Explorez tous les épisodes du podcast Literary Aviatrix: The Power of Story - Women in Aviation
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| Captain Lynn Rippelmeyer — From TWA Stewardess to Pioneering 747 Captain | 22 Dec 2025 | 01:35:04 | |
Pioneering airline pilot Lynn Rippelmeyer reflects on her extraordinary journey from being hired as a TWA stewardess in the early 1970s to becoming one of the first women to fly the Boeing 747, and later retiring from United Airlines after a career shaped both by deregulation, mergers, and furloughs, and by generosity, unexpected opportunities, and adventure. We talk about her two-part memoir, beginning with Life Takes Wings, which traces her path from the cabin to the flight deck at a time when women were told — explicitly — that they didn’t belong there. Lynn shares unforgettable stories from the cockpit, including a laugh-out-loud reading involving a seeing-eye dog, Florida mud, and an entire airport watching it unfold. In Life Takes Flight, the adventures continue as she pursues her flying career, takes a break to raise a family, and then returns to flying as a single mom. This episode also explores:
Lynn’s story sits at the intersection of aviation, feminism, labor history, and storytelling — and it’s one every aspiring aviator (and writer) should hear. Buy the books directly from Lynn to support her non-profit Roatan Support Effort. https://lynnrippelmeyer.com/purchase-now 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 the book page. By shopping through the Literary Aviatrix website a small portion of the sale goes to support the content you love, at no additional cost to you. https://literaryaviatrix.com/shop-all-books/ Thanks so much for listening!
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| Tracey Curtis-Taylor — Bird: Flying the Spirit of Artemis Across Continents and Confronting the Old Boys’ Club | 31 Oct 2025 | 01:22:05 | |
If you love daring women, vintage airplanes, and real-world adventure, you’re going to love this one. Pilot and author Tracey Curtis-Taylor shares her journey from a $15 introductory flight in Canada to flying her restored 1942 Stearman across Africa, from UK to Australia, and across the United States. We talk about her inspirations — Lady Mary Heath, Amy Johnson, Out of Africa — and her experiences confronting backlash in modern aviation. 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 the book page. By shopping through the Literary Aviatrix website a small portion of the sale goes to support the content you love, at no additional cost to you. https://literaryaviatrix.com/shop-all-books/ Thanks so much for listening!
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| Author Leona Cobham, granddaughter of pioneering aviation advocate Sir Alan Cobham, joins me again to talk about the latest in her middle grade chapter book series featuring vintage British aircraft, Flying Circus: Above and Beyond | 06 Jul 2025 | 00:24:59 | |
In this interview I talk with author Leona Cobham about the latest in her middle grade chapter book series featuringa cast of vintage British aircraft characters, Airplane Adventures Flying Circus: Above and Beyond. I first interviewed Leona in 2023, and we talked briefly about her grandfather, Sir Alan Cobham and his pioneering contributions to air-to-air refueling. We talk a little more about his advocacy for the advancement of aviation in this conversation. Check out the original interview, and a clip of Sir Alan Cobham himself from the 1930s in the links below: https://literaryaviatrix.com/leona-cobham/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M7eu7rYMS8s&list=PLDIDPYt9Z0z6KZF6lDqTNx3iL0FSNRt_Y&index=4 Buy the books: Book 1: Flying Circus Takes to the Skies Book 2: Through Thick and Thin Book 3: Above and Beyond 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 the book page. By shopping through the Literary Aviatrix website a small portion of the sale goes to support the content you love, at no additional cost to you. https://literaryaviatrix.com/shop-all-books/ Thanks so much for listening!
