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Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Welcome Patti Lacy and Reclaiming Lily

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

PATTI LACY, at the age of 50, traded her grade books for a writer’s pen after the Still, Small Voice encouraged her to novelize the story of her best friend. Patti’s first three novels, An Irishwoman’s Tale, What the Bayou Saw, and The Rhythm of Secrets, explore the secrets women keep and why they keep them.

Patti’s fourth book, Reclaiming Lily, a Bethany House title, transports readers to the steps of a Chinese orphanage, where two cultures and two women collide. Claiming writers as diverse as Francine Rivers and Jodi Piccoult as influences for this novel, Patti weaves a story of grace and God’s mercy with an insidious hereditary disease and a rebellious teenager. Reclaiming Lily transports the reader from Fort Worth to China to Boston in a quest journey of faith, of love…of Joy.

Patti soothes her itch to teach by leading seminars, facilitating writing classes, and speaking at women’s events. Patti and her husband, Alan, a college administrator, live in Normal. They have two grown children and a dog named Laura.

RECLAIMING LILY
by Patti Lacy
Published by Bethany House

ABOUT THE BOOK

Two women. Two cultures. One child.

Can Kai, a determined Chinese doctor, and Gloria, a worried pastor's wife, shatter the prejudices and pride that enslave them and partner to save Joy, a rebellious teenager who just happens to be Kai's sister...Gloria's daughter?

Span seas and secrets and the depths of God's grace in Reclaiming Lily!

Readers, buy your copy of Reclaiming Lily today!

AND NOW A WORD FROM OUR FEATURE AUTHOR

Writing and Noshing—Do the Two Mix?

Gather round. Perk up your ears. It’s time for a secret from Patti Lacy, the author who spans seas and secrets and has a new Bethany House release, Reclaiming Lily.

We’re not handling the usual heavy topics of a women’s fiction writer. Not on a Wednesday!!

Ready for the revelation?

I nosh.

When words clog in the cerebral journey from gray matter to fingertips, I turn to the system taught by a dear college friend...

“Kathleen, I’m sick of this.” The dorm bunk sags as I shift my weight, rearrange Baylor Bear pillows. “We’ll never get through.”

Kathleen smooths straight hair into a ponytail. “Oh, yes, we will. We have to.”

I’m tired. Bored. Sure I’ll never pull off a decent grade point this semester…or any other. “No, we won’t.”

Like the lawyer she’s studying to be, Kathleen folds her arms across her chest and fixes droopy blue eyes on my face. “Okay.” She taps her pencil against our handouts. “We’ll do one page, then get a Coke. Do another, get some candy.”

My stomach growls, as well it should. We skipped dinner…to study. I close my eyes. Hear the Snickers—no, the Almond Joy, with its creamy dark chocolate, chewy coconut, nut-crunch, calling to me from the vending machine down the hall. “How about the candy first?” I blurt out.

She eyes me, wondering if more argument will exhaust her waning store of energy. “Okay. Candy first.” More tapping. “But it’ll cost you two pages.”

Noshing—whether to relieve the daily page requirement of a writer, the mundane job of scrubbing toilets, the twenty items on a Mom’s to-do list—has been officially classified as a coping technique for difficult, mediocre, hey, sometimes IMPOSSIBLE days.

Peanut butter slathered on crunchy crackers and topped with dried cranberries. Dove dark chocolate. Chilled carrot sticks. Hummus. Yogurt. Roasted peanuts. Hersheys almond bars.

Since domestic veganism has claimed us Lacys as “victims,” cheese has been slashed from the menu. But never chocolate!!

Hey, wait! You’ve got to write 500 words before you head to the fridge!

As my age and waistline have expanded, I’ve implemented other rewards for meeting page or word count or domestic goals:

Check Facebook comments. Dance to a Pandora hit (Ashley Cleveland’s on right now.) Look out the window. Pet Laura the dog, who as house publisher rules from the lumpy ottoman in my office. File nails. Make a phone call. (No, not THAT phone call. A fast one!)

* * * * *

Thank you, Patti, for sharing with us today.

