Leah Ranada was born in the Philippines. She moved to Canada in 2006, shortly after graduating from University of Santo Tomas in Manila. She attended The Writer's Studio at Simon Fraser University in 2013. Her short stories have appeared in On Spec, Room Magazine, Santa Ana River Review, Scarlet Leaf Review, and elsewhere. Leah has brought her administrative and editorial skills to legal, settlement services, and academic workplaces. She lives in New Westminster and blogs at leahranada.com. The Cine Star Salon is her debut novel.

Praise for The Cine Star Salon:

"From Vancouver to Manila, with a cast of vibrant characters, Sophia's story pulled me in close--an intimate behind the scenes look at the beauty salon and working women. This is also a tale of immigration, and family drama; the ones we are born into and the ones we create. Wry and clear-eyed this powerful debut by Leah Ranada is an important new work in the literary scene."
~ Hiromi Goto, author of Shadow Life and Chorus of Mushrooms

"A stunning debut. Renada's writing crackles with energy and humour. Memorable characters and a clever, tender-hearted prose examines the stigma of "women's work," The Cine Star Salon will speak across generations, so tell your mother and your sister and your sister's friends."
~ Carleigh Baker, author of Bad Endings