Q&A with Caroline Forbes about The Right Person by Stacy Padula

Posted: August 16, 2018 in Uncategorized
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Providing a teen’s perspective on Montgomery Lake High #1: The Right Person, Caroline Forbes is about to begin her senior year at Needham High School in Needham, Massachusetts…
What do you believe influenced Courtney to turn away from her morals in order to feel accepted?

I believe tht Courtney turned from her morals because she wanted to experience high school with a carefree and crazy outlook, just like the other freshman she was around. Clearly this is thanks to Chris’ bad influence as well. Courtney also may have turned away from her morals in order to impress Chris, and to even be more like him.

What is one major theme you noticed running through the story?

The theme that often came up while reading was a coming of age/growth. Especially in Chris’ case, he begins to grow as a teenager, and realizes that he must mature in order to become successful later in life. Chris’ growth is also thanks to Courtney’s strict religious morals, making him shape up in order to stay with her.

How do you, as a teenager, personally relate to this story?

A. I relate to this story personally because sometimes in the past I have tried changing myself in order to fit in with other groups of girls. I would do things that I didn’t feel comfortable doing just so I could fit in with a group of girls that weren’t like me, even though I wanted to be like them.

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A Rising High School Senior’s Take on “The Right Person” by Stacy Padula

Posted: August 14, 2018 in Uncategorized
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The Right Person by Stacy Padula focuses on the ins and outs of high school drama. Giving you a look into the world of teenagers. The parties, the relationships, the drinking. In the book, a group of high school freshman struggle to find themselves and use outlets they never would imagine.
The characters are so true to life. Coming from someone who is currently in high school, it could not get more real. Chris, the main character is known as the life of the party. True to any high school, they all have one. He struggles to stray away from this lifestyle and tries to become more family and school oriented. In end, it finally happens for him. Courtney, his new girlfriend, is not used to the party lifestyle at all. She is a newbie and leaves her past behind to see if this life is for her. She quickly realizes this is not what she planned for and tries to go back to the way things used to be.
Overall, this book is a great read. It has many life lessons that anyone could learn from. Being there for others, seeking and staying with real friends, as well as being true to yourself. I would recommend it to anyone starting high school or even finishing high school to bring back the memories of the short four years.
– Written by Samantha Waxman of Oliver Ames High School, Class of 2019

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As the “life of the party,” Chris Dunkin begins high school with a responsibility to live up to his reputation; deep down inside, however, he wants more than that. When he begins dating Mayor Angeletti’s youngest daughter, Courtney, two worlds collide. The twist ending will not disappoint!

Additional Books by Stacy Padula

Caroline Forbes Reviews The 1st Book in the Montgomery Lake High Young Adult Book Series

Posted: August 7, 2018 in Uncategorized
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The Right Person
Starting high school and becoming a young adult can present many challenges and difficult choices. At this time, you are trying to find yourself and choose what kind of person you want to be. The Right Person, by Stacy Padula, tells the story about a group of incoming high school freshman at Montgomery Lake High School. Alcohol, peer pressure, and partying causes lots of drama and decisions throughout the book, which relates to many high schoolers today.

The story focuses on Courtney, a religious, good girl who begins to break her morals when she starts dating party-crazy Chris. Although, Courtney’s religious values start rubbing off on Chris, and he begins to want something more than just drinking and partying in his life. The opposite begins the happen to Courtney, as she begins to wonder about the partying lifestyle, and starts to lean farther away from her stern morals.

I recommend this book too pre-teens and teenagers who will begin to go through these troubling years soon. Seeing Courtney and Chris’ point of view on entering high school is a good way to prepare yourself. Sticking to your morals is a huge lesson throughout the novel, as well as trying to change your bad habits when entering a new environment.

– Caroline Forbes, Needham High School Class of 2019

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Wake Up America

Posted: June 29, 2018 in Uncategorized
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Young adult author Stacy Padula says, “Schools need to wake up and realize that in a world where 13 year olds are overdosing on heroin, a book that educates kids on the perils of opiate addiction would be a GOOD THING to make them read, preferably at age 11 or 12.” How many opioid related teenage deaths are going to have to occur in the US before schools realize they are not protecting kids by banning books that address drug abuse; they are actually robbing them of knowledge that could save their lives!

I write books in hopes of helping kids avoid making destructive decisions. The new teen book series I am 490 pages into writing is VERY REALISTIC, but that would likely get it BANNED from schools because of the drug use and sexual relationships within it. Yet, those things are a reality in today’s world. Kids need to know the truth about opiate and benzo addiction. They also need to understand how easily it can be to get a slutty reputation. I want the series I’m writing to be placed in school libraries to educate kids on things some parents are afraid to talk about, but it will likely get banned BECAUSE it addresses those things. It is so frustrating! Do parents really think teenagers do not talk about sex and drugs? How can we educate the youth about the perils of substance abuse if schools won’t allow books to be read that contain such information? As an author, it is mind boggling. Parents get upset if Susie comes home with a book from school that has characters who have sex or do drugs…. but Susie likely hears about those topics on a daily basis while standing at her locker! How naive are school administrators to think teenagers cannot handle reading about things they’ve probably been hearing about from their peers since they were 10 years old?

