Meet paul andrew skidmore!
I'll also be talking about my podcast :)
So, here’s the thing:
I recorded the first episode of my podcast which you can find right now on Spotify!
The Younger Colors Podcast has a lot of improvement to make, but I hope you enjoy yesterday’s episode where I host Owen Hayes. It’s a 25-minute segment where he and I talk about school clubs, Dungeons & Dragons, and a bit about Younger Colors! I’m still figuring out how to best distribute our voices and use Anchor’s editing platform, but bear with me as this is all extremely new!
There’s just a quick update, but I have a special segment for you all; today we’re going to meet paul andrew skidmore!
Meet paul andrew skidmore
paul and I met when I was a shy Freshman just a few years ago at a festival here in Tennessee, and I’ve been a huge fan ever since. I was first jumping into the writing bubble then and wouldn’t have made it far without his guidance. So, welcome paul, let’s ask you some questions!
What is your contribution to society?
ultimately, i’ll leave that to society to assess. but if we go by “It’s a Wonderful Life”, a guy with friends is a success and “the richest man in town”. i have many friends across all different walks of life, and that means more to me than any awards, big clients, or even my art. i’d like to think i’m a good listener and coach, that i walk with people through their journey rather than telling them how to fix things, and that regardless of whether we see eye to eye, i genuinely care about everyone i’ve ever met. i’d like to think my love for other people has made a few things better in this world. after all, love is the only thing that lasts forever.
Many know you for your books such as “ciao bella” and “the darkness rolled over her”. Tell us about a few of your works and what made you want to become a writer?
i’ve got three short stories — “kindling", "the darkness rolled over her", and "ciao bella” — and one novel — God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen. all four stories are quite different, but i’d like to think they all have my voice.
“kindling" is a Southern thriller, and it has my favorite prose that i’ve written. “the darkness rolled over her” is a story that practically began writing itself, and it has the power to save people’s lives — really. i recently made it into a film, which we are still editing, and there’s t-shirt, stickers, coffee mugs, and more. “ciao bella” is very short, funny, and honest. it’s a (mostly) true story about the time i went to Italy and met the most beautiful woman i’d ever seen.
God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen is a Cold War Christmas story loosely based on some true events. it’s my longest, most intricate story i’ve published. even as a novel, it reads quickly. most of the book takes place in real time, and it can be read in one long sitting, like watching a movie.
i’m working on two more novels. Dreams of Bezalel is about the man given the task of building God’s house during the Israelite’s wandering in the desert (Exodus through Deuteronomy). The Helper is about a Jewish grandfather who dreams a dignitary and his entourage will join his impoverished family for Passover, so he risks what little he has to get ready. both of these have been largely on hold while i’ve been working on the movie.
after finishing up a very large, long project (5+ years), i was feeling a little burnt out and left wondering what would be next. i woke up at 3am and couldn’t stop thinking about Bezalel, this character from the Old Testament who designs the Ark of the Covenant and the house of God, and then… has some kind of life after that. kind of like the guys who walk on the moon, how do you have a life after that? how does anything that comes next feel meaningful? in a small way, this is a little how i felt. so i got up, and went to Waffle House, and scratched out chapter one of Dreams of Bezalel, 3500 words. the next night, i went back… 2500 words. after i realized this was not just personal therapy but was actually going to become a full story, i opted to shelve it and do some shorter stories. that way i could learn how to publish, how to market, how to build an audience, etc. — all things i’m still learning how to do and still do not do well.
as a filmmaker, i have been very protective of my career path, my films, what i wanted to make and when, my cinema “brand”… and as a result, i never really accomplished anything. but with the books, they weren’t “my babies”; if i put them out there and no one responded, i didn’t care. it was mostly a learning exercise for me. when people did respond well, it encouraged me to throw some more stuff out there. i didn’t know anything about the book world — i don’t really read books, even (i read a lot, but not like fiction books); i was a total novice. and unlike my film stuff where i knew quite a bit and had some experience, i had no pride about being an author. i could go to my writing group on facebook and ask basic questions. comedian Jon Mendoza years ago said something like “it’s easier to go through life stupid. you do something stupid, and people go, ‘what’re you stupid?’ and you go, ‘yeah.’” i found a lot of freedom in being “stupid” about books and publishing and such. so i found myself as a filmmaker with 0 films and 4 books. this is probably the biggest thing i’ve gained through this writing journey, the power of doing. i’ve been able to set aside some pride and fear and even overly-ambitious plans to just do some things, and now i have a feature film finally under my belt.
Who inspires you?
i’m inspired by anyone that does anything well, and lately, i find myself wanting to emulate creators who put out content on a consistent basis. this consistency is something i really need to work on. Ethan, you definitely inspire me. you’ve been keeping up with this blog and your other endeavors, even with life and school and everything else going on. i really mean that.
some other people who inspire me lately in no particular order:
Robert Alter - professor of Hebrew literature, author of The Art of Biblical Narrative and The Five Books of Moses
Venera Mor - Russian abstract painter @venera.mor on Instagram
@dc_hillier on IG - lots of Mid-Century Modern architecture, cars, photography, etc.
Jae Benzinger - another young author who published his first short stories and novel days after graduating high school, and he’s got lots more on the way; benzingerbooks.com
Virgil Abloh - recently passed away, but made huge waves in the world of fashion. my favorite creation of his was the Louis Vuitton Men’s 2020 show. i’ve written about it on my blog.
