Meet Mathieu Cailler: Award-winning author of poetry, fiction, and children’s books

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

Hi Mathieu, do you disagree with some advice that is more or less universally accepted?
“Write what you know” is an old writing cliche that I hate. It probably caught on because it’s zippy and fun to say, and it sounds wise, but it’s actually awful advice.

I would say that authors should write to better understand the world. That is the beauty of fiction and poetry and other genres–we are allowed to be different people, voices… to come at life from a different angle. Fran Lebowitz has a great line on this topic. She says, “Books should be a door, not a mirror.” And I agree. Sure, if it happens to be a mirror–great. But it can be an escape, a portal to another place and time–a do-over in some instances, a what-could-have-been.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I am a writer of prose and poetry. Particularly, I write novels, short stories, essays, poems, and children’s books.

I am excited that I pursued what made me most excited to get up in the morning. Writing gives me a purpose, and I look forward to arriving at the desk each and every morning. I miss writing when I can’t get to it, and I have to remind myself it is okay to miss a day or two every once in a while.

Writing is not easy, but what is, right? I don’t want it to be easy. The pleasure comes from the grind–from looking at a blank document, and putting “black on white” as Flaubert said. I love bringing something that has lived and taken up space in my mind for a long time into the world. It never comes without a fight. I would not want it any other way.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
What a great question. I would bring them to Palos Verdes, my hometown, and eat at the Red Onion and walk the beach afterward. After that, we would drive the coast for a bit, and then I would head to the Watts Towers, an underappreciated gem in this city. I would ride bikes along the LA River, stop for Mexican food on Olvera Street, and then head to Monterey Park for dinner. Evening entertainment would be a Lakers game.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I would like to thank the libraries around the world for allowing me a space to write and think. Librarires–especially in our beloved Los Angeles–are so underappreciated. During the pandemic, I missed the shelves, people, and workspaces provided as much as my friends. Librarians, particularly those in the Palos Verdes, have helped me with research, technology help, locating old documents, and have always given me the encouragement and boost I needed to finish a project.

Also, my dear parents. They didn’t laugh me out of the room when I said I wanted to write. They nodded, passed the wine, and said, “What kind of stuff?” That little sincere moment was the best opening to this life.

Website: www.mathieucailler.com

Instagram: @writesfromla

Twitter: @writesfromla

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Image Credits
Christine Donlon Alain Cailler