Book Shop Chats:
Welcome to Book Shop Chats, your go to podcast for indie authors and learning insight into what it takes to write a book (HINT: You can do it too!!)
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Book Shop Chats:
Episode FORTY-FOUR: Redefining Dreams: Rachel Corsini on Life, Love, and "Sushi and Sea Lions
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Today's episode vividly explores the poignant journey of self-discovery and love as we discuss Rachel Corsini's debut novel, "Sushi and Sea Lions." Through the lens of Daniela's chaotic yet relatable experiences, we delve into the complexities of adulthood, relationships, and the importance of embracing life's messiness.
• Daniela's journey of personal and romantic rediscovery
• New York City as a character in the narrative
• The intertwining themes of heartbreak and healing
• The balance of character development and relatability
• The humorous portrayal of millennial dating dilemmas
Author Bio: After declaring herself a pretty pink princess during her first ballet class, Rachel 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.
Book Blurb: 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.
Socials: @MadameRaeRae on Tiktok/Instagram/X/BlueSky/Threads
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About Victoria:
Hey there, I’m Victoria! As a writer and developmental editor, I specialize in helping busy writers bring their publishing dreams to life without the overwhelm. Editing doesn’t have to feel like pulling teeth—it's the magic that transforms your story from “meh” to masterpiece!
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Bookshop Chats With Rachel Corsini
Speaker 1Welcome to Bookshop Chats . I am your host , victoria Hopkins . Bookshop Chats is the perfect podcast for authors , readers and writers alike . In these episodes , we chat with a variety of authors from all kinds of genres and help demystify and show you that writing a book is well , not necessarily easy doable . So grab a coffee and get ready to add a whole bunch more books to your TBR and let's dive in . Oh hey , it's Victoria , your host of Bookshop Chats .
Speaker 1Before we dive into today's episode , I'm going to share a little bit about what's going on in my world . So currently , my books are open for developmental editing . If that is your jam , if you need a book edited , come reach out to me . Free samples for the first 1,000 , 1,500 words , just to make sure that we jive with each other , because that is a very , very important thing . When you are looking for a developmental editor , you want to make sure that you guys jive with each other , because that is a very , very important thing . When you are looking for a developmental editor , you want to make sure that you guys jive , that the feedback is given is going to be what it is that you are indeed looking for , and if you are a busy writer like me , we need all the help we can get when it comes to planning . And if you are maybe a little bit more of a pantster , let me show you the power of having some kind of outline . So this is kind of the premise of the five minute planner that I put together for busy writers . So in there you will find a huge character sketch to really like dive into your characters and also a really simple planner outline that you can map out what you need to write each day . So this is a really great way to help kind of get clear of what direction you need to go , whether it's a scene or whether it's a chapter , and you can even utilize this throughout your whole book . It's really simple to use .
Speaker 1I put it together with the intention of it being like a five to 10 minute kind of thing that you do maybe before you write , just so that you are maximizing the time that you have to write . Especially if you are low on time like me , we need all the help we can get . And finally , I also put together the Writer's Haven is a bite-sized audio training for the busy writer . So I put these little bite-sized audio clips together with the intention of you being able to listen to them on demand , as you need to , and they're really great for helping with things like , maybe , writer's block or you're feeling a little bit stuck on how to manage your busy life and fit writing into it . I've also added some meditations to help really support your inner artist and really just tap back into your creative spirit , and it is all available for you . I'll link it in the show notes if that is something that is your jam . Like I said , it is a super low cost $9 to hop in and the intention is I'll periodically add in a couple audios here and there throughout the year and it's kind of an ever evolving thing . So once you grab it , that's it , it's yours and you get access to any bonus things that I add in .
Speaker 1Okay , friends ? Well , I think it is about time that we dive back into today's episode . So grab a cozy beverage and let's add some more books to your TBR . Welcome back to Bookshop Chats . In today's episode , I am chatting with Rachel Corsini . Welcome to the podcast .
Speaker 2Hi , I'm Rachel , so thank you so much for having me . I'm excited to be here .
Speaker 1Me too . I'm very excited . I'm excited to hear all about your book . I was reading the like teaser that you sent in when you booked in and I'm like I love romance , so please share all of the details about your book , okay , so Sushi and Sea Lions is about Daniela Verdi , who basically her entire life just completely falls apart .
