by Romana Van Lissum (Author) For 17 years (and counting), Romana Van Lissum has been a cocktail waitress in a popular Vancouver strip club. In between slinging brews and burgers, Romana decided to get some answers to the questions we all want to know about exotic dancers. As a fixture in the industry, Van Lissum has the unique position to capture the stories of three generations of strippers both working and retired in a candid, confessional style. The stories range from drug addiction, sexual abuse, psycho boyfriends, crooked clubs, and prostitution to homelessness, porn and hustling. Van Lissum has collected 50 true stories from BC's top feature entertainers, from the heartbreaking to the glamorous; from the legendary to the comedic. "The Life of a Stripper" gives a vivid glimpse into the mystery of exotic dancers. Welcome to the inside view of the world of exotic dancing. Get ready to find out the secrets, mechanics and drive behind the beautiful women that take their clothes off for a living. Author Biography Romana Van Lissum, a native of Karvina, Czechoslovakia, has been a fixture of the exotic dance industry and community in Western Canada for over 17 years. She plans to continue in her current position as a server in a popular Greater Vancouver strip club for as long as possible. As an accomplished horsewoman and long-time animal lover, Van Lissum competes in 25 and 50 mile endurance rides and loves to spend as much time as possible training her horse on the trails near her home. Van Lissum is an advocate of treating all animals with kindness and respect. She also enjoys yoga, meditation, reading, travelling and spending time with her wonderful friends, her incredible husband of 21 years and her beautiful daughter, Kelsey. Van Lissum's first book is, "How To Be a Waitress and Make Big Tips." Number of Pages: 302 Dimensions: 0.63 x 8.5 x 5.5 IN Publication Date: April 17, 2012