Xenia Adonts - another fashion icon who went from influencer to designer/manufacturer with her company Attire the Studio. i love her color choices, her designs and cuts, and company ethos.
Christopher Nolan - he’s a master of the cinema craft. he always knows what the audience needs to see next. and his films are so fun to watch.
edit.party - so many individual people here inspire me daily with their different talents. i’m so glad to know personally such an amazing groups of creators of all kinds from all over the world and call them my friends; theeditparty.com
Where did you go to college? What did you study?
i did two year of music education at University of Memphis. then i did four years of film school at University of North Carolina School of the Arts. it was there that i learned to project manage, develop my personal taste, and find my creative voice. my emphasis was producing. i’ve always wanted to be a director, but i never wanted to enter the Hollywood machine. i’ve always wanted to self-distribute, etc. so i figured i could learn more about directing on the job if i knew how to make a movie, so i went into producing.
Tell us about your upcoming film adaptation for “the darkness rolled over her”.
as soon as i was done writing “the darkness rolled over her”, i realized it would be a pretty simple production — only a handful of speaking roles, most of the film is outdoor day, no helicopter explosions, etc. plus, i already have a camera, lenses, sound equipment, etc
once i realized we could film the story in local rivers, we reached out to cast and crew around Middle Tennessee and found people willing to volunteer their time because they loved the story or wanted the experience. i was able to raise enough money to feed everyone well, pick up some new gear, and get all our props and costumes. filming was about 18 days, and we’re still editing, over a year later. i hope to have a 2-minute trailer out very soon, with the film to follow later this year, Lord willing. my composer just sent me his latest pass at the score for the trailer, and i’m getting VERY excited!
your readers can get the ebook for “the darkness rolled over her” FREE at
i occasionally post updates about the film on
if they want to follow along there. links to all of my creative works can be found at parabolos.com.
What music artists have you been listening to lately?
i have a very bizarre taste in music, and i found so much joy when visiting my friends in LA and finding out they have the same tastes! it’s always awesome to realize maybe you’re not an alien, you just need to find your people.
but i listen almost exclusively to midcentury cocktail lounge. most of it is fun and silly and upbeat, and even the slower tunes are romantic and cozy. it always puts me in a great mood. my favorite way to listen is on Illinois Street Lounge on SomaFM. they play a lot of Les Baxter, Martin Denny, Ethel Smith, Perez Prado, Walter Wanderly, Laurie Johnson… one of my favorites is John Buzon Trio, especially “I Can’t Believe That You’re In Love With Me”.
sometimes when i work, i’ll put on SomaFM’s Mission Control, which is drone electronica with NASA radio recordings overlaid on top of it. i find it really inspiring to work to, and the static and droning tones are white noise to drown out the coffee shop or the dishwasher or just my own thoughts.
and at Christmas, there’s little better than SomaFM’s Department Store Christmas channel… major throwback to being a kid walking through the Village Mall eating Christmas cookies from the Village Bakery and looking in the toy store window at the model trains…
i also like the Spice Girls.
Do you have any advice for younger generations who hope to pursue a career in writing?
write. write something every day. don’t worry about word count, or if it’s good, or if anyone will read it, or the style. just write. think by writing. rather than staring into a corner, sit down with a journal or a blank text doc on your iPad and “think” by writing in complete sentences. you’ll get better at both thinking and writing.
read. don’t feel like you have to read books, although if you want to publish books, it’s probably a good idea. but the real goal here is input. learn. be curious. do anything that fosters your curiosity. chase curiosity relentlessly. read a national newspaper; i read the Wall Street Journal because “follow the money” is always the real story. don’t read every word of it, but scan it every day. you’ll keep up with the long, on-going stories as time goes by.
look at things. people watch. walk around thrift stores and antique malls. find old family photos. go on a virtual museum tour. follow creators on instagram. these things will expand the worlds you hope to write about.
listen to things. there’s more great podcasts, audiobooks, and music then you will ever be able to listen to in your entire lifetime. and don’t just listen to new things, or things in your “genre”. listen to old comedians, old music, new indie jazz, French opera, TED talks.
fill your timelines with people that add — people like Sahil Bloom, Naval Ravikant, Jack Butcher, Donald Miller — and politely mute people that subtract — downers, complainers, arguers, liars, and destructors. and don’t be afraid to reach out and ask questions. (ps - your readers are welcome to hit me up on twitter or insta.)
know and love people. you’re writing about people (even if you think you aren’t) and you’re definitely writing FOR people. know and love everyone, then write to one person, as if it were a private conversation. more important than developing flowery prose is being able to establish an intimate connection with your reader. be brave! give away a piece of yourself with everything you publish. if you learn to make that deep connection with your reader, celebrate — and be careful! — because you can take them anywhere you want them to go.
Thank you, paul andrew skidmore, for taking time out of your week to talk to all of us, we appreciate you! I think we all learned a lot today! To my readers, make sure to show paul some love by downloading your free copy of “the darkness rolled over her” and check out his own Substack.
Happy Thursday, everyone! Tonight we play Central, “The Evil Empire”, and like Mr. German said, student admission is FREE! Show up at the ball game tonight and cheer loud for our Wildcats on the court tonight and for our school. Cheers!