Meet: Cendrine Marrouat

Welcome to our new feature where we introduce some incredible indie authors. We aim to get to know a little more about the person behind the words.

Cendrine Marrouat is an author whose work includes five poetry collections and a new play, In The Silence Of Words. She was born and raised in France, and moved to Canada 15 years ago.

She is also a photographer, specialising in nature, black and white and close up images, and French instructor.

Keep up to date with Cendrine at www.cendrinemedia.com, on Twitter @cendrinemedia, Instagram @cendrinemedia or YouTube cendrinemarrouat.

What advice would you give to your younger self?

The older you grow, the better life gets. So be patient and you'll have a blast soon!

How do you think your gender affects your experience as a writer?

I find this question hard to answer. My gender obviously colours my experience, especially in the areas of marketing, promoting myself, and connecting with people.

However, when it comes to the writing process, my being gay and an immigrant play a more important role. There are topics I would never have broached if I hadn't witnessed racism and xenophobia, experienced discrimination, or moved to a country like Canada.

I am not just a female writer. I am an artist with a strong desire to talk about things that scare most people: spirituality, suicide, the need to reconnect with oneself and embrace death, etc. Because true happiness (personal and global) depends on nipping fear in the bud; opening our minds to diverging experiences, values, and opinions; and letting our inner child take over when it matters.

How did you become an author?

Honestly, I don't think I became an author. It was in me from the get-go. It just came to the surface when I was ready.

Do you read other books while writing?

I read books every day. So, it's a definite yes.

Which fictional world would you live in?

A very interesting question! I would live in a dystopia. I find that kind of worlds fascinating. The characters are usually very smart and resourceful. They have this uncanny ability to recognize what needs to be done to change the status quo and make the world a better place.

But dystopias are also frightening. The Handmaids Tale, for example, depicts a situation that could very well become a reality if we aren't careful...

If you couldn’t earn money from writing, would you still write? If not, what else would you do?

I would still write, yes. Unfortunately, self-published authors rarely make a full-time living from just selling their books. Diversification is key!

I have worked in several fields in my career: teaching, translation, photography, journalism, art criticism, social media... It's important not to put all your eggs in the same basket.

If you could hang out with any author for the night, who would it be?

Kahlil Gibran, my favorite author. His words make my heart skip a beat every time I read them!