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| AN12: Book Publicist Jen Coburn talks timelines, costs, and the relationship between an author and her publicist. | 09 Apr 2023 | 00:11:10 | |
We’re jumping ahead in the process in this excerpt from my interview with book publicist Jennifer Coburn. Once you publish your book, you’re probably going to want to sell it. Some publishers will include a budget for book launch promotion, and others won’t. In this clip, Jennifer, who is the author of eight of her own books, worked as Robing Kardon’s publicist for the launch of her Flygirl series. Jenn tells us what that process and timeline look like, and how much it might cost. All things you’ll want to think about when envisioning the full picture of what writing and publishing your book looks like. You can find the full interview in The Aviatrix Writers Room on my website or YouTube Channel from August of 2021. 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 the book page. By shopping through the Literary Aviatrix website a small portion of the sale goes to support the content you love, at no additional cost to you. https://literaryaviatrix.com/shop-all-books/ Thanks so much for listening!
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| WP24: Author Kathy Mexted talks about how Deborah Lawrie fought a ground-breaking equal opportunity case in the Australian courts in 1980 to become the first female airline pilot in Australia. | 23 Mar 2023 | 00:04:58 | |
In this excerpt from my interview with Kathy Mexted about her book, Australian Women Pilots, she talks about the battle that Deborah Lawrie fought in the Australian courts to be able to fly for Ansett Airlines in 1980. 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 the book page. By shopping through the Literary Aviatrix website a small portion of the sale goes to support the content you love, at no additional cost to you. https://literaryaviatrix.com/shop-all-books/ Thanks so much for listening!
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| WP23: Pilot, journalist, and author Kathy Mexted talks about Australian pilot Patricia Toole and her adventures flying in Papua, New Guinea as the first female commercial pilot in the 1950s. | 21 Mar 2023 | 00:10:57 | |
In honor of the Australian Women Pilots Association conference, and my visit to meet the author this week, here is Kathy Mexted reading about Patricia Toole, who was the inspiration for her book, Australian Women Pilots: Amazing True Stories of Women in the Air. 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 the book page. By shopping through the Literary Aviatrix website a small portion of the sale goes to support the content you love, at no additional cost to you. https://literaryaviatrix.com/shop-all-books/ Thanks so much for listening!
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| AN11: Thriller novelist and co-author of Niloofar Rahmani's memoir, Open Skies, Adam Sikes talks about the challenges of putting emotions on the page. | 19 Mar 2023 | 00:09:04 | |
As military members, and/or as pilots, we are not accustomed to exposing our emotions, but in order for our stories to resonate with an audience, we need to make an emotional connection. Author Adam Sikes and I commiserate. 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 the book page. By shopping through the Literary Aviatrix website a small portion of the sale goes to support the content you love, at no additional cost to you. https://literaryaviatrix.com/shop-all-books/ Thanks so much for listening!
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| WP22: Historian Amy Shira Teitel talks about why she wanted to write the story of the women who tested for the early NASA space program with more context than was offered in previous tellings in her book Fighting for Space. | 16 Mar 2023 | 00:05:06 | |
In this excerpt from my interview with historian and author Amy Shira Teitel, she talks about why she wrote the book Fighting for Space: Two Pilots and their Historic Battle for Female Space Flight. 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 the book page. By shopping through the Literary Aviatrix website a small portion of the sale goes to support the content you love, at no additional cost to you. https://literaryaviatrix.com/shop-all-books/ Thanks so much for listening!
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| WP21: Clare Mulley talks about the trail that led her to the hidden and untold story of Melitta von Stauffenberg (Schiller), and her role as a Nazi aeronautical engineer, test pilot, and resistor, which she juxtaposes with Hannah Reitsch in The Women who | 14 Mar 2023 | 00:06:51 | |
In this excerpt of my interview with Clare Mulley, she talks about how she came to write the book The Women Who Flew for Hitler: A True Story of Soaring Ambition and Searing Rivalry, which is a narrative non-fiction dual biography of Hannah Reistch and Melitta Schiller. 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 the book page. By shopping through the Literary Aviatrix website a small portion of the sale goes to support the content you love, at no additional cost to you. https://literaryaviatrix.com/shop-all-books/ Thanks so much for listening!
