Literary Aviatrix

The Aviatrix Book Club will discuss Death on D’Urville by New Zealand pilot and author Penelope Haines in December. Death on D’Urville is the first of three books in the Claire Hardcastle murder mystery series. Please join us in the discussions on Tuesday December 12th at 7pm Eastern or Sunday December 31st at 1pm Eastern. https://www.facebook.com/groups/aviatrixbookclub

Here’s the blurb:

Meet commercial pilot Claire Hardcastle – fiery, clever, daring and trying to prove herself in a man’s world. When Claire’s routine flight to pick up regular passenger, Jorge, from a remote island turns into a homicide investigation, she is excited to discover she may hold a clue to the crime! A growing attraction to investigator Detective Sergeant Jack Body, and a desire to help solve the murder, leads Claire into a world of disputed Maori history, artefact smuggling and child abuse.Death on D’Urville is the first novel in the Claire Hardcastle Mystery series set in New Zealand, following Claire’s adventures as a commercial pilot, flying instructor and accidental detective.

Flight with a book.

Loree “Rowdy” Draude’s

Here’s the blurb:

In Soar Into Joy, Loree "Rowdy" Draude offers an introspective look into her life, highlighting both her triumphs and setbacks as a Silicon Valley executive, a startup founder, a parent and as one of the first women to fly combat jets in the U.S. Navy.

Loree writes about contending with society's entrenched fears. She emphasizes the interconnectedness of society and how we all depend on one another. Despite her daunting achievements, like landing jets on moving aircraft carriers, her most significant fears stemmed from feelings of inadequacy.

Soar Into Joy originates from a letter Loree penned to her child during a particularly trying time, detailing her many failures, ranging from minor embarrassments like failing in school sports to more significant setbacks in her career and personal life. These challenges are used as a framework to discuss resilience and overcoming adversity.

The primary focus of the book is the SOAR acronym, representing the four themes she believes are crucial for personal growth: Self-Awareness, Openness, Appreciation, and Responsibility.

In essence, the book underscores the idea that everyone has the potential to "soar" despite the inevitable challenges life presents. Through Loree's unique experiences and the SOAR framework, readers are encouraged to engage their fears, embrace self-awareness, and pursue a fulfilling life.

In this interview with Leona Cobham, granddaughter of pioneering pilot and aviation advocate, Sir Alan Cobham, we talk about her wonderful middle grade book, Flying Circus Takes to the Skies, which features the adventures of four anthropomorphic vintage aircraft: Spiff, the Spitfire; Vul, the Vulcan; Tom, the Tomcat; and Woody, the Tiger Moth. Leona was inspired to write the book by her experience working with children and her concern over boys becoming ever-more reluctant readers. She created these characters in the hopes that boys would get excited about both reading and aviation history. Her next installment of Airplane Adventures will include a female Nighthawk.

https://literaryaviatrix.com/leona-cobham/

The story is well-complemented by line drawings from aviation artist Timothy O'Brien. https://www.timobrienart.co.uk/

Leona's book is very thoughtfully available in two English versions - one with British spellings, and one with American, so be sure to select the one appropriate for your young reader. Affiliate links for both can be found on the Literary Aviatrix website:

British: https://literaryaviatrix.com/product/aeroplane-adventures-flying-circus-takes-to-the-skies/

American: https://literaryaviatrix.com/product/airplane-adventures-flying-circus-takes-to-the-skies/

Toward the end of our interview, we talk about Frederick Forsyth's The Shepherd, and the Canadian Broadcast Company's annual broadcast of a 1979 reading done by "Fireside Al" Maitland. If you'd like to join us in the Christmas Eve tradition, here's a link:http://mvnt.us/m1661149

😍🤩 If you look closely, you can find a clue to one of the books on the 2024 Aviatrix Book Club reading list. Announcement coming soon!

What an honor to talk with Col. Eileen Collins, the first woman to pilot, and later command, a NASA Space Shuttle. She did it! She did the thing that so many of us dreamt of as children. And there were so many things about her story that surprised me:

😮She wasn’t a high achieving student in high school!
😍READING played a huge role in nurturing her interest in flying as an adolescent.
🤩She was the first female instructor pilot at Vance AFB.
😮She didn’t fly fighters! (Although, if I’d had a solid sense of her timeline, of course she didn’t.)
🤩She flew the C-141 and transported over 200 soldiers from the 82nd Airborne Division to, and evacuated 36 American Citizen medical students and their families from Grenada on October 26th 1983, and was awarded the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal TEN YEARS before the repeal of the Combat Exclusion policy for pilots. (As a former military diplomat to Grenada I found this extra interesting.)
🤩She was her class leader and the second female to graduate from USAF Test Pilot School.
😮The first time she actually controlled a shuttle in the Earth’s atmosphere was on her third flight (out of four) as the Shuttle Commander for her first landing. (I know all of you space geeks probably already knew that, since it was standard practice, but yikes! No pressure!)
😍She had both of her children while she was at NASA, conducting her final mission when her daughter and son were ten and five.

