JoeyPinkney.com Exclusive Interview
5 Minutes, 5 Questions With…
Cendrine Marrouat, author of Life’s Little Things: The Quotes
(Blurb, Inc.)
Quotes have been part of the human fabric for a very long time. No matter how old we are, we like to keep our favorites with us. We often have them safely tucked in our wallets or framed on the walls of our homes.
Quotes bring us a sense of comfort and keep us grounded. They force us to think and question our preconceived notions of our surroundings. Most importantly, they inspire us to become better people, especially when they are paired with photography that tells multi-layered stories.
This is the idea behind Life’s Little Things: The Quotes. Cendrine Marrouat’s second book in her Life’s Little Things series pays homage to the world in a way that you may never have seen before. Each page is an invitation to reflect on the human condition and our never-ending connection to nature.
Not only will Life’s Little Things: The Quotes brighten your day, but it will also open your mind to what is possible and what truly matters. In a world where negativity seems to be winning, the 25 high-quality photos and quotes in the book are intended as a balancing act. They will encourage you to reconnect with yourself, think more positively, slow down your physical pace, and find your inner rhythm.
Life’s Little Things: The Quotes is a little book with a twist and a big heart.
Joey Pinkney: Where did you get the inspiration to write Life’s Little Things: The Quotes?
Cendrine Marrouat: No matter what I work on, the world around me is the big inspiration. And I always have a specific audience in mind.
There has been an increase in negativity and aggressive behaviors in the last few years. I believe that they are thriving because people are not encouraged to treat themselves right.
That is the reason why I wrote Life’s Little Things: The Quotes. I wanted to offer a solution through simple imagery and words.
JP: What sets Life’s Little Things: The Quotes apart from other books in the same genre?
CM: I started experimenting with mixed media with my first photography book. I used poetry and travel photography to offer a meditation on nature and the human condition. I loved every minute of the project.
With Life’s Little Things: The Quotes, the focus is on quotes this time. However, the difference between this collection and the ones I have seen is that there is no reliance on the words of famous people. I wrote my own, which stem from life lessons, and I made sure that they matched the photos.
The other interesting aspect of this project was the challenge I gave myself. Readers of my photography blog selected the images. So, I did not have a say in what would appear in the book.
JP: As an author, what are the keys to your success that led to Life’s Little Things: The Quotes getting out to the public?
CM: I feel that my healthy belief in myself plays a major role. I say “healthy” because it is not driven by ego, but rather by hard work and common sense. I only make decisions after thinking them through. Of course, I am not impervious to mistakes. But when they happen, there is always something to learn.
The other key is the fact that I don’t like staying in my comfort zone. I would have never written books in three different fields otherwise. I seek to walk the talk in everything that I do.
JP: As an author, what is your writing process? How long did it take you to start and finish Life’s Little Things: The Quotes?
CM: My writing process is not common. It usually starts while I am in the shower.
Ideas and titles come more or less at the same time. Then, I write a quick outline with the main topic(s). From there on, I usually go with the flow. With that said, since I am a very slow writer, I work in spurts.
Life’s Little Things: The Quotes is a sort of anomaly among all my books. Despite being short, it took me a very long time to complete. However it was not due to my usual slowness. I had to take a break for many months to care of family affairs in France, my home country.
When I was able to get back to work, I had lost my rhythm and did not feel very happy. I had to literally drag myself to the computer to write.
Now that the book is out, I am on cloud nine. People’s feedback has been wonderful and I feel a real sense of achievement.
JP: What’s next for Cendrine Marrouat?
CM: I have a few book ideas. One, in particular, would be an addition to my Life’s Little Things series. It will mix photography and traditional haiku, my favorite poetic form.
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