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.