And, among dozens of other inspiring achievements, she is a genuinely kind and humble person and was an absolute joy to talk with.

Interview available on the Literary Aviatrix website, YouTube channel, and podcast.

https://literaryaviatrix.com/col-eileen-collins-usaf-ret/

Join us in the Aviatrix Book Club at 1PM EST tomorrow for the LA99s book discussion.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/963231860835690

RAF Air Transport Auxiliary ferry pilot, Veronica, sits in her Spitfire, February 22nd, 1943.
https://planehistoria.com/the-inspiring-story-of-the-women-airforce-service-pilots-wasp/

🥳 🎉 Join us in congratulating Sarah Tamar, our 2021 WAI (Women in Aviation) scholarship winner. She passed her CFI checkride last week! John & Martha had dinner with Sarah afterwards to celebrate. We love our fabulous scholarship winners!

Meet Helen Marie Dávila Caro, Author in Latinas in Aviation Volume 3!

Some things about her:
-Current position: Aeromedical Evacuation Pilot
-Favorite aircraft: UH-60 Blackhawk Helicopter
-Fun Fact: They call her Tata
-Favorite quote: “Blessed is he who expects nothing, for he shall never be disappointed.” Alexander Pope

Read Helen Marie Dávila Caro’s story among many others in Latinas in Aviation Volume 3 which is now available for purchase on Amazon!

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And if you’re an author with a book that features women in aviation you can register for the Authors Connect book signings by December 15th https://www.wai.org/2024-authors-connect

We are back in Orlando, Florida, for the 35th Annual Conference! You can register for now at www.WAI.org/2024-conference-fees. Early bird registration is effective through February 13, 2024, at 12:01 a.m. EST.

🎙️📚👩‍🚀🚀A day at the office with Col. Eileen Collins 🤩🤩🤩

Date with a book.

Wonderful and weird. That's my review of Grounded presented as an opera. I've never seen it as a solo performance as it was written by playwright, George Brant, but after seeing Loree Draude's 'I Feel the Need', I think I might be a fan of the simplicity of the one-woman show.

Everything was stunning, from the plush Kennedy Center Opera House, to the very cool elevated video screen stage, to the orchestra and performers' voices. I think maybe I'm just not a fan of opera as a medium for story telling. I love a musical. Give me a catchy tune and some swinging choreography, but let's stop singing every once in a while because not every thing sounds great in a song. And sometimes there's no beat, and I'm like, where's the beat? There you go. Now I've revealed what an uncultured swine I am.

I don't regret going, so great was my curiosity. The juxtaposition of a female lead in a flight suit with the giant visual representation of military hardware against the refined opera house with its live orchestra pit and red velvet drapes was worth the trip, as was getting to hang out with my friends Michael and Shaesta for a rare in-person event and pre-show dinner at The Watergate Hotel.

You have two more chances to see Grounded in DC- tonight and Monday. It's scheduled for the Metropolitan Opera in NYC in Fall 2024.

From our Veteran family to yours, thank you. Hope you have a wonderful day.

What a joy talking with Leona Cobham, granddaughter of famed British aviation pioneer and enthusiast Sir Alan Cobham, about her children’s book series Aeroplane Adventures today. Thanks to her family’s history in aviation, Leona was immersed from an early age. As a school reading assistant, she recognized that our young men are falling behind in their love of reading. She imagined four anthropomorphic vintage aircraft—Vul, the Vulcan; Spiff, the Spitfire; Woody, the Tiger Moth; and Tom, the F-14 Tomcat—along with a cast of other vintage and modern aircraft characters whose adventures will capture young readers’ imaginations while educating them on aviation history and principles. Flying Circus Takes to the Skies was released in May 2023, and the sequel, featuring a female F-117 Nighthawk character, is due out in spring 2024. The story is complemented by line-drawing illustrations from aviation artist Tim O’Brien. This is a great book to add to your holiday gift list! Interview will be available on the Literary Aviatrix website, YouTube Channel, and podcast soon.

