I have a copy of What the Bayou Saw by Patti Lacy to give away. If you would like to enter the drawing, please read my post containing the promotional material and my review at this link. Once you have read it, come back to this post and leave a comment expressing your thoughts about this book. Deadline to enter is Friday, November 20. I will choose a winner using the Random Generator and post the results on Saturday, November 21. Good luck!
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, My Name is Sheba, has been completed. Patti’s WIP, Recapturing Lily, documents 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.
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.
Patti and her husband Alan, an Illinois State faculty member, live in Normal with their handsome son Thomas, who attends Heartland Community College. On sunny evenings, you can catch the three strolling the streets of Normal with their dog Laura, whom they’ve dubbed a “Worchestershire Terrier” for her “little dab of this breed, a little dab of that breed.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Segregation and a chain link fence separated twelve-year-old Sally Flowers from her best friend, Ella Ward. Yet a brutal assault bound them together. Forever. Thirty-eight years later, Sally, a middle-aged Midwestern instructor, dredges up childhood secrets long buried beneath the waters of a Louisiana bayou in order to help her student, who has also been raped. Fragments of spirituals, gospel songs, and images of a Katrina-ravaged New Orleans are woven into the story.
The past can’t stay buried forever Rising author Patti Lacy’s second novel exposes the life of Sally, set amid the shadows of prejudice in Louisiana.
Since leaving her home in the South, Sally Stevens has held the secrets of her past at bay, smothering them in a sunny disposition and sugar-coated lies. No one, not even her husband, has heard the truth about her childhood.
But when one of her students is violently raped, Sally’s memories quickly bubble to the surface unbidden, like a dead body in a bayou. As Sally’s story comes to light, the lies she’s told begin to catch up with her. And as her web of deceit unravels, she resolves to face the truth at last, whatever the consequences.
With the great book description that was provided, what more is left to say? I can say that What The Bayou Saw is a thought provoking book that touches the heart. When Sally begins to relate the buried memories of her childhood, her experiences are seen through the understanding of an innocent child. Sally’s determination to set things right no matter the personal expense was her mature response to the situation as an adult.
Patty Lacy has written a masterpiece that takes the reader from the tense days of racial prejudice of the Louisiana of the sixties to the devastating aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. It is a tale of innocence shattered and fearfully buried secrets that come to light decades later. It is a story of the fear and injustice perpetrated by racism. And it is a story of courage that is strengthened by faith. You may not think What The Bayou Saw is your type book but it is a MUST read.
There were seven entries (8 comments but 1 duplicate) for this giveaway. I numbered them in the order the comments were received and used the number generator at random.org to choose the winner. The winning number was #4 for Cherie J. Congratulations Cherie. Keep your eyes open for an email from me with instructions on how to claim your book.
Stay tuned – I will have three book giveaways next week.
This cake almost always gets rave reviews. It is similar to the one Ree over at Pioneer Woman Cooks calls The Best Chocolate Sheet Cake. Ever. The only difference I can find is that my recipe includes a teaspoon of cinnamon and is cooked in a 9 X 13 inch pan rather than a jelly roll pan. So my cake is a little thicker than Ree’s and has a subtle cinnamon flavor that enhances the taste but leaves most people wondering what makes the cake different. You can leave out the cinnamon if you like and/or bake it in a larger pan if you would rather have a thinner layer. We think it is just perfect the way it is.
I got my original recipe approximately forty years ago in Home Ec class. A new girl at school brought the recipe for us to try in class. (Was it a coincidence that she was from Texas?) This cake is so good that it has been a family staple ever since.
TEXAS CHOCOLATE SHEET CAKE:
2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 sticks butter
3 tablespoons cocoa
2 eggs — well beaten
1 teaspoon soda
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup water
Sift flour, sugar, cinnamon, and salt together. In saucepan, add butter, water and cocoa and bring to boil. Pour this over flour mixture. In another bowl, beat eggs, soda, buttermilk and vanilla. Add this to flour and chocolate mixture and mix well. Place in greased and floured 9 X 13-inch pan. Bake at 350° until done – about 25 minutes.
About 10 minutes before cake is done, mix all ingredients except sugar and nuts in saucepan and heat until butter is melted. Do not boil. Remove from heat, add sugar and beat well. Stir in nuts. Pour and spread over cake as soon as it comes out of oven.
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I have a copy of What the Bayou Saw by Patti Lacy to give away. If you would like to enter the drawing, please read my post containing the promotional material and my review at this link. Once you have read it, come back to this post and leave a comment expressing your thoughts about this book. Deadline to enter is Friday, November 20. I will choose a winner using the Random Generator and post the results on Saturday, November 21. Good luck!
