BLACK IS FOR BEGINNINGS
(Blue is for Nightmares series)
Flux
www.lauriestolarz.com
5 Signed Copies will be given away on Friday, September 4, 2009
About the Book:
The BLUE IS FOR NIGHTMARES series that put a spell on more than half a million readers continues – in graphic novel format! Prophetic nightmares. Near-brushes with death. Killers pursuing her and her friends. Stacey Brown knows that being a hereditary witch isn’t all it's cracked up to be.
All she really wants to do is work things out with Jacob and figure out what to do with the rest of her life. But before Stacey and Jacob can have a future, they must face their pasts. BLACK IS FOR BEGINNINGS reveals the never-before-seen backstory - and what lies ahead - for the young, spellcasting lovers.
BLACK continues the harrowing adventures of Stacey and Jacob in the wake of Jacob's brush with death. Ever since he lost his memory, Jacob hasn't been able to remember Stacey - his own soul mate. He leaves Massachusetts, returning to his childhood home in Colorado, hoping to jog his memory. What he remembers is Kira, his ex-girlfriend. As Jacob works to piece together his past, will there be room for Stacey in his future?
Read our exclusive interview with Laurie Faria Stolarz!
1. What is the inspiration behind the BLUE IS FOR NIGHTMARES series?
I first started BLUE IS FOR NIGHTMARES in an adolescent fiction writing workshop in graduate school. I knew I wanted to write a mystery/thriller. I loved suspense novels as a young adult and I really wanted to write something that would have appealed to me at that age, adding in elements of humor, romance, and drama. I wanted my main character to be relatable for teens. She needed to be flawed, to have secrets, and to have lots of opportunity for growth. When I started the novel, I had no idea I would delve into the world of magic and witchcraft – that is until I did a free-writing exercise in my workshop class. I wrote a scene in which Stacey, my main character, was meditating in front of a blue candle. The scene just sort of took off from there, turning out to be a big inspiration for the novel. Not knowing too much about the practice of Witchcraft, I had heard growing up that my grandmother had some experience with the sixth sense, and so I started doing research and asking lots of questions. I learned a lot this way. I learned of passed down home remedies, family superstitions, tea readings, and card readings. After I’d sold BLUE IS FOR NIGHTMARES, I knew I wanted to do a trilogy, and so I went ahead and wrote WHITE IS FOR MAGIC and SILVER IS FOR SECRETS. But, the way “SILVER” ended surprised even me. I knew I couldn’t end a series that way, and so I wrote RED IS FOR REMEMBRANCE.
2. What made you decide to do the latest installment of the series in graphic novel format?
I wanted to try something different. I felt the series was finished at four books, but readers kept asking me for a fifth. When my editor approached me with the idea of writing a graphic novel, I was very intrigued, because not only would it give me the opportunity to try something new, but to really picture the book as a movie. I have a background in screenwriting and wrote BLACK IS FOR BEGINNINGS in screenplay format, adding in ideas for illustrations and sidebars. It was an absolute thrill to write, and to have the opportunity to work with an illustrator for these characters and situations I’d created. BLACK IS FOR BEGINNINGS does not take the place of a regular prose novel in the series. It’s a companion piece, complimenting the entire series as a whole. It picks up where RED IS FOR REMEMBRANCE left off, reveals some never-before-seen back story, and also shows (through illustrated scenes) some fan-favorite scenes from the entire series – from “BLUE” to “BLACK.” In the end, I’d say that “BLACK” is part prequel, part sequel, and part love letter to the fans. It was really written for the fans, which made it all the more rewarding to write. I knew exactly where the book would go, and was very happy with the way it turned out.
3. You’ve written a ton of books so far. What’s your favorite part of the writing process? Your least favorite part?
I find writing first drafts really tough and often grueling, though I do keep a strict deadline schedule for myself. I like to just get the story out, and then spend some serious time revising. I love the revision process. I love questioning the choices I’ve made, justifying them and/or trying new things out. I love delving deeper into to my plot and character threads, adding new twists, tightening subplots, reworking, deleting, cutting, editing, you name it. I find the revision process is the stage where I really learn the most – about my books, about my characters, and about the writing craft in general. That’s really exciting for me.
4. If you weren’t a writer, what job would you love to try out?
Holistic nutritionist. I’m sort of a health freak, and information about health, nutrition, and well being fascinates me. I love the idea of educating people about choosing a healthy lifestyle.
5. Will the series continue after this? What are your writing plans for the future?
Good question. I’m not sure yet. I like to keep doors and opportunities open. If I were to do another book in the series, maybe I’d change it up just a bit, perhaps handing the narrative torch over to another character, or doing a spin-off/companion series. That could be fun. I like to challenge myself with new ideas. It helps keeps things interesting, and it helps make me a better writer.
Don't miss the first book in the series, Blue is for Nightmares!
About the Author:
Laurie Faria Stolarz (Massachusetts) has a great interest in teen culture, and admires young adults for their passion, energy, and creativity. Blue is for Nightmares is the product of her desire to write a novel that would have appealed to herself at that age, namely one that has a blending of suspense, romance, and the art of keeping secrets.
Stolarz has an MFA in Creative Writing with a concentration in Young Adult Literature from Emerson College in Boston. She currently teaches writing and is a member of the SCBWI as well as several professional writing groups. Visit her online at: www.lauriestolarz.com
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