Paulo Coelho
Paulo Coelho
Paulo Coelho de Souzais a Brazilian lyricist and novelist. He is the recipient of numerous international awards, amongst them the Crystal Award by the World Economic Forum. His novel The Alchemist has been translated into 80 languages. The author has sold over 200 million copies worldwide and is the all-time bestselling Portuguese language author...
NationalityBrazilian
ProfessionNovelist
Date of Birth24 August 1947
CityRio de Janeiro, Brazil
CountryBrazil
I am 100 per cent Virgo, stubborn, over-organised, slightly abstracted from the rest of the world.
I'm first and foremost a writer. I followed my personal legend, my childhood dream of becoming a writer, but I can't say why I'm one.
It's not difficult for me to put my feelings into written form. I try to be concise and to go direct to the subject. This is what people like about my work, and what the critics hate.
I am a Catholic, not so committed to the church, but to the idea of the Virgin, the female face of God.
Let us be absolutely clear about one thing: we must not confuse humility with false modesty or servility.
In writing, I apply my feminine side and respect the mystery involved in creation.
Sometimes I catch myself stooping, and whenever I am like that, I am sure something is not quite right.
The major religions, Christianity, Judaism, Islam, they deny somehow that God has a feminine face. However, if you go to the holy texts, you see there is this feminine presence.
I am a Catholic because I choose to be a Catholic. And then I go to the Mass because I choose. It is out of my free will.
Writing is a solitary experience. I'm extremely superstitious. If I talk about the book or name the title out loud before finishing, I feel the energy I need to write will be drained. It's so intimate, I can't even share it with my wife.
I don't set out to write about spirituality; I am free to do something different every time.
I can't consciously explain how people feel after reading my books. All is too personal.
Once I found this possibility to use Twitter and Facebook and my blog to connect to my readers, I'm going to use it, to connect to them and to share thoughts that I cannot use in the book.
When I had nothing more to lose, I was given everything. When I ceased to be someone who I am I found myself. When I was humilated and yet I kept on walking, I realised I was free to choose my own Destiny