October 14, 2025 • 34 mins
Season 3 of the SC BookGal & Friends Podcast is winding down as the show prepares for its annual December wrap-up. The season, which began in early 2025, has focused on uplifting diverse voices in literature, with a particular emphasis on Black and independent authors
.What you may have missedThe show is hosted by Patrice Grimball, also known as “SC BookGal,” a Charleston-based literary advocate. This season has featured a range of content, including:
How to connect and catch up
I grew up in Jamaica Queens New York. I graduated from John Bowne High School In Flushing. I am a licensed cosmetologist. My writing journey started sophomore year when I joined the center for writing. I started my first short story in 2004, self published my first book in 2022. My style of writing is influenced by Zane, Erick S Gray, Omar Tyree just to name a few
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/da-crew-podcast--5763835/support.
.What you may have missedThe show is hosted by Patrice Grimball, also known as “SC BookGal,” a Charleston-based literary advocate. This season has featured a range of content, including:
- Author Interviews: Engaging conversations with writers covering topics like their creative processes, career journeys, and triumphs.
- Literary Resources: Practical guidance and informational resources for aspiring and independent authors on topics like self-publishing and building a brand.
- Book Reviews and Recommendations: Insights on new and interesting reads, with regular “Need-to-Read” lists.
- Special Guests: Interviews with figures from the literary world and beyond, including Dr. Carolyn Stephens, a clinical mental health Christian therapist.
- Community Engagement: Information on the podcast’s book drives, educational programming, and other community-building events.
How to connect and catch up
- Listen to Replays: Episodes from Season 3 are available on demand on various podcast platforms, including:
- Spreaker
- iHeartRadio
- Spotify
- Apple Podcasts
- Follow on Social Media: You can stay up-to-date on news and special announcements by following SC BookGal on Instagram [@scbookgal843].
- Watch on YouTube: The podcast is broadcast live on the Da Crew Podcast Network’s YouTube channel, where you can watch past episodes.
- Tune In Live: You can catch the remaining live broadcasts of Season 3 every 1st through 4th Tuesday at 8 p.m. EST on the Da Crew Podcast network via Facebook, YouTube, Twitch, and KICK. (SEASON 4 EVERY TUESDAY SO STAY CONNECTED )
I grew up in Jamaica Queens New York. I graduated from John Bowne High School In Flushing. I am a licensed cosmetologist. My writing journey started sophomore year when I joined the center for writing. I started my first short story in 2004, self published my first book in 2022. My style of writing is influenced by Zane, Erick S Gray, Omar Tyree just to name a few
- Genre: Her book Closure is listed in the “Love Triangle Romance” and “Black & African American Romance Fiction” categories on Amazon. This suggests her work often involves complex emotional conflicts between three characters, centering on Black protagonists and their relationships.
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/da-crew-podcast--5763835/support.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (01:06):
Hey, everyone, this is your girl, Sue Bookyard eight four three,
and we having a little temporary doop the colties. But
here I am. Hey you guys, how are you. It's
another Tuesday night and I am here with another author
(01:28):
another y'all, This one is so special and I just
found out it's gonna be special. And why is it special?
Because this author is from my neck of the woods, y'all.
She is from my neck of the wood. It's like
right up the street around the corner. Ben a left,
(01:49):
hang to the right, and she be right there. I
am so excited, you guys. Her name is Miss Phoenix,
and she's gonna be talking to to us about her books.
And I am going to bring her up and add
her on to the screen. Give me why you see,
(02:16):
look at your computer. We're not doing this today. You're
gonna work with me and we're gonna make you do
what to do. Okay, So you guys, I want to
introduce you to Miss Phoenix.
Speaker 2 (02:28):
How are you, girly, I'm good? How are you?
Speaker 1 (02:33):
I am great? Welcome to SI book gousand friends.
Speaker 2 (02:38):
Thank you for having me.
Speaker 1 (02:40):
Of course, this is an honor. You're from my neck
of the woods, so you guys, let me get a
little something out. So I just did yesterday. I did
staff there. Okay, twenty years of service. Congratulations to me.
Been through it, been through it, love it. So me
(03:01):
and three co workers, we're talking about the talent, the
hidden talent, the unknown talent that we have in our area.
And look at this, I am interviewing somebody that.
Speaker 2 (03:16):
Is that talent.
Speaker 1 (03:18):
So this is a complete honor. So next year, y'all
look for her at Charles County Poppet glob. Okay, so
tell us a little bit about yourself.
Speaker 3 (03:33):
My author name is Sonier Phoenix. I'm originally from Jamaica, Queens,
New York. I have been down here in Charleston for
eleven years.
Speaker 2 (03:47):
I'm a mom, I am a Lucas Warrior.
Speaker 3 (03:52):
I am a kidney transplant recipient seven years in Counting
Este yes, ma'am. And I just love to write very
vivid stories with crazy cliffhangers. And I am obsessed with
(04:13):
nineties R and B in early two thousands.
Speaker 1 (04:19):
See that's why I mean after that, remember what you said,
you need that knowledge, kid? Okay, okay, so what made
you want to become an author?
Speaker 2 (04:39):
In high school?
Speaker 3 (04:40):
I got into my Elective was center for writing, so
you know, we read a lot.
Speaker 2 (04:47):
Of boring.
Speaker 3 (04:49):
Books and then I was just like, this is so whack.
And then a friend of mine introduced me to I'm
Sister Soldier. So my first real urban book was like
everybody else post one to ever. And then I read
fly Girl and it just it was a snowball effect
(05:11):
after that, and I was just like, oh, these books
is crazy. I think growing up in New York could
write something like this. And I think it was like
two thousand and one.
Speaker 2 (05:25):
I was on MSN.
Speaker 3 (05:27):
I'm telling my age right now, but I was on
MSN and there was like this fan fiction group, so
I dabbled in it and I wrote like a little
short story about B two K members and it got
a lot of attention. And from then on I was
(05:48):
just you know, dabble hearing their right little short stories.
