Patricia Wood is a Ph.D. student at the University of Hawaii, focusing on education, disability, and diversity. Lottery is inspired by her work, as well as a number of events in her life, including her father's winning the Washington State Lottery. She lives with her husband aboard a sailboat moored in Ko'Olina, Hawaii. This is her first novel.

Money isn't the same as treasure, and IQ isn't the same as smarts-An uplifting and joyous new novel hailed by Jacqueline Mitchard as "solid gold."
Perry L. Crandall knows what it's like to be an outsider. With an IQ of 76, he's an easy mark. Before his grandmother died, she armed Perry well with what he'd need to know: the importance of words and writing things down, and how to play the lottery. Most important, she taught him whom to trust?a crucial lesson for Perry when he wins the multimillion-dollar jackpot. As his family descends, moving in on his fortune, his fate, and his few true friends, he has a lesson for them: never, ever underestimate Perry Crandall.