Meet the Author: Lisa Stone

Lisa Stone is a writer of suspense thrillers but will also be well known to Suffolk readers under her pen name Cathy Glass under which she has written a hugely successful series of books about her experiences of fostering and the social services. You can find Lisa's books (and Cathy's) on our catalogue and [eLibrary](https://suffolklibraries.overdrive.com/search?query=Lisa%20Stone).

1. Who were your literary heroes as you were growing up and when did you first realise that you wanted to write?

To be honest I didn’t really read much as a child but then in my teens I suddenly found this whole new world and read crime, true life, mystery, and the classics. That’s when I began to write - pieces for the school magazine, then short stories and articles for magazines.

2. You have written very successfully under the pseudonym Cathy Glass about your experiences as a foster carer. How did that come about?

I find writing cathartic – as do many – so it was the medium I turned to when I was trying to come to terms with the dreadful experiences of some of the children I’d fostered. Also, I wanted to raise public awareness – that many children suffer and sometimes they are let down by the system that should have protected them. Writing a gripping book – a real page-turner- highlights their plight.

3. In 2017 you published the thriller The darkness within. How did you find the move to writing fiction? Does it require a different mindset?

I wrote fiction before I started writing my foster memoirs and having published over thirty non-fiction books I wanted to give it another go. My publishers were very indulgent.

4. Your latest book as Lisa Stone was Taken published last year. Can you give us a flavour of that?

Leila, 8 years old, disappears from the Hawthorn estate, Coleshaw, sparking a nationwide police hunt, but her abductor is much closer to home than anyone realizes.

5. Is there anything you can share with us about your latest project?

My next Cathy Glass fostering memoir – A Life Lost – will tell the story of Jackson who lost his father and brother in tragic circumstances. His mother could no longer cope with his behaviour so he came into foster care. As an experienced carer it was felt that I would be able to manage Jackson’s behaviour, but my family and I struggled. Then one evening a chance phone call led to Jackson asking me what ‘abused’ meant. He began to tell me what had really happened and I called the police.

My next Lisa Stone thriller, The Cottage, is really creepy. I scared myself writing it. After losing her job and long-term boyfriend, Jan Hamlin is in desperate need of a fresh start. So when the opportunity arises to rent a secluded cottage on the edge of Coleshaw Woods, she jumps at the chance. Very quickly though, things take a dark turn. At night, Jan hears strange noises just outside, and faint taps at the window. Something, or someone, is out there. Refusing to give in to her fear, Jan stays in the cottage, determined to get her life back on track. But whoever is outside isn’t going away, and for Jan, the nightmare begins.

6. Your Non-Fiction books about foster care often contain heart-breaking and harrowing material. What is the main message you would like your readers to take away from them?

That there is another world out there many of us don’t see, and the children who come into care are true heroes.

7. What was the best book/music/TV or film for you in 2020?

This is Going to Hurt by Adam Kay. I literally laughed out loud in places.

Best music? An oldie that brought back memories - Linda Ronstadt singing Different Drum.

Best TV/film? I didn’t go to the cinema in 2020 because of lockdown but I have enjoyed films and series on the television including The Crown.

8. Can you tell us one thing about yourself that your readers may not know?

Although I don’t go to church regularly most nights I say a prayer for those suffering.