19 Comments

Sensationally Contemporary ! Lovin it !

Your ‘Topicality’ of your work ain’t exactly my ‘cup of tea’ - yet the ‘spirit’ & perspective ‘slays’ ..

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Appreciate it sir. I hear you too re: topicality, it’s a conundrum I cannot seem to escape as far as being a writer that inevitably has to do some semblance of self promotion. A metamodernist Catch 22 let’s call it. But hey. Joseph Heller struggled, too.

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Apr 26·edited Apr 26Liked by Samuél Lopez-Barrantes

I'm inspired, thank you, Samuel. You may just have tipped the scales for me to the self-publishing side. I'm also happy to hear you feel Substack is "still a fundamentally enriching space."

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Ahhh well you’ll be on the side of independent publishing then😎

Self-publishing as a term is I fear mostly now used by traditional publishing and its acolytes to demean and differentiate between what amounts to independent artists 💪🏼

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Thanks for the correction!

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Apr 27Liked by Samuél Lopez-Barrantes

Great seeing your words here Samuèl and I am filled with gratitude for you and your beautiful book. I have been taking some breaks away from the screen myself so my inbox is full and I am unlikely to get to it all but that is ok. I have been working in my yard and walking my dog and reading good books.

I love the fact you could envision an independent process for your book and make it work. It turned out marvelous and didn't require the evil gods of Amazon self-publishing to make it happen. I also really enjoyed the discussion between you and Joshua. I listened to it while walking my dog the other day. Keeping my fingers crossed for an opportunity to meet and chat about life one of these days.

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We'll surely find ourselves with a glass of wine and/or a coffee one of these days along the Seine. It's such a seesaw battle between the desire to pursue more market-based ambition and the recognition of what creative success really means in the quiet moments. Knowing my book is on your bookshelf, and Joshua's, and 200+ others is as much as I can possibly ask for. Which doesn't mean I won't also publish an American edition so that the people who use the Amazons of the world can also have access. But thanks to this 1st edition, the potential for mass validation isn't--and can't be--the point.

I miss dogs. One day in a country home I can call my own, I shall have one. A human can and will dream.

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Apr 28Liked by Samuél Lopez-Barrantes

Living the writer’s life, indeed. You’ve reconfirmed both my plans for future “independent” publishing (love this term) *and* the value of in-person connections. Très bien!

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Yes! I think we should strike out the term "self-publishing" as one that no longer serves us (and only upholds the very systems we're trying to dismantle). The word of mouth connection remains the most surefire, authentic, and profitable one I know of. Glad to hear the inspiration is flowing. One day all of the big ole corporations cornering artistic markets will be a thing of the past. I do believe in that. If I didn't, I wouldn't be doing this, after all.

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Apr 29Liked by Samuél Lopez-Barrantes

proud to be a part of the process. xx

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Thanks wife. You're cool.

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Apr 30Liked by Samuél Lopez-Barrantes

Bravo!

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May 1Liked by Samuél Lopez-Barrantes

You had me at metamodern consumptive trends. I'm also a writer who left the land of "have you been on Orpah"? (When being on Oprah was a thing) for life in the south of France. Bravo on your decision to launch Kingdom Anywhere. I'm inspired!

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Haha love it. And what a pleasure to hear even bonafide bestselling authors like yourself have found a better way to pursue the writing life than the constant stress of self-promotion. Next time you're in Paris, we'll have to find ourselves a glass of wine.

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May 3Liked by Samuél Lopez-Barrantes

Happy to have found you. Happy to have The Requisitions winging its way toward me.

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It's an honor to be on your bookshelf Eleanor, I'm looking forward to delving into your work & expanding the circle of Substack prose friends

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Hooray! Ditto. I want to come to your Salon. 🙌

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Jul 12Liked by Samuél Lopez-Barrantes

And who is the king of this kingdom...hmmmm? Damn royalists keep trying to bring back the monarchy... (so proud of you bruv)

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Jul 13·edited Jul 13Author

Kingdom Anywhere can't wait to work with one of Paris' kings for whatever thy king doth decide to publish with the Royalist Press. Thanks friend. You've literally been there since the beginning of The Crown.

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