Autographed Books Now Available to Order!

Posted: June 15, 2018 in Uncategorized
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(Autographed) Montgomery Lake High #1: The Right Person

When infamous party boy Chris Dunkin begins dating Mayor Angeletti's youngest daughter, Courtney, two worlds collide. Will Courtney rid Chris of his partying ways or will Chris rub off on her? *This price includes tax and shipping within the United States. Please allow 5-10 days for delivery.

$18.00

(Autographed) Entire Series: Montgomery Lake High Books #1 – 5

You can now order autographed copies of the entire Montgomery Lake High book series (5 books) for $80. The set includes The Right Person, When Darkness Tries to Hide, The Aftermath, The Battle for Innocence, and The Forces Within. The price includes taxes and shipping within the United States. Please allow 5-10 days for delivery.

$80.00

Revamped YA Lit for 2018

Posted: May 8, 2018 in Uncategorized
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE—Plymouth, MA 5/8/2018

Author Stacy Padula has revamped her Montgomery Lake High young adult book series and released updated 2018 editions of all five of her novels. She believes it is important that each high school generation can relate to her books and that they address the most prevalent teenage issues of today. Padula is currently writing another teen book series, The Shadow’s Grip, which she hopes will hit the shelves of Barnes & Noble in 2019.

Montgomery Lake High #1: The Right Person
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When infamous party boy Chris Dunkin begins dating Mayor Angeletti’s youngest daughter, Courtney, two worlds collide. Will Courtney rid Chris of his partying ways or will Chris rub off on her?

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  Montgomery Lake High #2: When Darkness Tries To Hide
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A powerful supercell is spawning above Montgomery Lake High School, while a separate storm is brewing in its halls. The question is–which one should Jason Davids and his friends fear the most?

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Montgomery Lake High #3: The Aftermath

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At age fifteen, Jason Davids appears to have nearly any worldly thing that promises enjoyment at his disposal. Despite this, there is a persistent emptiness inside his heart. After failing to fill the void with achievements, relationships, and illicit substances, Jason finds himself intrigued by Jessie Robins: the daughter of a local pastor. How is it possible that she stands for everything his lifestyle opposes yet possesses the one thing he has been searching for all along?

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Montgomery Lake High #4: The Battle For Innocence
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Jon Anderson and Chantal Kagelli are trying to live moral lives, but temptations are plaguing them in and out of school. Will they continue to be lights in their best friends’ lives or will they get pulled into the darkness?

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Montgomery Lake High #5: The Forces Within
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After being trapped inside his own body, unable to communicate with anyone but his own thoughts, Andy Rosetti finally wakes up from the coma that controlled his life for one month. But upon awakening, Andy finds himself and his friends in an unfamiliar setting: a mansion riddled with secrets and supernatural forces. As his friends fall prey to the entities encompassing them, Andy must figure out if the darkness lies within the mansion’s walls or within the people surrounding him.

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A Male’s Review of Stacy Padula’s Novel: The Battle for Innocence

Posted: February 26, 2018 in Books by Stacy Padula, Uncategorized
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Review of “The Battle for Innocence”

