Liisa Kovala is a Finnish Canadian author and teacher. Her first book, Surviving Stutthof: My Father’s Memories Behind the Death Gate (Latitude 46, 2017), was shortlisted for a Northern Lit Award and published in Finland under the title Stutthofin selviytyjä (Docendo, 2020). Her work is inspired by her Finnish heritage and the northern landscape she calls home. Sisu’s Winter War (Latitude 46, 2022) is her debut novel. She lives in Sudbury, Ontario with her husband and two children.
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.).