Ask the Author: Sonia Perna
an interview with Unleash
Hi, Sonia! We were thrilled to publish your short story in December, which readers can find here. Tell us a little about your relationship with writing and how it came about.
Writing has always been both an escape and an introspection for me. When I was younger, it was a way to figure out who I was and who I wanted to be. It was also a way to express myself and find solace. The joy of wordplay and the challenge of creative writing also inspired my work, as did the wonder evoked by great writing and diverse authors. They were my first writing teachers and still inform my work.
Fiction, non-fiction, and poetry are forms that I enjoy writing, as well as reading. I like writing flash pieces, short stories, and creative non-fiction. I dream of being a travel writer! I’ve also written two novels, one historical fiction and one contemporary fiction, that are currently on my shelf waiting for a home.
Writing is a passion for me, so I wonder why I don’t write more often. What stops me? Is it life? Is it myself? Is it fear? When I pick up writing again, the words often come easily. The more I write the more I find ideas of what to write. The most powerful experience is when the words seem to come through me without much thought or effort on my part. A rarity but a sensation that’s ineffable and worth pursuing.
What is the best piece of advice you've received as a creative person?
Write every day! I wish I followed this advice. I’ve also heard that most of writing is figuring out how you write, which is something to consider. I also receive great feedback from my writing groups, past and present, and I’ve gotten good at accepting constructive criticism, which is a vital part of the writing process.
What lines stand out to you from another writer’s work?
This is a hard one to narrow down! I teach Indigenous literature to both Indigenous and non-Indigenous students, so I read a lot of Indigenous authors whose writing is both inspiring and healing for themselves, their communities, and their readers.
Here is a passage from Eden Robinson’s novel Monkey Beach that is powerful in her use of the second person. The diction also is unique and fits in with the novel’s themes, so a great blend of form and function.
“Make your hand into a fist. This is roughly the size of your heart. If you could open up your own chest, you would find your heart behind your breastbone, nestled between your lungs….Your heart sits on a slant, leaning into your left lung so that it is slightly smaller than your right lung. Reach into your chest cavity and pull your lungs away from your heart to fully appreciate the complexity of this organ….Behold, your heart” (p. 163-4).
How did you find your first publication?
My first publications were in literary journals when I was in university as well as a few articles published in newsletters and local periodicals.
What are you working on next?
I post a monthly newsletter Sustainability Matters at my workplace for staff and students on being sustainable, which ties into my passion for environmental action. I strongly believe that the written word is powerful in achieving social change and social justice.
I’m also currently revising a short story about a ghost duchess who tries to save subsequent wives of a misogynist and tyrannical duke, set in 15th century Italy and loosely based on Robert Browning’s poem “My Last Duchess,” which is based on historical people and events.
I think what stops her from writing more effectively is her lack of perspective. I sense that she is so caught up controlling everything that she cannot empathize with anything, or anybody which is a reflection of her writing style.
Absolutely terrible writer. No original thought, just manipulated, regurgitated material.