Speaker 2 (05:52):
Never really took it serious. And then.
Speaker 3 (05:56):
In twenty twenty, my best friend passed away, and you know,
kind of to pay homage to her, I continued the
stories that we used to write together, and in twenty
twenty two I got the courage to actually self publish.
Speaker 2 (06:13):
It and I just been doing it ever since.
Speaker 1 (06:19):
Wow, So how many books do you have in your
catalog right now?
Speaker 3 (06:23):
I have two novellas, which is Closure and Beautifully Shattered.
And then I did take part in the twenty twenty
five Just Read anthology with AA Lewis, Cassandra Charle, Kaylin Hunt.
Who else is in here, Simonnet, Vivian Blue Lady Rainmaker.
(06:50):
So it's like eleven other authors and we just did
a bunch of short stories.
Speaker 1 (06:59):
Listen here that name that group by itself, do you
know how much? Okay, listen that group that she did
just named you guys, y'all need to go ahead watch
the replay and write them all down, especially.
Speaker 4 (07:15):
Lewis Louise You're bad boy as Yeah, I feel like
that's she not for nothing.
Speaker 3 (07:26):
She she really gave me a lot of encouragement last
year during Bray, during the Brave Festival, she she pushed
me and she was just like, listen twenty twenty twenty
twenty five Brave Festival, I need you. She was like,
I'm not even playing with you, like we're gonna be
celebrating you. And I was just like, Okay, I'm gonna
(07:47):
stop being scary and really do it.
Speaker 1 (07:52):
Listen. I love Brave. I love ray. I have someone
that's gonna be in the Brave Festival, and I love it.
It's a great way to introduce authors and readers together.
And I just asked, if you are a reader and
(08:12):
you're participating in Bray, the least she can do is
leave a review. Yes, that's the least she can do
is leave a review. Now, if you want to do more,
you can share the book in box of the authors
say hey, thank you, because a lot of these authors
don't get thank you. They don't mm hm, and they
(08:37):
work be Oh my god, and y'all wait to y'all
see her covers because y'all don I'm a cover checks,
you know, and I look at these covers all day.
So I'm ready to get to these books. So what
what is your motivation for your right?
Speaker 3 (09:02):
It's an escape. For me, it's you know, it's therapeutic
for me. So when I'm going through something, I'll just
get lost in the characters and just right right, right,
right right.
Speaker 2 (09:17):
And I typically like to.
Speaker 3 (09:20):
Incorporate some type of autoimmune disease in the books because
a lot of us Brown women and men deal with
these autoimmune diseases and nobody understands what we're going through.
So I kind of want to shed light to that
(09:42):
because people are looking at me and be like, Oh,
you're not sick, there's nothing wrong with you. You don't
know half of what autoimmune disease does to a person mentally, physically, emotionally.
So when I'm in that mode, when I'm going through
(10:03):
a crisis or something and I feel like nobody will understand,
I put that in the characters because they understand what
I'm going through, I guess because it's me writing it.
Speaker 1 (10:16):
So I like that. I like that, and it rais awareness.
That's very smart and very creepy. Have you ever had
your readers come to you and what do they say
(10:38):
to you?
Speaker 3 (10:42):
Some people ask me like, well, are these things that
you went through dealing with your lucas? And I'm just like, yeah,
you know, it gets scary. But it's not just me.
I have friends who have sickle cell. I have friends
who have a mess. So sometimes I take things that
(11:03):
they have gone through with their permission, and I'll put
my own little twist to it to like you said,
bring awareness to the things. The invisible diseases is what
I call them.
Speaker 1 (11:17):
Okay, okay, so let's go to these books of yours,
looking here, looking here, y'all, especially that Closure. So which
one would you like to start off first? And tell
us a little bit about We could start.
Speaker 3 (11:39):
With Closure because technically it's not a series, but Beautifully
Shattered has a lot to do with Closure, so it's
easier to start with Closure and then go into Beautifully Shattered.
Speaker 1 (11:55):
Okay, so tell us a little bit about Closure.
Speaker 3 (11:59):
So Closure is a second chance romance with a lot
of unexpected events. They Derek and Shakima were dating in
high school and then you know, they went their separate ways,
(12:19):
but the universe said their story wasn't finished. So they
run into each other and they find out well not
they Derek finds out a little secret, and that secret
kind of rocks his world and shifts his life's path.
(12:40):
And they attempt to rekindle a relationship, but Derek has
a girlfriend and she's not too fond of him rekindling
that relationship. And then, you know, towards the end of
the book, we find out some things about the girlfriend.
Speaker 2 (13:02):
And it gets a little crazy, you know, a lot.
Speaker 3 (13:05):
Of shocks and surprises and people are not who they
say they are, and then their secret babies and stuff
so after while, No, honestly, I've had a person that
(13:36):
read the book. She read the book last year, but
you know she's she works in the school district. So
she was just like, well, it took me some time
to actually like sit down and read it.
Speaker 5 (13:45):
And I literally got a phone call, not an inbox,
not a text message, I got a phone call, and
it was just like, where's the rest of the book?
Speaker 3 (14:00):
He is Diamond, And do we need to pull up
on her for real? Like this needs to be on
to b or b et.
Speaker 1 (14:07):
Plus or something.
Speaker 3 (14:09):
Somebody gets Tyler Perry on the phone right now, because
absolutely not.
Speaker 2 (14:13):
And then the way that I ended it, people.
Speaker 3 (14:17):
Were really like, no, no, no, no, no, no no, You're
not just gonna end it like this, where's.
Speaker 2 (14:22):
The rest of this? What happens? So then comes Beautifully Shattered.
Speaker 1 (14:31):
Oh see, you please don't make me find out where
you love as much? But you love close now, so
let's talk about it.
Speaker 3 (14:51):
So Beautifully Shattered is Diamond? Sorry, Diamond is the girlfriend
of Derek.
