Literary Aviatrix: The Power of Story - Women in Aviation

Send us Fan Mail In this portion of my interview with author Amy Goodpaster Strebe , she does a reading from her book Flying for Her Country: The American and Soviet Women Military Pilots of WWII.  Did you know you can support your local independent bookshop and me by shopping through my Bookshop.org affiliate links on my website? If a book is available on Bookshop.org, you'll find a link to it on...

Send us Fan Mail In this portion of my writers’ room interview with Amy Goodpaster Strebe , she talks about publishing her masters thesis, which was a comparative study of the Women Air Force Service Pilots and the Women who flew for Russia, including the Nacht Hexen or Night Witches, entitled Flying for Her Country.    Did you know you can support your local independent bookshop and me by shoppin...

Send us Fan Mail In this portion of my interview with co-authors Raquel Ramsey and Tricia Aurand about the book Taking Flight: The Nadine Ramsey Story , Tricia shares the impact that working on this story and learning about the Women Airforce Service Pilots had on her and her understanding of the importance and continued relevance of WWII.  Did you know you can support your local independent books...

Send us Fan Mail In this portion of my interview with Kathy Mexted about her book Australian Women Pilots , she talks about two of the women she highlights in the book: WWII ATA pilot Marty Gething and Royal Flying Doctor Service pilot Esther Veldestra. Did you know you can support your local independent bookshop and me by shopping through my Bookshop.org affiliate links on my website? If a book i...

Send us Fan Mail In this interview with former US Army and Coast Guard helicopter pilot, Darcy Guyant, we talk about the inspiration behind his new picture book, Into the Storm: The Coast Guard Adventures of Dolph and Gwen. Since retiring, Darcy has found his passion volunteering at a local elementary school where he works with first graders. Encouraged and mentored by the school’s teachers, Darcy...

Send us Fan Mail In this expert from my Writers’ Room interview with Merryl Tengesdal (which is actually S2E2) , she shares her lessons learned from pressing to get her memoir published on a tight timeline driven by her appearance on the reality TV series, Tough as Nails, and she tells all of you out there who are on the fence about writing your memoirs to Just Do It!  Did you know you can support...

Send us Fan Mail In this excerpt from my interview with author Keith O'Brien about his book Fly Girls: How Five Daring Women Defied All Odds and Made Aviation History , he talks about the most blatant and egregious illustration of the misogyny and sexism of the day in his book, which he reveals with Florence Klingensmith' story.  Did you know you can support your local independent booksh...

Send us Fan Mail In this excerpt from my interview with author Clare Mulley about her book The Women Who Flew for Hitler , she talks about her research experience in a glider and being two degrees of separation from Hitler through Hanna Reitsch.  Did you know you can support your local independent bookshop and me by shopping through my Bookshop.org affiliate links on my website? If a book is avail...

Send us Fan Mail In this portion of my Writers’ Room interview with thriller novelist, Sandy Parks , whose books have been both traditionally and self-published, talks about how she developed her craft.  Did you know you can support your local independent bookshop and me by shopping through my Bookshop.org affiliate links on my website? If a book is available on Bookshop.org, you'll find a link to...

Send us Fan Mail In this Writers' Room interview with pilot and author Pat Valdata, she talks about her writing journey and offers advice for other aspiring writers from critique groups, exploring poetry, attending conferences, writing competitions, to dealing with rejection but pressing on.  Did you know you can support your local independent bookshop and me by shopping through my Bookshop.o...

Send us Fan Mail In this interview with glider instructor and author Pat Valdata, we talk about her novel Crosswind, which we paired with the memoir, Skybound, by Rebecca Loncraine during the month of June 2023. Pat also shares her newly revised and republished poetry collection Where No Man Can Touch, in which she writes from the perspective of pioneering aviatrices. Did you know you can support...

Send us Fan Mail In this interview with Charles Morgan Evans, historian, founding curator of the Hiller Aviation Museum, and author of two books, War of the Aeronauts: A History of Ballooning in the Civil War and Helicopter Heroine—Valerie Andre: Surgeon, Pioneer Rescue Pilot, and Her Courage Under Fire, we talk about the incredible feats of a woman who flew almost 500 combat missions in Indochina...

Send us Fan Mail In honor of Pride Month, I’m highlighting this excerpt from my interview with Julie Tizard about her Lesbian romance novel, The Road to Wings. Julie has written three of the ten books I’ve been able to find that feature both women in aviation and LGBTQ+ characters, and soon you’ll be able to sort the books on my new website, www. LitararyAviatrix.com , which will launch in the nex...

