Stranger Things Author Gwenda Bond Talks Magic, Betrayal & The Frame-Up

🎙️ Soul Story® Show – Episode 5 

Guest: Gwenda Bond, NYT-Bestselling Author of Stranger Things: Suspicious Minds & The Frame-Up

Title: Writing Magic, Facing Betrayal & Finding Power in Our Gifts – with Gwenda Bond

Host: Brooke-Sidney Harbour

📺 Watch Now on YouTube → https://youtube.com/@soulstoryshow

💡 Episode Summary In this episode of The Soul Story® Show, Brooke-Sidney Harbour sits down with Gwenda Bond—bestselling author of Stranger Things: Suspicious Minds, The Frame-Up, and over a dozen fantastical novels blending magic, mystery, and heart.

They talk about writing into the voids of trust and betrayal, how gifts we want to reject might be our greatest sources of power, and the deeper soulwork behind writing stories that heal, liberate, and reveal who we are becoming.

You’ll also hear what it was like to write the first official Stranger Things prequel novel, and why The Frame-Up is more than a magical art heist—it’s a mirror for anyone who’s ever doubted their power, questioned their gifts, or tried to outrun their past. Whether you’re a reader, writer, or recovering perfectionist with a messy magic inside… this one’s for you. 

🔑 In This Episode, We Explore:

• What it’s like writing an official Stranger Things prequel—and how Gwenda approached expanding Eleven’s origin story

• The soul story behind The Frame-Up: a tale of power, betrayal, forgiveness, and the magic of second chances

• Why Dani (the main character) thought her life would be easier without her gift—and what that reveals about our real-life struggles with self-worth

• Elliott and Dani: love, loss, and trying again when trust is broken

• How betrayal, especially from people we love, shapes us—and how writing can offer closure

• Gwenda’s writing process (spoiler: she’s a structured pantser!)

• Her take on giftedness, personal magic, and how we hide or weaponize what makes us different

• The power of art as magic—and how creativity can be a portal for healing

• Why writing fantasy still requires radical honesty

• Advice for writers struggling with self-doubt, imposter syndrome, or messy drafts

 

📘 Featured Books

📖 The Frame-Up by Gwenda Bond – https://amzn.to/4ew8B6E A dazzling, fast-paced magical art heist story with heart, secrets, and second chances. Perfect for fans of The Night Circus, The Magicians, or The Inheritance Games.

📖 Stranger Things: Suspicious Minds by Gwenda Bond – https://amzn.to/4m44NOr The first official Stranger Things novel, revealing the secret history of Eleven’s mother and the terrifying MKUltra experiments that shaped her daughter’s powers. 

 

📘 Other Books 

📖 Not Your Average Hot Guy by Gwenda Bond – https://amzn.to/3IzJWUF

📖 The Date From Hell by Gwenda Bond – https://amzn.to/4eUz7bO

📖 Mr. & Mrs. Witch by Gwenda Bond – https://amzn.to/4nUKlkC

📖 Fallout (Lois Lane, Book 1) by Gwenda Bond – https://amzn.to/4kLO7Kg

📖 Double Down (Lois Lane, Book 2) by Gwenda Bond – https://amzn.to/45as9Mt

📖 Triple Threat (Lois Lane, Book 3) by Gwenda Bond – https://amzn.to/4nUKN2i 

 

🧠 Favorite Quotes

“Every book breaks you a little—and puts you back together differently.”

“We’re afraid of our power. We’re afraid of what we might become if we truly use it.”

“Dani didn’t want her gift… but she needed it to become who she really was.” 

“Writing fantasy is just truth wearing a little glitter.”

“Betrayal leaves a scar, but stories can stitch it into something useful.”

 

⚡ Lightning Round Highlights

📝 Favorite Writing Ritual: Coffee (of course!)

📚 Last Book That Blew Her Mind: These Summer Storms by Sarah MacLean — a surprising contemporary shift from the author - https://amzn.to/3IzJWUF

✨ Magical Power She’d Want: Teleportation — “No airplanes. Beach whenever you want it.”

🎨 Dream Art Heist Piece: She wouldn’t steal art—but she’d steal it back to return it to the museum where it belongs

🎶 Theme Song for The Frame-Up: “C’est Si Bon” by Eartha Kitt — slinky, stylish, and perfectly Parisian 

 

🧭 Connect with Gwenda Bond

🌐 Website: https://www.gwendabond.com

📘 Instagram: https://instagram.com/@gwendabond

📘 Bluesky: ‪https://bsky.app/profile/gwenda.bsky.social

📘 Substack: https://gwendabond.substack.com ⸻

 

📣 More from Brooke-Sidney

🎥 Subscribe to The Soul Story® Show on YouTube: YouTube.com/@soulstoryshow

📖 Ready to write your soul story? Book a 1:1 call: https://bit.ly/BJHbookchats

📲 Follow us on Instagram: https://instagram.com/soulstoryshow | https://instagram.com/thebrookesidney ⸻

 

✨ Final Word This episode is a heartfelt reminder that our magic may not look the way we imagined—but it still matters. Gwenda Bond shows us that the stories we write (and live) can be messy, broken, and still… full of power.

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