Patsy Hand grew up on a large cattle ranch in the Grande Ronde Valley in Oregon on land that was settled by her great grandfather and is still managed by her and her three sisters. During Patsy's childhood, her father taught her to work the ranch, everything from taking cattle from the grassland up into the mountains to driving a truck to filling grain during harvest.

Writing was a childhood dream on the ranch. Patsy always made written and mental notes. She earned a BA in science from Oregon State University and a BA in education from Eastern University before teaching mathematics and English. She then earned a master’s degree in health from the University of Oregon.

She turned her passion for writing eventually into a career track, teaching creative writing at Lane Community College, where she studied art as well as studied sculpture at the UO. She launched a city author lecture series, and with great intention, pursued her two passions, writing and painting, first opening an art studio and then most recently finishing and publishing her novel, Lost Dogs of Rome.