Laurie Faria Stolarz talks to Marla Arbach about the Blue is for Nightmares Collection and more

About you

Please introduce yourself.

My name is Laurie Faria Stolarz. I am the author of the Blue is for Nightmares series, published by Llewellyn Publications. I am also the author of Bleed, also for young adults, which is published by Hyperion Books for Children.

Why do you write for young adults? Would you ever consider writing for other audiences?

I started writing for young adults because I wanted to write books that would have appealed to me at that age, namely stories filled with suspense, romance, lots of drama, and a sense of humor. I was a reluctant reader as a young adult, and so I wanted to target other reluctant readers, getting them excited about reading.

Aside from that, I think there’s a lot of opportunity for a writer in crafting books for young adults. It’s an age filled with so much angst, so many firsts, and so much drama. I also love teen culture. I love movies geared for teens, young adult literature, TV shows, magazines, you name it. I’m addicted.

Would I consider writing for another audience? When I first wrote my latest book, Bleed, I had an older young adult/adult audience in mind, say 16-29 year olds. But because the young adult market has matured a bit over the last few years, I ended up selling it as “young adult.”

What other jobs have you had (including current ones) and which was your favourite? How did your other jobs influence your writing?

Let’s see, I’ve been a supermarket cashier (that was my high school job), a waitress, a babysitter, an editor, a high school French teacher, an admissions rep at a college, and I currently teach part-time at a local college. I loved my high school job because all of my friends worked there, too. We’d be working late at night and have a pizza delivered, sneaking munches between customers. The store was near a local college and a workout place, so we’d shamelessly flirt with the boys who came in there – purely for the fun of it. We’d make jokes out of everything to pass the time. It was fun and, yes, it might have helped to influence my writing in some way – getting to meet a variety of people on a regular basis, being a good listener (some of the customers were “regulars” and would tell me their life stories), and developing a sense of humor.

My job teaching in a high school was also great because I got to work with teens. I got to listen to their “teenspeak” on a regular basis. I got to be surrounded by their vibrant energy and contagious vibes. Oh, yeah, and it didn’t hurt that I love the French language. The only reason I left that job was because I was teaching seven different levels of French, plus a section of Spanish, for not very much money.

Now, teaching part-time at a small college enables me to connect with young people and share my love of language and writing.

The only job I really hated was working as a waitress – not because of the customers. It just wasn’t laid back enough for me and I’m a truly mellow girl.

Where do you see your writing career taking you?

What’s really important to me is giving back. I consider myself very fortunate to have this career and I like to use it as a way to give back to society, particularly young women. I visit an all girls residential treatment school for troubled teens on a regular basis. We chat about writing – both theirs and mine – about my books, about what they’re reading, and I give them creative writing exercises to do. This year the school is honoring me with a Rising Star Woman of Excellence Award (they give out about 12 or so, honoring women who’ve contributed positively to the well beings of young women).

I also do some speaking gigs for charity and I donate some of my books to a children’s hospital. Sadly, this year, I tried to organize a young adult reading group with a national organization that’s dedicated to providing educational and recreational programming for high-risk teens in underserved areas, but I was told that teens just aren’t into reading and so they wouldn’t be interested.

I hope to continue to give back more and more as I advance in my career.

About the books

Who do you think will like/should read the BIFN series, and why?

Most of my readers are twelve and up, but I get older teen readers and parents, too. Many of my readers are reluctant readers and admire Stacey, my main character, because she’s faced with so many obstacles, (i.e. secrets, stalkers, skeletons in her closet). But, at the same time, there’s a lot about Stacey that’s relatable. She’s not the prettiest girl in school, nor the smartest, or the funniest. She has issues with her mother and her friends, and, of course, she happens to be in love with her best friend’s boyfriend – more drama. Teens admire Stacey for her ability to take control of her life, going deep within herself to figure things out. Sometimes she does this with folk magic and sometimes she realizes that she can’t rely too heavily on magic, that the greatest power of all lies deep within herself. I think teens find the books both relatable and empowering.

Would you say the BIFN series is realistic or fantastical?

I’d say it’s a blending of both. You probably don’t encounter too many people who have stalkers loitering around their life on a regular basis, but there’s a lot that’s relatable about the series, too – romantic entanglements, drama with friends, having trouble identifying with parents, dealing with bullies, not living up to somebody else’s expectations, having lots of secrets, and living with guilt.

What do you like about your characters? (Be specific.)