Send us Fan Mail In this excerpt from my interview with Pulitzer prize-winning journalist, Beverly Weintraub, about her book Wings of Gold , we talk about how Rosemary Mariner took on not only men who wanted to restrict women’s roles in the military, but also the very vocal and influential anti-feminism activists Phyllis Schlafly and Elain Donnelly.  Did you know you can support your local indepen...

Send us Fan Mail Former F16 and USAF Thunderbird Demonstration Team pilot Michelle ‘MACE’ Curran brings us a new picture book, UPSIDE DOWN DREAMS, available for preorder now and release on June 20, 2023, that will motivate and inspire young readers. In this interview, Michelle talks about how being a Thunderbird pilot, reaching countless young women who looked up to her, made her want to continue...

Send us Fan Mail In this excerpt from my i nterview with author and United Airlines Pilot Carole Hopson about her historical novel about the life of Bessie Coleman, A Pair of Wings , she talks about the context in which Bessie’s story is told, then talks about how she learned about Bessie and shares a little about the start of her own aviation journey. Did you know you can support your local indep...

Send us Fan Mail In this portion of my interview with Sherri L. Smith she talks about the inception of the idea for the character, Ida Mae, who is a fair skinned Black woman living in the South as WWII begins, who passes as white to join the Women Airforce Service Pilots.  Did you know you can support your local independent bookshop and me by shopping through my Bookshop.org affiliate links on my...

Send us Fan Mail Mary Bush Shipko, author of AVIATRIX:  First Woman Pilot for Hughes Airwest , and the picture book Daring Mary brings us a young reader's history of the first women commercial pilots for six airlines, including her own story. Accessible for readers as young as 8-10, the book presents an honest account of the trials our pioneering women endured in pursuit of their dreams, whic...

Send us Fan Mail In this Aviatrix Writers’ Room discussion with literary agent Amy Collins , she outlines the different requirements to query both agents and publishers depending on whether you’re writing fiction, memoir, prescriptive non-fiction, or narrative non-fiction.  Did you know you can support your local independent bookshop and me by shopping through my Bookshop.org affiliate links on my...

Send us Fan Mail In this excerpt of my interview with children’s author Kristin L. Gray about her middle grade mystery novel The Amelia Six, she talks about how Amelia’s birthplace home inspired the story. The Amelia Six is a fun read for ages 7-11.  Did you know you can support your local independent bookshop and me by shopping through my Bookshop.org affiliate links on my website? If a book is a...

Send us Fan Mail In this excerpt from my interview with Patty Bear about her book From Plain to Plane: My Mennonite Childhood, a National Scandal, and an Unconventional Soar to Freedom, she introduces the book and talks about how her brother’s interest in flying led her to the Air Force Academy.  Did you know you can support your local independent bookshop and me by shopping through my Bookshop.or...

Send us Fan Mail In this excerpt from my Writers’ Room conversation with former Army Kiowa Warrior pilot, Amber Smith , about her memoir Danger Close: My Epic Journey as a Combat Helicopter Pilot in Iraq and Afghanistan, she talks about the impact writing her memoir has had on her life and sets realistic expectations for anyone who is considering writing their memoir about what that process looks...

Send us Fan Mail In this portion of my interview with co-authors Racquel Ramsey and Tricia Aurand , Racqui reads a passage from Taking Flight: The Nadine Ramsey Story , in which her sister-in-law and WASP pilot, Nadine, purchases a P38.  Did you know you can support your local independent bookshop and me by shopping through my Bookshop.org affiliate links on my website? If a book is available on B...

Send us Fan Mail In this portion of my interview with Kate Quinn she introduces her historical novel The Huntress and talks about the trail that led her to create the fierce and fearless character, Nina Markova, who she based on the Russian women combat pilots in WWII, the Nacht Hexen, or Night Witches.    This is a very well-crafted and entertaining book, and the audio book is in my top ten favor...

Send us Fan Mail Author, retired Air Force Colonel, former flight test engineer, and Executive Director of the Air Force Test Center, Edwards Air Force Base, California, Eileen Bjorkman, talks about her new book, FLY GIRLS REVOLT: THE STORY OF THE WOMEN WHO KICKED OPEN THE DOOR TO FLY IN COMBAT, available May 23rd, 2023. Eileen weaves her own experience as an Air Force flight test engineer in this...