Guest Question:  Do you implement a finish-and-feed system to persevere? Does it involve chocolate? Share your favorite nosh to be eligible for a random drawing giveaway of Reclaiming Lily.


ENTRY RULES Readers, leave your email address (name at domainname dot com/net) along with your answer to the question for your chance to win a FREE autographed copy of the book featured above. If you do not answer the question, and your email address isn't provided, you will not be entered.

This week, the contest is open to US/Canada residents only.

15 comments:

patti lacy said...

Hey, Tiffany! It's wonderful to stop by this cozy place on a coooold Midwest morning. Seems more like DECEMBER!!!

Hope you are tapping away on your newest WIP...or snuggling in with a good book!
Blessings,
Patti

margie said...

I NOSH!!! My problem is, I give the rewards too freely and it shows:( My favorites are anything cruncy...nuts, chips, crackers, apples, carrots, popcorn...I think you get the picture. My real problem is, that having been raised on a small farm in the country, I rarely meet ANY food that I don't like!! Would love a chance to win Reclaiming Lily! margie at mijares dot net

Anonymous said...

Ladies, nothing beats munchin on some pringles and milk while reading a good book. Can't wait to read Reclaiming Lily!!!

patti lacy said...

Margie, I know what you mean. One advantage of training for a half-marathon is calories burn like peat!!!!

Thanks, The Growing Tree! Can't wait to hear what you THINK of my latest.
Blessings,
Patti

jewels67 said...

I have reclaiming lily on my nook it is an amazing book !!! A must read

jewels67 said...

And i love anything chocolate and i too gained some weight back i am back to eating healthy

patti lacy said...

Jewels! Thank you EVER so much!
Sigh. I too have been avoiding chocolate, though we definitely have an attraction!!!

Thanks for sharing your thoughts!!!

stormvikki said...

My favorite nosh is just about anything chocolate, though in the fall I really enjoy the caramel/nut covered apples.

Anonymous said...

My favorite is bread. I love bread and that is what I reward myself with. That could be why I have a weight problem. I would love a chance to read Reclaiming Lily.
Thanks
Debbie
debdesk9(at)verizon.net

patti lacy said...

Storm, Vikki, that is one good snack you're bringing! Thanks for stopping by!!!

LOVE your photo, Ryazmom! It is YOUR fault I want to hit the chocolate drawer. Yep, we have a WHOLE drawer for that special food!!!

Debbie, having a peanut butter sandwich right now on whole wheat raisin toast! SO GOOD!!!

Pam K. said...

My favorite snack is popcorn (not microwave popcorn but real popcorn popped in a Stir Crazy popper with just a little canola oil). After the popcorn, I like one little piece of chocolate (like a Dove, Bliss, or Kiss).
I've read Patty's book "A Rhythm of Secrets" and enjoyed it very much. I'd love to win a copy of "Reclaiming Lily." Thanks for the chance!
pmk56[at]sbcglobal[dot]net

patti said...

Pam,
Why, you are double-dipping with chocolate and salty, which counteracts the calories and nets you a "free snack."

Great logic, huh??? Dream on, Patti!!!

Pam, THANK YOU for following my books! I am just thrilled you're venturing into a second!!

Blessings,
Patti

Melanie N. Brasher said...

I love your writer voice, Patti. :) I nosh on anything chocolate as well. In fact, I'm doing that now. :)

Mel

Anonymous said...

I have converted my sugar-filled 'night snack' into a handful of raw almonds. I know, it sounds like a downer, but I find it satisfying and I don't wake up in the morning with that weird sugar-fueled headache that always dogged me. If I'm doing chocolate, I eat it during the day. A small bag of M&Ms can last me a week. I just need that little flavor fix.

Reclaiming Lily sounds like a wonderful book!

Lyn
spooler(at)comcast(dot)net

Tiffany Amber Stockton said...

I've been horrible at returning to post the winners selected. But having 2 little ones under the age of 3 takes its toll on my free time...and my brain. :)

Here is the winner for this drawing:

Ryaz Mom

Congratulations! I'll go now to post the winners of the other drawings up through current. Thanks for your patience.