Speaker 2She was a star ballerina for New York york valley company and then what happens is um , he injures her foot and she can't dance anymore , like it's career ending .
Speaker 2And then the guy that she thought that she was in a relationship they were never in a relationship um , classic millennial situation ship .
Speaker 2And so she like , and so that ends and she's totally heartbroken and then she like runs out of money so she has to move back um into like one of her parents , like rental properties , back in her old neighborhood in queens and there she kind of reconnects , like with the neighborhood and like the people there and also her brother's best friend , vincent , who is also going through some trauma of his own . His wife of quite a few years had an affair and he's in the middle of a messy divorce and so he is also back in the neighborhood and also a mess , and so it progresses from there and it is Daniela's story Like it's not only their love story but it's also like Danielle's story of her finding herself again and you know the life that she never really realized that she needed Um because she had the dream life and the life that she always wanted , but was it really everything that she thought it was ? And so that's kind of like the crux of the story .
Speaker 1So , yeah , that is the gist of Sushi and Sea Lime I love it , I love it , you have me , you have me hooked , you have me hooked . That's what I want . Amazing . I love that and I feel like there's something to be said about , like often , I don't know , I love it , um , but you saying like New York City as like a setting for a book , because I feel like that's almost its own character oh yeah , new York is a character and it's so .
Speaker 2I'm originally from New York , I'm originally I'm a Queens girl , so , um , and I always find that when I read about New York , it's always , you know , new York , it's always New York City , manhattan , you know , in the lights of the Empire State Building or like you know whatever .
Speaker 2And I'm like , to me that's not just New York , right , like I grew up in the outer boroughs , you know , in an area that was very much upper , like working class , like maybe , maybe even like a little bit , but it was a lot of like cops and firemen and teachers and , you know , really hardworking people , and it's got like this mix of city and like urban suburban , and it's like it can be very small but it can also be very big there .
Speaker 2And so that's the place Well , not exactly the place , but that's the place where Daniela goes back to . That's modeled after where I grew up , and so it's own character , like Queens is its own character in itself , and so she's , like you know , she moves from the Upper West Side . She was very successful and semi-affluent and like had gotten used to going to , like galas and benefits and nice parties and , like you know , wearing very beautiful clothing and you know the Louboutins and living on the Upper West Side . And then you know it's all gone like in a snap because you know you can only stay there for so long when you're not making a really nice salary . And so she has to accept , like the generosity of her parents as a 30 year old woman , and go home and figure it out .
Navigating Adult Life and Relationships
Speaker 1I love that . I think that there's something to be said about like cause . I feel like you know , when we're younger we always think 30 year olds have their life together , and I'm I'm realizing , even in my late thirties , that I maybe outwardly it looks like it , but I feel like I just a hot mess most of the time , right Like I , just I have no idea what's happening . We're just , we're just here .
Speaker 2We're just here , right , like and and you know , I kind of I I , because I feel like we're around a similar age and you know some of the things have been said about sushi , sea lions is that it's like sex in the city for millennials , right , that it's kind of like a very unique experience to have , like your middle life collapse or like have like these weird , like massive events happen to you and it's like I and like also kind of the millennial dating scene and like what , what that's like to be in and you know the idea that , like we're kind of embracing , not having everything really figured out , or you know , deciding in our mid 20s or like early 30s to totally change careers because we're miserable , like you know , we didn't grow up with like I don't know about your parents , but my parents didn't do stuff like that , like didn't just say , hey , I hate it here and I'm going to change it .
Speaker 2You know I did in my mid twenties and that was like unheard of you just kind of continued in your trajectory . Um , so yeah , but it is a very unique experience , I think , to like realize that it can seem like you have it together , but you don't .
Speaker 1It's just , it's fun , yeah , right , and I think it's cool to have like older , like older . I say older , I joke , that's not , but , like you know , it's different . When you're in your mid to late 30s , like 40s , like just characters that are not like 22 , right , like you know , it's different when you're in your mid to late 30s , like 40s , like just characters that are not like 22 . Right , like , it's just , it's a different . You have different life experience at that point and I think , yeah , like .
