Synopsis
If you like stories that bring a tear and a smile, join a crotchety professor, his psychic wife, tech-guru daughter, clever grandchildren, and loyal best friends on a journey to overcome a past tragedy. As in any family story, there's laughter and love between the troubled times. The clever dialogue, surprising humor, and poignant ending will make you feel as if the Andrew Ward family is just like your own.
Editorial Praise for To Leave a Memory
"A warm portrait of a family coming together to forgive ... the colorful dialogue keeps the story moving ... There's a pleasing amount of healthy talk about sex ... Forgiveness comes in moments sentimental but tender, and even Andrew Ward's post-stroke syntax has a chance to shine."
— Kirkus Reviews
"You've written a wonderful story. By the end, the characters become like family to the reader.
— Jean Jenkins, Editor, San Diego
"Debut author, Pat Dunlap Evans has written a poignant literary novel that explores an ordinary couple's enduring relationship years after a family tragedy. The story is told from the point of view of both the husband and wife who are reminiscent of Henry and Olive in Pulitzer prize winning Elizabeth Stout's novel, Olive Kitteridge. The writing is crisp and the ending takes a surprising turn.
— Lara Reznik, best-selling Amazon author of The Girl From Long Guyland
To Leave a Memory — What's it About?
When history professor Andrew Ward ignores his wife Lizzy's premonition that something will happen if he allows their son to go out one stormy night, tragedy strikes. Andrew is too anguished to admit he was wrong. Over the years, he and Lizzy drift into avoidance.
Forgotten in the marital divide, young daughter Jane can't forgive her brother's death. Nor can Andrew's brother Thomas, an arrogant millionaire and a perpetual prickle in Andrew's side.
When Lizzy decides to leave, Jane — who is now a tech guru and mother of three — urges her mother to repair her marriage. But Lizzy's best friend Ouisie, a strong-willed Black American, encourages Lizzy to go her own way. While Lizzy tries to make up her mind, Andrew hides in his office, trying to write a grand apologia to atone for his heartbreaking error. But when a second tragedy strikes, each family member faces a choice that no one wants to make. And Andrew must find the way to atone for his mistake and leave a memory.
About the Author
Pat Dunlap Evans was born in Michigan but her family moved to Texas, where she lived in San Antonio for a few years, and later Dallas. She was Lieutenant in the Golden Debs at South Oak Cliff High School and an honors scholarship recipient at Southern Methodist University. An early marriage and the birth of three children plunged Pat into the world of motherhood until the kids were old enough for Pat to return to school herself. She completed her bachelor's and master's degrees in English at University of Missouri, Kansas City. The post-grad degree offered an emphasis in creative writing, putting Pat on the path to fiction writing.
Pat has published three novels, TO LEAVE A MEMORY: a warm coming together; OUT AND IN: a mystery-thriller, and BACKSTORY: behind the scenes of a famous film-thriller. Pat's first husband was a quarterback with the Kansas City Chiefs. She used her experiences as an NFL wife as background for OUT AND IN and also in BACKSTORY. After a long marriage, Pat stressed her way as a single mom through a career in advertising and marketing, with positions in Dallas and Austin. A second marriage to Dr. Bill Evans enabled Pat to focus on her true love of novel writing.
To fulfill a bucket-list dream, Pat and Bill made the leap in 2020 to the Big Island of Hawaii, where the pair enjoy golf, sunsets, snorkeling, exploring, and visits from family and mainland friends. Please follow Pat on Amazon and Goodreads to see news and opportunities for giveaways.
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