Written by Max Alva – Drexel University Class of 2020
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“Jon Anderson’s heart pounded heavily against his chest as he opened Chris Dunkin’s front door. He had walked through that door thousands of times before, but never during one of Taylor Dunkin’s ‘ragers.’ As Jon stepped into Chris’s living room, the odor of beer besieged his nostrils. Chris’s home—the normally calm spot, perfect for watching Patriot’s games—resembled a whirlwind.” In The Battle for Innocence by Stacy A. Padula, a Young Adult/Realistic Fiction novel, the main character, Jon Anderson, is thrown into just what the quote above says: a whirlwind. The story is set in western Massachusetts, and is a back-story to the Montgomery Lake High book series.
Jon, a seventh grader at Montgomery Lake Middle School, is the only Christian in his group of friends. As a result of the wild parties thrown by his best friend’s older cousin, Jon fears his closest friends are getting pulled into a world of temptation. He is stuck in an emotional battle, torn between pulling away from them and staying as a good influence in their lives. “‘God help me,’ Jon muttered aloud, hurdling over a large rock that lay at the edge of the lake. My heart is filled with conflict. I don’t want to separate myself from my friends. I don’t want to give up on them. I know you can change them. I know they don’t have to follow Taylor Dunkin’s path. Please intervene…I can’t abandon them. They need me. I love them. Please put someone in my life that can hold me accountable. I just want a Christian friend who will be able to understand my struggles.”
Meanwhile, Jon’s friend from church, Chantal Kagelli, finds herself in a similar dilemma across town. Chantal, a seventh grader at Sterling Middle School, has more than just one boy chasing after her. While her Class President, Andy, is trying to win her over with notes, cookies, and all the right words, her heart is aching over her interest in Jon. Chantal is petrified of her feelings for Jon, and decides that she should try to fight them off by getting closer to Andy. Despite many warnings from her twin sister that Andy could be a bad influence in her life, Chantal decides that it is more important to shine as a good influence in Andy’s life than to worry about the dangerous path he could take her down. Chantal finds herself in a whirlwind of her own, as she learns a life-changing lesson about the teenage world outside of church! The Battle for Innocence is filled with realistic party scenes and tempting situations that teenagers face during middle school and high school. The way the book is written allows readers to get inside Jon and Chantal’s heads and relate to their internal battles.
Out of all of Stacy A. Padula’s books that I have read, The Battle for Innocence is my favorite. It overflows with valuable background information about the main characters of the Montgomery Lake High series that makes the characters even more relatable and dynamic. I recommend this book to anyone age eleven and up. It has a lot of strong messages about peer pressure and making good decisions. I think anyone who has read the Montgomery Lake High books should read The Battle for Innocence to gain a deeper understanding of how Jon, Chris, and their friends got into so much trouble at such young ages. To learn more about the causes of teenage substance abuse and the gateway to addiction join Jon and Chantal in their battle for innocence.
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A Teen’s Take on The Aftermath by Stacy Padula

Posted: February 20, 2018 in Uncategorized
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Review Written by Kelly Mitchell – Newton Country Day Class of 2018

It has been three weeks since a terrible storm left Andy in a coma, and for Jason Davids, nothing has been the same. Jason, the most popular freshman boy at Montgomery Lake High School, recognizes that he needs to make a change in life and give up the partying lifestyle he has been a part of for the past two years. Jason discovers this task is not going to be easy and struggles to turn away from darkness, as he is constantly presented with new temptations. Jason must decide whether to go back into the daze he has been living in or look for a new source of strength to help him win his battle over his addictions.
I would recommend this book to anyone in middle school or high school, as it touches on topics very prevalent to this age group: temptation, gossip, popularity, and prayer. It reminds readers that one’s reputation in high school will be insignificant to the rest of our lives, and that, therefore, people should focus on more important matters such as their relationship with God.

Model & Actress Stacey Queripel in the Montgomery Lake High Book Series

Posted: February 14, 2018 in Uncategorized
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Model & Actress Stacey Queripel

February 14, 2018—by Stacy Padula
When my first book was published in 2010, I desired to bring my friends into the project by using their pictures to represent my characters. For four years, I did just that. However, when newer editions of my books were released, my publisher opted to feature models whom their designers could use for covers and book trailers, etc. Today, one familiar face remains: Stacey Queripel.
Stacey, my best friend from college, has a degree in civil engineering and a career in the entertainment industry. She has spent the last ten years building up her resume as a model and an actress. She has modeled for companies such as Reebok, Life is Good, TJX, New Balance, Helen of Troy, Braun, Baby’s Journey, and many others. Below is her updated acting reel.  I am excited to feature Stacey as a character in my life’s work: the Montgomery Lake High Book Series.
In my novels, Stacey portrays Michelle Taylor: a highly respected senior at Montgomery Lake High. Michelle can be found mentoring younger girls and tearing down social walls of division. She is a unifier. Although my characters are not based on real people, Michelle and Stacey’s kind and outgoing personalities align very well. Simply put, Stacey is one of the most loving people I know, and I am blessed to have her as not only a model for my book series, but also a dear friend.

The Main Characters of Montgomery Lake High

 

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A High School Senior Reviews “The Battle for Innocence” by Stacy Padula

Posted: February 11, 2018 in Uncategorized
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Charlotte’s Thoughts:
In “The Battle for Innocence,” the reader gains valuable insight into the background of the Montgomery Lake High characters. This book is important for the audience to understand how many of the relationships in the present day came to be, like Chantal and Jon’s friendship. It is surprising to see how much their relationship has been through from the time that they initially met each other, but it this provides helpful context for the state of their current relationship.
My favorite character in “The Battle for Innocence” is Jon. I was impressed that even as a young seventh grader, he was able to stand by what he believed in. He had the courage to defend his beliefs to his friends when almost all of them didn’t understand or respect his decision. While his faith may have wavered later on, Jon also had the strength to find his way back to his faith. These are a testament to his character.
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Written by Charlotte Moynihan – Newton Country Day Class of 2018
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