When I was first introduced to Sondi Warner, I quickly learned how deep their passion is for creating space that encourages self acceptance and reminds readers of how worthy they are. I immediately knew that I had to have her speak with us at Bookish Brews and share their love and writing with us. I’m so honored to introduce you all to the brilliant Sondi Warner, author of Lead Me Astray. 

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Lead Me Astray by Sondi Warner

When Aurie dies, only two people can save her soul: a seductive Empath who sees her ghost, and a hot werewolf investigating her death. But will she accept the desire swirling between the three of them?

👻 Paranormal 🏳️‍🌈 Queer Rep 🪄 Magic 🌼 Self Discovery

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• Genre: Fantasy, Mystery, Paranormal, Romance

Interview with Sondi Warner

Amanda: Thank you for joining us! Can you please introduce yourself and tell us about your book, Lead Me Astray?

Sondi: It is an absolute pleasure to join you and the wonderful Bookish Brews community! I’m Sondi Warner, an author and a vocal champion of self-love and compassion. I thrive on writing stories that showcase the kaleidoscope of human diversity, the transformational power of self-discovery, and the extraordinary magic of true love.

My debut novel Lead Me Astray transports readers to the shadows of New Orleans and a hidden realm called Overlay City, where the boundaries of reality are fluid, and nothing is quite as it seems. Hit-and-run victim Aurie Edison might be dead, but she has some heavy-duty unfinished business. The ghost teams up with Mys, a psychic Empath, and Zyr, a werewolf detective, to find her killer.

But as the story unfolds, and the intricate tapestry of Overlay City unravels, the investigation leads them to a dark conspiracy involving Darcy Cyprian, a ruthless vampire who wants to keep Aurie’s secrets buried.

As the level of peril escalates, Aurie, Mys, and Zyr unleash supernatural abilities and discover an out-of-this-world love that forges an unbreakable bond between them. Can they overcome their past traumas and embrace their second chance at happily ever afterlife? Or will Darcy’s schemes destroy them and Overlay City?

This polyamorous paranormal romance is in stores now. Don’t miss Lead Me Astray.

Amanda: One of your goals as a writer is to show people that they can accept themselves. What inspires this goal and how do you work to portray it in your writing?

Sondi: Embracing self-acceptance and recognizing our inherent worthiness can profoundly impact our lives, a fact that inspires me to make self-love a central theme of all my writing. A negative self-view can distort our perception of reality, which is why self-love is crucial for transforming our mindset and attitude. Self-love entails accepting our flaws, appreciating our strengths, and prioritizing our well-being. Its positive effects extend beyond us, creating a kinder and more loving world. Irrespective of achievements or challenges, every one of us is valuable and deserves love.

My writing reflects this deeply held belief. To demystify the practice, I try to create characters that feel real, characters that exemplify embracing ourselves as we are. Sometimes, I do this by giving them flaws that make them relatable and believable. For instance, in my book Lead Me Astray, Aurie is definitely not your typical girl next door. She can be spoiled, moody, and demanding because her mom is a famous Hollywood director.

I think characters with flaws are the most interesting, and by showing how they deal with their inner struggles and accept their “good” and “bad” qualities, I hope to inspire my readers to do the same.

At other times, to create realistic and interesting characters, I have to think about more than just superficial traits. I write characters who come from vastly different religious, political, or socioeconomic backgrounds than me. This means I have to do a lot of research and try to understand their points of view and experiences.

As a nonbinary person, I’m glad to be able to share perspectives that I can relate to, as well. In Lead Me Astray, I created Mys, a gender-nonconforming character who learns to embrace their uniqueness and beauty, instead of feeling ashamed of being different.

Ultimately, I want to make sure that my characters aren’t harmful stereotypes, and I’m always learning new and better ways to do that. I aspire to create a place where readers can find comfort and encouragement in the shared experiences of complex characters who grow to love themselves, and I want my writing to foster connection and understanding, starting with self-acceptance.

Amanda: I love your other goal of working to bring visibility to people living at multiple intersections of marginality, it’s one of our main focuses here at Bookish Brews! Why is it important to you to bring visibility to people living at these intersections? How do you hope the visibility from your stories contributes to our culture?

Sondi: Thank you for asking me this!

We live in a progressively paradoxical society—an enigma defined by heightened connectivity and exposure, yet marked by a disconcerting lack of genuine connection and intimacy. Despite an unprecedented flow of information, we find ourselves critically informed but curiously incapable of wielding this knowledge effectively. Adrift in a sea of newfound social freedoms, we are perplexed by the weight of our own free will. There’s so much noise, but no substance.

It is no wonder that many of us grapple with a pervasive sense of invisibility and futility. We yearn to be seen, to be heard, to be understood. And in our attempts to escape these feelings, we often find solace in external sources of entertainment—books, music, movies. These mediums provide a temporary refuge, a space where we can express our personhood and find characters who remind us of our own potential.