Speaker 2 (15:00):
In Closure and Beautifully.
Speaker 3 (15:04):
Shattered, we find out why Diamond is obsessed with Derek.
We dive into her childhood, the traumas that she faced
as a child, and then once she realizes that Derek
(15:29):
wants Shakima and not her, she takes drastic, drastic measures
to get her man back. And when I say drastic,
I mean drastic, like flying across the country and creating
a whole new life just to be with this man.
Speaker 2 (15:50):
And it doesn't it. Yeah, Derek is that guy?
Speaker 6 (16:00):
Oh okay, okay, so oh okay. So so let me
find out. So if you had to choose either one
of these two books to give to.
Speaker 1 (16:18):
Me, which one would you choose? And why?
Speaker 2 (16:26):
Which one would I choose? I would say Closure.
Speaker 3 (16:30):
I would say Closure because you have to read Closure
to understand Beautifully Shattered. So it's gonna make you go
get beautifully shattered.
Speaker 1 (16:44):
Okay, Okay, so you're telling me I should go get closure.
This Closure is gonna make me want to read beautiful
truly Shattered. But what if I want this, this this
book boy trained for myself. I'm not gonna want to
read beautifully Shattered. Becau see, I might have to hurt
(17:07):
her trying to come and get my man.
Speaker 3 (17:09):
No, because you'll understand why she clung to him the
way that she did. It's it's it's gonna from from
what I have been told it's gonna take you on.
Speaker 2 (17:24):
Closure is gonna take you on an emotional roller coaster.
Speaker 3 (17:29):
And the cliff hanger ending is gonna make you go wait,
hold on, hold on, hold on, hold on, wait now
what happened? Okay, yeah, so we need to go figure
out why Diamond is cuckoo for Coco Pups because she's
not right in the head. I'll tell you that now,
she's not right in the head.
Speaker 1 (17:46):
Oh oh, she wanted him one.
Speaker 2 (17:49):
Yeah, she's that. My me and my man, my man.
Speaker 1 (17:54):
Oh, them the scary ones because them the one that
will do almost anything from my man, my man. Listen, KI,
if you ever hear chicks say my man, my man,
my man, run because it ain't all the way up. Yeah,
that's one of them true ownership type chicks. So we're
(18:15):
getting close to that little closing period. But member, I
told you that we had some fun questions. Mm hmm, yes,
about time. Alright, here we go, here we go. We
got a call and someone is read Closure and they
(18:35):
would like to make it into a Lifetime mini series.
They want to bring to the Lifetime. You know, Lifetime
got them dramas, They got them dramas who would play
your main male character, and it has to be her
nineties R and B male. Who would it be?
Speaker 2 (19:00):
Who would play Derek nineties R and B.
Speaker 3 (19:06):
I'm gonna go Casey Casey from Casey and Jojo well
Jojsy Casey.
Speaker 1 (19:15):
Now, that's the first time I've heard that one. Why
did you choose Keith now Can? And this is the
small one, right mhm?
Speaker 3 (19:25):
Is case the big Casey is the one that was
marriage and why I picked him?
Speaker 2 (19:31):
Because it's toxic. Derek is toxic.
Speaker 1 (19:39):
I want Derek now got toxic? Okay? Is he that
is he? Is he that good? Toxic or that turn
of chick crazy?
Speaker 2 (19:52):
Toxic Derek?
Speaker 3 (19:55):
Is that? No nonsense? I'm I'm telling you what's good
for you, but you don't want to listen to me
because you got daddy issues.
Speaker 1 (20:06):
Toxic Dang. I can't even come back with that one man,
So he is that listen to me? I'm gonna put
you in your police but I'm doing it because I
love you type toxic. Yeah, Dang, I think I got
(20:33):
back on. Okay, And now the female, but she has
to be a ninety six sickcom actress. Who would she
be and.
Speaker 3 (20:49):
Why ninety sick calm actress. And who would she be hmmm,
ninety sitcom to Shea Arnold, She's gonna be Pam.
Speaker 1 (21:03):
Ooh, why Pam?
Speaker 3 (21:09):
I would pick to Sheena Arnold one because her sister
has Lucas, so I'm definitely gonna throw that in there too,
because she's so stubborn, like she didn't want nobody to
tell her what to do.
Speaker 2 (21:24):
I'm gonna do what I want to do, how I
want to do it. It ain't nobody gonna tell me different. Hm.
Speaker 1 (21:34):
Okay, I can see. Ooh, that's Casey and Tsha Arnold.
Ooh that is a combination. Oh God, all right, Lifetime
calling and said, you know, we love that, we love
this combination. Closure was a hit, but now we need
(21:54):
a soundtrack. That's that one song that would represent beautifully
simplifying the part two? What song would represent book two?
From the did you choose that's from the nineties.
Speaker 2 (22:18):
Relia, the one I Gave My Heart too?
Speaker 1 (22:23):
And why did you choose that one? Because that's that's
a that's a strong song. Now, that's one of them
wailing snot coming down your nose type song. Back in
the days where we didn't know what we were singing about,
but I was singing it.
Speaker 2 (22:43):
Because you that once line.
Speaker 3 (22:47):
How could the one I gave my heart to break
my heart so bad? How could the one who made
me happy make me feel so sad? That is diamond
in a nutshell because she Derek wholeheartedly and he crushed
her when he picked Shakima over her.
Speaker 1 (23:10):
Okay, lifetime call again. They say, you know what, the
movie was great, the soundtrack for the second book was great,
and you know what, we feel you deserve a movie.
So now we're gonna make a movie about you. Who
would you give.
Speaker 7 (23:31):
The honor a plane you from the nineties? Well, you
know what, let's just let this be anybody who would
you give that honor to?
Speaker 2 (23:47):
Mm Hmmky Palma? I'm going Kiki Palma.
