Diana Laurence’s New Novel To Support Kiva.Org

enlarge photo

Close

Living Beyond Reality Press and Greenfield, Wis. based author Diana Laurence have announced that the proceeds of Laurence’s new novel, Aggie’s Nine Heroes, will be used to support the charitable microlending organization Kiva.org.

“The novel is about a young girl with a flair for entrepreneurship and a passionate desire to help others,” explains Laurence. “It seemed fitting to me that the book ‘put its money where its mouth is’ by providing funding to an appropriate charity. I could find no better fit than Kiva.”

The book tells the story of Aggie Borkowski, a bright and unusual girl raised in Chicago by her grandfather Bernie. Bernie’s spirit—undaunted by personal tragedy and a sometimes-terrifying handicap—is key to the realization of his granddaughter’s dream of creating a team of heroes. While readers will identify with many of Aggie’s coming-of-age experiences, they will also engage with the tale of how she and her quirky friends build a real-life business devoted to serving humankind.

“Just creating these characters made me more sensitive to the many little ways a person can make the world better,” Laurence said. “Bernie, Aggie, and her heroes are ordinary people who use their resources in a positive way, sometimes touching just one life at a time. Kiva, whose slogan is ‘Loans that change lives,’ works in a similar way. Their process is particularly appealing to those who, like myself and Aggie, believe capitalism can be a great tool for the betterment of the world, one entrepreneur at a time.”

Kiva.org is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that allows people to lend money via the Internet to microfinance institutions in developing countries around the world in the U.S., which in turn lend the money to small businesses and students. Kiva enables people who otherwise would be “unbankable” to start businesses and become productive members of their local communities, while bringing themselves and their families out of poverty.

Twenty-five percent of the proceeds of the sales of Aggie's Nine Heroes will be donated to Kiva for ongoing administrative expenses. Seventy-five percent of proceeds will be provided to investments through Kiva.

“Knowing my book will serve this purpose just enhances the experience of sharing it with readers,” Laurence said. “I believe likewise that readers’ enjoyment of the novel will be augmented by knowing their purchase helped others. In a real way, they will become part of Aggie’s team of heroes.”

For more information, visit www.dianalaurence.com, www.livingbeyondreality.com, and www.kiva.org .