Interview with Rachel Corsini, Author of Sushi and Sea Lions
After declaring herself a pretty pink princess during her first ballet class, Rachel Corsini dreamt of sugarplums and began pirouetting her way through life. While studying to become a ballerina, she compulsively read books under her covers by flashlight and scribbled in spiral-bound notebooks. The urge to tell stories culminated in her graduation from Columbia College Chicago with a B.F.A. in fiction writing.
Never one to keep her feet on the ground, she traveled the world from Prague to Cape Town. Once settled back in Queens, she dabbled in journalism before working as an Editorial Assistant for a medical publisher. Seeking a more fulfilling career, she earned her MAT from Queens College and currently works as an English teacher in an alternative program in NYC. Rachel spends her time sipping coffee, trying to cook, and practicing her pirouettes. She currently resides in Freeport, Long Island.
Rachel Corsini’s debut novel Sushi and Sea Lions (Creative James Media) was published in May. She sat down to answer questions on disillusionment, self-discovery, and vulnerability.
Jacquelyn Scott: Congratulations on your recent release, Sushi and Sea Lions! What inspired you to write a story centered around a prima ballerina and the challenges she faces after a career-ending injury?
Rachel Corsini: Thank you so much. I used to be a ballerina. Well, I guess I still am since I take classes regularly, but at one point, I did give up on ballet even though it was something I loved deeply. Instead of having Daniela quietly quit, I wanted it to be something that would be life-altering, especially since she was at the peak of her career. It’s a hard process to discover who you are when the one thing that defines you is gone. That was what Daniela’s journey was.
Scott: Can you speak about Daniela Verdi? What aspects of her personality did you find most interesting or compelling to explore?
Corsini: Daniela is this ball of energy that just radiates out of her. Even in her darkest moments, there is a kindness and warmth about her. There is one part in the book where she says, “I just want other people to be happy.” Coming from someone who is wrestling with her own unhappiness, it is a selfless way to be.
Scott: Daniela fills her days with distractions. How do these distractions play a role in her journey of self-discovery and healing?
Corsini: Daniela does anything she can to avoid addressing the void that she feels by not being able to dance anymore as well as dealing with the heartbreak from realizing she was in a “situationship” with a man who is a total jerk. Drinking too much, one night stands, video games; they all take up an immense amount of her time and are good avoidance behaviors for sitting down and dealing with the complete destruction of a perfectly crafted life. When she realizes that they’re not helping her, that these things are just noise, is when the real work begins. She does realize that she likes gaming though, ha! So she ends up with a hobby out of it.
Scott: The chance meeting with Vincent LaBate seems to be a turning point for Daniela. Could you elaborate on the significance of their relationship and how it impacts both characters’ lives?
Corsini: The meeting at her brother’s birthday party in the bar is a real shift for Daniela. I think she accepts that this is her new reality and she needs to figure out what to do to be happy again. She has to move forward with her life. In a way, Vincent is a piece of home that she left behind, and he reminds her of that. He’s grounded and down to earth. He brings her down from the clouds but in a good way. For Vincent, their relationship makes him believe in love again and companionship. That’s hard to do after you get jaded by things.
Scott: Daniela initially doubts that Vincent could love someone like her, who is broken and stumbling through life. How does their shared experience of scars and vulnerabilities shape their romance?
Corsini: It takes a lot for Daniela to be vulnerable with Vincent and vice versa, but when they finally do, it’s the moment where they trust each other completely. It’s well earned by each of them. It also holds them back a little, because neither of them dives head-first into this. It takes a long time for Daniela to show Vinny her true heart and the same for him. Vincent really does help Daniela to heal though, which is very sweet.
Scott: The book touches on the idea that a dream life may not be as fulfilling as it appears. Can you discuss the theme of disillusionment and how it affects Daniela's perception of herself and her aspirations?
Corsini: Nobody really addresses disillusionment very much because it can be depressing, especially in what is supposed to be a happy book! Haven’t we all been there? We win a prize we think we really wanted. We get the dream job only to realize that we hate it. We perfect a dance step only to have to move on to the next one. Daniela had everything she wanted, but it still wasn’t enough. She wasn’t perfect therefore it didn’t matter that her dream came true, but she was still trying, still forcing herself to put herself into some box. She was never good enough. This mentality carries throughout the whole book. It’s such a hard thing to unravel, that you are good enough just as you are. That you are good enough being imperfect. Daniela is always afraid she is going to mess up the next step of her life, but eventually she kind of figures out she can’t do that, not too badly anyway.
Scott: How did you approach writing about the emotional and psychological struggles faced by Daniela and Vincent throughout the story?
Corsini: I approached them gently, but I always wanted to keep the story lighthearted and hopeful. I think the spattering of humor throughout, even during the darkest parts of the story, help. There is no joy without sadness, right? I wanted to show that and that each character handles this in their own way.
Scott: Are there any specific themes or messages you hope readers will take away from the book?
Corsini: The big one is that you are enough. An internal journey to learning is a hard road, but it is so important. I wish everyone felt this way and never had to work on that feeling ever. It is true though. No matter what happens, or the things that you go through in your life, you are enough. Don’t ever let someone tell you differently.
Scott: What are you currently reading or working on?
Corsini: My current read is The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern. I know I’m late to the party. Forgive me. As for the WIP, I am writing Daniela’s best friend, Tricia’s story. It’s another one that deals with some internal struggles and moving forward. The big one there is forgiveness.
Scott: What is the best piece of writing advice you’ve received?
Corsini: Just write. Don’t compare your writing to others. Don’t worry about where you are in your writing career. Just write.
From Creative James Media:
Sushi and Sea Lions by Rachel Corsini
When a career-ending injury and a messy breakup send prima ballerina Daniela Verdi back to Queens, New York, she fills her days with countless distractions: meaningless sex, pinot grigio, and video games.
It takes a chance meeting with her brother's best friend, Vincent LaBate, for her to remember who she was before the stage lights and distractions of the Upper West Side. She's convinced that Vincent could never love a girl like her: broken, insecure, and stumbling her way through life. What Daniela didn't count on is that Vincent is as scarred as she is after divorcing his cheating wife and going through an equally messy child custody fight. Soon enough, old vulnerabilities rear their ugly heads, opening a crack in Daniela's perfectly imperfect romance.
As Daniela and Vincent's relationship develops, will Daniela learn to accept that a dream life isn't all it's cracked up to be?
Get your copy from Creative James Media.
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