Speaker 2Like those new adult cat , like that's great too , right , right , like the wonder of like the world and like a beginning something , or like you know those 20 somethings having their first like true love relationship and you know like everything is so new and fresh but like there is something to be said to have like a 30 something or 35 year old , you know protagonist who's like trying to to change or fix things , things , quote-unquote . You know like in in their life , um , and is like growing even at that , like at that point , and it's not like , it's not like everything is like fresh and new , it's just different , um , and love is different and love feels different and like you could still have new experiences , experiences , but it's just a different way of experiencing things . I don't know , it's probably because I am heading into like the 40s .
Speaker 1Yes , yeah , definitely . And I feel like there's something to be said about . Like I think I feel like you find yourself more in your late 30s and I'm certain it will happen in like forties and fifties . You just are like yourself and you , you know what you want or you know what you don't want . If you don't know what you want , then you're like I've been there , done that , so I like , yeah , just having the characters , it just feels relatable .
Speaker 2And you're like , yeah , my life is a mess too Cool , so I'm and it was kind of like , you know , when I was working , working on this , and like it was kind of like a little important to me that it did really feel like this sort of like . It was like it's okay , it's okay , everything is messy , it's fine , people are messy , life is messy and it's okay . It doesn't make anybody worse than the other . It's just like . This is what it is . And , like you know , I think sometimes writer , authors or whatever , especially like in the room , just strictly romance realm , get afraid to do that . They don't want to get too messy , like they're afraid that they're gonna like turn their readers off .
Speaker 1Um , but I was like no , just for all the mess , right , every mess that it could possibly be relationship , career , money , collapse , all of it , yeah , and then you have to like I think it really challenges you and really does show you that all that stuff is if you're not happy , if you're like really like , not like your authentic self , all that stuff doesn't matter .
Speaker 1Like you're still going to feel how you feel , except you have , you know , money in the bank or you have all of these different like , whatever it is right , like that that's not going to fix it . And I think sometimes we think that those superficial things will I mean , they're nice , don't get me wrong Like great , but at the core of it , like if you're doing it and you know , if your character obviously you know she's a dancer , so there's a level of perfectionism that goes along with that , right , so you're just going to end up burnt out eventually and I think , yeah , having that is a as a character is a really cool and relatable thing . So I'd love to hear a little bit more about , like , this whole like writing process . Like how did you actually come up with this story ?
Speaker 2So I'm very much a like write what you know writer . So I had an entire yes .
Speaker 2Emotional , not like . I didn't have like a like career collapse . So I was at one time a ballerina . I'm still a ballerina , like I still I still take class , like I can say I'm a ballerina , but not to that degree . I was not like , oh , I wanted to , but I didn't like get . And I had changed careers , like in my mid twenties , so like I kind of knew what that was like , cause I was like totally miserable in what I was doing . And then I went back to school and I became a teacher . I don't know if I would ever advise someone to go back to school and become a teacher . I'm just saying however , it's a lot of fun , it's fine , it is what it is , but I had an emotional collapse where someone that I wanted to be in a relationship with at 30 years old Um , yeah , that didn't work out and so it was not a real , it was not even close to a relationship . It was not a relationship , it was a hundred percent a millennial situation and that's fine . Um and I it was . It was pretty bad .
Speaker 2So you know , one day but actually Christmas Day , as way before like sushi and sea lions was ever in existence my whole family was over and I was upstairs in the apartment that I lived in because my parents had a mother daughter house , so that was the inspiration , kind of , for this too . And I lived up in the apartment and I was up there drinking wine and crying . And I lived up in the apartment and I was up there drinking wine and crying and my aunt came up there and was like what is going on ? So now I tell her the whole story . I'm crying , you know whatever .
Speaker 2And she's like you know , she said you used to write all the time and I did . I was I actually have a BFA in creative writing from Columbia College , chicago , that's my undergrad degrees in writing . And so she was like well , why don't you , why don't you write about this ? Like what ? Like you're just sitting up here crying , like why don't you do something ? And I was like you know , like poured another glass of wine , and I'm like you're right , you're right . And it started . I journaled a little bit to start and then all of a sudden it was like off to the races and it and it was its own book . And I was like , oh , so instead of therapy , I put every single trauma that I'd ever experienced in my life into Daniela , and that is sushi and sea lines .
Speaker 1I love that . That's that , that's amazing .
