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It's the story of a lovable California girl who manages to inspire others as she navigates through a series of hilarious adventures and surprising twists when her world is turned upside down.
The plot could be Elodia Strain's life but the former Los Baños resident and newly published author said the work is fiction - at least some of it.
"It's a chick-flick in a book," joked Strain of her first novel "Icing on the Cake," released this month.
Part comedy and part romance, Strain said she drew inspiration from her own life and those of her friends when penning the misadventures of sweet-toothed Annabelle Pleasanton.
The first chapter even finds the young lovable heroine in sleepy Los Baños searching for Portuguese cake and setting off a series of hilarious events.
Opening her first book with her hometown seemed like the right choice she said, after all, it was in Gary Hedlind's English class at Los Baños High School that Strain said she was first encouraged to become a writer.
"He would give me good feedback and always said we (his students) can do anything," she said.
Hedlind remembers Dia Saavedra, as she was known 10 years ago, as "one of those exceptional students," he said. "She had a certain talent and for her that was writing."
He said Elodia would occasionally send him an e-mail updating him on her progress as a writer and to thank him for the encouragement. When he heard she was writing a book, Hedlind said he was elated and can't wait to read it.
Graduating at the top of her high school class, Strain attended Bringham Young University, majoring in advertising because it was practical and became a copywriter.
Despite earning praise for her ads, it was a different type of writing that she was interested in and Hedlind's encouragement coupled with that of her family kept coming back to her, she said.
It wasn't until she was diagnosed with what she calls a painful and heartbreaking illness, that Strain began working full-time on achieving her dream of writing her own book.
During her ordeal Strain delved herself into all types of books but it was the so called "chick-lit" novels that made her laugh and forget the pain she was going through at the time.
"I've always been a reader and I've always loved a book," she said adding she felt like she had enough material to write one of her own.
Every day for a year, Strain sat in front of the computer and began typing out. She would send copies of pages to her mother in Los Baños for critiques and after being passed by one publishing house Strain's manuscript soon found a home with Cedar Fort, Inc.
"It was really therapeutic for her," said her mother Kathy Saavedra. "Laughter, it was the best medicine and it was enlightening."
Saavedra said she is proud of her oldest of four children and that she is an example to her youngest children in that Elodia made a goal for herself at a very young age and stayed the course until she achieved it.
As for the book, Saavedra said she's read it twice and can't help but laugh and cry each time.
Strain currently lives in Spokane, Wash. with her husband, but is preparing for a stop in the Central Valley during her book tour.
She is also already writing a sequel to "Icing on the Cake," and said she hopes readers will cheer for and relate to her heroine much like she did.
"When I was going through pain these books and characters helped. I know there are people who will benefit from humor and inspiration like I did," she said.
Strain will be signing her book from noon to 2 p.m., March 9, at the Beehive Bookstore, 1977 Wyrick Avenue, San Jose and from 2-5 p.m., March 10, at Cumorah Books and Gifts, 3430 Tully Road, Modesto.
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