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| AN10: General aviation pilot and author Erin Seidemann talks about her writing journey and the daunting process of publishing her memoir, Postcards from the Sky: Adventures of an Aviatrix. | 12 Mar 2023 | 00:07:15 | |
In this excerpt from my Writers' Room discussion with Erin Seidemann, she talks about her writing journey, shares her thoughts on memoir, and talks about the challenges of getting published traditionally. 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 the book page. By shopping through the Literary Aviatrix website a small portion of the sale goes to support the content you love, at no additional cost to you. https://literaryaviatrix.com/shop-all-books/ Thanks so much for listening!
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| WP20: Pulitzer Prize-winning author Beverly Weintraub talks about the first women Naval Aviators, featured in her book, Wings of Gold, as we prepare to celebrate fifty years of women in Naval Aviation with the Blue Angels' performance in El Centro | 09 Mar 2023 | 00:07:51 | |
In this excerpt from my interview with Beverly Weintraub about her book Wings of Gold, she talks about the inception of women in Naval Aviation in the early 1970's. 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 the book page. By shopping through the Literary Aviatrix website a small portion of the sale goes to support the content you love, at no additional cost to you. https://literaryaviatrix.com/shop-all-books/ Thanks so much for listening!
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| Aviatrix Book Club - March 2023: Captain Manisha M. Puri talks about Indian women in aviation history starting with their first licensed pilot in 1936, to today, as the global leader with 12% women in commercial aviation | 08 Mar 2023 | 01:04:52 | |
Happy International Women's Day 2023! In this interview with Captain Manisha M. Puri, an accomplished airline pilot and author of the book, From Sarees to Stripes: True Stories of Commercial Pilots in India, we talk about her flying career, the history of women in aviation in India, and celebrate India's place as the world leader with 12% women pilots in commercial aviation. 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 the book page. By shopping through the Literary Aviatrix website a small portion of the sale goes to support the content you love, at no additional cost to you. https://literaryaviatrix.com/shop-all-books/ Thanks so much for listening!
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| WP19: Amy Goodpaster Strebe talks about the similarities and differences between the WASP and the Night Witches' experiences as female pilots flying for their countries during WWII | 07 Mar 2023 | 00:10:04 | |
In this excerpt from my interview with Amy Goodpaster Strebe, author of Flying for Her Country: The American and Soviet Women Military Pilots of World War II, she talks about the similarities and differences she discovered in her research. 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 the book page. By shopping through the Literary Aviatrix website a small portion of the sale goes to support the content you love, at no additional cost to you. https://literaryaviatrix.com/shop-all-books/ Thanks so much for listening!
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| Debut author Carolyn Dasher, talks about her new historical novel, American Sky, which features two women who join the WASP in WWII and their legacy across three generations | 01 Jul 2025 | 00:31:22 | |
In this interview with debut author Carolyn Dasher, we talk about her new novel, American Sky, which features two women who join the WASP in WWII and their legacy across three generations. 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 the book page. By shopping through the Literary Aviatrix website a small portion of the sale goes to support the content you love, at no additional cost to you. https://literaryaviatrix.com/shop-all-books/ Thanks so much for listening!
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| AN9: Award-winning Children and Young Adult author Sherri L. Smith talks bout her writing journey to publish the novel Flygirl about a fair-skinned black woman who passes as white to serve in the WASP | 05 Mar 2023 | 00:10:53 | |
In this excerpt from my interview with ward-winning Children and Young Adult author Sherri L. Smith, she talks bout her writing journey to publish the novel Flygirl about a fair-skinned black woman who passes as white to serve in the WASP 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 the book page. By shopping through the Literary Aviatrix website a small portion of the sale goes to support the content you love, at no additional cost to you. https://literaryaviatrix.com/shop-all-books/ Thanks so much for listening!
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| WP18: Author Mary S. Lovell talks about the vintage aircraft she owned that led her to the aviation pioneer and author of the book West with the Night, Beryl Markham, in Kenya. | 02 Mar 2023 | 00:07:51 | |
In this excerpt from my interview with Mary S. Lovell, author of Straight on Till Morning; The Life of Beryl Markham, she talks about the vintage aircraft that she owned with her ex-husband, one of which was featured in the movie Out of Africa, and which led her to Berly Markham, famous as the first woman to cross the Atlantic solo in an aircraft ‘the hard way’ (from East to West), and author of the classic Aviatrix memoir, West with the Night 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 the book page. By shopping through the Literary Aviatrix website a small portion of the sale goes to support the content you love, at no additional cost to you. https://literaryaviatrix.com/shop-all-books/ Thanks so much for listening!
