We had the good fortune of connecting with Mathieu Cailler Cailler and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Mathieu Cailler, why did you pursue a creative career?
From an early age, I loved the idea of telling a good story. I was blessed to be surrounded by many family members and friends that were just phenomenal raconteurs. I didn’t really understand what made them so gifted, but I understood their storytelling power.

Later, it was stand-up comedy that grabbed me for much of the same reason. It seemed so pure. No filters, no edits, just as raw as it got–a mic and an audience. I tried crafting jokes, and enjoyed my time on stage, but it was then I realized that I wanted to tell all stories, and for that, I needed the blank page.

Writing has given me great purpose. More than book sales or fanfare, I wake each day excited to create. This is why I write.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I got to where I am now by writing all the time. I turned down parties. I turned down a lot of life in order to sit at the desk and write about it. It was maybe a sacrifice in some regards. I didn’t have much of a social life for many years, but I would do it again. I really understood who I was during this period, and I had to prove it to myself. These days, I’m more well-rounded, but then, I had to know what it was like to write a book, and now that I’ve done it a few times, I have more confidence that I can do it again and live a fuller life. I think many times we are told to branch out and try new things, but love requires a lot of focus and one needs to be totally all-in and dedicated to it. That was how it was for me anyway.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
This list changes more and more. To be honest, these days my favorite places are in nature. I don’t want to be fighting for parking spots and have to spend a ton of money to enjoy myself. Maybe just some amazing tacos from Leo’s Taco Truck and a nice long hike near the coast. If the water is warm–a surf session too.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Yes. My parents, my wife, and my friends. A career in the arts is all about rejection, really. If you can handle that than you are in great shape. Even NYT Bestsellers are passed on constantly before they find a home, so it’s important to have people around you that stoke your fire. I am fortunate to have people in my life that value what I do, ask about it, and celebrate with me. I just finished a draft of a new novel yesterday morning, and when I told my wife a few hours ago, she immediately made plans to celebrate.

Also, all the publishers of my work, all the editors, and Eds-in-Chiefs of publications. They people are really at the center of the literary movement. They bring in new work constantly, promote it, and do it for free most of the time….

Website: www.mathieucailler.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/writesfromla/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mathieu-cailler-7b09aa24b/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/writesfromla

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/em.cee.372/

Other: https://www.pw.org/directory/writers/mathieu_cailler

Image Credits
Christine Donlon, Kevin Grosher, Alain Cailler, Pete Tomasco

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