Speaker 1 (23:56):
Ooh. I do like her. She nobody, but she is
a very good actress, very versatile. She's a very good actress.
So why did you choose Kiki Palmer?
Speaker 3 (24:08):
Because there's levels to Kiki, Like she could be funny,
she could be serious. You know, she could give you drama,
she could give you comedy, she could give you action,
and she could sing and dance.
Speaker 1 (24:24):
Yeah, because she proved that when she did that Usher.
That tribute to Usher was that the b et O
or the Soul Train Award.
Speaker 2 (24:31):
One of them was one of them?
Speaker 1 (24:33):
Yes, all right, So we got Casey and th Arnold
for closure. Then we have book two, we had the
one I gave my heart to, and then the person
to play you, Kiki Palmer. All of this success is beautiful,
but we're gonna bring it back to the roots of writing.
Speaker 2 (24:56):
M hm.
Speaker 1 (24:56):
You got call and you are like, oh my god,
I would love the co author a book with you. You
chose me. Oh my god, who would that person on
the other end of the phone be? They ooh not
(25:18):
the mother?
Speaker 2 (25:20):
Why why are you then?
Speaker 3 (25:26):
Because like, I ain't had no business reading those books
when I was reading them.
Speaker 2 (25:32):
But now as an adult, I know why I read
those books. And she's just off the wall.
Speaker 3 (25:44):
It makes you really be like, oh, okay, I like
her storytelling more so than the eroticness of the books.
But that erotic gives it back.
Speaker 2 (26:01):
And you know it was.
Speaker 1 (26:03):
What was your favorite? What was your favorite book? By Zane?
Speaker 2 (26:07):
This is the a p F.
Speaker 1 (26:10):
Yoh that was mine. You can't tell me, yo, you
can tell me them chicks. I thought for sure that
when she had her little It was an HBO series,
The Yes that Sisters of the A p F.
Speaker 2 (26:26):
She turned to one but she didn't nope.
Speaker 1 (26:30):
And I was barely shocked at that. All the drama
enough things, not the things, the things that the thanks
never forget. We didn't have no sense reading those about.
But see I didn't read them at that time. I
(26:51):
wasn't read getting when I was younger, I didn't start reading.
So I started working at the library and that was
one of the second round the book, because the first
one I read was Thugs and the Woman who Loved
Them and the the I h by Dha King. Mm hmmm.
(27:12):
When I put my hands on Sisters of the a
p F. That don't make no sense the stuff that
I've written that book.
Speaker 3 (27:23):
And I was like dad Sex Chronicles one two that
they put Addicted to shame because I thought Addicted was bad.
And then I started reading her whole category and I said,
you know what, I ain't got no business reading this,
(27:45):
but I'm gonna read it.
Speaker 1 (27:51):
Really didn't have any business. So now we got Casey
and Tisha Arnold, and we have a leele with the
wine I gave my hearts. We got Kiki Palmer and
we got seen Kerr. You gotta going on. I love
your selections, love your selections. But before we go, where
(28:13):
can well? First, let's back up. What would you like
to say to your old readers, the readers you were
gaining after seeing this podcast and ones who will gain
when they show the replay. What would you like to
say to them?
Speaker 3 (28:29):
Thank you for entering the world of my glamor girls
with gd snap baby, get ready, buckle up and have
a good time. Just embrace the world of Sonia because
it gets a little crazy over here.
Speaker 2 (28:45):
I am a Gemini.
Speaker 1 (28:48):
Oh oh oh? Did you know the books aboutbley much?
You know the books of the pull up Gemini put
their hand on the pen. You never know where you're
gonna end up at a Gemini. I haven't had a
(29:12):
Sagittarius to give me something but the Gemini and the
piss when y'all right, I don't think you think you
know what the book is going at, because it's gonna
pick a totally different turn. Mm hmm. But before we leave,
tell us the rundown where we can follow you. Tell
(29:34):
us a little bit about loving the Carolinas, where you'll
be in January, and where we can get your books.
Speaker 3 (29:42):
All social media platforms is Sanya Phoenix except Instagram.
Speaker 2 (29:48):
Instagram is author underscore Sonya.
Speaker 3 (29:54):
All the books are on Amazon, KDP, unlimited website, Sonia
Phoenix dot com and Loving the Carolinas is gonna be lit.
We is gonna come and show out. I want you
all to come see a bunch of amazing romance authors
(30:19):
out enjoy the festivities. It is a three day event
which is January sixteenth through the eighteenth in Florence, so
North Carolina, South Carolina and surrounding areas. Please come out
and join us. Tickets are on sale now, so come out,
(30:40):
support your girl to my first real event. So come
see me, come to my table, come join the Glamor Girls.
Speaker 1 (30:52):
So you guys, I'm gonna be there. This is gonna
be one of my first book events outside of my
no actually first well yeah I did go to one,
but those were for work. But this one is gonna
be for personal. I'm gonna be in Florence, and I
ain't gonna stop by your table, and I'm already gonna
have your book. It depends on how I get it.
(31:15):
Might have you to sign my Kindle scripting name.
Speaker 3 (31:18):
One back up I mean you local, so I can
meet up with you and signed you and give you
like hard copies. I can meet up with you and
sign them for you.
Speaker 1 (31:28):
Yeah, we got the we got to buy pull of pins. Well,
she's not in Charleston, but you might have to say Charleston.
We call it the Tri County area because everybody's system
top of each other in this area. I'm gonna please
don't come.
Speaker 2 (31:45):
Well exactly are these streets? Is not big enough?
Speaker 1 (31:51):
Oh? What like the traffic? Who was that Thursday Friday
during the.
Speaker 2 (32:02):
Yo?
Speaker 1 (32:03):
It took me ninety minutes to get home. I wanted
to cry, no, ma'am, so yo don't come as folk,
But I digress. I appreciate you from being here tonight.
