Laura Novak is a talented writer who has written a funny, poignant book called Finding Clarity: A Mom, A Dwarf and a Posh Private School in the People’s Republic of Berkeley.

Visit her blog at http://www.lauranovakauthor.com/blog.html. It is unique! This is one fun writer. If you don’t believe me, check out her interview below:

1. What is your favorite book? Nicholas and Alexandra by Robert and Suzanne Masse.

2. Who is your favorite writer? Harrison Salisbury. He was the author of The 900 Days about the siege of Leningrad. I lived there and studied Russian language all through college. Once I had the opportunity to join Salisbury for dinner. He was my absolute hero in terms of journalists and writers. I was in awe of his work and his life experience. I’m sure I would have said the same had I ever met either of the Masses.

3. What is your favorite writing cliché? “No word is ever wasted.” I tell that to my students, and myself, as often as possible!

4. What is your favorite word? May I ask for permission to cite two? The first is pneu, which is French for “tire.” The second is “chai” only the way it is spelled in Russia. It means “tea” and the particular letters that form the word are adorable together.

5. When and how do you write? (typewriter, Mac, in a café, for four hours each morning, etc?) I write at my desk, in my quiet home office, on a Mac. My most productive time is when I’d drop my son off at school or camp, and then work a full 6 hours a day until pick up time. I’m not good at rising early or tossing off an hour of work here and there. For me, I need to sit my sorry butt in the chair and go for it!

6. In what era do you wish you’d been born? I would like to say the Court of Versailles, but we all know how that turned out. So, I’d like to be an adult in the Roaring Twenties. I love to dance and once upon a time might have looked smashing in a flapper dress.

7. Which words or phrases do you most overuse? “Then”. Apparently – and I didn’t know this – I have a fondness for saying “and then”…Yikes. A writer friend pointed it out. So (then) now I try to never say then!

8. Which talent would you most like to have? I studied ballet my entire childhood. I would love to be able to dance on point as beautifully as I did then. That said, I would love to be a great ice skater. Or George Clooney’s Oscar night date. I think that would take real talent!

9. What do you consider your greatest achievement? My son and overcoming his intense medical problems. Raising him and sharing his life is the best job I’ve ever had. Even through the terribly difficult times and years. He is healthy and so smart and funny and kind.

10. How would you like to die? In my sleep with one or more cats next to me, knowing that my husband and son are safe and happy somewhere.

Finding Clarity buy page: http://www.amazon.com/Finding-Clarity-Republic-Berkeley-ebook/dp/B005HRNIUK/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1325571048&sr=1-1