Speaker 1I think , there's something to be said about that . Like you have no idea how healing writing a book is until you start doing it . You're like , wow , okay , this is happening and I I do really like I think , especially maybe it'll change as I write more but like there's something you said about writing what you know and like having that lived experience , especially for some things that are just so like it's hard to put yourself in that that person's shoes if you haven't had that experience . And I think , yeah , I especially for , like you know , my main character is like anxiety and I was like I want to write that because I've lived that and it's something that's not really written about right , like people like , or if they do , it's very inaccurate . I think so right , I love that , yeah , putting your heart and soul into the book and channeling the heartbreak into something productive .
Speaker 2Yeah , the the X , the X in in that story is not portrayed very nicely . He is definitely the villain of Daniela's life and you know he's . He's not looked upon very favorably by anyone in the story .
Speaker 1I love that I feel like that's awesome , like also like those people or those characters in the books , like they're inspired by that version of us that , like you know , needed I guess , unfortunately needed that that situation to happen , right . And then you look back on it and you're like , wow , like I could see now why this , this went down like this and it's very it's . It's that perspective , right , that you don't you don't have in the moment .
Speaker 2Yes , and you know it's like very much . Like you know , I was when this , when when this happened , I was very , I was inexperienced . You know , I've kind of like a late bloomer , I didn't really , you know , I hadn't had a lot of experience with , like relationships and love and you know whatever , or like these feelings and like you know , it was kind of like , um , it taught me like that I needed to use my voice and like voice , my displeasure , or like voice .
Speaker 2Like you know , I don't want this to be happening this way , or you know whatever , and you know I learned a lot and and Daniela does too , right , like she , she changes , like her , the way she deals with love in the story . She does change , um , like you know , there's like a moment where you know they're whatever is going on and you know she , she like thinks to herself . You know , like , like I had prince charming and it wasn't so great . Right , like , so well , like who are you to say that ? Like that's like what I'm expecting from you , like I just I want , just like a good man , like that's , that's what I want . I don't , I don't need the other stuff , you know , I don't need . You know , there's like um , there's a this is actually pretty funny .
Speaker 2There's a part in the story where , like she's like totally done with the horrible situationship guy whose name happens to be nate , so it's like the worst like name ever .
Speaker 2You know , it's like your standard , like finance bro , like you know , horrible guy anyway , and that's what he is in the story , and so he's trying to get her back in his way of getting her back , please , terrible , swift , wildest dreams outside of her window on a violin , wow , okay . And and now old danny from like prior in the story would have been like , oh , he really loves me . New Danny is like what are you doing ? Like , what are you doing ? Like just to get in my pants ? You nutbag , like , go away and so like it's to show like that change .
Speaker 2Whereas vincent vincent would never like he , he's much more of a reserved man like the her , like love interest in the story . He's like she jokes that like he won one word , grunts . He's kind of based on darcy a little bit and then all you know mr darcy and like you know other people , or like you know Mr Darcy and like you know other people , or like you know , like a guy made up that like I would be like , oh wow , he would be really great if he was real .
Speaker 1Yes .
Speaker 2You know . So there's like a combination of that and he's a very reserved guy . He's he is kind of like your typical man . He's not like super emotional , except there are some moments in the story and he would never , ever , ever do that or like this huge grand gesture . He's not that way , but he is more subtle and he like actually listens to her and the things that she enjoys or the things that she likes and wants to do , and you know , stuff like that and she's like you know it makes her see that like he genuinely cares about her and he genuinely loves her , right , so she's like . She's like I don't need a violin outside my window , that's not what I want . I want this , I want this guy , not the violin , because the violin is a one-off and it'll never happen , right , right .
Speaker 1Right , a hundred percent , I love that and I love those . Yeah , that arc in a , in a character of like seeing who they were and then seeing who they become , and I think it really does give us like that inspiration and you know there's something like the underdog , right , like we love that , like that's it's to see that you know you don't , you're not stuck , I think , and that's the one thing like I just love escaping into books for that reason , and obviously , happily ever afters are always like my jam right .
