Aug 15Liked by Evelyn Skye, Samuél Lopez-Barrantes
It sounds like you and Evelyn had a lovely time! I get how you might have felt intimidated; I know I would have been, but she sounds amazing. And she looks fabulous in that red dress in the photo! I haven’t been to Paris in years; I live in Geneva. So look me up if you come down here!
I love the passion in your voice! And yes, the magic!!! Come to Geneva! There must be a tour to do here, too! Or to Girona in Spain, you would love that little city, soo beautiful!
Thank you Francesca, and Geneva ain't too far! Evelyn was nothing but kind and curious, which isn't always as common as one would think. The same goes for you if you ever happen to be in Paris, do give me a shout!
I would love to! And I have a place near Girona, an hour south of Barcelona, too, si jamais tu es par la! Girona is gorgeous, I love Barcelona, but Girona is far easier to navigate and very photogenic.
Aug 15Liked by Samuél Lopez-Barrantes, Evelyn Skye
This was brilliant! There are as many paths to success as there are successful people and yet we’ve all been fooled that there’s only one way?!
Or… if there is one…. Let it be the one where you simply do what you love, and keep doing it because… well you love it 😍 would love to have an interview in Paris some day, my husband is Parisian but we don’t live there anymore though go frequently. There’s just something about that city that sparks the mind like no other place…. ✨
Exactly. We all know these things (some folks call them truisms or cliche) and one of the reasons I suspect we're so quick to forget them is because the loudest, most powerful voices want to make us think there's only THE ONE WAY.
Doing what we love. Yet another truism. But I was so grateful to meet Evelyn and to hear that she flipped her life around to do exactly that. Next time you're in Paris, give me a shout and we'll have that conversation! Looking forward to it
Yes it was such a great conversation to get a glimpse of so I can only imagine! The reality is that most never even try isn’t it. My husband was a photographer and artist in Paris when we met and was so convinced he’d never get “a normal job” that I believed it, we started an art business together 2016 and never looked back. It’s very fascinating what can happen when you just do it as if there was no other option rather than the inverse approach.
Would be very fun! Should be in September some time…
Aug 15Liked by Samuél Lopez-Barrantes, Evelyn Skye
I did, indeed. I found it infinitely relatable when you talked about how frustrating it is when you’ve spent a tremendous amount of effort crafting some type of PR for social, etc. and it completely disappears into the void. There’s nothing more frustrating!
Yeah I'm currently being careful about where I decide to put my energy when it comes to promotion. When my gut tells me that paying for reviews, for example, just sounds like a bummer, then I follow my gut instinct. So much advice out there is based upon the adviser trying to sell you something ... this is part of why Evelyn is such a pleasure to talk to, because she's honest and real about listening to that inner voice when it comes to life.
Aug 15Liked by Samuél Lopez-Barrantes, Evelyn Skye
Oh, my, what a treat to have been a pebble in this pond, Samuél. Great chat. Very human. Love the sense of a journey. The way motivations change. Evelyn is wonderfully honest about her journey as a writer. The work is better now but the secret is the WORK. You learn. You adapt. You improve. Great questions and really open answers. In a world where we match interesting folk to fantasy dinners, I’d have you too to supper. Every time.
Precisely. So many people are so eager to "get there." Very few people are willing to write multiple novels that nobody will ever see. But that's what separates the writers from the rest. Ta Nehisi Coates had a great take on this years ago:
I hope to meet you in person some day, Jojo and Barrie! Now I'm further incentivized to improve my French so that I can come back to France to visit with you and Samuél. I mean, obviously you all speak English, but I find that motivating myself with a future vacation works wonders, haha.
That would be lovely and we will also undertake to improve our French for fear of embarrassing ourselves as country bumpkins who hide away on our farm and talk to one another!
Aug 16Liked by Evelyn Skye, Samuél Lopez-Barrantes
Absolutely loved this post, Evelyn! Your walk through Paris not only captured the essence of Hemingway’s legacy but also showcased remarkable humility and generosity. It's refreshing to see a successful author using her platform to uplift others. This piece is a brilliant reminder of the true spirit of literary success and community!👍❤️
Thanks for the kind words, Somy. I'm always amazed at how little about the dark-sides of celebrity, wealth & fame our culture talks about. Of course, if we learned about the deeper truths behind the vapid nature of pigeonholed ideas of success, the entire model of contemporary cultural production would be shaken to its very core.
Aug 16Liked by Samuél Lopez-Barrantes, Evelyn Skye
You're absolutely right, Samuel! The deeper truths about fame and wealth are often ignored. Your post bravely exposes this, challenging the surface-level success narrative. Thanks for the insight.👍
aww, thank you so much for saying so, Somy! And I entirely agree with you that there is such a beautiful spirit here in the Substack literary community. I'm happy we crossed paths!
Aug 16Liked by Samuél Lopez-Barrantes, Evelyn Skye
Absolutely, the Substack community truly is special! I’m glad we connected and got to share in this inspiring journey. Looking forward to more wonderful exchanges and insights. Cheers to our paths crossing!👍
Aug 29Liked by Samuél Lopez-Barrantes, Evelyn Skye
Wonderful, warm interview. I might have misheard, Samuél, but I thought you were going include in the show notes the link to a document Evelyn prepared about personal marketing strategies in the months leading up to a book release?
It sounds like you and Evelyn had a lovely time! I get how you might have felt intimidated; I know I would have been, but she sounds amazing. And she looks fabulous in that red dress in the photo! I haven’t been to Paris in years; I live in Geneva. So look me up if you come down here!
