Author Sonya Visor: Writing Fiction While Sharing Our Truth

by Cyrus Webb

Ever since I was first introduced to author Sonya Visor she easily became one of my favorite storytellers. What sets her apart is not just her ability to tell a story. She puts you into the lives of the characters—for the good and the bad—allows you to see them intimately, which incidentally makes it more difficult to judge them.

In 2019 she delivered TRESPASSED, a book that easily became an Amazon bestseller, and proved once again that she had a gift that readers enjoyed.

Enjoy our conversation!

Sonya, let's just start off with what I just said. TRESPASSED is already a best seller on Amazon. I think there is a couple of things going on. I think people will see when they read the book why this book is special, and of course your supporters have a lot to do with the way the book has continued to rise. I also think this book will have a lot of longevity because it is so real. You are known for writing the real in these characters. Do you think that is one of the things that kind of set you apart as a storyteller?

Yes, I believe it is. It's my mantle. I have to deal with the real topics, things people don't want to talk about and things that smack you right in the face and make you look at it and call it what it is. It's just a part of who I have learned to become with my journey.

I think people are seeing a lot of themselves in your characters, too. In Trespassed there is a general premise that's there. We all know what it's like to be betrayed unfortunately, but I think there is a lot more that happens in this book about our decisions about betrayal, and our decisions about the one that we feel as though may have done us wrong and how we move forward. Did you know in the beginning that you were going to tackle these heavy topics in this one book?

No, I can say honestly I did not know, because I did not know these people. The two main characters, Nadine and Zane, were introduced to me after a prayer session. It was really scary to tackle, so as it was unfolding I had my own mouth drop open as it was unfolding before me too.

All I knew was the first scene, and it was at the laundromat. I had to go into a laundromat and stand inside of that laundromat and say why was Nadine there. That's all I had to go on.

Let's talk about that, Sonya, because one of the ways that you've even talked about that first scene is through social media. I want to talk about the experience of becoming her, because that's what you had to do in this book because of the way the story is told, I mean the readers will see we basically have to become these characters. What was that like for you to empty yourself of Sonya and to feel this vessel that was Nadine?

Well with Nadine I saw myself all up in Nadine. I saw ways that she responded to things and ways that she handled situations—how I kept myself quiet too long, not speaking up so I thought I would do the same thing. It was me. I was in pure love with her. I saw myself in her, so becoming her it wasn't too far-fetched for me. The simple fact is that I could relate to her.

Is that scary to admit, Sonya, that you could relate to this woman's life?

A little, but it's who I am.

There does seem to be a theme with you, Sonya. You think about how you and I connected over your book Love Me for Who I Am. Did it surprise you now looking back how some of those themes find themselves in TRESPASSED?

Yes, and as I look back over it, it's all Ministry. It’s all about how I can help somebody stand up better, do better and to not beat yourself up. It's all entangled. It's what I do, so it's going to be parallel across the board. It shows up in everything.

One of those things of course central in the book is the relationship between Nadine and Zane. As you said in the beginning you didn't know these people, and yet you said there was that relatability that you could feel with Nadine. What was it like for you to try to get to know Zane?

That was some kind of a ride. Typing this thing out and his character begins to unfold, oh my, I was like wow there is something here. I didn't know what that something was, and I just kept going. I can say that he's my husband favorite character. Zane is something. It's something with him that makes him want to be one of my favorite characters in this book.

And as his character begins to unfold, it was just amazing because he represents so many people. So many people who continue on in life. They try to continue on in life, and I better be careful because I don't want to reveal anything, but he just represents so many people. I never had a story like this before.

Well there are other characters that show themselves. We are not even going to talk about Charles in this conversation, but I do want to mention a conversation that Nadine has with Charles. In chapter 38 of the book there is an interesting dialogue that take place internally with Nadine. Nadine says to herself my timing was always late, I had to learn timing, when to speak up and when to be quiet, when to deliver truth and when to wait. I thought about that as the scriptures talk about there is a season for everything. What was it like for you to have Nadine realize the things that she had to work on and the importance of timing in her life?

That was a lesson for me when it comes to timing. When she said that—when those words rolled out—I was like ‘wow that's it’. I was just thinking about a couple things in my own life. Sometimes I jump too soon and sometimes I waited too long. People could attach to that they waited too long or they said something out of sync when they should have waited, when they felt the nudge to hush but they kept going.

I learned so many lessons from Nadine and now I am trying to apply all of them, but I have learned so many things from her—that timing thing and what she said about beating herself up, that's what I lived. I lived that, and that's why I said I can parallel myself with her because I would always be last.  I was quick to forgive other people, but last to forgive myself and that was the lesson that I saw with Nadine.

Get caught up in all the drama and lessons of TRESPASSED by Sonya Visor on Amazon. Stay connected with Sonya at www.sonyavisor.com.