Liisa Kovala is an award-winning Finnish Canadian author, book coach, and podcast host. Like Water for Weary Souls (House of Karhu 2025) is her second historical novel and recently won an IPPY Award, a BookFest Award and a Global Book Award. Liisa is the author of Sisu's Winter War (Latitude 46, 2022) and Surviving Stutthof: My Father's Memories Behind the Death Gate (Latitude 46, 2017) which was shortlisted for a Northern Lit Award and published in Finland by Docendo (2020). She also writes the Hygge House Cozy Mystery series under the pen name A. L. Jensen. The first book in the series, Hygge and Homicide also received a BookFest Award for mystery. Liisa is inspired by her Finnish heritage and the northern landscape she calls home. Learn more about Liisa at liisakovalabookcoach.com and subscribe to liisakovalawomenwriting.substack.com.
Author talks and workshops can be tailored to the unique needs of the organization or individuals, including interactive creative writing workshops in fiction and memoir, as well author presentations about Surviving Stutthof and/or Sisu's Winter War, writing historical fiction, and creative non-fiction.
Creative writing workshops allow students to develop skills through guided writing prompts to develop a story. Workshops can be tailored to suit the age and level of the students in consultation with the classroom teacher.
Students will participate in a creative writing workshop involving quick writes and a mini-lesson on a particular topic. Goals can be established with the teacher in advance according to students' needs and experiences. The focus may include short stories, poetry, non-fiction, and/or use of writers' craft techniques (sensory details, dialogues, show don't tell, slowing down time, character development, etc.).