Speaker 2I'm like all is right with the world , and one of like the criticisms I did get was , like you know , not everything gets all sorted out , and I'm like , well , you know , sometimes people make choices and they haven't worked everything out when they make a decision anyway , right , so it's like you know , they are still two people trying to get their lives together , right ? So , you know , you have to , but there is a happy ending . I'm just , I'm just putting you , you have to , but there is a happy ending . I'm just , I'm just putting it out there . Okay , so there is a happy ending . Um , you know , it's like it's just , it's a happy ending , but it doesn't mean it's a perfect , it's a perfect ending . They're human beings . Nobody is perfect . They're not always going to want exactly the same thing , but the choice is they'd rather do it together than alone . That's the decision . Right Is like .
Navigating Writing and Publishing Woes
Speaker 2So , again , I think it's also very different , like you said , going back to this whole idea of like two people coming together in their thirties , as opposed to like at 23 years old . Right , it's a different . You're having like a different conversation . You're having like a different conversation . You're having like a different relationship , and I wanted that to be very I wanted that also to be real , like I wanted that also to be , I guess , honest too . Right , like it's again , like I said , like it's a different kind of love , it's a you're , you're , I think you're willing to like , don't know , like , how do I explain it ? I'm trying to think , I think , you understand more about , like , the human condition , and not everything gets tied up into a bow . But so what , right ? So what , as long as , like , I know that this is the , this is the person or this is the human that I want to , that I want to spend my time with until , like , you know , if it , if it that goes awry or whatever . I don't know what I'm philosophizing about , but here , here I am .
Speaker 1I love that . I think that's true and often right , like happily ever after , after . To me it's like , often it's like the mindset of the character as well , of like who , yes , maybe they don't have a job , yes , maybe whatever , like whatever the thing is , but things are shifted because they see the world differently and I think that's the biggest thing and really , when you , when you shift that perspective , everything changes . So , yeah , that I think is such a huge reminder for people is that , like it doesn't have to be the superficial stuff . Um , obviously that's amazing . But I think that internal shift , like I love the internal shift of characters to see , like , where they started and who they became and and what they'll tolerate and what they won't tolerate anymore right , right , um , and I also just like .
Speaker 2One of my big takeaways too , was that I did want people like reading her story , to like to feel that there it's , there's always hope and it's like not really so bad , it never really is so bad like it'll , it'll get better , it'll always it'll get better , right , like you know , it could really suck for a while , but it'll , everything will get , everything will work out or it'll get better . You don't have to worry so much . You don't have to . You know you don't have to constantly be on edge all the time .
Speaker 2You know , like you said , like you write a character with anxiety and that's what that really is right . Like we're constantly like , oh my god , what's gonna happen ? And you know you're stressing out all the time and it's like take a breath , it's gonna sort itself out . What's meant to like I very firmly believe this and you know I'm very much of this school of thought . Like what's meant for you will find you or you will find it , it will find , find you . What's meant to be will be , and like it'll happen and that's it Right . Like you don't have to worry so much , it's okay .
Speaker 1And that's such a huge lesson .
Speaker 1I love that . I feel like I need that stamp on my forehead of like it's like just chill out , like right , like it's all good and , like you said , it's often it's never as , I mean , it's's , it's awful when you're in it and then you look back and you're like , oh , okay , I guess I can kind of see that , like all of the you know crappy and horrible experiences that you know characters have , we have as humans , right , like that's what often makes magic eventually . I at least , I believe that and that's I've learned that in my life . So I think that makes a big difference and I really do appreciate authors that put that into their characters . I think that's so cool and I just I love the mess , the chaos and I'm like it's just , it's just life , right , right , 100 . I think that's . There's a difference to me , um , of having the characters that are relatable and then like the ones that are just like completely like destroying their lives on the regular , where you're like , okay , okay , we got to make some different decisions here .
Speaker 2Like come on you have to re-evaluate our decision making .
Speaker 1Let's , let's start there , let's start 100 . I love that . Well , I'd love to hear a little bit about , like , how the experience has been having your book published and out in the world , like that's always . I feel like , ooh , a little scary .
Speaker 2Um , you know , it's a , it's a very odd thing , like you know . Like when people find out , like I always like I almost like forget . Like when people find out they're like you're an author and author and I'm like , yes , this is the name of my book , yeah , so it's like , it's like things are the same but then they're different , like it's so weird . You know , I'm the same person . I get up every day , I go to work , I teach my students , I , you know whatever . It's not like I'm getting stopped on the street where it's like , oh , you wrote that book . No , Right , it's still like a very anonymous life .