I like that there’s something (or someone) for everyone. While Stacey is super serious, dealing with stalkers and the like, Amber and PJ can always make you laugh. Drea is the privileged, stereotypical pretty girl, but, when it comes right down to it, her character goes so much deeper than that, and we get to see that her life isn’t always as picture-perfect as one might think. Jacob is the mysterious boy you just can’t seem to get enough of, while Chad is the ex-boyfriend-turned-friend – an all around good guy that tries to do his best, even though he, too, makes mistakes.

Speaking of mistakes, I particularly like that Stacey makes so many of them. It helps make her “human.” She has moments of weakness, particularly in personal situations, even though she gains strength with each novel. I like that we get to see her grow – beyond her mistakes. She isn’t perfect. Teens like that. They can identify with that.

Discuss the significance of the following relationships:

a) Stacey and her mother

I love their relationship, especially in White is for Magic. There’s a really nice scene between the two of them in which Stacey sees herself in her mother. All along Stacey believed that she and her mother couldn’t be any more different. But she soon learns otherwise. Stacey’s mother has never really approved of Stacey’s magic and we get to explore why in White is for Magic. The two come to a really nice understanding that I think is very identifiable for teens and parents.

b) Stacey and Porsha

Porsha is almost a younger, less wise version of Stacey. Like Stacey, Porsha, too lives with guilt. She blames herself for not saving her mother’s life before it was too late. Porsha had a premonition that her mother was going to die, but she never said anything, and the premonition came true. Something similar happened to Stacey, years before Blue is for Nightmares, when Stacey had a premonition that Maura, the little girl for whom she babysat, was going to be killed. Porsha is just learning about her psychic abilities – and having a rough time dealing with the responsibility of foreseeing the future – and Stacey tries to help her. It’s a nice mentorship between the two of them.

c) Shell and Brick

Like Stacey with Porsha, Brick is almost a younger version of Jacob, just discovering his psychic awareness, just coming into his own. Jacob mentors him, teaching him about responsibility and integrity. And, like Stacey and Jacob, Porsha and Brick have a similar psychic bond that draws them together as soulmates.

What techniques did you use to keep the suspense right up to the end? Are there enough clues for readers to figure out the endings?

As I was writing, I kept trying to point the finger at all the other characters to throw the reader off from figuring out who whodunit. I’d throw in a fair amount of red herrings, giving most of the characters motives for guilt. Some readers tell me they figure the endings out before the last chapter or so, so I do think there are enough clues.

In Silver is for Secrets, Jacob was keeping secrets from Stacey for her own good and things ended tragically. Stacey believes that things might have turned out differently if Jacob had confided in her. What message does this send about relationships?

That honesty is important; that keeping secrets can sometimes be dangerous.

When you wrote the ending of Silver is for Secrets, did you already know that you'd be writing a fourth novel? Did you ever consider making Jacob really die? In real life, when we lose a loved one, they don't come back. What message can bereaved teens take from your books?

I knew that I would be writing a fourth because of the unsatisfying ending of Silver is for Secrets – did he die or didn’t he. But I also liked the shock of that ending. Who would ever guess that Jacob, Stacey’s one and only soulmate, would die? Especially after all that Stacey’s had to go through? I mean, this is her time; the poor girl has had enough grief to bear. She deserves to have a little happiness in her life. But, sometimes death happens that way – it just creeps up on us without warning, which is what makes the ending so devastating. We don’t get closure.

I did consider making Jacob really die – for a while actually. But, since the book isn’t real life and since I had the ability to resurrect Jacob, I did. But, that doesn’t mean that I don’t explore death in a very real way. Stacey grieves over her grandmother’s death – the one woman in the world she could identify with, who believed in what she did. Stacey also grieves over Maura’s death, the one girl she couldn’t save, having to live with that guilt and self-blame years later. Similarly, Porsha grieves over her mother’s death but, in the end, we see that in order for Porsha’s mother’s soul to rest at last, Porsha needs to forgive herself.

As far as bereavement goes, I think the biggest message that teens can take lies in the ending of Silver is for Secrets. Stacey lights a candle, remembering how her grandmother always told her that even after our loved ones pass on, as long as we keep their memories alive, their spirits will be with us forever.

Stacey is very serious and respectful about her Wiccan beliefs. To what extent do you think their like-minded beliefs affected Stacey and Jacob's compatibility? Do you think that religious/spiritual beliefs are an important issue for teens nowadays? Do you think they play a large part in how teens choose girl/boyfriends?