You're too kind, Francesca, thank you. I'm really just a big nerd who is probably too earnest. 💛
I love the passion in your voice! And yes, the magic!!! Come to Geneva! There must be a tour to do here, too! Or to Girona in Spain, you would love that little city, soo beautiful!
Thank you Francesca, and Geneva ain't too far! Evelyn was nothing but kind and curious, which isn't always as common as one would think. The same goes for you if you ever happen to be in Paris, do give me a shout!
I would love to! And I have a place near Girona, an hour south of Barcelona, too, si jamais tu es par la! Girona is gorgeous, I love Barcelona, but Girona is far easier to navigate and very photogenic.
This was brilliant! There are as many paths to success as there are successful people and yet we’ve all been fooled that there’s only one way?!
Or… if there is one…. Let it be the one where you simply do what you love, and keep doing it because… well you love it 😍 would love to have an interview in Paris some day, my husband is Parisian but we don’t live there anymore though go frequently. There’s just something about that city that sparks the mind like no other place…. ✨
Exactly. We all know these things (some folks call them truisms or cliche) and one of the reasons I suspect we're so quick to forget them is because the loudest, most powerful voices want to make us think there's only THE ONE WAY.
Doing what we love. Yet another truism. But I was so grateful to meet Evelyn and to hear that she flipped her life around to do exactly that. Next time you're in Paris, give me a shout and we'll have that conversation! Looking forward to it
Yes it was such a great conversation to get a glimpse of so I can only imagine! The reality is that most never even try isn’t it. My husband was a photographer and artist in Paris when we met and was so convinced he’d never get “a normal job” that I believed it, we started an art business together 2016 and never looked back. It’s very fascinating what can happen when you just do it as if there was no other option rather than the inverse approach.
Would be very fun! Should be in September some time…
I agree, Elin, most never try. But for those who are brave enough, it's so wonderful to have a creative outlet, isn't it?
Oh yes 100%!! And once you go for it… there’s no turning back either 🫣 thanks for sharing 💜
This was such a wonderful conversation. Thanks for taking the time to have it and to share it with all of us.
So happy you enjoyed it, Ben! Thank you for listening/watching.
I did, indeed. I found it infinitely relatable when you talked about how frustrating it is when you’ve spent a tremendous amount of effort crafting some type of PR for social, etc. and it completely disappears into the void. There’s nothing more frustrating!
Yeah I'm currently being careful about where I decide to put my energy when it comes to promotion. When my gut tells me that paying for reviews, for example, just sounds like a bummer, then I follow my gut instinct. So much advice out there is based upon the adviser trying to sell you something ... this is part of why Evelyn is such a pleasure to talk to, because she's honest and real about listening to that inner voice when it comes to life.
Oh, my, what a treat to have been a pebble in this pond, Samuél. Great chat. Very human. Love the sense of a journey. The way motivations change. Evelyn is wonderfully honest about her journey as a writer. The work is better now but the secret is the WORK. You learn. You adapt. You improve. Great questions and really open answers. In a world where we match interesting folk to fantasy dinners, I’d have you too to supper. Every time.
Precisely. So many people are so eager to "get there." Very few people are willing to write multiple novels that nobody will ever see. But that's what separates the writers from the rest. Ta Nehisi Coates had a great take on this years ago:
https://www.theatlantic.com/culture/archive/2013/09/advice-on-writing-from-i-the-atlantic-i-s-ta-nehisi-coates/465582/
I shall look forward to reading that, thanks so much. PS … I’d be happy with one novel!
You ‘two’ obviously. It’s hard to write accurately sans lunettes!
I hope to meet you in person some day, Jojo and Barrie! Now I'm further incentivized to improve my French so that I can come back to France to visit with you and Samuél. I mean, obviously you all speak English, but I find that motivating myself with a future vacation works wonders, haha.
That would be lovely and we will also undertake to improve our French for fear of embarrassing ourselves as country bumpkins who hide away on our farm and talk to one another!
Absolutely loved this post, Evelyn! Your walk through Paris not only captured the essence of Hemingway’s legacy but also showcased remarkable humility and generosity. It's refreshing to see a successful author using her platform to uplift others. This piece is a brilliant reminder of the true spirit of literary success and community!👍❤️
Thanks for the kind words, Somy. I'm always amazed at how little about the dark-sides of celebrity, wealth & fame our culture talks about. Of course, if we learned about the deeper truths behind the vapid nature of pigeonholed ideas of success, the entire model of contemporary cultural production would be shaken to its very core.
You're absolutely right, Samuel! The deeper truths about fame and wealth are often ignored. Your post bravely exposes this, challenging the surface-level success narrative. Thanks for the insight.👍
aww, thank you so much for saying so, Somy! And I entirely agree with you that there is such a beautiful spirit here in the Substack literary community. I'm happy we crossed paths!
Absolutely, the Substack community truly is special! I’m glad we connected and got to share in this inspiring journey. Looking forward to more wonderful exchanges and insights. Cheers to our paths crossing!👍
Wonderful, warm interview. I might have misheard, Samuél, but I thought you were going include in the show notes the link to a document Evelyn prepared about personal marketing strategies in the months leading up to a book release?
Thank you Elizabeth for the reminder! You are indeed correct, I've just added that link to a footnote but here it is too for your perusal:
https://www.creativeinspiredhappy.com/p/publicity-calendar-for-book-launch