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| WP17: Author Keith O'Brien introduces his narrative non-fiction Fly Girls about the Women's Air Races of the 1920s and 1930s | 28 Feb 2023 | 00:07:48 | |
In this excerpt from my interview with author Keith O'Brien, he introduces his book, Fly Girls: How Five Daring Women Defied All Odds and Made Aviation History, and does a reading featuring Florence Kingensmith, whose story illustrates the very challenging times in which these brave women pursued their passion for aviation. 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 the book page. By shopping through the Literary Aviatrix website a small portion of the sale goes to support the content you love, at no additional cost to you. https://literaryaviatrix.com/shop-all-books/ Thanks so much for listening!
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| AN8: Professional editor-for-hire Marylin Noble talks about the different types of editing and the importance of hiring an editor | 28 Feb 2023 | 00:06:00 | |
In this excerpt from my interview with ghost writer and editor Marylin Noble, we talk about structural editing versus copy and line editing, and the importance of hiring an editor, particularly if you self-publish. 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 the book page. By shopping through the Literary Aviatrix website a small portion of the sale goes to support the content you love, at no additional cost to you. https://literaryaviatrix.com/shop-all-books/ Thanks so much for listening!
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| WP16: Merryl Tengesdal, former US Navy and Air Force pilot, talks about taking off and flying solo in the U2 Reconnaissance 'Dragon Lady' Aircraft | 23 Feb 2023 | 00:07:03 | |
In this except from my conversation with Retired Air Forces Colonel Merryl Tengesdal, she talks about taking off in the U2 Reconnaissance aircraft with the assistance of 'pogos' - training wheels for the wings on this bicycle-gear configured aircraft with a 103' wingspan. 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 the book page. By shopping through the Literary Aviatrix website a small portion of the sale goes to support the content you love, at no additional cost to you. https://literaryaviatrix.com/shop-all-books/ Thanks so much for listening!
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| WP15: Children’s author Kristen L. Gray teaches kids about the history of women in aviation in a modern day context that is relatable and relevant in her novel The Amelia Six: An Amelia Earhart Mystery. | 21 Feb 2023 | 00:08:35 | |
In this excerpt from my interview with acclaimed Children’s book author, Kristin L. Gray, she talks about how she incorporated fun details about Amelia Earhart to enhance her story about a girl who gets to spend the night at Amelia Earhart’s birthplace home. 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 the book page. By shopping through the Literary Aviatrix website a small portion of the sale goes to support the content you love, at no additional cost to you. https://literaryaviatrix.com/shop-all-books/ Thanks so much for listening!
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| AN7: Patty Bear talks about finding her voice and the power of driving the narrative through writing | 19 Feb 2023 | 00:06:58 | |
In this excerpt from my Writers’ Room interview with author Patty Bear about her book From Plain to Plane: My Mennonite Childhood, a National Scandal, and an Unconventional Soar to Freedom, she talks about how sharing her truth through writing helped her find her own power and control over the narrative. 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 the book page. By shopping through the Literary Aviatrix website a small portion of the sale goes to support the content you love, at no additional cost to you. https://literaryaviatrix.com/shop-all-books/ Thanks so much for listening!
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| Karlene Petitt, 40-year veteran of 8 airlines with a PhD in Aviation Safety, talks about how she weaves real-life aviation safety concerns and her own whistle-blower retaliation experience into her Flight for Control 6-book series | 18 Feb 2023 | 01:05:22 | |
In this interview with author and airline pilot, Karlene Petitt, she talks about her book Flight for Control, the first in a 6-book thriller novel series that incorporates real-life scenarios and her own experience of being retaliated against by Delta Airlines for raising safety concerns. 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 the book page. By shopping through the Literary Aviatrix website a small portion of the sale goes to support the content you love, at no additional cost to you. https://literaryaviatrix.com/shop-all-books/ Thanks so much for listening!
