Quintessentially Quilly

We all have secrets.  For most of us they are little things; perhaps shameful and potentially embarrassing, but little.  Some of us, however, have big secrets; monsters lurking, ready to pounce and destroy our lives.  Shelia Franklin knew all about monster-sized secrets, she kept one for over twenty-two years until it — he — walked through the door and confronted her.  Her son.  And suddenly she had to face a past her husband, a prominent conservative pastor, knew nothing about.

The Bible tells us that the sins of the parents are visited upon the children for at least 4 generations (Exodus 20:5).  The Rhythm of Secrets, by Patti Lacy reveals why with every flip of the page.  The twists and turns that resulted from one desperate young woman’s affair with first a father and then his son (history revealed by a character’s comments, the actual scenes are not portrayed) reverberate through four generations and lay lives to waste as secrets are kept.  It is only when Shelia finally faces and reveals long hidden family secrets that God’s healing love mends her broken heart and her broken family.

The tale roils with instances of prejudice, hatred, revenge and immorality, but it is not graphic.  The reader is introduced to the violent and unseemly side of the story in character dialogue and remembrances, rather than being being pulled into actual sordid scenes.  If you’re a fan of epic tales and God’s unfailing love, you will enjoy reading this book.  I couldn’t put it down.

The Book:
Since 1955, Sheila Franklin, a talented musician, has perfectly performed the role of devout pastor’s wife, locking away her past as both Sheba Alexander and Sylvia Allen. Her carefully constructed facade crumbles with a single phone call from a young Marine named Samuel, the illegitimate son she had secretly put up for adoption twenty-two years earlier. Samuel begs Sheila to use her government contacts to get his fiancé, Mali, a Thai slave used for prostition, into America. A dangerous mixture of love and guilt spurs her to help her only child even though it devastates her husband Edward and exposes her questionable past. After a quarrel with Edward, Sheila and Samuel board a C-130 for Thailand and then search Bangkok’s steamy streets for a Madonna-faced prostitute. The two whisk Mali from a brothel but are seized by a warlord who considers Mali his “number one girl.” In a teak “ghost house,” Sheila discovers God’s grace and gains the freedom she needs to find her own identity—Sheila, Sylvia, and Sheba. A framed story, this novel has roots in the bohemian 1940s New Orleans French Quarter and spans three decades, including the turbulent Vietnam era.

The Author:
Patty Lacy is a Baylor graduate, taught community college humanities until God called her to span seas and secrets in her novels, An Irishwoman’s Tale and What the Bayou Saw (Like The Rhythm of Secrets, both novels were born of fact) . She has two grown children and a dog named Laura. She and her husband can be seen jog-walking the streets of Normal, Illinois, an amazing place to live for a woman born in a car. For more information, visit Patti’s website at www.pattilacy.com, her blog at www.pattilacy.com/blog, and her Facebook daily Artbites.

Rhythm of Secrets NOOK eReader Giveaway

Patti and her publisher, Kregel, are giving away a NOOK prize package worth over $150 to one lucky winner!!!!

Enter the Nook eReader Giveaway and you could win:

• A brand new Nook eReader with Wi-Fi
• $25 gift certificate to Barnes & Noble

To enter, simply click here (http://wildfireapp.com/website/6/contests/91774 ) to enter, then tell 5 or more friends about the contest. Oh, and enter soon! Winner will be announced on February 16th at Patti’s Rhythm of Secrets Facebook Party.

But, wait there’s more! Come to the Rhythm of Secrets Facebook Party on December 16th!

Patti will be announcing the winner of The Rhythm of Secrets NOOK giveaway at her Party on FaceBook February 16th! She’ll be hosting a book club discussion of The Rhythm of Secrets and giving away other fun prizes! (signed copies of her books and gift certificates to Barnes & Noble, Starbucks, & iTunes!). Don’t miss the fun at Patti’s FaceBook Author Page on February 16th at 5pm PST ( 6 pm MST, 7 pm CST, & 8 pm EST)!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from LitFuse Publicity. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”