I had a delightful chat with Lisa Kovala, whose vibrant personality truly stands out. It's easy to see why so many are drawn to her; she’s genuinely a treasure! A Finnish Canadian author, book coach, and podcaster, Liisa has released her second historical novel, *Like Water for Weary Souls* (2025). She's also the talented author of *Sisu's Winter War* (Latitude 46, 2022) and *Surviving Stutthof: My Father's Memories Behind the Death Gate* (Latitude 46, 2017), the latter of which earned a spot on the shortlist for the Northern Lit Award and was published in Finland by Docendo in 2020. Liisa lives in Greater Sudbury, Ontario, with her husband, drawing inspiration from her Finnish roots and the beautiful northern landscape she calls home. With a perfect blend of compassion, firm encouragement, and tried-and-true techniques, she expertly guides writers through the book creation journey. Liisa is dedicated to helping women who aspire to write a novel or memoir but struggle to carve out the time and energy to do it on their own. Liisa is deeply committed to helping you find joy in writing and nurture your creativity so you can better support others. She collaborates with fiction and memoir authors, particularly those interested in historical fiction, women’s fiction, memoirs, and young adult narratives—especially those ready to invest in their craft and personal growth. Her mission is to inspire women to uncover their sisu, a Finnish term for strength, courage, and determination, through the power of reading and writing. In her book "Like Water for Weary Souls," set against the backdrop of a harsh Northern Ontario mining town during the Great Depression, we follow Finnish immigrant sisters Hanna and Essi Kivi as they make ends meet as domestic workers, sharing a cramped room in a somewhat dubious boarding house owned by a watchful madame. When Hanna's lifeless body is pulled from the frigid waters of Nolin Creek, authorities deem it a tragic accident—yet the story holds much more. Essi understands the truth all too well. Her sister would never have taken the chance of crossing dangerous ice—not after their youngest sister Martta tragically drowned years ago. Battling her guilt and fueled by unwavering loyalty, Essi starts to uncover the secrets that Hanna kept buried. As she delves into her sister's last days, she realizes that in a town filled with hopes and struggles for a brighter tomorrow, everyone carries their own hidden truths. It's an enthralling story about love, family, sisterhood, and the quest for truth.

Learn more about Liisa at

liisakovalabookcoach.com and visit

liisakovalawomenwriting.substack.com or

if you would like to book Liisa you can contact Mickey Mikkelson, Publicist

Creative Edge -Co-Owner: Top Shelf Magazine

Creative Edge Publicity

mickey.creativeedge@gmail.com

403.464.6925

Thank you for listening to and supporting the podcast. If you want to be heard email mscaramellucas@gmail.com or follow me on Instagram @mscaramellucas - TikTok @caramellucas - Facebook - Caramel Lucas