking or changing once the whole poem is revealed at the end.
I find a poem far easier to edit than a story because the universe is much smaller and you can see in real time what is happening. I would discourage editing stories in real time (because you could get yourself stuck in a rut if you keep rewriting), unless of course it is a tiny part of the sentence or paragraph and you are doing so in order to let yourself have more creative freedom for where to go next.
Did you hire a professional editor?
Cendrine Marrouat: Professional editors are not necessary for poetry books. I actually believe that they can do more good than bad. But, of course, proofreaders are a different story. David and I proofread each other’s works.
When it comes to short stories and longer works (a play, for example), I will also work with one or two professional editor(s).
David Ellis: As Cendrine said, we proofread each other’s poems. However, we are very professional poetry proofreaders, having done so for countless other pieces submitted to us by many other writers in the past, we have the necessary editing experience. I would always advocate getting other outside help to proofread your stories, plays, scripts, novels etc, as your work must be polished to the highest level possible, if you ever want it to be taken seriously.
Do you listen to music while you write? If yes, what gets the fingers tapping?
Cendrine Marrouat: It depends on my mood. But these days, I am more into classical music than usual.
David Ellis: A lot of the time, I will put music on that tends to have little to no lyrics. My favourites will usually be some kind of chilled out synth-wave/rock/pop that I can have in the background that will not distract me, as I can be easily distracted with catchy song lyrics! I also have friends that are happy to have other ambient sounds in the background like a log fire burning or the sound of running water/rain on a window pane.
About Publishing
Did you submit your work to Agents?
Cendrine Marrouat: No. Too few agents are interested in representing poets.
David Ellis: I have tried this route in the past and sadly poetry is an often ignored area. I have found no agents who are interested, unless you are a celebrity poet/writer with huge social media followings!
What made you decide to go Indie, whether self-publishing or with an indie publisher? Was it a particular event or a gradual process?
Cendrine Marrouat: Poetry is probably the hardest genre to market and sell. That explains why only a handful of traditional publishers are willing to give poets a chance. So, most of us are left with only one option—indie publishing.
That state of things has never bothered me, though. Of course, self-publishing can be challenging and very costly. But when you know the drill, it’s also a lot of fun, especially if you work with the right partners and co-author(s).
I have acquired so many great skills through self-publishing! From book cover design to formatting, video trailers, and marketing, I can do it all.
David Ellis: I decided to go down the self-publishing route after I got plenty of rejections from agents and traditional publishing houses. I knew my work was special, as my first self-published poetry book won an award! I completely understand why it is a tough market, publishers want safe, bankable stars to invest in and if you cannot show up at their door with an established audience or an endorsement from someone famous, you are going to get a lot of rejections over many months and years. There are only a finite number of publishing slots available with any publisher, so for me, I self-publish to take matters into my own hands to reduce the waiting time/avoid being beaten by unnecessary competition.
I believe self-publishing can be akin to setting up your own small business. You should treat it with the same level of care, dedication and professionalism that you would for any business venture too.
Did you get your book cover professionally done or did you do it yourself?
Cendrine Marrouat: I have designed all my book covers myself. As a photographer and digital artist, I always find a suitable image.
David Ellis: Cendrine designed the cover for this book and it is exquisite! I have learnt so much from her when it comes to designing my own book covers too.
Do you have a marketing plan for the book or are you just winging it?
Cendrine Marrouat: I don’t know any author who has succeeded without a strategy. Anybody telling you the contrary is either lying to you or has friends in high places. And even with the latter option, you are not guaranteed sales.
David Ellis: We have a very strong marketing plan and are always trying to get ourselves on podcasts, participate in Author Interviews like this one or asking for our book to be reviewed. If you are winging it then you will very likely never get anywhere at all!
Any advice that you would like to give to other newbies considering becoming Indie authors?
Cendrine Marrouat: I recommend never cutting corners. If you don’t have much money, learn to barter. Do your due diligence, ask questions, and treat your work the way you want the world to treat it.
Also, remember this: No matter how talented you are, your books will not sell themselves, especially a first release. Build your strategy and invest your time wisely. Patience and consistency are always of the essence!
Last but not least, rejections and negative reviews are part of the game. They are not personal attacks against you, so learn to embrace them.
David Ellis: Run away! Of course I am joking but what I will say is be prepared for a lot of hard work and little reward in the beginning. Think about what you have to offer readers, when it comes to your writing. If you only ever write for yourself (especially when it comes to poetry), your audience will naturally be limited. Whatever stories you create, there needs to be some relatability to others, some emotional connection or messages that hooks people and encourages them to read your work. Create projects and think of themes that will build strong compelling foundations for your books.
Be sure to get your work proofread/edited professionally and to also be willing to design your book covers to a professional high standard as well. If you cannot do this then consider buying a pre-made cover, it will be worth the investment, as an amatuer-looking cover will harm your brand. You need to be catching people’s attention in this day and age by showing that your indie publication is as good or even miles better than any traditionally published book out there!
Once you are published, congratulations! Now get out there and promote the hell out of yourself, find similar books to yours and go after those readers. We all want more entertainment to allow us to escape and that is your best chance at getting people interested. Appeal to like-minded readers and never give up! You are a writer that the world needs and deserves to see but only you can make it happen with plenty of hard work, relented promotion and confidence in your abilities no matter what the cost or odds!
About You
Where did you grow up?
Cendrine Marrouat: I was born and raised in Toulouse, France.
David Ellis: I was born and raised in the United Kingdom.
Where do you live now?
Cendrine Marrouat: I moved to Winnipeg, Canada in 2003. I haven’t left since.
David Ellis: I live in a town called Tunbridge Wells, in the South-East region of Kent.
What would you like readers to know about you?
Cendrine Marrouat: I am a very approachable person who enjoys connecting and engaging with people. I also love chocolate and good food.
David Ellis: I can easily be bribed with chocolate, sweets, biscuits or cakes. Please buy our books to help me get more of these items and I will continue writing forever, that’s a promise!
What are you working on now?
Cendrine Marrouat: Nothing right now. We are too busy marketing A Particle of You: Love Poetry. Promoting a new book demands a lot of time and energy…
David Ellis: We are taking a well deserved break! We anticipate getting the last few entries for our PoArtMo Anthology Youth Edition: Volume 2 by the end of the year. We are still accepting art and writing submissions from 13-16 year olds. Check out our website at Auroras & Blossoms for more information.
End of Interview:
For more from Cendrine and David you have lots of options. In addition to the joint website linked above they also have the Auroras & Blossoms blog as well as an Auroras & Blossoms Facebook or Twitter account you can follow.
Check out Cendrine’s website, blog, and Youtube account as well as follow her on Twitter and Facebook.
David also has a website to check out as well and can be followed on Twitter and Facebook as well.
Pick up your copy of A Particle of You from Amazon US or Amazon UK, or if you’d prefer check out this site for multiple alternative vendors.
