Patsi B. Trollinger

Patsi B. Trollinger grew up in the hill country of northeast Tennessee in a family that loved stories and books. By the third grade, she was interested in writing, and as a high school student she worked as a teen journalist for the Kingsport (TN) Times-News. She eventually fashioned a career out of words, creating stories about the people whose lives were intertwined with small liberal arts colleges. They included a deaf quarterback who led his hearing teammates to a 10-1 football season. A wealthy alum who used his considerable wealth to buy an entire island and try to found his own nation. And dozens of ordinary people who routinely said and did extraordinary things. Those stories gave Patsi an ear for character and voice, which now is reflected in the books she writes for young readers. Her first book, PERFECT TIMING, was honored as a Junior Library Guild selection and a CCBC Best of the Year. She currently is completing another biography and two middle-grade novels.