Check out our interview with Victoria Helen Stone, who wrote the book, "Bald-Faced Liar."
What was your inspiration behind your most recent book?
The protagonist in "Bald-Faced Liar" is a woman who got caught up in a 1990s Satanic panic trial at age 5. As an adult, she’s haunted by the damage she did on the stand as a witness. I lived through that era, and even at the time, stories about devil-worshipping daycare providers seemed overwrought and ridiculous. But researching it now? It’s absolutely mind-blowing that multiple people across the country were convicted of the vilest crimes with virtually no evidence. Looking back on those stories prompted me to think about the kids whose memories were manipulated by adults with an agenda. What happened to them?
What does Reading Rainbow mean to you?
For me, it means always being sure I’m not confining my reading to books that only tell one or two kinds of stories, just because those are the books with PR blitzes and prominent placement. The best part about that is finding new favorites, of course. Rivers Solomon and John Fram write some of my favorite scary stories. And I adored a recent romantic mystery from Ruthie Knox and Annie Mare called Big Name Fan. As an author, part of my work is spreading the word and advocating for great books that might not be on everyone’s radar.
Why do you feel representation of a variety of people is so important when it comes to writing books?
I write stories about average people from ordinary places thrust into extraordinary situations. All our lives – no matter if we’re from a city or a tiny town in the North, South, East or West – all our lives are intertwined with people of different sexualities, backgrounds, and bodies. I’m a straight woman born in the '70s in a tiny Midwest farming community, and one of the first male figures in my life was a gay man who lived with me and my mom and my sisters. That’s just life. That’s humanity. That’s us.
Tell us a little more about the book and why you decided to write it.
"Bald-Faced Liar" follows the daily life of Elizabeth May, a charming woman who lies to everyone she meets. She’s trying to protect herself after the trauma of that trial 30 years earlier. As a traveling nurse, she moves often so no one can get close to her, but being on her own means she has no one to turn to when a stranger begins infiltrating her life.
I wanted to write this book because Elizabeth is fun. She’s outgoing, an extrovert who loves to live as a nomad, and she tells people whatever lies make them happy. It was an absolute blast to sink into her point-of-view, even if I did keep putting her in scary situations.
What can fans expect from your book?
A lot of irreverent humor and some spooky shenanigans. Plus a few questions about whether Elizabeth is being honest about what’s going on or if she’s taken her little white lies too far this time!
What's up next for you in the bookish world?
"Bald-Faced Liar" is my 10th suspense, and I’m just now putting the finishing touches on a proposal for book 11. This time, I’m switching gears from a trauma victim to a therapist who has it all. A good marriage, a wonderful son, a great career. But she’s sick and tired of seeing bad men get away with bad things, and she’s willing to put her world on the line in order to get a little justice.
Thank you so much for talking with me about "Bald-Faced Liar!"