“I Feel the Need” to see ’s one-woman show again, finish her memoir, She’s Just Another Navy Pilot, AND read her latest book, Soar into Joy. Loree “Rowdy” Draude was among the first female Navy fighter pilots to deploy at sea. Against the backdrop of the tragic death of her friend, Kara Hultgreen, Loree and her female cohorts endured searing scrutiny to prove their place amongst their fighter pilot peers in the Aircraft Carrier fleet. I loved this empowering and creative delivery Loree offered at the in NYC, loved meeting her daughter and fellow actor friend, and also being the tourist at and the for my first time.

In celebration of Native American Heritage Month, we're sharing the incredible story of Mary Golda Ross, the first Native American aerospace engineer! During WWII, Ross worked on the P-38 Lightning, one of the fastest airplanes at the time, and later she worked on cutting edge research during the early space race as part of Lockheed's top-secret Skunk Works program. To read the inspiring story of this trailblazing engineer, visit https://www.amightygirl.com/blog?p=26040

For an excellent picture book telling her story, we highly recommend "Classified: The Secret Career of Mary Golda Ross, Cherokee Aerospace Engineer" for ages 5 to 9 at https://www.amightygirl.com/classified-mary-golda-ross

For more children's books about real-life women in engineering and girls who love to invent, visit our blog post "30 Books About Mighty Girls and Women in Engineering," at https://www.amightygirl.com/blog?p=35594

To inspire kids with the stories of more trailblazing women of the early space race, we recommend "Margaret and the Moon" for ages 5 to 9 (https://www.amightygirl.com/margaret-and-the-moon), "Counting on Katherine" for ages 5 to 9 (https://www.amightygirl.com/counting-on-katherine), and the graphic novel "Astronauts: Women on the Final Frontier" for ages 10 and up (https://www.amightygirl.com/astronauts-women-on-the-final-frontier)

And for more books about Native American and Indigenous girls and women, visit our blog post, "50 Children's Books Celebrating Native American and Indigenous Mighty Girls" at https://www.amightygirl.com/blog?p=10365

Aviatrix Book Club November 2023 discussion book: Through the Glass Ceiling to the Stars, by Col. Eileen Collins, USAF (Retired). Join us for virtual discussions on Tuesday the 21st at 7pm Eastern or Sunday the 26th at 1 pm Eastern.

The blurb:
The long-awaited memoir of a trailblazer and role model who is telling her story for the first time.

Eileen Collins was an aviation pioneer her entire career, from her crowning achievements as the first woman to command an American space mission as well as the first to pilot the space shuttle to her early years as one of the Air Force’s first female pilots. She was in the first class of women to earn pilot’s wings at Vance Air Force Base and was their first female instructor pilot. She was only the second woman admitted to the Air Force’s elite Test Pilot Program at Edwards Air Force Base. NASA had such confidence in her skills as a leader and pilot that she was entrusted to command the first shuttle mission after the Columbia disaster, returning the US to spaceflight after a two-year hiatus. Since retiring from the Air Force and NASA, she has served on numerous corporate boards and is an inspirational speaker about space exploration and leadership.

Eileen Collins is among the most recognized and admired women in the world, yet this is the first time she has told her story in a book. It is a story not only of achievement and overcoming obstacles but of profound personal transformation. The shy, quiet child of an alcoholic father and struggling single mother, who grew up in modest circumstances and was an unremarkable student, she had few prospects when she graduated from high school, but she changed her life to pursue her secret dream of becoming an astronaut. She shares her leadership and life lessons throughout the book with the aim of inspiring and passing on her legacy to a new generation.

In this interview with Coast Guard Aviation Electronics Technician and H65 Dolphin Helicopter Flight Mechanic, Ashlee Leppert, we talk about her memoir The Hurricane Within, which recounts her experiences in the Hurricane Harvey disaster response while she simultaneously endured troubling and mysterious physical symptoms that eventually grounded her from flying. Ashlee talks about her medical journey, how her faith guided her through her PTSD, her transition to civilian life, and how she hopes to pay it forward as an author, speaker, and life coach.

Ashlee earned an air medal for contributions to Harvey recovery efforts and was an honored guest at the State of the Union Address.

Thank you, Ashlee, for showing the world what it looks like to be a Coast Guard helicopter flight mechanic, and for sharing your story for others to benefit.

Available on the Literary Aviatrix website, YouTube channel, and podcast.
https://literaryaviatrix.com/ashlee-leppert/

Hi all, why not book for me for a lively talk event for your society, community group or company social club. Visit my website - www.melodyforeman.co.uk - for contact details.

In this interview with Liz McConaghy, we talk about her experiences serving as aircrew on RAF Chinooks in Iraq and Afghanistan, and the mental health challenges she faced after being medically grounded and leaving the service, which she writes about in her memoir Chinook Crew 'Chick': Highs and Lows of Forces Life from the Longest Serving Female Chinook Force Crewmember.

https://literaryaviatrix.com/liz-mcconaghy/

Thank you, Liz, for your story and for a great conversation!

