Lorilyn’s Guest Interview: Stacy Padula and Her New Book |

Last updated on June 7, 2025

Today marks the release of Stacy Padula’s latest novel, When Darkness Tries to Hide.

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Lorilyn: How did you become interested in writing?

Stacy: I wrote my first book when I was in Kindergarten; it was a short story about a puppy. Then my writing just continued … I wrote books throughout elementary school and continued writing beyond that. I finished my first draft of When Darkness Tries to Hide when I was 15 years old. I had read many different books about high school while growing up. When I entered high school, I was completely shocked by what was happening around me. It was nothing like Sweet Valley High or the Babysitters Club.

There was an abundance of backbiting, backstabbing, substance abuse, and kids just being mean to each other. I felt that there was a need for a realistic book series for kids to read, so they could be better prepared for the social challenges of high school. I wrote The Right Person, the first book in the Montgomery Lake High series. I fell in love with my characters and the subject matter, so I decided to write a sequel (which is now When Darkness Tries to Hide). I have recently finished the fifth book in the series, and I plan to continue writing as long as I am able.

Lorilyn: What should people know about When Darkness Tries to Hide?

Stacy: The book picks up two months after where The Right Person left off. A terrible storm brings destruction to the town and into the lives of several characters. One of the characters, Andy, gets injured, and another character, Jason, feels responsible for it. (Although no one knows at first exactly why Jason feels that way).

The story follows the reactions of various characters to the accident and how they come together to help Andy. Jason is the central focus of the story, and the transformation he goes through as a result of feeling responsible for what happened to Andy. The main point of the story is the battle between light and darkness, and how people often do not realize they are living a dark life because everyone around them is living the same way until a ray of light shines in and breaks through the darkness.

Lorilyn: Have any experiences from your own life affected the storyline of the book?

Stacy: I have not written about anything that has happened to me exactly, but everything in the books is based on things I have witnessed teenagers go through, or the emotional, social, physical, and spiritual battles I have faced in my life. The books are filled with lessons I have learned from my own experiences, but I have woven those lessons into the completely fictitious world of Montgomery Lake High. It is my hope that teens and pre-teens can learn from these lessons and avoid as much pain as I had to endure to know them.

Lorilyn: What is it like waiting for each book to be published?

Stacy: It is exciting! My next book, which will be published outside of the series as a standalone novel, is Montgomery’s Masquerade: The Battle for Innocence. It is a prequel to the series, set in the time when the main characters were in the 7th grade.

I just got it back from my editor, who is actually from Pearson Publishing, and I am excited to review her edits and send it along to my publisher, Strategic Book Group. They had read the rough copy earlier this month and accepted it. The entire process involves numerous steps and requires multiple approvals that must be signed off on. I am excited to see the internal layout of the book. I work with my publisher’s book designers to bring the book up to the vision that I have for it. This, along with approving the front and back cover designs, is a very exciting part of the process.

I always get butterflies in my stomach when I open up the first printed copy of each book. The process can take anywhere from six months to a year, depending on many different circumstances. I enjoy being a part of the process. It is always a learning experience, and I find that very rewarding!

Lorilyn: Do you have a “life verse” that you have claimed? If so, what is it, and why is that verse so meaningful to you?

Stacy: Psalm 84:11 has significant meaning to me. It states that God withholds no good thing from those who walk uprightly. This verse serves as a reminder to me that anything I pray for and do not receive is not in my best interest, and that I only desire it because I have a limited understanding of what is truly best for me. God knows what is best, and as long as I am walking with Him, He will not withhold anything good from me. Whenever God closes a door in my life, I recall Psalm 84:11 and find great comfort and peace in its promise.

Lorilyn: Who (or what) is your greatest encourager when you write and why?

Stacy: I have a wonderful support system of family and friends who encourage me in my writing. What encourages me the most, though, is the world of Montgomery Lake High that exists within my mind. It’s as if God has put this world in my mind, and these characters are so real to me. I write to express what is within me: a message of faith to reach out to the youth.

Lorilyn: Is there anything else that you would like your readers to know about you that would give us even more of a glimpse into your personality and passions?

Stacy: “Passionate” would be the best word to describe me. When I’m into something, I’m into it with my whole heart. I love my life and think God has blessed me with the best friends, best dog, best job, and best mother in the entire world. Writing is my favorite pastime. I have learned a great deal about conquering fear over the past year. The ocean moves me.

I love North Carolina and feel like a part of my heart is there. I love to learn and figure out how things are connected. I see deeper meaning in everything. I believe love is the answer to life’s toughest questions. I have “songs” with the majority of my friends and hope the lyrics always mean something to me. My faith is in Jesus Christ, and I’m in love with Him. I have a strange fetish for football movies. I am an avid skier. I have a lot of hope and believe nothing is impossible with God.

You can find Stacy’s latest book, When Darkness Tries to Hide, on Amazon by clicking here