No Time to Cry

No Time to Cry

As a child in war-ravaged Europe, Vera Leinvebers lost nearly everything. Now, she's opening up about her loss in an alternative autobiography that reveals the true strength behind survival.

In No Time to Cry, Leinvebers brings readers a candidly honest yet inspirational story of survival and hope against the backdrop of a fractured childhood and horrifying memories of war. Leinvebers filters memories of hatred, loss and the will to survive through a fictional young Latvian girl, Lara. As she revisits her traumatic childhood during World War II, Leinvebers' own will to survive is reflected when she finds and clings to a personal symbol of strength.

"This isn't about good guys or bad guys, heroism or military campaigns," says Leinvebers. "This book really shows the personal cost of World War II, and all wars for that matter, to ordinary people caught in the middle."

An alternative to the typical autobiography, No Time to Cry takes a fragmented approach to memories and time, a style that contributes to the candid nature of the book. Leinvebers reveals how childhood experiences affect a person's life later on, and aims to address the controversial issue and impact of post-traumatic stress.

Perhaps most telling of the honesty the book conveys is the fact that Leinvebers considers its creation instrumental in her own healing process. As she transports readers back to a time of stolen happiness and terror through the eyes of Lara, she revisits this period herself, hoping readers will come away with a renewed appreciation for the struggles of others and a renewed optimism for their own survival.

"I wrote this book because I had to, not because I thought the world needed another 'survivor memoir,'" says Leinvebers. "I reached a point in my life where the feelings that I had bottled up since I was a child needed to come out and find words. When I was a child living the life described in this book, I literally lost my voice. Now, that child has found her voice again."

Vera Leinvebers was born in Latvia and began her first piano lessons at the age of 5. She has gone on to perform for audiences across Europe and North America, including multiple appearances on radio and television. She currently resides in Toronto, where she teaches piano lessons at her private studio.

No Time to Cry
Author: Vera Leinvebers
ISBN: 9781462058440
Price: $18.95