I think a similar way of thinking – similar morals, ideas, and values – do contribute to a couple’s compatibility. Stacey and Jacob both practice folk magic and both have extrasensory awareness but, even beyond that, they both believe in helping others and in empowering themselves. I think teens, particularly in this day and age, are searching for something bigger. They have questions about the universe and their place in it. I think a lot of teens – particularly those who are unsure about the answers to those questions – long for a sense of spirituality.

For Stacey and Jacob, physical intimacy is a way to express their deep spiritual connection. Why did you decide to give your characters this attitude about sex? Do you feel it's realistic?

I decided to give my characters a sexual relationship because it was realistic for them. It made sense for their relationship. Stacey was finally willing to let go of the barriers that she held up, allowing herself to fully succumb to their relationship. Their intimacy was merely an extension of the love and trust they’d established for one another. Also, I knew what was to follow in the novel, and having them consummate their relationship only hours before the tragic accident, only made the situation more dire.

Other books which talk about witchcraft (such as the Harry Potter series) have faced a backlash from concerned parents. Have you experienced anything similar?

I’ve received a couple of letters from teens, trying to “save” me from writing about magic. But, overall, feedback has been very positive. Also, Stacey’s magic is all about self empowerment, rather than hocus pocus. She’s constantly reminding herself and others about the Rule of Three – that whatever good or evil she sends out into the universe will come back to her three times. Stacey, therefore, doesn’t do evil. She’s all about positive energy and trying to do what is right.

Do you believe that some couples, like Stacey and Jacob, are "destined to be together"?

Most definitely.

If they were making a movie of the series, what songs would you pick for the soundtrack? (Be specific about how each song captures the mood of the books.)

Fear; Posession; Arms of an Angel; and I Will Remember You – all by Sarah MacLachlan. I kept playing these songs over and over and over again while I was writing the ending of Silver is for Secrets and the beginning of Red is for Remembrance, trying to capture that sense of despair, that feeling of not knowing where you’re going, or if even if you’re going to make it another day. But I also imagine some empowering songs, too, for Stacey. Breakaway by Kelly Clarkson would be a good choice – that idea of moving forward and moving on despite the turmoil lingering in our past or the difficulties that lie ahead. Because of the humor in the novels, I also imagine some fun songs. Like with Amber or PJ, I can totally picture either one of them dancing away to Respect by Aretha Franklin, Harajuku Girls by Gwen Stefani, and Get the Party Started by Pink. I think Since You Been Gone or Behind these Hazel Eyes by Kelly Clarkson would be a good choice for Drea, considering the rocky nature of her and Chad’s relationship.

Do the Blue is for Nightmares books have a message?

I think all of them have life lessons that you can take with you. Stacey grows significantly over the course of the series. I think readers can grow and learn with her.

Fun stuff

When was the last time you

a) did something crazy?

It’s been too long, I think. Once as a teen, when I was learning to drive, I went around a rotary the wrong way. The instructor was not too pleased and called me some interesting names. Also, this one time in college, my friends and I scaled a ten-foot fence and broke in to a mini-golf course at night, only to climb up on this giant metal dinosaur to have our picture taken. Don’t ask. It was stupid, but we sort of did it on a dare.

b) really regretted not doing something?

I try not to have regrets.

c) lost something important?

During a book signing for Silver is for Secrets, I lost the bracelet my brother had bought for my birthday. I remember it feeling loose. It must have slipped off and I couldn’t find it afterwards.

d) learned something that changed your life?

A couple years ago I read Gary Zukav’s Seat of the Soul. It’s very enlightening. He talks a lot about choice and intention. It helped put things into perspective for me.

e) really needed help and got it?

This morning. My ceiling started leaking (it’s pouring out) and the construction guy is here fixing the roof.

f) helped someone else?

A couple months ago my sister-in-law called me up, frantic because one of her Girl Scout members had just called her up in tears. Apparently she had procrastinated doing her most recent assignment – interviewing someone whose career she admired. Turns out, her career of choice was becoming an author. I agreed to call the girl up. She was too excited. It was very cute, but being a former high school teacher, I couldn’t resist telling her that procrastination doesn’t pay.

What book do you wish you had written yourself?

The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold

If you weren’t a writer, what other job do you think you might have?

Nutritionist. I love learning about nutrition and holistic health and I love the idea of helping people make a healthier lifestyle for themselves.

If they were making a movie about your life, who would you like to see playing you?

Oh my gosh. I have no idea. Maybe Sarah Jessica Parker because she can play dramatic and funny and vulnerable all at once. Plus, let’s face it, the girl has amazing style.