A new memoir from an L.A. author turns the girl-meets-boy fairytale on its tête
Words by KERSTIN CZARRA
Here’s the pitch for a new rom-com: Divorced, broke, heartbroken and devastated by her father’s death, our heroine goes to see one of L.A.’s most sought-after astrologists and is told her terribly handsome ex-boyfriend is the one, born on the date and place that align with her mystical point of destiny. But instead of rushing back into his arms, she boards a flight to Paris to seek another French suitor born on the same exact date.
All Signs Point to Paris: A Memoir of Love, Loss, and Destiny (Harper Collins, $29), is the raw and relatable story of author Natasha Sizlo’s search for her second chance at love with subplots of grief, sisterhood, following your heart and steering your own destiny. The memoir reads more like a page-turning novel soon to be made into a major motion picture. (More on that later.) Dotted with magical moments and missteps, the story’s tone, characters and finale are far from formulaic.
A bold-name agent with L.A. powerhouse brokerage The Agency, Sizlo grew up in Santa Barbara and is a mom of two who lives in the Palisades. She is a former freelance journalist who has written for Variety, Cosmopolitan and our sister publication, Santa Barbara Magazine. Recently, she sat down with C to talk about love, Los Angeles and if she still believes in a soulmate.
What made you want to share this very personal story?
I decided to write it as a book during the pandemic to remind myself of the power of hope, love and magic during dark times. It is essentially about how the most brutal years of my life turned into the most magical and fun year of my life, and I couldn’t help but share it.
You write so vividly about L.A. Do you have a new lens on it after writing the book?
I love Los Angeles and its unique and diverse cast of characters! It is a character in the book as much as all my girlfriends and potential soulmates. From hiking Runyon Canyon to the scene at Hot 8 Yoga to trying to look cute while buying cauliflower at Erewhon. I also chronicle the city’s spiritual side: sound baths, crystal stores, psychics and tarot readers. I used to make fun of the city and its many stereotypes, but Los Angeles is full of a sense of wonder—possibility like no other place. Writing about it led me to fall in love with it again repeatedly.
What did writing this book teach you when it comes to love and destiny?
I discovered my life is full of all kinds of love that I was too blind to see at the beginning of this journey, including, and most importantly, a deep love for myself. I met so many people along the way and I would not be the person I am today without them. Love can take many forms, and it’s important to treasure them all. Soulmates exist and sometimes show up at the most unexpected times.
This seems tailor-made for the silver screen. Can you give us any dish?
No official announcement has been made, so I can’t go into specific details yet, but yes, there is exciting news to come.
What do you think makes it a uniquely California story?
This is the land of big dreams. We are a land of creative dreamers, storytellers, artists, innovators and thinkers. There was beauty in going to Paris but an even greater joy in coming home. It’s like the Joni Mitchell song, California. It’s wonderful to travel and see the world, but California is a state that does “take me as I am.”
October 12, 2022
Discover more CULTURE news.
