Today we’d like to introduce you to Sonido Reyes.
Hi Sonido, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
When I was in high school and even college, I never thought I would be a writer. I actually had a pretty low reading comprehension for my age, and I read much slower than my peers. I came to associate reading and writing with not feeling “smart enough.” It wasn’t until I was done with school that I started reading and writing fan fiction, and I never looked back. Once I realized I could read and write just for fun, with no grade attached to it, it became something I couldn’t get enough of.
One day, some of my fan fiction friends challenged me to write an original novel in a month, and I did! That book ended up being my debut novel, The Lesbiana’s Guide to Catholic School.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I think after I got over the hump of associating reading and writing with the shame of not being smart enough, it all came much easier. I was able to fully fall in love with stories in a way I hadn’t experienced since I was little. Of course, there were always speed bumps, and imposter syndrome was a hard monster to defeat. I struggled for a long time with the idea that I had somehow tricked people into thinking I was good at this writing thing, but I had to accept that people are not lying when they say they like my books. I know that sounds ridiculous, but I was not very confident in the early days. I’m happy to say that I am in a much better place now. I truly do believe that my stories are needed, and that I am the one who needs to write them.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I write novels about queer Mexican characters in a variety of genres and age categories. I have been told I am most known for writing characters who feel realistic and flawed, yet lovable. I always write characters who I relate to personally, from sexuality to race to mental illness.
The thing I am most proud of isn’t necessarily something I did consciously, but the effect some of my writing has had on readers. It feels so special to hear that someone asked for help because of my book, or that they realized they were autistic or bipolar from of one of my books and were able to get a diagnosis because of it. It’s stories like these from readers that keep me going and make all the ups and downs of this career more than worth it.
I struggle with seeing myself as completely unique in my work, though, and I don’t think that’s a bad thing! I think there are so many amazing authors doing similar work that I always love championing alongside my own. That said, I do also pride myself on writing accessible prose that still feels nuanced. Just because something is easy to read, doesn’t mean it isn’t complex. That is something I will always strive for, whether I’m writing for children or adults. I want people to be able to pick up one of my books and fully enjoy and understand it, even if they haven’t read anything in years.
What sort of changes are you expecting over the next 5-10 years?
This is a hard question because it has already changed so much since I got into it less than five years ago. When I first started, there was a big boom in diverse books, which has unfortunately regressed quite a bit since then. Books have gotten more expensive, and indie books have gotten much more popular, which I think is also going to force the industry to change in a big way.
I’m not sure what I expect, but I do know what I’m hoping for. I hope the industry will only grow more diverse over time. I hope that every child, teen, and adult can find themselves in the pages of not just one book, but many. And I hope they can find this every single time they walk into a book store or library.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://sonidoreyes.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sonidoreyes/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@sonido_reyes
