Flight to Destiny – Pearl Harbor Revisited

All of Pearl Harbor was spread out in front of Annie. The water itself appeared to be on fire. Japanese planes zoomed back and forth, diving, climbing, turning, shooting at everything that moved — planes, boats, trucks, cars, bicycles, people.

Recall Reading These Words Back in January?

They are from Chapter One of my award-winning WAFS/WASP novel Flight to Destiny. I posted the chapter in three parts in successive weeks in January. Thank you for your great feedback. It made me think about how I could make the book more accessible. Putting the novel into Kindle format on Amazon was the answer. So, it is done!

Reviews and accolades are a good thing. I’m hoping some of you will order FTD in Kindle. And, if you like it, please leave me a review. The more stars, the better!!! Here is what one of my woman pilot friends wrote about Flight to Destiny.

Strap Into Your Pursuit Plane and Prepare for Air Combat Maneuvering

“Our lead pilot (author) Sarah Rickman will be taking us on a fast-paced and historically accurate mission with the Women’s Auxiliary Ferrying Squadron (WAFS) of World War II. Along the way Sarah will introduce us to three fictional “wing-women” who will help us get inside the thoughts of the main characters in their history— Nancy Love and Jackie Cochran.

“Because I know the history of the WAFS, I originally thought it would be difficult to suspend disbelief of Sarah’s additional fictional characters. However, Sarah has developed them so they are superbly believable as young women and as aviators flying military aircraft in support of World War II. Sarah injects just enough realistic romance, plus relationship issues, to create well-rounded 20-something women who also happen to be patriotic, talented pilots.

Fictional Characters Add Another Dimension to the Story

“Through the eyes and hearts of the fictional characters, Sarah has creatively added dimensions to the main characters—Nancy Love and Jackie Cochran. Both have often been portrayed as one-dimensional (classy/crass, patriotic/ambitious, “for the common good”/ “my way or the highway”).

“For those who know the story, Sarah’s approach will add substance to the main characters, our role models. For those just beginning their journey learning about the WAFS, this entertaining approach will provide insight beyond the mere statement of facts regarding their incredible stories.

“Every time I read Romeo & Juliet or see it in theaters, I never give up hope for a different, more positive outcome. This story is much the same for me. Like Romeo & Juliet, I know the ending but I keep hoping that it will end differently—that the WAFS had continued flying for the military!

WAFS Are Role Models for Today’s Women Pilots

“In spite of how the real story ends, Sarah weaves an optimistic future for these World War II women aviators. They continued to contribute to our country’s success in many ways, including being role models for my generation of military women aviators and many generations to come. I hope she is setting the stage for a follow-on book to tell the post-WAFS story.

“Thanks to Sarah’s expertise both in subject knowledge and in storytelling, I now feel more connected to the main characters— Nancy Love and Jackie Cochran.

“Lead on, Sarah!”

Trish Beckman
Commander, US Navy (retired)

Flight to Destiny

WINNER:

2016 Eudora Welty Memorial Award, National League of American Pen Women, Inc.

2013 Book Competition, Greyden Press, Dayton, Ohio, Grand Prize Winner, Fiction.

2000 Paul Gillette Winner for Historical Fiction Manuscript, Pikes Peak Writers Conference, Colorado Springs. Incidentally, Sarah’s first WASP Novel, Flight from Fear, won for Historical Fiction Manuscript at the 1999 PPW Conference, giving her back-to-back wins. Watch for Flight From Fear in the Kindle store soon.

Get Flight To Destiny in the Amazon Kindle Store here. 

Good reading and Thank You for reading my blog!