N.E. (Nancy) Lasater is a novelist who writes about ordinary people facing life-changing challenges and finding unexpected courage. Her debut novel, Farmer’s Son, follows a young man labeled “defective” in the 1970s as he struggles with shame, abuse, family secrets, and self-worth. Praised by critics and prominent dyslexics for its honest, compassionate portrayal, the audiobook narrated by the author herself will be released in February 2026.

Her second novel, Alternate Endings, explores caregiving, discrimination, midlife reinvention, and whether a woman can choose herself while still loving the people who depend on her.

A former trial lawyer, Lasater is also a professional painter, long-distance hiker, and late-in-life mom. She brings warmth, humor, and curiosity to conversations about creativity, resilience, hidden challenges, and second acts.

N.E. (Nancy) Lasater is a novelist whose work explores the courage it takes to be human — especially when life demands more of us than we ever expected. Her fiction is about ordinary people facing extraordinary emotional, familial, and cultural pressures with honesty and compassion.

Her debut novel Farmer’s Son tells the story of Bobby McAllister, a dyslexic young man labeled “defective” in 1971, whose struggles with shame, abuse, family secrets, and self-worth ripple across generations. The novel has resonated deeply with readers and communities affected by learning differences and has been celebrated for its powerful portrayals of identity, resilience, and redemption.

In Alternate Endings, Lasater explores the complexities of caregiving, self-sacrifice, and self-discovery through Calyce Tate, a middle-aged woman caught in the “sandwich generation” between an elderly mother and a young adult son. Based on Greek mythology, the novel speaks to anyone meeting competing responsibilities while watching their own life disappear.

A former litigator and trial lawyer and now a writer, professional painter, and long-distance hiker, Lasater brings both analytical depth and emotional insight to discussions about creativity, personal growth, difficult families, steadfast resilience, and the art of storytelling.