Through these characters, we recall that we are not alone. We are capable of relating, of empathizing, and of feeling. We stumble upon a poignant quote or a heartfelt lyric, and in that moment, we remember—we do possess agency. We have the power to address the problems within our reach, to make a difference in our own lives and the lives of others.

In this paradoxical society, where connection and isolation coexist, I have a personal mission to highlight the intersections of marginality that made us feel alienated even before the crisis of the modern age.

I hope the visibility of my stories leads to moments of self-discovery and empowerment that help us begin to bridge the gap between self and others. Let readers use my writing as a catalyst for personal growth and positive change. Our internal fire, not the external noise, shines as a beacon of our identity in the end.

Amanda: What drew you to writing and publishing with Wattpad? How does your publishing journey differ from what people might expect?

Sondi: Previously, I was a ghostwriter. I enjoyed working behind the scenes because it allowed me to flex my creative muscles while maintaining a certain level of privacy. But when my most valued client abruptly pulled out of publishing, it left a significant void in my workday and an even larger question mark over my financial future. I faced a harsh reality. Was it time to give up on writing and look for a more stable job?

During this crisis, my then fourteen-year-old encouraged me to keep writing, but for myself, not for the market. Kiddo told me to post my stories on Wattpad where I could reach readers directly without the traditional publishing barriers.

To my surprise, the more I shared on Wattpad, the more readers interacted with my work. They left comments, feedback, and appreciation that motivated me to continue following my vision. In what felt like no time at all, Lead Me Astray went from winning Wattpad’s prestigious Watty Award to hitting the shelves of major bookstores. I had no idea that posting my book would lead to this result since Wattpad didn’t even have a publishing company when I first started posting. It has been a whirlwind journey, and I have loved it!

Now I encourage everyone to try out Wattpad. Here’s the thing, there’s no one-size-fits-all formula for success in publishing. What works for one writer might not work for another. But having a supportive community of readers and the chance to share your work on a global platform? That’s like hitting the exposure jackpot. Whether you’re a reader, a writer, or both, do yourself a favor and check out Wattpad. It’s a game-changer.

Amanda: I love how you said that stories can help bridge the gap between self and others! That’s beautiful decolonial work. You also mention that Wattpad allows you to skirt the barriers of traditional publishing. How do you feel that skipping these barriers makes bridging that gap more accessible to writers and readers alike?

Sondi: The first generation to grow up without knowing a world untouched by the internet is also the first to mature within a multicultural, interconnected creative matrix. Generations Z and Alpha model for us the transcendence of borders, languages, and traditions.

And we see this on Wattpad all the time, where writers and readers are immersed in this ecosystem of diverse content. Anyone from Baton Rouge to Tokyo, from the bustling streets of Lagos to the serene landscapes of Cordoba, can weave their tale and cast it into the vast sea of Wattpad’s global readership. In this way, the community grows. Writers transform from solitary figures hunched over the keyboard to co-creators with readers who, in turn, annotate, discuss, and share their reactions.

It may seem idealistic, or even cliche, but despite our Epidemic of Loneliness, we can become global citizens, glimpsing the world through myriad lenses. The elimination of barriers to traditional publishing makes bridging the gap between self and others more accessible to writers and readers because in sharing our stories, we finally make real connections, and the whole emerges, greater than the sum of its parts.

Amanda: You’ve already kind of answered this with your overall goals and values, but what is your greatest dream for Lead Me Astray? Where do you hope it takes you, how do you hope it helps your readers, or now that you’re writing for yourself, what do you hope to come from your own writing?

Sondi: The magician takes what is and manifests what can’t be. Similarly, a story can reach into the depths of a person and help them feel not so alone in their unique experience. I hope Lead Me Astray continues to illuminate hearts.

This book was the first step in a big leap of faith for me. I don’t know where my publishing adventure will take me next, but I hope readers keep their hunger and continue reaching for what I have to offer. May they deeply relate to my stories and feel seen and validated, as perfectly fine as they imperfectly are.

Amanda: We’ve talked a lot about your goals and values in writing, especially how you hope your stories can impact readers and the world, but what about you? How has writing for yourself helped you grow personally and how do you hope to continue to grow through writing? What is the thing you’re most grateful for that has come from your writing?

Sondi: Dreaming the impossible builds character. Every writer wakes up each morning dancing on the edge of the insurmountable. Writing is more of a calling than a career, and it demands sacrifice. Financial constraints, access barriers, and the chasm between aspiration and skill are features of the experience; however, these limitations are the fertilizer for creative breakthroughs.

For me, writing is agency. It teaches navigating obstacles, self-editing, and course-correcting. It also teaches one to embrace imperfection and wear vulnerabilities like armor. Failures become stepping stones. These are life lessons, etched in ink. So, I am most grateful for this calling that used to overwhelm me with its immensity but ultimately has taught me how to get through life one chapter at a time.

Amanda: Are there any last words you want to leave with our readers at Bookish Brews? Anything that I may have missed?

Sondi: Thank you for the opportunity to share my insights and opinions with you. It has been a pleasure.