Speaker 2And then , but on the flip side , you know , I've had like colleagues like you know that I've just done like professional development or stuff like that with . And then like they're like , oh , we were like , look , we were on Amazon and we saw your name , did you write a book ? And I'm like , yes , and they're like , oh my God , and I'm like , so it's a very like this weird , like dichotomy . Also , I'm published by a small press , so you know that's been . You know it's not like I am all over Barnes and Noble , or like I mean , you could buy my book on Barnes and Noble . But you could buy my book on Barnes and Noble , but you know it's not like I'm in like the big bookstores or anything like that , so I am still like semi-anonymous , um , you know . So I think like it's done pretty well , like for a small press book , um , but you know it's still , it's like you've accomplished this major thing and yet like nothing really major has changed . It's a very , it's very weird . It's a very , very weird , I imagine .
Speaker 1Yeah , it's just so interesting to see that , like when I'll you know mine is still in the , there's so much writing to do . Oh my gosh , like it's just a lot .
Speaker 2Don't talk about it because my second draft is three quarters of the way done and that's still like it's just a lot . Don't talk about it because my second draft is three quarters of the way done and it that's still . It's still a lot . It's like my draft of my second book .
Speaker 1Yeah , yeah , it's . There's just so much to do and I feel like it was so much easier to write like kind of the first version of it and now going back and like rewriting it , shifting it , and I'm like I've learned so much . It needs to be in first person . I wrote it in third person , like it's just a whole big thing . Yeah , oh , I went through that , right . But what's cool , I think , about that process is the amount that you've learned , right , like I feel like the first draft is really kind of like proving to yourself that you can write that book and getting that story out . And then you get to go back and like make it fun and like infuse your energy into it , which I think is really , really cool . Uh , but it's definitely a process . Uh , it's , yeah , it's one of the like it just it would be so much easier if it would just write it self instead of me having to do it .
Speaker 2I'm a , so I'm like I'm a planter . To do it . I'm a , so I'm like I'm a planter . So my first drafts are really kind of like exaggerated outline . So then , like , I figure out like what it is , and then I have to go in and I have to like , um , like like amplify and fix and move things around and adjust and like you know whatever , and do all this kind of stuff . But but it's way less this time because I figured out the kind of writer I am . So , like you were saying , right , like you figure out the kind of writer you are or what the story needs or your process or whatever , right ? So I realized I'm first person female emcee , like writer , that's what I do .
Speaker 2Um , but sushi and sea lions was written in dual point of view . First draft was written in dual point of view from Vincent and Daniella . So when I rewrote it to Daniella's point of view , there were pivotal things that happened from Vincent's point of view that still needed to be in the book . So I had to entirely change those chapters . They had to be entirely changed from her point of view . Her feelings , her emotions and , believe you me , are very , very , very , very different than vincent , because vincent was like I'm vincent , you know . Uh , like I said , he's like he's your typical . He's like your typical italian working class guy . You know he works in construction , pours concrete , like that's what he does all day . He's like you know he's like a you know he's like a jeans and t-shirt guy . It's kind of you know it is what it is right .
Speaker 1I think that's something that is so interesting , especially if you do write dual point of view , is having like , really like getting into the characters and each one is very , like you say , like very , very different and so different . You really , you really want to make sure their voices are unique , and that's a challenging , that's .
Speaker 2That's hard , it's very difficult because you know , danielle , and in a way they're like a little bit of like opposites attract because she's very like , you know , like a little like I mean , she was a ballerina , so she's a little like you know , whimsical and a little bit more spontaneous than he , is definitely a hopeless , romantic . And then you have him , who's like you know , much more logical and he's a little bit more , much more emotionally reserved and like , very like , and more protective and not definitely not a spontaneous . And they and they're also like physically opposite people . She's small , you know , she's short and tiny and whatever it's got all this like long hair , and then you know he's like tall , he's like six , two . He's , like you know , built , like you know , big guy . So they were like it's like a great dichotomy , you know , between them , but it is , it's totally different voices like you and you have to get into each of their heads and like .
Speaker 2So I'm dealing with that with my work in progress , which happens to be about Daniela's best friend , who is also , who's in Suisi , new Zealand . It's about Tricia , her best friend , who is Greek and she's super , super successful , like bajillions of dollars successful . She works in the finance world . So it's kind of a little bit of the flip on the trope of the millionaire . She is the million , okay .
