The following is an interview with writer Victoria Helen Stone regarding the upcoming release of the thriller novel, Bald-Faced Liar, through Lake Union Publishing. In this interview, Fanbase Press Editor-in-Chief Barbra Dillon chats with Stone about her creative process in bringing the story and its characters to life on the page, the themes that she hopes will resonate with readers, and more!
Barbra Dillon, Fanbase Press Editor-in-Chief: Congratulations on the upcoming release of Bald-Faced Liar! For those who may be unfamiliar, what can you tell us about the story’s premise?
Victoria Helen Stone: Bald-Faced Liar follows the daily life of Elizabeth May, a charming woman who lies to everyone she meets. Her fabrications are a shield, meant to protect her after the childhood trauma of a Satanic panic trial. 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 and exposing her lies.
BD: What can you share with us about your creative process of bringing Elizabeth’s story to life on the page?
VHS: I had a blast writing this book, because Elizabeth’s lively voice came through loud and clear in my head. She made me laugh, but she also made me cringe. I have a terrible phobia about lying to people, or more accurately, a fear that people will think I’m a liar. I have no idea where it comes from! So, writing this book was a wild party for me.
Taking several research trips to Santa Cruz didn’t hurt the fun either. This is the first time I’ve rented an apartment in a location instead of staying at a hotel, and it really helped me settle into the noise and sights and heartbeat of the town.
Researching the Satanic panic was quite a wild ride, too. I lived through it and remember a lot, but fears of devil-worshipping at daycare centers are even more far-fetched when viewed from a distance. My editor kept insisting that the criminal convictions from that era made no sense, so I had to add more and more layers to the story to try to explain a history that doesn’t seem possible.
BD: You have published several books through Lake Union Publishing. What makes Lake Union a trusted publishing partner for your work?
VHS: Bald-Faced Liar is my tenth book with Lake Union! They are really fantastic about involving the author in every aspect of production. When I first started out in publishing many years ago, a finished cover flat would just show up in the mail, and that was it. It was a complete surprise, and sometimes not a great one. But with Lake Union, I decide the book title, I review the back cover copy, and even the marketing blurbs and taglines are subject to my approval. I get to listen to different audiobook narrators and make suggestions. Best of all, I’m involved in the cover process from day one, which is empowering…though sometimes stressful.
BD: Amidst the many challenges facing our community this year, Fanbase Press is focusing on the idea of “Building Your Community” to navigate a collective path forward. How do you feel that Bald-Faced Liar’s willingness to healthily explore identity, trauma, and resilience might help readers to find a sense of community or belonging?
VHS: Honestly, this whole book is about community, both Elizabeth’s fear of and yearning for it. Because her hometown community succumbed to mob mentality, she’s desperately afraid to be truly seen. But when she settles into Santa Cruz for nearly two years, she begins to build community without even realizing it. She doesn’t want to leave. She doesn’t want to go back to being a phantom just moving among strangers.
I think after the most isolating years of the pandemic and the deep political chasms that have opened, a lot of us are getting to this point. We want to do something and feel like we’re a part of something larger. Even deeply introverted people like me! We all need to find our people in whatever way we can, even if putting ourselves out there feels scary.
BD: Are there any other projects – past or current – that you would like to highlight for our readers?
VHS: If you enjoy the fun and slightly unhinged vibe of Bald-Faced Liar, my Jane Doe series has the same feel with the added spice of experiencing the point-of-view of a female sociopath. For more of a sense of community, both good and bad, At the Quiet Edge is about life on the outskirts of a small town where not everyone feels like they belong.
BD: Lastly, what would you like to tell fans who want to learn more about Bald-Faced Liar and your other work?
VHS: You can visit my website, of course, at VictoriaHelenStone.com. Or follow me on Instagram at @VictoriaHelenStone. I also have a newsletter where I share extras and tidbits and a bit of my life outside writing…like pictures of my adorable mom! You can sign up here: https://victoriahelenstone.com/contact/