First of all, it is an honor to have the
talent in my city. That is such an honor, such
(32:27):
a blessing to know that we got one of the best,
the best of the best, in my backyard up street,
around the corner over there. You guys follow her on
all the social media. If you look at the bottom screen,
all our information is there. Grab her books. They are
(32:47):
on Amazon. Better yet, if you can grab them from
the office website. Head on out there. To Florence, South Carolina, January.
Speaker 2 (32:58):
Sixteen eighteen, sixteen seventeenth eighties.
Speaker 1 (33:02):
Yes, yes, sixteen seventeen eighteen. It's called Lovely Carolinas. I'm
going to be there. I know my too. My coworker
is going to be there. YO. Make sure you come
and you support your authors. If you can't be there,
be bear. Is the first weekend in November.
Speaker 2 (33:26):
Yeah for Bray, Yeah for Bray.
Speaker 1 (33:29):
It's the first weekend in November. Mama said, the least
she can do is leave a review because I think
all the books at that time are free.
Speaker 3 (33:39):
Right, Yeah, they're free on all the ebooks and kindles.
Everything is free for three days. So find some new authors,
get some old authors, leave reviews.
Speaker 2 (33:55):
Spread the word. We would appreciate it.
Speaker 1 (33:58):
And it's the least she can do. You're getting the
free book. At least you can do is lead a review.
This is a great way to reach out to authors.
Thank you, thank you for being here. And you guys,
(34:23):
remember there's no such thing as an old book because
not everybody has read every book. Good night everyone, bye
bye bye.
Hey, everyone, this is your girl, Sue Bookyard eight four three,
and we having a little temporary doop the colties. But
here I am. Hey you guys, how are you. It's
another Tuesday night and I am here with another author
(01:28):
another y'all, This one is so special and I just
found out it's gonna be special. And why is it special?
Because this author is from my neck of the woods, y'all.
She is from my neck of the wood. It's like
right up the street around the corner. Ben a left,
(01:49):
hang to the right, and she be right there. I
am so excited, you guys. Her name is Miss Phoenix,
and she's gonna be talking to to us about her books.
And I am going to bring her up and add
her on to the screen. Give me why you see,
(02:16):
look at your computer. We're not doing this today. You're
gonna work with me and we're gonna make you do
what to do. Okay, So you guys, I want to
introduce you to Miss Phoenix.
Speaker 2 (02:28):
How are you, girly, I'm good? How are you?
Speaker 1 (02:33):
I am great? Welcome to SI book gousand friends.
Speaker 2 (02:38):
Thank you for having me.
Speaker 1 (02:40):
Of course, this is an honor. You're from my neck
of the woods, so you guys, let me get a
little something out. So I just did yesterday. I did
staff there. Okay, twenty years of service. Congratulations to me.
Been through it, been through it, love it. So me
(03:01):
and three co workers, we're talking about the talent, the
hidden talent, the unknown talent that we have in our area.
And look at this, I am interviewing somebody that.
Speaker 2 (03:16):
Is that talent.
Speaker 1 (03:18):
So this is a complete honor. So next year, y'all
look for her at Charles County Poppet glob. Okay, so
tell us a little bit about yourself.
Speaker 3 (03:33):
My author name is Sonier Phoenix. I'm originally from Jamaica, Queens,
New York. I have been down here in Charleston for
eleven years.
Speaker 2 (03:47):
I'm a mom, I am a Lucas Warrior.
Speaker 3 (03:52):
I am a kidney transplant recipient seven years in Counting
Este yes, ma'am. And I just love to write very
vivid stories with crazy cliffhangers. And I am obsessed with
(04:13):
nineties R and B in early two thousands.
Speaker 1 (04:19):
See that's why I mean after that, remember what you said,
you need that knowledge, kid? Okay, okay, so what made
you want to become an author?
Speaker 2 (04:39):
In high school?
Speaker 3 (04:40):
I got into my Elective was center for writing, so
you know, we read a lot.
Speaker 2 (04:47):
Of boring.
Speaker 3 (04:49):
Books and then I was just like, this is so whack.
And then a friend of mine introduced me to I'm
Sister Soldier. So my first real urban book was like
everybody else post one to ever. And then I read
fly Girl and it just it was a snowball effect
(05:11):
after that, and I was just like, oh, these books
is crazy. I think growing up in New York could
write something like this. And I think it was like
two thousand and one.
Speaker 2 (05:25):
I was on MSN.
Speaker 3 (05:27):
I'm telling my age right now, but I was on
MSN and there was like this fan fiction group, so
I dabbled in it and I wrote like a little
short story about B two K members and it got
a lot of attention. And from then on I was
(05:48):
just you know, dabble hearing their right little short stories.
Speaker 2 (05:52):
Never really took it serious. And then.
Speaker 3 (05:56):
In twenty twenty, my best friend passed away, and you know,
kind of to pay homage to her, I continued the
stories that we used to write together, and in twenty
twenty two I got the courage to actually self publish.
Speaker 2 (06:13):
It and I just been doing it ever since.
Speaker 1 (06:19):
Wow, So how many books do you have in your
catalog right now?
Speaker 3 (06:23):
I have two novellas, which is Closure and Beautifully Shattered.
And then I did take part in the twenty twenty
five Just Read anthology with AA Lewis, Cassandra Charle, Kaylin Hunt.
Who else is in here, Simonnet, Vivian Blue Lady Rainmaker.
(06:50):
So it's like eleven other authors and we just did
a bunch of short stories.
Speaker 1 (06:59):
Listen here that name that group by itself, do you
know how much? Okay, listen that group that she did
just named you guys, y'all need to go ahead watch
the replay and write them all down, especially.
Speaker 4 (07:15):
Lewis Louise You're bad boy as Yeah, I feel like
that's she not for nothing.
Speaker 3 (07:26):
She she really gave me a lot of encouragement last
year during Bray, during the Brave Festival, she she pushed
me and she was just like, listen twenty twenty twenty
twenty five Brave Festival, I need you. She was like,
I'm not even playing with you, like we're gonna be
celebrating you. And I was just like, Okay, I'm gonna
(07:47):
stop being scary and really do it.
