Book Interview: Illuminations at Nightfall by Christina Hennemann

Christina Hennemann is a writer and teacher based in the beautiful West of Ireland. She grew up in Germany and started writing her first English poems at the age of six with the help of a dictionary. Since moving to Ireland, she has been writing professionally. Her work has appeared in orangepeel, Anti-Heroin Chic, Goats Milk, Free Verse Revolution Lit, Tír na nÒg and elsewhere. 

Christina writes about the subconscious mind, trauma, the healing power of nature and spirituality and relationships.

Can you tell us a bit about the book you just published with Sunday Mornings at the River?

My book “Illuminations at Nightfall” reflects a journey, both inward and outward. It follows the speaker's escape from home to a foreign country, where they find peace and beauty but are also haunted by their traumatic past, no matter how far away they run. Finding the strange and familiar in new places and people evokes a process of self-discovery in the speaker. There’s a good bit of magic and spirituality in the book, too! 

What inspired you to write this book?

This book contains the best pieces I wrote during my first year in Ireland. I wanted to collate and portray my journey, both personally and artistically. Also, the book reflects a love story from beginning to end, from falling in love, going through heartbreak and finally finding acceptance of the situation. 

What does the title mean, and why did you pick it?

At nightfall, we often feel enchanted by the changing of the light. The illuminations a setting sun paints on the landscape are mesmerising, but the evening light can also be deceiving. Its illuminations are subtle and fleeting, and perhaps merely an illusion that will fade in broad daylight, failing to truly illuminate us but rather leaving us feeling empty and haunted. I wanted to highlight this ambiguity in the title of my book. To what degree the speaker is illuminated and/or deceived is for the reader to decide. 

Who are some of your literary or artistic crushes, and did they influence you at all while writing this book? 

It’s hard to name only a few, but my biggest literary crushes are Ocean Vuong, Kim Addonozio, Sholeh Wolpé, Mary Costello, Megan Nolan, Kazuo Ishiguro, Sylvia Plath and Eavan Boland. Their writing constantly gives me new ideas and perspectives, and they massively inspire me in a sense of growing my awareness and appreciation of the power of language. I also love connecting with creative and fresh literary voices on Instagram, many of which are underrated. My all-time favourite poet then has to be W.B. Yeats because his poems inspired me to travel to Sligo and fall in love with Ireland and its people. 

What is the key theme and/or message in the book?

A common thread through the pieces is the fierce longing for security, intimacy and closeness, and the biting fear and avoidance of the same. The speaker is in limbo, not yet determined where to go, but slowly growing awareness and consciousness. Prevalent themes are new beginnings, weird dreams, heartbreak, processing past trauma and finding hope and healing in the spiritual experience of the breathtaking Irish landscape. The journey to trusting again after traumatic experiences is painful, but bears the potential to find meaning and beauty in life and all its riches. The book conveys the emotional pain related to feeling misplaced, wrong, heartbroken, but also the hope to emerge at the other side of the tunnel eventually, where there is calm and peace at last. 

What is the first book that made you cry?

P.S. I Love You by Cecelia Ahern. I was 11 the first time I read it, and it broke my heart, in a good way. Such a moving and timeless love story! 

What are common traps for aspiring writers?

Being put down by rejection. My work was rejected many times before I even got my first publication, and I still get rejections regularly. Not every magazine or publisher is for you, and your work is not for everyone. Besides, sometimes your work just isn’t a good fit for a particular issue. If you view rejection as feedback and keep writing and developing your voice, you will reach your goals eventually. 

Another trap for me was focusing too much on getting likes and followers on Instagram instead of writing from my core essence. A while ago, I found myself writing with an audience in mind that is constantly in a rush and doesn’t appreciate longer poems with a meaning that takes time to uncover. While I love showing my work on Instagram and interacting with writers and readers, I really try to free myself from the pressure of gaining anything from it. If people like my work, they will follow me and read what I write. I’m not there to post “greeting card quotes” or bite-sized phrases. So, my advice is: stay true to yourself and take it easy on social media! 

Do you think someone could be a writer if they don’t feel emotions strongly?

I think so, yes. I believe that writing is a craft that can be learned. From my own experience, I can say that I wrote some pieces out of an overwhelming flow of emotions, and others while I was perfectly calm and the idea grew from a more rational spark of inspiration. Sometimes writing can also unravel emotions that are sleeping beneath the surface, which is why writing can help people access their emotions in the first place. 

If you could tell your younger writing self anything, what would it be?

​​Believe in yourself and just write, even if it doesn’t feel like you’re creating masterpieces. You’ll get there! I was so afraid of my own voice that I stayed in hiding for a long time and wouldn’t even dream of submitting my work. Through self-development practices, I was able to build my confidence and hone my writing voice. I just sometimes wish I had discovered these tools earlier! 

What was an early experience where you learned that language had power?

In secondary school, my best friend and I asked our class teacher if we could sit next to each other again, well aware that we were separated because we wouldn’t stop chatting and giggling. However, we kindly asked her and used words and phrases typical of her way to express herself, and it worked! That day I learned how powerful language is when tailored to its recipient, and how easy it is to influence people simply by mirroring their language. 

What’s your favourite under-appreciated novel?

Stoner by John Williams. It moved me deeply, and it is incredibly beautifully written. After finishing it, I was heartbroken for days. I had a real book hangover! It’s kind of ironic that the novel only really got attention after Williams’s death, which adds to the parallels between the author and the protagonist of the novel. 

How many unpublished and half-finished books do you have?

I have a completed novel manuscript that I am currently seeking an agent for, and then I also have a very rough draft of a full-length collection in the works, as well as an idea for a chapbook inspired by Tarot. 

Are there any secrets from the book (that aren’t in the blurb), you can share with your readers?

Actually, the title of my book is a hidden nod to my muse, but I won’t reveal all the details to keep up the tension and stay mysterious!

Find the book here.
Find Christina’s website here.
And her Instagram here.