Interview with Laurie Faria Stolarz for Jane Anonymous
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary
Synopsis:
Bestselling author Laurie Faria Stolarz returns with Jane Anonymous, a gripping tale of a seventeen-year-old girl’s kidnapping and her struggle to fit back into her life after she escapes.
Then, “Jane” was just your typical 17-year-old in a typical New England suburb getting ready to start her senior year. She had a part-time job she enjoyed, an awesome best friend, overbearing but loving parents, and a crush on a boy who was taking her to see her favorite band. She never would’ve imagined that in her town where nothing ever happens, a series of small coincidences would lead to a devastating turn of events that would forever change her life.
Now, it’s been three months since “Jane” escaped captivity and returned home. Three months of being that girl who was kidnapped, the girl who was held by a “monster.” Three months of writing down everything she remembered from those seven months locked up in that stark white room. But, what if everything you thought you knew―everything you thought you experienced―turned out to be a lie?
Jane: Liana Liberato
Can you briefly describe JANE ANONYMOUS and its characters?
My main character hides her identity under the guise of “Jane Anonymous” as she writes about the seven months she spent in captivity, having been taken by someone she refers to as “the monster” and locked in a room with a bed and adjoining bathroom. “Jane” received meals and toiletries through a cat door, never knowing if it was day or night. The story is told on two timelines – then (during her time in captivity) and now (after she gets back). We see how the traumatic experience (and the losses incurred from it) changes her. Not only does Jane lose seven months of her life, but she also loses friends, relationships, and a sense of self.
Who would you say is your favourite character from the story and why?
My favourite character is Jane Anonymous. I love how open and honest she’s being in her journal – flaws and all. Yes, she’s behaving badly – to herself as well as to those who love her – as a result of her trauma. She knows this and owns it, but that doesn’t mean she knows how to fix it. There isn’t a one-size-fits-all mode of therapy or healing. Despite her traumatic experience, she’s doing what feels the most helpful and authentic, which is writing in her journal.
How did the story occur to you? Did you find inspiration anywhere?
I’d been wanting to write an abduction story for a while, but I also felt that kidnapping/abduction had been well-covered territory (in books, movies, and other creative outlets). I was also interested in exploring the emotion of loss. We typically associate loss with the loss of a person or pet, but I wondered about the loss of time, innocence, and a sense of self... Were those “losses” any less impactful? In my quest to explore that question, I began my story: “Jane” is abducted and held captive for seven months. The story is told on two timelines – then (during her captivity) and now (after she gets back). We see how loss changes her. There’s certainly a period of grieving after loss – a time when people allow for and expect the person to heal. But what happens when that allotted window of grieving time closes and the individual still can’t seem to “move on?”
If you could choose one song to describe your book, which one would it be?
Mad World by Tears for Fears.
If your book was going to be made into a movie, who would play your characters?
Jane: Liana Liberato
Shayla: Julia Goldani Telles
Mason: Tyler Garcia Posey
Jack: Alex Pettyfer
Jane’s mom: Reese Witherspoon
Jane’s dad: Omar Metwally
Angie: Rosario Dawson
What drink and place do you think will go with your book to have a perfect book date?
A log cabin with friends, curled up by a fire, with a cup of hot dark chocolate.
Can you recommend your readers any other books in case they are left hungry for more once they finish JANE ANONYMOUS?
What’s next for you?
I’m currently working on the companion book to Jane Anonymous. The working title is Lessons in Terra.
Laurie Faria Stolarz grew up in Salem, MA, attended Merrimack College, and received an MFA in Creative Writing from Emerson College in Boston.
Laurie Faria Stolarz is an American author of young adult fiction novels, best known for her Blue is for Nightmares series. Her works, which feature teenage protagonists, blend elements found in mystery and romance novels.
Stolarz found sales success with her first novel, Blue is for Nightmares, and followed it up with three more titles in the series, White is for Magic, Silver is for Secrets, and Red is for Remembrance, as well as a companion graphic novel, Black is for Beginnings. Stolarz is also the author of the Touch series (Deadly Little Secret, Deadly Little Lies, Deadly Little Games, Deadly Little Voices, and Deadly Little Lessons), as well as Bleed and Project 17. With more than two million books sold worldwide, Stolarz's titles have been named on various awards list.
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