Patricia Lengi's New Book Reveals Poignant Tale of Goals and Identity

Patricia J. Lengi, author of Owls in the Pine and Barn Mouse, pens a binding story of ambitions, family relationships, and [love and romance. Filled with unpredictable twists, the author's new book titled And the Blackbirds Sang revolves in a lass' confusion of her identity as she is caught in a tight spot between her family and her dreams.

Young Jillian Jones is an aspiring painter and the representative distance runner of Bennington High. With David, her only friend who doesn't treat her like the stuck-up rich kid in the neighborhood, she spends most of her time moving swiftly on foot preparing for upcoming races. Uphill, their favorite running path, she meets Kate Sheldon, her childhood friend's mother, to whom she feels inexplicably comfortable with.

On the other hand, Mrs. Jones, her mother, is not supportive of her daughter's achievements in sports, nor does she appreciate her gift in the painting. Belonging to the upper-class in town, she wants Jill prim and proper. After all, she was raised to act like a real lady should: with admirable poise and etiquette. As far as she is concerned, she showered her with all things money could buy. But, unlike young women who like fancy dresses and look forward to debuts, her daughter is just different.

Jill decides to attend a prestigious art academy for college which disappoints her mother. Add that to the fact that she is going out with David, a mere famer's son, Mrs. Jones protests but could hardly do anything with any of her decisions. Her mother plans to move to another state which forces Jill to pack her things and run away. Not long after, she finds out David is seeing somebody else in her absence. On top of that, she is notified that Mrs. Sheldon is on her deathbed with terminal cancer and her final request is to see her before she breathes her last. But, why her?