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The Press Democrat, August 2015 — "Rohnert Park Author Shares Tales of Sisterhood,"

Short bio:

With evocative sensory details, Laura McHale Holland brings to life curious characters facing potent situations in stories that are long, short, true and untrue, and often slightly tilted.

100-word bio:

In stories, novels, poems and plays, Laura McHale Holland stirs up emotions and uncovers hidden truths. Her novel, The Kiminee Dream, released in 2020, introduces quirky characters in a fictional Illinois river town where unseen forces help and hinder. Aunt Truly's Tales, a collection of traditional and original stories inspired by the novel, followed in 2021. Laura’s prior books include two memoirs, two collections of flash fiction, and an anthology on sisterhood. Several of her books have been honored in the Indie Excellence, INDIES, Next Generation Indie and Reader's Favorite book awards.

Extended bio:

Whether she is penning a memoir or novel, editing an anthology, writing flash fiction, or telling stories live, Laura McHale Holland’s aim as an artist is to stir people’s emotions and uncover hidden truths. She thrives on following her imagination wherever it leads and encouraging others to do the same.

Very much inspired by the tremendous freedom and creativity found in today’s independent publishing community, Laura formed a tiny publishing company through which she has published several award-winning books.

Laura’s childhood memoir, Reversible Skirt, won a silver medal in the 2011 Readers Favorite book awards. It recounts from a vulnerable child’s point of view the aftermath of her mother’s suicide, when her father never acknowledged the tragedy and, to keep his family together, remarried in haste to a woman who was extremely abusive to Laura and her sisters. He subsequently passed away, leaving the three girls at their stepmother’s mercy.

Laura’s second memoir, Resilient Ruin, won the 2017 National Indie Excellence Award for new adult nonfiction. It’s a tale of coming of age in the tumultuous ’60s when Laura was in the care of a stepmom who offered no love or guidance. Laura rebelled, made mistake after mistake, and her life spiraled downward. The consequences were increasingly heartbreaking and, at times, brought her very survival into question. Yet survive, she did, with little of what she longed for, but all that she needed to start building a good life.

Laura’s first collection of flash fiction, The Ice Cream Vendor’s Song, is edgy and thought provoking. It won an honorable mention in the 2015 Readers Favorite book awards. Laura loves the flash fiction form, which requires a writer to create a complete story with minimal words. She released her second collection of flash fiction, Just in Case, in 2019.

The Kiminee Dream, published in 2020, is a novel dedicated to the people of Illinois, where Laura was born and raised. It introduces a cast of quirky characters in a fictional river town where unseen forces both help and hinder, and people learn to rise in the face of adversity, accept what can never be and embrace big dreams anew. Influenced by folklore and magical realism, the book won honorable mention in the Fantasy category of the 2021 Next Generation Indie Book Awards.

In addition, Laura served as editor, publisher and contributing writer for the Sisters Born, Sisters Found: A Diversity of Voices on Sisterhood anthology. What began as a small project born of local readings on the topic of sisterhood became a collection of memoirs, essays, poems and short stories by 76 writers representing every continent except Antarctica. This book won a gold medal in the 2015 Next Generation Indie Book Awards and was named a finalist in the 2015 INDIES Awards.

Laura’s stories have also appeared in such publications as NorthBay biz magazine, the Noe Valley Voice, Every Day Fiction Three, Wisdom Has a Voice, My Gutsy Story, And the Beat Goes On, and several Vintage Voices anthologies. Her one-act play Are You Ready? was produced by Sixth Street Playhouse and Redwood Writers, as well as shortlisted for the Short+Sweet Sydney 2015 festival. Another one-act play, You’ll Be Sorry, was produced in 2016 by Friends of the Guerneville Library’s Readers Theater. And her most recent play, Bankrupt, was produced by Off the Page Readers Theater in 2019.

An avid fan of story performance, Laura also enjoys freeing stories from the printed (or digital) page. She is gratified when she can inspire kindred souls, especially those who have felt defeated along the way, to pursue their creative dreams.