Born in Palma but a man of the world, poet, writer and media columnist (a political party tried to poach him), Samuel Bressón will soon be presenting his new book in Palma.
Samuel grew up and was educated in Palma but as soon as he could, he moved to Madrid and became a successful businessman until the recession hit and hit him hard. However, from a very early age, especially in his teenage years, he had always been writing, composing poetry.
"I guess in your teens you have a lot of issues, feelings, angst, whatever, and writing poems is a great escape. We’ve all done it. Writing is a great release and a wonderful way of expressing your feelings."
In 1995, he went to Madrid and started up a number of businesses which were very successful until the recession hit. By 2012, that was that; he was bankrupt. However, having been composing poems all his life he decided to contact a few publishers and in May 2013 his first book was published and he has not looked back.
Samuel is a compulsive writer and thanks to social media he is able to post what he writes every day online. Six books later, under the pressure of his 30,000 plus digital followers and thousands more readers, he is presenting his seventh book here in his home town on 9 June. However, Diario de Musas, diablos, sexo y creacion is a new adventure for Samuel and his dedicated readers and global followers.
Samuel explains that poetry is nearly always autobiographical, so he really opens up his soul, his feelings and experiences to the readers. Some people may find that hard but he says that any artist, in order to be honest and successful, has to be confident and comfortable in what they do, whether it be music, painting or prose.
"No one can teach you how to write. They may be able to help you perfect and improve things but it’s a vocation you either have or don’t. Here in Spain, unless you are an award-winning writer, you are not going to make millions, it’s extremely tough. The government and local authorities do little to help authors and publishing houses. That is why most of the writers have to fight to earn a living and the publishing houses charge a lot of money for books in order to exist.
"And being a poet, we are even more marginalised." Samuel is proud of his political stance, extreme left, but in his new book of short stories, poems and comments he has posted over the past two years, he has decided to leave it open to the readers.
"In the new book I touch on modern life. At times I’m very philosophical. I write about sex, my experiences, my feelings, thoughts and opinions. Without those what can one write about? One needs inspiration but I am never short of that. I never prepare before I write, I just write, I can’t help it. Any time of day, I write, I am always writing. Once I start, the words just flood thorough me and I let them take me whereever they want to go. It’s a constant journey of discovery.
"I don’t want to offend anyone. What I believe is one thing. Not all my readers may agree so I have decided to be apolitical with this new book. But what I will say is that Spain, as a relatively young democracy, is politically moving far too slowly. Yes, society is changing, we have the new parties like Podemos coming to the forefront, but they are still not in a real position to change anything, certainly not at the speed at which society wants.
"The trouble with the Spanish people is that they are still accustomed to being told what to do. Yes, people are now thinking about how they vote, but it is all taking so long. We don’t have that great sense of democracy that Great Britain has. Full marks for the Scottish and Brexit referendums, giving the people the chance to speak and not the politicians to decide what is right or not.
"Spain would never leave Europe. We would be told it is the end of the world, but ask me and I would shut the whole thing down and start again. It doesn’t work. It’s inhumane, it’s one big multinational looking after its own interests while ignoring those of the people. Europe has a lot to learn from Great Britain, but like Spain, it moves at its own speed in the interests of the few."
Book launch is 9 June at Literanta in calle Can Fortuny.
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