Speaker 1 (07:52):
Listen. I love Brave. I love ray. I have someone
that's gonna be in the Brave Festival, and I love it.
It's a great way to introduce authors and readers together.
And I just asked, if you are a reader and
(08:12):
you're participating in Bray, the least she can do is
leave a review. Yes, that's the least she can do
is leave a review. Now, if you want to do more,
you can share the book in box of the authors
say hey, thank you, because a lot of these authors
don't get thank you. They don't mm hm, and they
(08:37):
work be Oh my god, and y'all wait to y'all
see her covers because y'all don I'm a cover checks,
you know, and I look at these covers all day.
So I'm ready to get to these books. So what
what is your motivation for your right?
Speaker 3 (09:02):
It's an escape. For me, it's you know, it's therapeutic
for me. So when I'm going through something, I'll just
get lost in the characters and just right right, right,
right right.
Speaker 2 (09:17):
And I typically like to.
Speaker 3 (09:20):
Incorporate some type of autoimmune disease in the books because
a lot of us Brown women and men deal with
these autoimmune diseases and nobody understands what we're going through.
So I kind of want to shed light to that
(09:42):
because people are looking at me and be like, Oh,
you're not sick, there's nothing wrong with you. You don't
know half of what autoimmune disease does to a person mentally, physically, emotionally.
So when I'm in that mode, when I'm going through
(10:03):
a crisis or something and I feel like nobody will understand,
I put that in the characters because they understand what
I'm going through, I guess because it's me writing it.
Speaker 1 (10:16):
So I like that. I like that, and it rais awareness.
That's very smart and very creepy. Have you ever had
your readers come to you and what do they say
(10:38):
to you?
Speaker 3 (10:42):
Some people ask me like, well, are these things that
you went through dealing with your lucas? And I'm just like, yeah,
you know, it gets scary. But it's not just me.
I have friends who have sickle cell. I have friends
who have a mess. So sometimes I take things that
(11:03):
they have gone through with their permission, and I'll put
my own little twist to it to like you said,
bring awareness to the things. The invisible diseases is what
I call them.
Speaker 1 (11:17):
Okay, okay, so let's go to these books of yours,
looking here, looking here, y'all, especially that Closure. So which
one would you like to start off first? And tell
us a little bit about We could start.
Speaker 3 (11:39):
With Closure because technically it's not a series, but Beautifully
Shattered has a lot to do with Closure, so it's
easier to start with Closure and then go into Beautifully Shattered.
Speaker 1 (11:55):
Okay, so tell us a little bit about Closure.
Speaker 3 (11:59):
So Closure is a second chance romance with a lot
of unexpected events. They Derek and Shakima were dating in
high school and then you know, they went their separate ways,
(12:19):
but the universe said their story wasn't finished. So they
run into each other and they find out well not
they Derek finds out a little secret, and that secret
kind of rocks his world and shifts his life's path.
(12:40):
And they attempt to rekindle a relationship, but Derek has
a girlfriend and she's not too fond of him rekindling
that relationship. And then, you know, towards the end of
the book, we find out some things about the girlfriend.
Speaker 2 (13:02):
And it gets a little crazy, you know, a lot.
Speaker 3 (13:05):
Of shocks and surprises and people are not who they
say they are, and then their secret babies and stuff
so after while, No, honestly, I've had a person that
(13:36):
read the book. She read the book last year, but
you know she's she works in the school district. So
she was just like, well, it took me some time
to actually like sit down and read it.
Speaker 5 (13:45):
And I literally got a phone call, not an inbox,
not a text message, I got a phone call, and
it was just like, where's the rest of the book?
Speaker 3 (14:00):
He is Diamond, And do we need to pull up
on her for real? Like this needs to be on
to b or b et.
Speaker 1 (14:07):
Plus or something.
Speaker 3 (14:09):
Somebody gets Tyler Perry on the phone right now, because
absolutely not.
Speaker 2 (14:13):
And then the way that I ended it, people.
Speaker 3 (14:17):
Were really like, no, no, no, no, no, no no, You're
not just gonna end it like this, where's.
Speaker 2 (14:22):
The rest of this? What happens? So then comes Beautifully Shattered.
Speaker 1 (14:31):
Oh see, you please don't make me find out where
you love as much? But you love close now, so
let's talk about it.
Speaker 3 (14:51):
So Beautifully Shattered is Diamond? Sorry, Diamond is the girlfriend
of Derek.
Speaker 2 (15:00):
In Closure and Beautifully.
Speaker 3 (15:04):
Shattered, we find out why Diamond is obsessed with Derek.
We dive into her childhood, the traumas that she faced
as a child, and then once she realizes that Derek
(15:29):
wants Shakima and not her, she takes drastic, drastic measures
to get her man back. And when I say drastic,
I mean drastic, like flying across the country and creating
a whole new life just to be with this man.
Speaker 2 (15:50):
And it doesn't it. Yeah, Derek is that guy?
Speaker 6 (16:00):
Oh okay, okay, so oh okay. So so let me
find out. So if you had to choose either one
of these two books to give to.
Speaker 1 (16:18):
Me, which one would you choose? And why?
Speaker 2 (16:26):
Which one would I choose? I would say Closure.
Speaker 3 (16:30):
I would say Closure because you have to read Closure
to understand Beautifully Shattered. So it's gonna make you go
get beautifully shattered.
Speaker 1 (16:44):
Okay, Okay, so you're telling me I should go get closure.
This Closure is gonna make me want to read beautiful
truly Shattered. But what if I want this, this this
book boy trained for myself. I'm not gonna want to
read beautifully Shattered. Becau see, I might have to hurt
(17:07):
her trying to come and get my man.
Speaker 3 (17:09):
No, because you'll understand why she clung to him the
way that she did. It's it's it's gonna from from
what I have been told it's gonna take you on.