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| WP14: Spoiler alert: Erika Armstrong’s memoir A Chick in the Cockpit is not just about her aviation journey, it’s really about domestic abuse, and about how domestic abuse took her aviation career away from her | 16 Feb 2023 | 00:08:12 | |
In this excerpt from my interview with Erika Armstrong, author of A Chick in the Cockpit: My Life Up in the Air, she talks about how, since publishing the book, she’s been blown away by the number of women who have reached out to her with their own experiences of domestic abuse. If you need help, contact the National Domestic Abuse Hotline 800-799-7233, or to connect with Erika, you can find her everywhere @AChickintheCockpit.
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 the book page. By shopping through the Literary Aviatrix website a small portion of the sale goes to support the content you love, at no additional cost to you. https://literaryaviatrix.com/shop-all-books/ Thanks so much for listening!
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| WP13: Amy Shira Teitel talks about Jerrie Cobb’s affair with Jack Ford and the most romantic aviation scene I’ve ever read | 14 Feb 2023 | 00:05:04 | |
In this excerpt from my interview with author Amy Shira Teitel about her book Fighting for Space: Two Women and Their Epic Battle for Female Spaceflight, we talk about Jerrie Cobb ferrying aircraft to Central and South America, and a forced landing after her prop seal failed leaving her windscreen covered in oil, in Jamaica that was the beginning of a love affair with Jack Ford. 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 the book page. By shopping through the Literary Aviatrix website a small portion of the sale goes to support the content you love, at no additional cost to you. https://literaryaviatrix.com/shop-all-books/ Thanks so much for listening!
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| Fantasy and speculative fiction author of The Improvisers, Nicole Glover, talks about how she wove historical themes of aviation, race and civil rights, historically Black communities, music, family, and sisterhood into a magical fantasy fiction mystery | 25 Jun 2025 | 00:28:29 | |
In this interview with Nicole Glover, author of the Aviatrix Book Club discussion book for June 2025, The Improvisers, we talk about how she wove historical themes of aviation, race and civil rights, historically Black communities, music, family, and sisterhood into a magical fantasy fiction mystery set in the 1930s. Buy the Book: https://literaryaviatrix.com/book/the-improvisers-a-murder-and-magic-novel/ 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 the book page. By shopping through the Literary Aviatrix website a small portion of the sale goes to support the content you love, at no additional cost to you. https://literaryaviatrix.com/shop-all-books/ Thanks so much for listening!
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| AN6: RAF Tornado GR4 combat pilot Mandy Hickson talks about her duty to write a book and how the publishing industry rejected her on the basis that ‘plane books are for a male readership who have no interest in reading about a woman’ | 12 Feb 2023 | 00:06:24 | |
In this excerpt from my interview with Mandy Hickson, author of An Officer, Not a Gentleman, talks about why and how she finally decided to write her memoir, and how the common theme of publishers not knowing how to market a book featuring women in aviation. Mandy is doing very well as a self-published author. 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 the book page. By shopping through the Literary Aviatrix website a small portion of the sale goes to support the content you love, at no additional cost to you. https://literaryaviatrix.com/shop-all-books/ Thanks so much for listening!
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| WP12: The inspiration and meaning of 'When the Sky' by Israeli artist Maya Johana: it’s all about empowerment and fits perfectly with the theme of finding the courage to pursue your aviation dreams | 09 Feb 2023 | 00:09:58 | |
In this clip from my interview with Israeli singer/song writer, Maya Johana, I talk about what her songs represent to me as a woman in aviation and a writer, why I am so thrilled to have them as my theme music, and she shares what they mean to her, and the process of writing them. 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 the book page. By shopping through the Literary Aviatrix website a small portion of the sale goes to support the content you love, at no additional cost to you. https://literaryaviatrix.com/shop-all-books/ Thanks so much for listening!