Speaker 2The guy is not she is the one who has all of the money , um , but she's also the polar opposite of Daniela . Again , she is a very logical person . She also deals with , like some anxiety issues , um , and I think that's just because of her high stress environment also perfectionism like around that around her , her career , because she is so successful and like . So everything with her is like lists and like diagrams and excel and , and daniella is nothing like that . She's like not even close and either am I . So literally it's like trying to be the opposite human being while I write in first person , right , I do . Okay , so Trisha would do this , because if I was going to do this , trisha would do this .
Speaker 1I love that . I think that's so true , and it's fun because I feel like it challenges you to be a better writer , right ? So , and that's always the goal is just to keep getting better , keep writing . The more you write , the better you get , which kind of leads up to the next question that I have for you . I feel like we probably touched on some solid pieces of advice here , but what would be one thing that you would tell someone who is just starting out their writing journey ?
Speaker 2What ? Oh , that's a good question , I think I would tell them . So , number one , right ? Okay , like , don't worry . Don't worry about all of these things that , like , people are going to tell you that you need to worry about , like you know , like the , the beach sheets and whatever , and all out your voice . If you toss stuff , if you toss books halfway through , if you toss short stories , like , because , like , like you know , whatever , but as long as you're writing , you will eventually land on your niche and you'll land on your voice . And that's what I had and that's what took . I had to do like
Navigating Writing and Publishing Advice
Speaker 2I said , I did .
Speaker 2I was a writer for a long time and I wrote . I wrote historical fiction , I wrote fantasy , I wrote short stories , I wrote that never saw the light of day , like because and because that wasn't actually what I was meant to write . So you have to find your voice . I also think , like , don't , don't worry about , like , how old or young you are when you're starting out writing . It doesn't matter . Like it doesn't matter , you know , some people don't have their first book published until they're 60 . Like , it doesn't matter , you know . And then the comparison to other people's careers or what they're doing in in the publishing world . Uh , it's like the root of all evil , like you don't . You don't need to do that .
Speaker 2Like you know , I started to feel like crap for a little bit because a lot of my publishing buddies , who published their book in the same year that I did , already have another book out , where they have two books out after me and I'm not even close to done with the next book and I'm , like you know , I was like like don't , don't do that to yourself . You're different , your , your journey is different . It doesn't matter , so don't do that to yourself . When it's time for this book to come out , the book will come out and it's fine , it's okay . You know , I think we just put so much pressure on all of these things and it's just like you gotta again . I'm big on the . You got to just like , take a step back , like it's going to be okay .
Speaker 1You know it'll work itself out , but you have to write . Yes , there is writing . You have to write thinking . Thinking about writing does not count .
Speaker 2Uh , unfortunately . Unfortunately , I know it doesn't , cause I mean the amount of time I spent thinking about things . I probably have seven books .
Speaker 1right , a hundred percent . I love that . Well , finally , I would love for you to share how people can get their hands on your book and how they can find you and connect with you on , like social media and all of the good things .
Speaker 2Okay , so you can get my book anywhere except target , where all books are sold . I don't know why you can't get my book at Target . It's like super weird . You can get me at Walmart , amazon , you know , bookshop , all of those places . Sushi and Sea Lions by Rachel Corsini , I have heard . It's easier if you search the title for it to come up , because it's like one of those you know unique title . It'll like come up and you can find me on pretty much every single social media I am on . I'm on X blue sky , uh . Instagram , tik TOK , uh . Facebook and YouTube , uh all at madam Ray Ray . That's my handle . They're all the same , except for my Facebook page . My writer page is Rachel Corsini writer , so I'm awesome I'm awesome , amazing .
Speaker 1I love that . Well , everything will be linked to the show notes , so we don't have to worry about spelling where they'll be , links um , which is always good because you know , even though , as writers , like spelling is , you know , that's hard , sometimes autocorrect and you know microsoft corrects there for a reason . Exactly Right . I love that . Well , it was so lovely chatting with you today and , yeah , I'm very . I have more books . This is the problem with this podcast . I always have more books to add to my list and there's just like never enough time .
Speaker 2There's never enough time . I know , I feel it too . My TBR is like seven miles long , right A hundred .