When you show up a day early for the interview.
WHERE ARE YOU??? 😂

Date with a book.

Two cities, two one-woman shows featuring fighter pilots, both based on true stories and lived experiences.

"I Feel The Need"

November 4th at 8:30 PM as part of the United Solo Fall Festival at Studio Theatre, 410 W. 42nd Street, New York.

Loree 'Rowdy' Draude, former U.S. naval aviator, blazed a trail as one of the first women combat jet pilots. During her ten-year service, she deployed twice to the Persian Gulf, became an instructor pilot and landing signal officer. In her acclaimed show, "I Feel the Need," she relives her historic deployment on the U.S.S. Abraham Lincoln, sharing adventure, humor, and tragedy with the audience. Loree’s memoir of this period is She’s Just Another Navy Pilot: An Aviator’s Sea Journal, and she has recently released a new book Soar Into Joy: A Combat Pilot’s Wisdom on Falling in Love with Your Life.

Tickets: https://unitedsolo.org/the-annual-united-solo-theatre-festival-fall-2023/i-feel-the-need/

"Grounded" – Opera adaptation world premier

6 shows between October 28th and November 23rd at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C.

Adapted from George Brant’s “thought-provoking” (Washington Post), “sharp-eyed” (Time Out New York), and “compelling and provocative” (San Francisco Chronicle) one-woman play, WNO presents the world premiere of Tony Award®–winning composer Jeanine Tesori’s new work, Grounded.

Jess is an accomplished F-16 fighter pilot—until pregnancy grounds her to the “chair force” to target enemies via drones from a trailer in Las Vegas. This new arrangement seems ideal at first: by day, Jess uses her elite training to protect and serve America, and by night, she returns to her family. Ultimately, we see that protecting Jess from physical danger does little to shield her from the psychological trauma of war-by-proxy.

Mezzo-soprano Emily D’Angelo stars as a pilot and mother shaken into a downward spiral as the separation between career and home crumbles. In a first for opera stages, massive LED-screen technology will immerse audiences in the psychological and social implications of virtual warfare, suggesting that “distance” from war through technology is no distance at all.

Tickets: http://mvnt.us/m1528108

Additionally, there will be a panel discussion entitled "Soaring in Service" at 5:30pm on Monday, October 23rd, at the Military Women's Memorial in honor of the world premiere of Grounded.

Reservations: https://womensmemorial.org/program/washington-national-opera-presents-grounded-soaring-in-service-event/

Anyone else excited?!?

We are officially only 5 days out until Girls Rock Wings - ATL 🤗🤗🤗🤗

Congratulations, Caroline ‘Blaze’ Jensen Diamond Echelon LLC, on your fabulous book launch party at the Commemorative Air Force Minnesota Wing Museum. What a perfect backdrop, with their beautifully maintained B-25 ‘Miss Mitchell’ in the background, and awesome collaborators, friends, and family, including (and especially) Finn, the book’s inspiration. Thanks for letting me be a part of your special night!

This could be you at the 35th Conference in Orlando, Florida! Scholarship applications are due TONIGHT by 11:59 pm EST. Be sure to follow all the guidelines listed under each scholarship description on www.wai.org/scholarships.

Such a pleasure to chat with Chinook Crew Chick Liz McConaghy today about her book, her experiences as an RAF combat aircrew member, and her challenges with PTSD and depression. Liz is a great inspiration, from her years of selfless service to her country, to her willingness to make herself vulnerable and serve as a beacon for others navigating their own mental health journeys.

Meanwhile, Pancho was ready for me to be done with our little chat and pay attention to her ;-).

Thank you, Liz!

Coming soon on the Literary Aviatrix Website, YouTube Channel and podcast. www.literaryaviatrix.com

Available on the Literary Aviatrix website, YouTube Channel, and podcast: https://literaryaviatrix.com/caroline-blaze-jensen/

In this interview with USAF Academy graduate, F-16 combat veteran pilot, former no. 3 Thunderbird demonstration team pilot, and boy-mom, Caroline ‘Blaze’ Jensen, we talk about her sweet new picture book, Thundermouse, her career, and how she managed one of the most visible and demanding jobs imaginable as the mother of a toddler. Blaze is the granddaughter of a WWII SPAR (as am I) and a Coast Guard Grandfather, and daughter of a U.S. Marine, but we’ll forgive her for joining the Air Force. She was inspired by Top Gun and guided by the legacy of the WASP, and is currently the Board President-Elect of the WASP Museum in Sweetwater, Texas. Her illustrious Air Force career included a stint as a Congressional Liaison, where she met Erin Miller while she was on her crusade to secure WASP rights to interment at Arlington on behalf of her Gammy. Blaze is a motivational speaker for hire and offers mentoring to aspiring and junior military aviators. She will be celebrating the launch of Thundermouse at the WWII Commemorative Air Force Museum Minnesotta Wing this Friday, October 13th, at 6pm.