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| WP11: The downs, ups, and downs of being Black in Aviation: Pioneering Black flight attendant and author Casey Grant talks about how cab drivers wouldn’t even pick her up to get to her flights, the glamour of meeting celebrities, and the drama of dealing | 07 Feb 2023 | 00:06:55 | |
In this excerpt from my interview with pioneering flight attendant, Casey Grant, we talk about the discrimination she and her cohorts dealt with in the pursuit of their careers, the fun and glamour of being cabin crew, and the not-so-glamourous aspects of the job. 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 the book page. By shopping through the Literary Aviatrix website a small portion of the sale goes to support the content you love, at no additional cost to you. https://literaryaviatrix.com/shop-all-books/ Thanks so much for listening!
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| AN5: Cecilia Aragon, author of the award winning memoir, Flying Free, talks about honing her writing craft and making choices in her writing and publishing journey to make her work the best it can be. | 05 Feb 2023 | 00:08:30 | |
In this excerpt from my Writers' Room interview with author Cecilia Aragon, she talks about the choices she made to pursue an MFA and draw on the resources available to make her writing the best it can be so it can reach the broadest audience possible. 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 the book page. By shopping through the Literary Aviatrix website a small portion of the sale goes to support the content you love, at no additional cost to you. https://literaryaviatrix.com/shop-all-books/ Thanks so much for listening!
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| R.D. Kardon Flying Home Book Launch: In the third book in The Flygirl trilogy, we experience 9-11 though the pilots’ perspectives and follow MC Tris Miles’ character arc to a satisfying end. | 04 Feb 2023 | 00:33:01 | |
In this interview with Robin Kardon, writing as R. D. Kardon, we celebrate the upcoming launch of the third book in The Flygirl Trilogy, Flying Home. The book is available for preorder now, and will be out on February 21st, 2023. If you’re headed to the Women in Aviation International 2023 Conference, or if you live in the Long Beach, CA area, you can see Robin at a special reception I’m hosting in the Long Beach Convention Center where she and 12 other all-star authors will read from their work on Thursday, February 23rd at 7:30pm. Tickets are still available, but will sell out soon! She’ll also be at the Authors Connect booth on the exhibit floor available to sign her books on Friday, February 24th from 10:30am – noon, and on Saturday, February 25th from noon – 1:30pm. You can find Robin at her website, RDKardonAuthor.com, follow her on Instagram @rdkardonauthor, and on Facebook @R. D. Kardon, Author. Here’s the blurb from Flying Home: After the world's darkest day, can Tris Miles fly her way home? In September 2001, Tris Miles faces difficult choices. As Chief Pilot of Westin Charter Company, she’s mentoring Jannat, a brash young captain with limitless potential and a shocking secret. An offer to summit the peak of the pilot pyramid entices Tris to quit her job, but an old nemesis stands in her way. Meanwhile, Tris juggles the men in her personal life. A friend-with-benefits pushes for commitment. Her ex-boyfriend returns, still in love with her. Unexpectedly, Tris develops new feelings for someone who is already dear to her. On September 11th, Tris and her crew depart Edinburgh for the United States. Just feet off the ground, they are mysteriously ordered back to the airport where they learn of a deadly terrorist attack on US soil—using airplanes as bombs. When Tris discovers that her best friend was a passenger on one of the planes that crashed into the World Trade Center, her world is shattered. With a broken heart and her entire life up in the air, Tris doesn’t know where to turn. Can she find the courage to navigate her way home?
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 the book page. By shopping through the Literary Aviatrix website a small portion of the sale goes to support the content you love, at no additional cost to you. https://literaryaviatrix.com/shop-all-books/ Thanks so much for listening!
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| WP10: Airline pilot and author Carole Hopson shares how she brought the pioneering aviatrix Bessie Coleman to life on the page in her historical fiction novel A Pair of Wings. | 02 Feb 2023 | 00:07:34 | |
In this clip from my interview with Carole Hopson about her book A Pair of Wings, we talk about the choices she made in her writing to bring Bessie to life for the reader. 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 the book page. By shopping through the Literary Aviatrix website a small portion of the sale goes to support the content you love, at no additional cost to you. https://literaryaviatrix.com/shop-all-books/ Thanks so much for listening!