Speaker 2 (17:24):
Closure is gonna take you on an emotional roller coaster.
Speaker 3 (17:29):
And the cliff hanger ending is gonna make you go wait,
hold on, hold on, hold on, hold on, wait now
what happened? Okay, yeah, so we need to go figure
out why Diamond is cuckoo for Coco Pups because she's
not right in the head. I'll tell you that now,
she's not right in the head.
Speaker 1 (17:46):
Oh oh, she wanted him one.
Speaker 2 (17:49):
Yeah, she's that. My me and my man, my man.
Speaker 1 (17:54):
Oh, them the scary ones because them the one that
will do almost anything from my man, my man. Listen, KI,
if you ever hear chicks say my man, my man,
my man, run because it ain't all the way up. Yeah,
that's one of them true ownership type chicks. So we're
(18:15):
getting close to that little closing period. But member, I
told you that we had some fun questions. Mm hmm, yes,
about time. Alright, here we go, here we go. We
got a call and someone is read Closure and they
(18:35):
would like to make it into a Lifetime mini series.
They want to bring to the Lifetime. You know, Lifetime
got them dramas, They got them dramas who would play
your main male character, and it has to be her
nineties R and B male. Who would it be?
Speaker 2 (19:00):
Who would play Derek nineties R and B.
Speaker 3 (19:06):
I'm gonna go Casey Casey from Casey and Jojo well
Jojsy Casey.
Speaker 1 (19:15):
Now, that's the first time I've heard that one. Why
did you choose Keith now Can? And this is the
small one, right mhm?
Speaker 3 (19:25):
Is case the big Casey is the one that was
marriage and why I picked him?
Speaker 2 (19:31):
Because it's toxic. Derek is toxic.
Speaker 1 (19:39):
I want Derek now got toxic? Okay? Is he that
is he? Is he that good? Toxic or that turn
of chick crazy?
Speaker 2 (19:52):
Toxic Derek?
Speaker 3 (19:55):
Is that? No nonsense? I'm I'm telling you what's good
for you, but you don't want to listen to me
because you got daddy issues.
Speaker 1 (20:06):
Toxic Dang. I can't even come back with that one man,
So he is that listen to me? I'm gonna put
you in your police but I'm doing it because I
love you type toxic. Yeah, Dang, I think I got
(20:33):
back on. Okay, And now the female, but she has
to be a ninety six sickcom actress. Who would she
be and.
Speaker 3 (20:49):
Why ninety sick calm actress. And who would she be hmmm,
ninety sitcom to Shea Arnold, She's gonna be Pam.
Speaker 1 (21:03):
Ooh, why Pam?
Speaker 3 (21:09):
I would pick to Sheena Arnold one because her sister
has Lucas, so I'm definitely gonna throw that in there too,
because she's so stubborn, like she didn't want nobody to
tell her what to do.
Speaker 2 (21:24):
I'm gonna do what I want to do, how I
want to do it. It ain't nobody gonna tell me different. Hm.
Speaker 1 (21:34):
Okay, I can see. Ooh, that's Casey and Tsha Arnold.
Ooh that is a combination. Oh God, all right, Lifetime
calling and said, you know, we love that, we love
this combination. Closure was a hit, but now we need
(21:54):
a soundtrack. That's that one song that would represent beautifully
simplifying the part two? What song would represent book two?
From the did you choose that's from the nineties.
Speaker 2 (22:18):
Relia, the one I Gave My Heart too?
Speaker 1 (22:23):
And why did you choose that one? Because that's that's
a that's a strong song. Now, that's one of them
wailing snot coming down your nose type song. Back in
the days where we didn't know what we were singing about,
but I was singing it.
Speaker 2 (22:43):
Because you that once line.
Speaker 3 (22:47):
How could the one I gave my heart to break
my heart so bad? How could the one who made
me happy make me feel so sad? That is diamond
in a nutshell because she Derek wholeheartedly and he crushed
her when he picked Shakima over her.
Speaker 1 (23:10):
Okay, lifetime call again. They say, you know what, the
movie was great, the soundtrack for the second book was great,
and you know what, we feel you deserve a movie.
So now we're gonna make a movie about you. Who
would you give.
Speaker 7 (23:31):
The honor a plane you from the nineties? Well, you
know what, let's just let this be anybody who would
you give that honor to?
Speaker 2 (23:47):
Mm Hmmky Palma? I'm going Kiki Palma.
Speaker 1 (23:56):
Ooh. I do like her. She nobody, but she is
a very good actress, very versatile. She's a very good actress.
So why did you choose Kiki Palmer?
Speaker 3 (24:08):
Because there's levels to Kiki, Like she could be funny,
she could be serious. You know, she could give you drama,
she could give you comedy, she could give you action,
and she could sing and dance.
Speaker 1 (24:24):
Yeah, because she proved that when she did that Usher.
That tribute to Usher was that the b et O
or the Soul Train Award.
Speaker 2 (24:31):
One of them was one of them?
Speaker 1 (24:33):
Yes, all right, So we got Casey and th Arnold
for closure. Then we have book two, we had the
one I gave my heart to, and then the person
to play you, Kiki Palmer. All of this success is beautiful,
but we're gonna bring it back to the roots of writing.
Speaker 2 (24:56):
M hm.
Speaker 1 (24:56):
You got call and you are like, oh my god,
I would love the co author a book with you. You
chose me. Oh my god, who would that person on
the other end of the phone be? They ooh not
(25:18):
the mother?
Speaker 2 (25:20):
Why why are you then?
Speaker 3 (25:26):
Because like, I ain't had no business reading those books
when I was reading them.
Speaker 2 (25:32):
But now as an adult, I know why I read
those books. And she's just off the wall.
Speaker 3 (25:44):
It makes you really be like, oh, okay, I like
her storytelling more so than the eroticness of the books.
But that erotic gives it back.
