Laurie Faria Stolarz is the writer of numerous books including the bestselling, award-winning Blue is for Nightmares series. Her latest novel, Deadly Little Secret, is part of her new Touch series. Stolarz's ability to deftly weave a mysterious, tension-filled atmosphere has gained her a strong and dedicated YA fanbase. Check in later today to have a chance at winning either a signed copy of 666 or Love is Hell- both include a short story by Laurie!"Let’s just say that I was a late-bloomer growing up. And I was fine with that. So, it didn’t really bother me that, while other girls my age were becoming interested in things like boys, make-up, and training bras (not necessarily in that order), I was still content to play with my dolls.
I played with dolls probably further into adolescence than most. Barbie was my doll of choice, though I didn’t really discriminate. I played with Barbie and her friends pretty much every day. I’d create scripts for them and make them act out my movies, musicals, and plays. One day Barbie would get kidnapped and have to fight off her attacker, managing to slip away just inches from death. Another day, she’d land the perfect job as a Hollywood actress, meet the boy of her dreams (obviously his name would be Ken), and together they’d live happily ever after in her pink dream house.
I’d create hundreds of different worlds and scenarios for her, spinning the plot in different directions, and getting the dialogue just right.
In addition to doll-playing, I was also a Girl Scout. And, as a Girl Scout, once we reached the ripe old age of 12, we were allowed to go on an overnight camping trip. I remember getting a list of supplies to bring along, one of which was a favorite stuffed animal. The problem was I didn’t really have an attachment to stuffed animals. (Funny how a teddy bear is considered a perfectly acceptable toy for young girls – not to mention a grown woman – while dolls are often considered childish after the age of ten.)
And so I brought Barbie along instead.
Yeah, in retrospect, it was a totally geeky move, but what can I say? I was addicted to this sort of story-telling.
Anyway, word spread amongst my fellow campers after Barbie made her first appearance by the campfire. And I was ridiculed. After that, Barbie was sequestered to the bottom of my backpack for the remainder of the trip. Still, I couldn’t escape all the whispers and joking of fellow campers - most of it behind my back.
But then came the inquisition.
A pack of girls who hadn’t been at the campfire to actually witness the Barbie sighting but who’d heard about it whilst chatting by the outhouse, confronted me. They asked me if it was true: if I’d actually brought along a doll of all things. I lied and said I hadn’t, hoping the whole horrible situation would just go away. But then in the midst of that conversation, another girl brought me Barbie’s rodeo boots, saying she’d found them by the water fountain.
I was completely and totally busted.
Needless to say, the whole predicament was pretty mortifying and all-out embarrassing – something that ended my short-and-less-than-sweet stint as a Girl Scout. But, years later, I look back at that time as necessary preparation that helped nurture my love of creating stories, and that ultimately made me a writer."
A relevent fact (Laurie reminded me of this): Barbie turns 50 this week!A curiousity question: what barbie and/or girl scout stories do you have to share?
I loved Laurie Faria Stolarz's "eerie but pretty" story in my Deadly Little Secret review posted back in December. Readers who enjoyed DLS now have a chance at reading some of Laurie's other writing- her short stories from either 666 or Love is Hell.
(www.myspace.com/not_so_cg)
(www.myspace.com/not_so_cg)