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| WP9: Life in the adolescent boys’ locker room: former Navy helicopter pilot and retired Air Force U2 pilot, Merryl Tengesdal, on having a sense of humor in the male military culture | 31 Jan 2023 | 00:07:59 | |
Retired Air Force Colonel and U2 pilot, Merryl Tengesdal, and I compare notes on our tolerance levels for our male peers’ antics during our military careers in this clip from my interview about her memoir, Shatter the Sky. 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 the book page. By shopping through the Literary Aviatrix website a small portion of the sale goes to support the content you love, at no additional cost to you. https://literaryaviatrix.com/shop-all-books/ Thanks so much for listening!
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| AN4: NYT Best-selling author Kate Quinn offers advice for writers, wherever you are in your writing and publishing journey: learn to stifle the voice of doubt and fear in your head and “Embrace the Suck” | 29 Jan 2023 | 00:06:52 | |
In this excerpt from my interview with Kate Quinn about her thriller novel The Huntress, she shares that even with fifteen books published, she still writes crappy first drafts, but a bad page is better than a blank page . . . 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 the book page. By shopping through the Literary Aviatrix website a small portion of the sale goes to support the content you love, at no additional cost to you. https://literaryaviatrix.com/shop-all-books/ Thanks so much for listening!
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| WP8: Retired Air Force Colonel and Airline pilot, Julie Tizard, whose lesbian romance novel THE ROAD TO WINGS is set in Air Force Flight School, talks about being gay in the military pre-Don’t Ask Don’t Tell | 26 Jan 2023 | 00:07:26 | |
The pre-Don’t Ask Don’t Tell days in the military were a challenge for members who wanted to serve their country but had to stay closeted. Even during DADT, they couldn’t talk openly about their families, received no dependent benefits for their spouses, and risked their careers if they were found out. In this portion of my interview with author Julie Tizard about her book The Road to Wings, she talks about what that life was like and why it was important to her to memorialize it in her book. 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 the book page. By shopping through the Literary Aviatrix website a small portion of the sale goes to support the content you love, at no additional cost to you. https://literaryaviatrix.com/shop-all-books/ Thanks so much for listening!
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| WP7: Erin Seidemann, author of the General Aviation memoir/travelogue POSTCARDS FROM THE SKY talks about her aircraft ownership journey from Cessna 172, to Piper Seneca II, to Cirrus | 24 Jan 2023 | 00:08:40 | |
In this portion of my interview with Postcards from the Sky author, Erin Seidemann, we talk about her aircraft ownership and she shares her advice on whether and when someone should consider buying a plane. 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 the book page. By shopping through the Literary Aviatrix website a small portion of the sale goes to support the content you love, at no additional cost to you. https://literaryaviatrix.com/shop-all-books/ Thanks so much for listening!
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| Dr. Jacque Boyd and Captain Jenny Beatty are back for another Literary Aviatrix Classics episode about Amy Johnson | 17 Jun 2025 | 01:21:54 | |
Finally, another Literary Aviatrix Classics episode with my guest hosts Dr. Jacque Boyd and Captain Jenny Beatty! This episode is all about Amy Johnson. We started off with her book Sky Roads to the World but, truth in advertising, we did not love this book. It’s a great history of aviation exploits of the time with insightful predictions of what aviation would offer in the future, but we gleaned almost nothing about Amy herself. We were able to cobble together our impressions of her, her life, and her aviation exploits from other sources, and Jenny, fabulous book and women’s aviation history nerd that she is, gives us a rundown of several additional books and places Amy in the context of other women who were flying in the British Isles around her time. 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 the book page. By shopping through the Literary Aviatrix website a small portion of the sale goes to support the content you love, at no additional cost to you. https://literaryaviatrix.com/shop-all-books/ Thanks so much for listening!