Thundermouse launches tomorrow, Tuesday October 10th. If you order from Blaze’s website, she will sign and personalize a book for you. https://www.diamondechelonllc.com/

Aviatrix Book Club October Discussion book two of two, The Hurricane Within, by Coast Guard Flight Mechanic Ashlee Leppert. Join the discussions on Tuesday October 17th 7pm and Sunday October 29th 1pm https://www.facebook.com/groups/aviatrixbookclub/events

The Blurb:

ASHLEE LEPPERT is a veteran of the United States Coast Guard where she proudly served as a helicopter mechanic and rescue flight crew member. She enjoyed the distinct honor of receiving a personal invitation to President Trump's 2018 State of the Union Address. There, Ashlee was addressed directly by the President and commended, on behalf of her and her crew, for their rescue work during the devastating Hurricane Harvey.

Available on the Literary Aviatrix Website, YouTube Channel and Podcast: https://literaryaviatrix.com/mary-carroll-moore/

In this interview with author Mary Carroll Moore, we talk about her new book, A Woman’s Guide to Search and Rescue, which is available for preorder and launches on October 24th, 2023. In a former life, Mary was a syndicated food journalist who wrote many food and cooking-related articles and books. At fifty, she went back to school for her MFA and began not only writing, but also teaching fiction.

Mary’s curiosity about aviation was piqued by her mother, Elizabeth ‘Betty’ Hartz Carroll, who earned her pilot license in 1942 and flew with the Women Airforce Service Pilots during WWII. That curiosity inspired her to create two modern-day aviation characters, one an inland search and rescue pilot, and one an aerobatic pilot, in this new thriller novel that features a false murder accusation, a run from the law, and estranged sisters who reunite.

Mary was also inspired to try flying herself. She recently started taking lessons and is both excited and overwhelmed by all there is to learn. Let’s give her a warm welcome to the community, and support her by buying her new book!

We also talk in-depth about her writing and publishing journey during this conversation. A Woman’s Guide to Search and Rescue is a stand-alone novel but is also the sequel to Mary’s first work of fiction, Qualities of Light. You can find Mary at her website MaryCarrollMoore.com and on LinkedIn .

One of two Aviatrix Book Club discussion books for the month of October, Chinook Crew Chick by Liz McConaghy. Join the discussions on Tuesday October 17th 7pm and Sunday October 29th 1pm https://www.facebook.com/groups/aviatrixbookclub/events

Here's the blurb:

Liz McConaghy, from a small town in County Down, spent a total of seventeen years flying with the RAF’s Chinook Fleet. Aged just 21, she was the youngest aircrew member to deploy to Iraq and was also the only female ‘crewman’ on the Chinook wing for four years. In her astounding career Liz McConaghy completed two deployments to Iraq followed by ten deployments to Helmand province in Afghanistan in support of the enduring Operation Herrick campaign.

Liz’s inspiringly honest story reveals the highs and lows that she witnessed at war, and the cost that came with that both, physically and mentally for those involved. During her deployments, she survived not only a near fatal wire strike onboard her CH47, but numerous enemy fire ‘contacts’ defending her crew by returning fire from both the M134 ‘Minigun’ and M60 weapons entrusted to her to operate.

Her biggest honor of all her duties, however, was serving on the Medical Emergency Response Team, or MERT, flying ambulance as it was more commonly known. This involved recovering wounded soldiers from the battlefield, often under fire, and witnessing them both die and indeed come back to life at her feet in the cabin of her Chinook.

Liz saw Camp Bastion grow from a barbed wire fence surrounding an area of tents in the sand to the huge Operating Base it became. She was also on the last 1310 Flight deployment there as the British forces withdrew 10 years later handing it back to the Afghan National Army.

Very few Chinook crew members, if any, spanned the length of time deployed as Liz McConaghy did. This is a genuinely unique tale that only Liz could tell, which ends with her battling the memories that haunted her, long after she had left the battlefield. Her own war within took her to the point of su***de once she had left the service. Her survival from both the battles in foreign lands and in her own head led her to begin telling her story, in the hope she can help others win their wars.