A Roller Coaster Ride Is Short is about a loving mother, a talented daughter and their short journey together. It is based on the life of Laura Genender, known online as Taera. She died suddenly in 2008. Although the book chronicles Laura's life, it is about universal issues: childhood bullying, a dysfunctional family, a parent who is a controlling alcoholic, depression, and a love triangle. Laura lived through these issues. Despite all this, Laura was described by her friends as caring, kind, intelligent, and funny. She marched to her own tune. She was always wise beyond her years, causing people to say she had an old soul. She was an equestrian. A brilliant journalist. A prot g . A mentor. A kayaker by day and a ballroom dancer by night. A loyal friend. A daughter whose passing left a hole in her mother's heart that can never be filled. As you accompany Laura on her short journey through life, you will laugh and you will cry. You will feel anger and you will feel admiration. You know the ending before you begin. What you don't know is "Why?"