Maura Pierlot’s ‘Why’ Behind The Lies We Tell Ourselves –
It’s a privilege to welcome back international award-winning author, playwright, filmmaker, presenter and ethicist, Maura Pierlot, who so masterfully writes on a range of topics in various genres. Maura’s background in philosophy amplifies her expertise in the areas of youth mental health and self-identity, with her groundbreaking ‘Fragments: Journeys from Isolation to Connection‘ now an award-winning web series and feature-length film anthology. In the coming weeks, a fresh novel will be hitting the shelves with Maura’s ‘timely, smart and utterly compelling‘ story for young adults that is sure to encourage new perspectives, and open up raw truths – it’s The Lies We Tell Ourselves.
Here, Maura shares a snippet of her inspiration behind the story, and how this book can provide support and opportunities to explore moral and ethical dilemmas. Thank you for your invaluable insights, Maura.
About the book:
Fifteen-year-old Harley just wants to wake up one morning as her perfect self, the one who’s buried beneath all the awkwardness, sarcasm and weight. But on her first day back at school, her life’s already splintering. Struggling with the sudden death of her beloved grandmother, Harley hopes sidekick Talia has her back, but Talia’s more interested in impressing the popular girls. Even Griff, Harley’s quirky male bestie, is acting weirder than usual. When gorgeous new American student Carter struts into class at the start of Year 10 with his dazzling smile and stunning good looks, Harley knows it’s time to take control of her destiny – to get skinny, get a boyfriend, get a life. Soon, Harley is drawn into a dangerous game, denying herself food in a desperate bid to win over Carter. Revelling in compliments about her appearance, Harley turbo-charges her weight loss, thanks to a new job at the gym. As Harley disconnects from friends and family, her philosophy teacher makes her question herself, her perceptions and reality. With no one else to turn to when her parents separate, Harley texts her deceased grandmother. Astonished to receive a reply, she retreats further into a world where nothing is as it seems. Just when Carter and happiness are finally within her grasp, Harley discovers the things she believes to be true aren’t real, sending her freefalling. Until a person she’s known all her life, but has never really seen until this moment, steps out of the shadows to catch her.
The Inspiration:
Adolescence has often been described as a rollercoaster of emotions. Add to the mix social media and the unattainable ideals it perpetuates for young people, who far too often measure their self-worth by peer comparison. For many, it’s easier to become someone else rather than to work out who they are. It was the same in my day. I’ve had a life-long love affair with philosophy and wanted to write a layered young adult novel for readers who like to think deeply about ‘big ideas’ like truth, reality and the nature of self. The Lies We Tell Ourselves weaves humour, pathos and a dash of philosophy, ultimately creating a profound sense of hope. The novel can be read simply as a pacy, angst-fuelled ride through adolescence, or more substantially as a tale of an existential crisis. It can be read narrowly as a book about body image, or more generally about mental/physical health and healing. It can be read broadly as a journey of self discovery or with irony and subtext.
Although The Lies We Tell Ourselves touches on many themes, including the timely and pervasive issues of body image and body dysmorphia, it is ultimately a story of grief and loss: Harley grieves the loss of her grandmother, her friendships, and her sense of self as she strives to be someone she’s not.
I hope young readers and their families can see their lives echoed in these pages and take the time to embrace, and talk about, their own stories and issues that matter. The characters’ mental health struggles provide a forum for exploring a range of issues including grief, depression, anxiety, body image and self-identity, while reinforcing that support is always available.
Article by Maura Pierlot.
About the Author
Maura Pierlot is an international award-winning children’s book author, playwright and filmmaker who creates on Ngunnawal / Ngambri country (Canberra). Her writing explores existential themes, prompting vital conversations about identity, mental wellbeing and the complexities of the human experience.
Tackling youth mental health themes, Maura’s acclaimed play, Fragments, is now an award-winning web series, supported by the ACT Government, a feature-length anthology film and a hybrid young adult novella. Maura’s latest releases include two picture books, Clutterbugs (Big Ideas Press, 2025) and Our Family Zoo (Scholastic Australia, 2026) and YA novel, The Lies We Tell Ourselves (Big Ideas Press, 2025).
Maura enjoys writing creative non-fiction for children. Alphabetter – A Better You and Me, from A to Z (Affirm Press, February 2024), presents fun, relatable scenarios that encourage children to explore positive character traits and values. What Will You Make Today? (Storytorch Press, June 2023) empowers young readers to make a difference in the world. Maura’s first picture book, The Trouble in Tune Town, won the 2018 ACT Writing and Publishing Awards and several overseas honours.
Please find Maura Pierlot at her website: https://maurapierlot.com/ and on Instagram and Facebook.
The Lies We Tell Ourselves is available for pre-order purchase through Maura’s Linktree link. (Available as paperback, audio and Kindle)
Published August 1st by Big Ideas Press.
Maura is available for workshops and presentations to school students and teachers via Booked Out.
Uncover the truths behind the story with Maura Pierlot and The Lies We Tell Ourselves, enlightening readers across the blogosphere!
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