Lorna Landvik Books In Order

Publication Order of Standalone Novels

Publication Order of Anthologies

Lorna Landvik
Lorna Landvik is a novelist, playwright, and actor that has appeared in numerous productions. These productions include six that she conveniently wrote for herself. “Party in the Rec Room” (her all improvised show) is a local legend, because of the margaritas that she mixes on stage.

Her checkered (yet still legal) past includes temping at the Playboy Mansion (in a purely clerical position), working as a chambermaid in Bavaria, winning a trip to Tahiti as a contestant on “25,000 Pyramid” (MacGyver was her partner), and walking across the country as a member of The Great Peace March.

As a girl, Lorna loved the “BETSY/TACY” novels by Maud Hart Lovelace and Caddie Woodlawn was her action hero. Reading “To Kill a Mockingbird” while she was an 8th grader opened up a lot of doors and Lorna believes that Atticus Finch’s counsel to spend time walking around in somebody else’s shoes is fantastic advice for an author.

“Patty Jane’s House of Curl” is the first stand alone novel and was released in 1995. Patty Jane Dobbin should’ve known better than to marry a man that was as gorgeous as Thor Rolvaag, however she was just too smitten than to think twice. But just nine months into their marriage, with a baby on the way, Thor’s gone.

It is a good thing that she has Harriet, her irrepressible sister, to rely on. For it has been said that a fine haircut is able to cure any number of ills, and before too long the Minnesota sisters have opened their own beauty parlor that’s complete with live harp music and this endless supply of delicious Norwegian baked goods.

This is a wonderful and warm hearted place where you can count on good friends, lots of tears, laughter, and comfort when you need it, and the unmistakable scent of someone getting a permanent wave.

“Your Oasis on Flame Flake” is the second stand alone novel and was released in 1997. BiDi and Devera, who are best friends fast approaching forty in the tiny Minnesota town of Flame Lake, were just recently voted “Least Changed” at their twentieth high school reunion, which is a label that neither one of them finds all that appealing.

For they each crave a change in her life: BiDi longs to reconnect with her distant fourteen year old daughter (only girl on the high school hockey team) and Devera desires a break from humdrum marital routine. So when Devera’s husband decides to fulfill a lifelong dream of opening his own nightclub in his basement, Your Oasis on Flame Lake shows up not a moment too soon. It’s nothing fancy. Just a BYOB joint where you can sing, hang out, dance, be yourself, and tell some jokes.

However then this unexpected crisis throws both families into chaos, forcing them both to take stock of their lives and learn the power of forgiveness.

“The Tall Pine Polka” is the third stand alone novel and was released in 1998. In Tall Pine, Minnesota, at the Cup O’Delight Cafe, the townsfolk gather together for what they call the Tall Pine Polka, which is an event in which good food, heavenly coffee, and that feeling of being alive among your friends inspires soul and body to dance.

There is the cafe owner, Lee O’Leary, the beautiful and robust, who escaped to the northwoods from her abusive husband. Pete, who is the proprietor of Shoe Shack, who spends his nights crafting these beautiful shoes to present to Lee, along with declarations of love. Frau Katt and Miss Penk, the town’s only lesbian couple. Mary, whose horrible poetry is able to clear the cafe out in just seconds. And, most importantly, Fenny Ness, Lee’s best friend, who is sassy and smart twenty-two year old going on eighty.

Hollywood rolls on into Tall Pine wanting to shoot a movie, and this handsome musician that’s known just as Big Bill coming on the scene. Fenny and Lee find their friendship getting put to the test, while events push their hearts into some unexplored directions, into a place where endings can be turned into new starts.

“Welcome to the Great Mysterious” is the fourth stand alone novel and was released in 2000. Geneva Jordan, megastar of TV, screen, and stage, now has this command performance in Minnesota, where she’s agreed to look after her thirteen year old nephew, who has Down’s syndrome, while his parents take an overdue vacation.

Even though Geneva and Ann, her sister, are just as different as day and night, Geneva does remember having a family before she had a star on her door. So accustomed as she’s become to being the star, finding herself being just a supporting actress in somebody else’s life is unexplored territory and strange.

Then there’s the discovery of this old scrapbook that Ann and Geneva created a long time ago gets her thinking about things beyond fame. For “The Great Mysterious” is this collection of feelings and thoughts dedicated to answering some of life’s largest questions, far outside the glow of the spotlight.

“Angry Housewives Eating Bon Bons” is the fifth stand alone novel and was released in 2003. The women in Freesia Court have become convinced that there is nothing good delectable desserts, good coffee, and a strong shoulder cannot fix. Laughter’s the glue which holds them all together, the foundation of this book group that they call AHEB (Angry Housewives Eating Bon Bons), this unofficial “club” which becomes so much more. It becomes a lifeline.

Holding on through forty eventful years, there is Faith, this lonely mom of twins that harbors this horrible secret which has condemned her to living a lie. Then there’s Merit, the shy doctor’s wife with the private hell of an abusive husband and the face of an angel. Audrey, beautiful and big, the resident sex queen that knows you can get away with anything with attitude and good posture. Kari, a wise woman with this wonderful laugh that knows the greatest of gifts show up after life’s fiercest of storms. Lastly, there’s Slip, this tiny spitfire of a woman that’s not afraid at all to look trouble right in the eye.

This stalwart group of women portrays a slice of American life, of new careers and stay-at-home days, of kids and grandkids, of second chances and bold starts, in which the power of forgiveness, understanding, and a perfectly timed giggle fit is the CPR which mends shattered dreams and mends broken hearts.