Speaker 2 (26:01):
And you know it was.
Speaker 1 (26:03):
What was your favorite? What was your favorite book? By Zane?
Speaker 2 (26:07):
This is the a p F.
Speaker 1 (26:10):
Yoh that was mine. You can't tell me, yo, you
can tell me them chicks. I thought for sure that
when she had her little It was an HBO series,
The Yes that Sisters of the A p F.
Speaker 2 (26:26):
She turned to one but she didn't nope.
Speaker 1 (26:30):
And I was barely shocked at that. All the drama
enough things, not the things, the things that the thanks
never forget. We didn't have no sense reading those about.
But see I didn't read them at that time. I
(26:51):
wasn't read getting when I was younger, I didn't start reading.
So I started working at the library and that was
one of the second round the book, because the first
one I read was Thugs and the Woman who Loved
Them and the the I h by Dha King. Mm hmmm.
(27:12):
When I put my hands on Sisters of the a
p F. That don't make no sense the stuff that
I've written that book.
Speaker 3 (27:23):
And I was like dad Sex Chronicles one two that
they put Addicted to shame because I thought Addicted was bad.
And then I started reading her whole category and I said,
you know what, I ain't got no business reading this,
(27:45):
but I'm gonna read it.
Speaker 1 (27:51):
Really didn't have any business. So now we got Casey
and Tisha Arnold, and we have a leele with the
wine I gave my hearts. We got Kiki Palmer and
we got seen Kerr. You gotta going on. I love
your selections, love your selections. But before we go, where
(28:13):
can well? First, let's back up. What would you like
to say to your old readers, the readers you were
gaining after seeing this podcast and ones who will gain
when they show the replay. What would you like to
say to them?
Speaker 3 (28:29):
Thank you for entering the world of my glamor girls
with gd snap baby, get ready, buckle up and have
a good time. Just embrace the world of Sonia because
it gets a little crazy over here.
Speaker 2 (28:45):
I am a Gemini.
Speaker 1 (28:48):
Oh oh oh? Did you know the books aboutbley much?
You know the books of the pull up Gemini put
their hand on the pen. You never know where you're
gonna end up at a Gemini. I haven't had a
(29:12):
Sagittarius to give me something but the Gemini and the
piss when y'all right, I don't think you think you
know what the book is going at, because it's gonna
pick a totally different turn. Mm hmm. But before we leave,
tell us the rundown where we can follow you. Tell
(29:34):
us a little bit about loving the Carolinas, where you'll
be in January, and where we can get your books.
Speaker 3 (29:42):
All social media platforms is Sanya Phoenix except Instagram.
Speaker 2 (29:48):
Instagram is author underscore Sonya.
Speaker 3 (29:54):
All the books are on Amazon, KDP, unlimited website, Sonia
Phoenix dot com and Loving the Carolinas is gonna be lit.
We is gonna come and show out. I want you
all to come see a bunch of amazing romance authors
(30:19):
out enjoy the festivities. It is a three day event
which is January sixteenth through the eighteenth in Florence, so
North Carolina, South Carolina and surrounding areas. Please come out
and join us. Tickets are on sale now, so come out,
(30:40):
support your girl to my first real event. So come
see me, come to my table, come join the Glamor Girls.
Speaker 1 (30:52):
So you guys, I'm gonna be there. This is gonna
be one of my first book events outside of my
no actually first well yeah I did go to one,
but those were for work. But this one is gonna
be for personal. I'm gonna be in Florence, and I
ain't gonna stop by your table, and I'm already gonna
have your book. It depends on how I get it.
(31:15):
Might have you to sign my Kindle scripting name.
Speaker 3 (31:18):
One back up I mean you local, so I can
meet up with you and signed you and give you
like hard copies. I can meet up with you and
sign them for you.
Speaker 1 (31:28):
Yeah, we got the we got to buy pull of pins. Well,
she's not in Charleston, but you might have to say Charleston.
We call it the Tri County area because everybody's system
top of each other in this area. I'm gonna please
don't come.
Speaker 2 (31:45):
Well exactly are these streets? Is not big enough?
Speaker 1 (31:51):
Oh? What like the traffic? Who was that Thursday Friday
during the.
Speaker 2 (32:02):
Yo?
Speaker 1 (32:03):
It took me ninety minutes to get home. I wanted
to cry, no, ma'am, so yo don't come as folk,
But I digress. I appreciate you from being here tonight.
First of all, it is an honor to have the
talent in my city. That is such an honor, such
(32:27):
a blessing to know that we got one of the best,
the best of the best, in my backyard up street,
around the corner over there. You guys follow her on
all the social media. If you look at the bottom screen,
all our information is there. Grab her books. They are
(32:47):
on Amazon. Better yet, if you can grab them from
the office website. Head on out there. To Florence, South Carolina, January.
Speaker 2 (32:58):
Sixteen eighteen, sixteen seventeenth eighties.
Speaker 1 (33:02):
Yes, yes, sixteen seventeen eighteen. It's called Lovely Carolinas. I'm
going to be there. I know my too. My coworker
is going to be there. YO. Make sure you come
and you support your authors. If you can't be there,
be bear. Is the first weekend in November.
Speaker 2 (33:26):
Yeah for Bray, Yeah for Bray.
Speaker 1 (33:29):
It's the first weekend in November. Mama said, the least
she can do is leave a review because I think
all the books at that time are free.
Speaker 3 (33:39):
Right, Yeah, they're free on all the ebooks and kindles.
Everything is free for three days. So find some new authors,
get some old authors, leave reviews.
Speaker 2 (33:55):
Spread the word. We would appreciate it.
Speaker 1 (33:58):
And it's the least she can do. You're getting the
free book. At least you can do is lead a review.
This is a great way to reach out to authors.
Thank you, thank you for being here. And you guys,
(34:23):
remember there's no such thing as an old book because
not everybody has read every book. Good night everyone, bye
bye bye.
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