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Alissa Lukara is the author of the novel Secrets of the Trees, set in Latvia. She is a first generation American. Her family escaped Latvia during WWII and were refugees for five years. She speaks and writes Latvian and traveled there three times to research the novel. Her memoir, Riding Grace: A Triumph of the Soul (Silver Light Publications), was called by the Midwest Book Review “a transcendental story about the immeasurable powers of redemption and compassion.”

 

Alissa has been a professional writer and writing coach for more than thirty years and founded Transformational Writers. She teaches workshops and speaks on writing as a transformational journey. She is also co-author of NightDancin' (Ballantine Books). 

 

Alissa was founder and president of the nonprofit website, Lifechallenges.org, 800 pages of self-help tools and inspirational stories to help people face adversity. It reached millions of people in 110 countries. 

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Alissa now makes her home in Ashland, Oregon with Charlie the cat and a strong network of "framily." She grew up near Cleveland, Ohio, and has lived in Denver, San Francisco, Los Angeles and New York City.