MEET LIANA LAVERENTZ

Do you like deeply emotional stories with a hint of danger and a little spice that will keep you up turning the pages? Then meet an author who creates such stories, Liana Laverentz. She’s a very talented, award-winning author whom I know personally as a hard worker, a fair-minded woman with the soul of a true lady—and she’s a great mom.
From her own pen, she describes herself as: free-spirited, courageous, passionate, committed, compassionate, and loyal. Liana? Tell us what you mean when you paint this picture of yourself.

Liana: “I’m free-spirited in that I follow my own path, tend to make up my life as I go. If something doesn’t work for me, I change it. I’m constantly a work in progress. I work from home, and, according to my son, am “not like other moms” in that I have built my schedule around him and make every effort to be here when he is here. We spend hours at a time talking, reading to each other, watching movies, going places and just hanging out. We go to the Y together. We go on road trips. We go to festivals and concerts. We have people over for dinner. I love to feed people and share great conversation, and most of the time it’s on the spur of the moment. So every day is an adventure.

I’m also “not like other moms” in that I wear my pjs most of time, and work at all hours of the day and night. I wear jeans most of the time when I leave the house. I don’t join committees because I dislike schedules and meetings, but if a friend is in need, I’ll drop everything to be there for him or her. That includes things like volunteering at the church festival, collecting money for the homeless, serving refreshments at a social function. You might say I tend to my own little acre, and that keeps me plenty busy. I am passionate about my spirituality, which I practice 24/7, 365 days a year. I am always looking for ways to become closer to God.

I say courageous, because I used to be a total scaredy-cat. Now I challenge myself constantly to push my personal envelope and do things I have never done before. I once did a workshop based on the book Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway, using myself as an example. I spent an entire year just doing that, taking on challenges and projects I wasn’t sure I could handle, and with each success, my confidence grew. I found out that once you’re committed to a course of action, things almost magically start to fall into place.

As for loyal, once you have me as a friend, I’m there for life. I still write to and see my best friend from first grade. This summer I plan to visit friends from high school. My relationships are the most important part of my life, with my son, my friend Louis whom I blog about on Fridays, my faith sharing group that meets weekly, a few writer friends and my parents. I tend to those relationships carefully, treat them as the jewels that they are, and have been blessed beyond measure by all of them.”

Liana, your answers and descriptions of yourself encourage me to study my own life and discover where I’m lacking. I know your Balance with Liana speaks to these beliefs, and I can attest that the advice you give can benefit everyone.
You also state that you write about heroes and heroines with these same qualities: two characters you’d like to spend time with, invite into your home, and hold in your heart. I haven’t read your EPPIE Award-winning Thin Ice, but I read the numerous complimentary reviews and glowing reports. Congratulations on the success of this novel.

Liana: “Thank you so much. Thin Ice truly is the book of my heart, and I am thrilled it has received the response that it has”.

Ashton’s Secret is Liana’s next release, and how lucky we’re talking today, because the release date was Friday, June 26, 2009. I can confirm that this novel is first-class. From the first page, Meghan and Nick will keep you reading. Drawn together by the mysterious death of Meghan’s sister Heather, Nick and Meghan must learn to trust the other before they can unravel the truth. The town believes Nick killed Heather and got away with murder, even though a suicide note was found. Meghan also believes her sister did not commit suicide. But if Nick did not kill her, who did? The sleepy little town of Ashton holds that secret, and many others as well.

Here’s a short excerpt:
Nick leaned with deceptive casualness against the doorjamb on the other side of the screen door, his arms crossed. His expression could only be described as one of bored detachment.
At least he wasn’t stiff with hostility. Meghan hazarded a smile and held up the plate of brownies. “I brought these over to apologize. For trespassing on your property yesterday, and sticking my nose in where it doesn’t belong, today.”
“Don’t tell me you’re the Welcome Wagon representative in Ashton, too. For a city girl, you sure have a flair for community involvement.”
“Are you telling me I wasted my time baking these?”
He didn’t look bored anymore. If she didn’t know better, she’d swear she saw amusement lurking behind those dark eyes.
“Nope,” he said. “I like brownies. Did you make them yourself?”
She beamed. She couldn’t help herself. “From scratch.”
He eyed her speculatively from head to toe, then back again, making her feel warm all over. Was he getting ready to hit on her?
“Why?”
“Why?”
“Why’d you make me brownies?”
“I told you. I wanted to—”
“Haven’t you figured out yet I’m the black sheep of Ashton? Maybe you should think about shopkeeping as a permanent career change. You’re slipping up as a reporter.”
“I’m not a reporter. And I know people consider you a troublemaker.”
“Got a thing for bad boys, do you?”
Meghan stared. Never had any such notion occurred to her. But now that she thought about it…
“No,” she stated emphatically. “Certainly not.”
“Then why are you here?”
“I told you. I came to apologize. To be, well, you know…neighborly.”
He arched a black eyebrow. “And to get me to do the same?”
Ignoring the lazy challenge in his voice, Meghan offered what she hoped was a winning smile. “I hadn’t thought of that, but now that you mention it…” She arched her own expectant eyebrow.
Several heartbeats passed before he unfolded his arms and slowly pushed the screen door open. Looking into his enigmatic eyes, Meghan realized a symbolic door was being opened to her, as well.
The door to what, she had no idea, but was more than game to find out. With a gracious nod, she stepped inside.

For more information, go to www.lianalaverentz.com
Thank you for your wonderful answers. Please leave a response for Liana. I know she’d love to hear your comments. Celia Yeary

www.thewildrosepress.com

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Amazon.com