In the Spotlight: Danielle Cornell
In our latest In the Spotlight interview, Raquel Abrantes speaks with Danielle Cornell, a California poet who has found success self-publishing two works of poetry, Tender Maiden and Sacred Lark Hymn. As a lover of nature, singing, and songwriting, Danielle evokes a poetic aesthetic in her everyday life as seen on her popular and wildly beautiful Instagram account, incalico.
See below for Danielle and Raquel’s conversation about the self-publishing process, writing poetry, surrounding one’s self with the beauty of nature and working through self-doubt.
Raquel Abrantes: If you look back what is your oldest memory regarding literature?
Danielle Cornell: Children’s books. I had beloved books in childhood and still have a collection of children’s stories.
RA: Which memories do you bring to your writing from your childhood? Have you always loved writing?
DC: I was probably around seven years old when I wrote my first lyrics to a song. It was a love song. Also, around the same age, I began writing a couple of fiction novels. I only made it a few pages in. One of them was inspired by pioneer times and living on a prairie. I loved dreaming up different time periods.
RA: They say the eyes are the window of the soul. However, the written word can be a doorway to one’s inner world. What do your sentences say about you?
DC: They are definitely a look into my innermost emotions, thoughts and intentions. I suppose they show the bolder, more expressive side that I would not feel so safe to share otherwise.
RA: Do you have a writing routine? A favourite time of day or a place to write?
DC: I actually do not. Whenever the inspiration comes is when I write. I try to surround my home with pages and pens or at least write on my phone. Late nights and early mornings seem to be the most common.
RA: You said once: “My sanctuary is my home”. Are you a home bird? How important is it to you and your art?
DC: I most definitely am. My home is shared with my two most beloved souls: my husband and our cat. It is also decorated and filled with inspiring artifacts and creations. It is where I feel safest to be my fullest, most authentic and sincere self. It is extremely important and sacred when expressing and creating anything.
RA: You self-published two poetry books, Tender Maiden and Sacred Lark Hymn. What was your main reason for writing these books?
DC: Honestly, I compiled the first book because I truly just wanted all of my poems in one place. I had this fear of losing some or all of them and it just felt like something I really wanted to make. I once misplaced a notebook of poems for a long time and thought it was lost forever. I later found it, thank goodness, but it scares like that one that made me want to publish my first book. I did not expect the feedback and support that I received on Tender Maiden. Knowing that my poems touched even just one heart really encouraged me to keep going and keep sharing my work, thus leading me to publish Sacred Lark Hymn.
RA: How was the self-publishing process? And why did you choose it?
DC: It was fairly simple for me. There were some obstacles along the way, but I was able to work through them and resolve them. I chose to self-publish because I really just wanted my books out in the world. I want to touch people’s hearts and ease them. This was the easiest way. Honestly, the company receives most of the royalties anyways. The main intention is really about getting the work out there for me.
RA: In your opinion, what emotions are better manifested in poetry?
DC: The darker ones for me, of course. Though, really, all emotions are easier for me to express in poetry.
RA: You speak about a lot of natural elements in your writing- the presence of woods and animals. How significant is nature to you?
DC: Nature is extremely significant. I always feel that nature and its elements have been something tangible for me to grab onto when needing to symbolize or relate something I am feeling. I always find inspiration in nature to express all spectrums of emotions. Whether it be harsh winds, rainfall, sunlight or even peace from stillness. There is so much beauty there.
RA: You compose music and sing too, right?
DC: It is incredibly healing. The writing combined with the expressive feeling of singing and the release is a remedy for the soul and another outlet to channel emotions and creativity.
RA: The open line of your poem “A Light is a Light” is: “Don’t let anything or anyone define you”. Do you think this quote is becoming more relevant since we live in a society increasingly full of labels?
DC: Yes. It is one of the most important messages that can be conveyed. We hardly receive the message that who we are is enough in today’s society. Much heartache and hardship is caused by trying to be deemed “worthy” when we already are.
RA: If a writer is haunted by self-doubt, what would you say?
DC: Be yourself, and have compassion for yourself. That is the most important practice. That voice in you wants to come out. Let it exist with compassion and try to accept that not everyone will connect to your words (or any creation, for that matter). I have a hard time with this myself, but it is not a reflection of you if someone does not like, appreciate or connect to your work or voice. Your voice is worth hearing, and you are worth being seen no matter what.
Danielle Cornell is a writer and creative from Southern California. She has been writing and singing since she was a little girl. Danielle is a human on a path of healing, learning how to be her most authentic and sincere self, and clinging to the beauty around her. She wants to serve a purpose in life and she hopes that by sharing what she creates, it can touch the hearts of others. Tenderness, sincerity, and authenticity are very important to Danielle. She also deeply loves nature and understanding the world around her. More about her work can be found on Instagram.
About the Interviewer
Raquel Dionísio Abrantes has a Bachelor's Degree and a Master’s Degree in Cinema from Universidade da Beira Interior. Raquel gave a Master Class in Writing of Scripts about Narrative Structure. She participated in some writing contests. Her writing has appeared on Write or Die Tribe, Better Than Starbucks magazine and The Pangolin Review. More about her work can be found at woodland.poem