Leota Hoover

Leota is a native of Arizona who lived in Alaska for over twenty-four years, raising her children and earning a living as a single mother. Alaska is a character in much of her writing, as are moose, salmon, and freezing weather. She is a trained grief therapist and addiction counselor, and works in the field today. Her most transforming experiences came during her work with the renowned innovative thinker, Elizabeth Kubler Ross, who inspired her writing and shook her world. Ross is the subject of Hoover’s memoir in progress.

Leota’s essay “Hunter” appears in the poetry & non-fiction contest issue (Winter/Spring 2009) of So To Speak, A Feminist Journal of Language & Art published by George Mason University. She didn’t win but felt honored to be one of the finalists. She’s also featured in the 2009 Byline Calendar, and she has published a piece about her charming parrots in Companion Parrot Quarterly.