Novelist Lauren Wagner chats with me about her new dystopian sci-fi, Misguided Trust.
During her virtual book tour, Lauren will be giving away a $10 Amazon or Barnes and Noble (winner’s gift card) to a randomly drawn participant. To be entered for a chance to win, use the form below. To increase your chances of winning, feel free to visit her other tour stops and there, too!
Bio:
I didn’t fall in love with reading until my young adult years, when a quiet corner of my town’s public library opened the door to places I’d always dreamed of. I’d leave with stacks of books taller than me, only to return them to check them out again and again. Somewhere between the turning pages and sleepless nights, I realized I wasn’t just a reader—I was a writer in the making.
Now, I write fantasy and science fiction and anything else that sparks an idea in my head. I live in the western suburbs of Chicago with my husband, two kids, and an absolutely adorable King Charles Cocker Spaniel. But writing isn’t my full-time career. I also teach elementary students to fall head over heels for literature, just like I did.
Welcome, Lauren. Please tell us about your current release.
Misguided Trust is set in a post-nuclear world where water is tightly controlled, and sickness means death. The main character, Sara, risks everything to save a young, ill boy orphaned by the authoritarian regime. As she fights to protect him, she finds support in Josh, her late best friend’s brother and an employee of the water company. But when the authorities begin to watch them—and she falls for the very investigator assigned to uncover her secrets—Sara is forced to navigate forbidden love, growing rebellion, and the hope for something better in a world ruled by fear.
What inspired you to write this book?
I read a lot of dystopian stories and new I wanted one of my own. Everyone loves a good dystopian story—an oppressive government, buried conspiracies, and the constant threat of violence used to silence the truth. But I needed a foundation- I needed a foundation of something all people need to survive, and would change the world if taken away from them. Water. But once I started writing, I hit a point where the plot needed something more—something that would shake things up emotionally. That’s when a particular song took over my brain: “Redneck Crazy” by Tyler Farr. I must’ve listened to it a hundred times, letting its raw, emotional energy sink in. I didn’t just want the song to inspire a scene—I wanted it woven into the fabric of the story. So, I built an entire relationship around it: real, messy, honest. That song didn’t just move the plot forward—it gave it a heartbeat.
Excerpt from Misguided Trust:
Moments ago, I was terrified of this man. Hours ago, I was scared of his friends. Now, I find myself afraid to leave his side. With no other options, I set one foot in front of the other and move away from the car. With my insides bristling, I walk towards the enforcement building. I keep my eyes glued to the men arguing in the room ahead of me. With each step I take, I contemplate what I will say when I finish walking up the steps. I need to come up with an excuse for being out. And I need to come up with it quickly.
I hear the engine of the car behind me start up. I turn to see Josh’s boss, the creator of Water Systems Inc, still standing there in his pressed suit, leaning up against the car and watching my every move. That’s what I will tell them. Exactly the truth. Kind of. Three men broke into my house. I was scared, so I ran straight here. I turn and continue walking. The cigar smell in my house should be proof enough.
My hope falters the moment I hear the gunshot.
What exciting project are you working on next?
I’m currently working on a ghost story with a sixth-sense twist, where reality and memory blur in a kingdom lost to time. The main character, Mia, is a young woman caught between duty and desire—betrothed to a distant, terrible king, yet feeling like a stranger in her own story. As she wanders the halls of the crumbling castle, she begins to sense the presence of others—ghosts bound to the past, their stories lingering like whispers in the stone. But one spirit stands out. Mysterious, kind, and heartbreakingly real, he draws Mia in. She doesn’t know if he’s alive or lost to history, but as their connection deepens, she’s faced with a choice: follow the path laid out for her, or chase a love that is impossible to follow.
When did you first consider yourself a writer?
I didn’t consider myself a writer until I held my first book in my hands. Before that moment, writing had always felt like something personal—something I did quietly, in the margins of my life, without ever fully claiming it. But the weight of that first book, the feel of the cover, the scent of the freshly printed pages—it made everything real. It was proof that the stories I had carried in my head and heart had finally found a home in the world.
Do you write full-time? If so, what’s your workday like? If not, what do you do other than write and how do you find time to write?
Writing isn’t my full-time career—it’s my passion, the quiet joy I turn to after a full day in the classroom. By day, I teach elementary students, helping them discover the magic of reading and the power of their own words. And when the school day ends and the classroom quiets, I return to my own stories, inspired by the very love of language I strive to pass on.
What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?
My writing process is a bit backwards—literally. I always start with a specific scene that’s stuck in my head, like a movie clip on repeat. It’s usually some dramatic, emotional, or totally random moment I have to get on the page. Then I work in reverse, figuring out how the story could possibly lead up to that point. Once I’ve built a solid runway to that scene, I finally zoom out and map out how the rest of the plot unfolds and wraps up. It’s kind of like writing the middle of the book first and trusting the beginning and end will catch up eventually!
As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
When I was little, I wanted to be a bus driver. I thought there was something magical about driving the same route every day, watching the world go by from behind that big wheel, and being the one who brought people where they needed to go. Of course, as I got older, my dreams shifted—but that simple idea stuck with me: the desire to guide people through a journey, to help them reach something just beyond the horizon. In a way, writing stories isn’t so different. Now, I drive through worlds of my own making, and if I do my job right, readers come along for the ride.
Anything additional you want to share with the readers?
If I’m not writing, there’s a good chance I have a book in my hand. I even keep a secret stash of books in my car—just in case.
Links:
Website | Twitter/X | Amazon | Misguided Trust – Lauren Wagner – Cinnabar Moth Publishing
Thank you so much for featuring Lauren Wagner and MISGUIDED TRUST today.
Sounds really good.
The book sounds like a fascinating read. Thanks!
Sounds like a great book.
This looks like a great read. Thanks for sharing.
What’s your go-to summer drink while writing- iced coffee, lemonade or something more adventurous?