Patti Lacy

In 1955, a lovely woman named Ann Qualls gave birth to a feisty and bald infant in the front seat of her husband Bucky's Buick. By pure coincidence, Ann claims, their daughter was named Patti Day Qualls, PDQ. The Quallses set up housekeeping in Martin Hall, the boys athletic dormitory at Baylor University, where Patti adopted 200 kinda brothers who taught her magic tricks and set her imagination aflame with wild stories.This moniker has served Patti well, as she's moved at least ten times, traveled to forty states, and changed occupations with a liberality unusual in native Texans. Though Patti's only been writing since 2005, she thinks her latest profession of capturing stories on paper (or computer files) will stick awhile.The Still, Small Voice encouraged Patti to write after a brave Irish friend shared memories of betrayal and her decision to forgive. In 2008, An Irishwoman's Tale was published by Kregel Publications. Patti's second novel, What the Bayou Saw, draws on the memories of two young girls who refused to let segregation, a chain link fence, and a brutal rape come between them.The secrets women keep and why they keep them continue to enliven Patti's gray matter. A third book, The Rhythm of Secrets, released in January of 2011, which was a busy year since Reclaiming Lily (Bethany House) also hit bookstore shelves. Reclaiming Lily places readers smack dab in the middle of a tug-of-war between a Harvard-educated doctor and an American pastor and his wife for a precious child and explores adoption issues, China's "One Child" policy, and both Christian and secular views of sacrifice.  Three works in progress have eroded the keys on Patti's Old Faithful keyboard: Below Normal, a novel series set in Patti's home twon of Normal, Illinois; a historical romance, set in Lincoln's Illinois; a memoir of one near and very dear to me. Shhh! The latter project's hush-hush!Patti also facilitates writing seminars in schools, libraries, and at conferences and has been called to present her testimony, "All the Broken Pieces," at women's retreats. She also leads a Beth Moore Bible study at her beloved Grace Church and has had a blast planning the September 2009 wedding of her firstborn, Sarah.