Rayne Lacko ‘21, ’23 (Online, BA, MA Individual Studies) is the author of A Song for the Road, an Eric Hoffer Book Award finalist. She continues to delve into themes of addiction and mental health in her upcoming novel, The Secret Song of Shelby Rey (SparkPress, June 3, 2025). This gritty upper YA novel follows Shelby, a teen who can sense others’ deepest emotions through touch, as she navigates music, recovery, and the complexities of coming of age.
Beyond her fiction, Lacko is a social-emotional learning specialist and founder of SEL Solutions Pre K–12. She lectures on writing and literature, advocates for social justice, and has contributed short stories and poetry to various international publications and anthologies. Lacko resides on a forested island in Washington, where she draws inspiration from nature and her community.
Learn more about Lacko at raynelacko.com.