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| AN3: Navigating Publishing Options with Literary Agent Amy Collins: Traditional Publishing? Self-Publish? Hybrid Publisher? It depends . . . | 22 Jan 2023 | 00:09:58 | |
In this portion of my interview with Literary Agent Amy Collins, she gives us a primer on publishing options and offers her advice to writers on which direction to consider based on what you’re writing. 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 the book page. By shopping through the Literary Aviatrix website a small portion of the sale goes to support the content you love, at no additional cost to you. https://literaryaviatrix.com/shop-all-books/ Thanks so much for listening!
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| WP6: Retired Airline and former Air Force pilot, Patty Bear, talks about how her Mennonite childhood compared to her experience in the first wave of women to attend the Air Force Academy and the trauma of her father’s excommunication from the church | 19 Jan 2023 | 00:07:01 | |
In this excerpt of my interview with Patty Bear, author of From Plain to Plane,: My Mennonite Childhood, A National Scandal, and an Unconventional Soar to Freedom, she talks bout the similarities between her Mennonite childhood and her experience as an Air Force Academy Cadet. She shares why she wrote the book, and talks about how her father's excommunication and shunning from the Mennonite church led her out of that world. 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 the book page. By shopping through the Literary Aviatrix website a small portion of the sale goes to support the content you love, at no additional cost to you. https://literaryaviatrix.com/shop-all-books/ Thanks so much for listening!
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| WP5: Army Warrant Officer and Cavalry Kiowa Warrior helicopter combat veteran Amber Smith talks about assimilating into the male-dominated military culture | 17 Jan 2023 | 00:07:12 | |
In this excerpt from my interview with Amber Smith about her book Danger Close: My Epic Journey as a Helicopter Pilot in Iraq and Afghanistan, she talks about assimilating into the male-dominated military culture. 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 the book page. By shopping through the Literary Aviatrix website a small portion of the sale goes to support the content you love, at no additional cost to you. https://literaryaviatrix.com/shop-all-books/ Thanks so much for listening!
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| Writers' Room with Laura Savino on Chicken Soup for the Soul and writing and publishing her aviation career memoir, Jet Boss | 16 Jan 2023 | 00:33:39 | |
In this Writers’ Room interview with author Laura Savino, she talks about the choices she made in both writing and publishing her memoir, Jet Boss, her writing journey, her other published works, and her advice for other writers. 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 the book page. By shopping through the Literary Aviatrix website a small portion of the sale goes to support the content you love, at no additional cost to you. https://literaryaviatrix.com/shop-all-books/ Thanks so much for listening!
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| Captain Laura Savino, author of Jet Boss, on her warm welcome and teenage rebellion in general aviation, finding her way to the airlines via Purdue University and a lot of aviation grunt work, medical setbacks as a pilot, and motherhood in aviation | 16 Jan 2023 | 01:38:12 | |
In this interview with airline pilot and author of the book Jet Boss: A Female Pilot on Taking Risks and Flying High, Laura Savino talks about her journey from her traditionally gendered childhood to teenage rebellion in general aviation, through Purdue University, and to the airlines. Laura's story is so entertaining and funny, while also filled with important life and aviation lessons--it's a book I consistently highlight in my presentations to teens at the same time that it's an inspiration to adult pilots and general audiences.
You can find Laura on her website https://laurasavino747.com
Stay up to date on aviatrix book news by signing up for the Literary Aviatrix Newsletter, join us in book discussion later this month, and meet Laura in-person at the Women in Aviation International Conference in February 2023: https://linktr.ee/literaryaviatrix 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 the book page. By shopping through the Literary Aviatrix website a small portion of the sale goes to support the content you love, at no additional cost to you. https://literaryaviatrix.com/shop-all-books/ Thanks so much for listening!
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| AN2: Is memoir fiction, non-fiction, or somewhere in between? Acclaimed author and professor of writing, Lauren Kessler, shares her thoughts. | 15 Jan 2023 | 00:06:54 | |
In this author’s note from Season 1 Episode 11, Lauren Kessler talks about how memoir is almost a genre unto itself, asserting that, as humans, relying on our own memories and experiences, it would be impossible for us to tell a completely true story. Memoir, therefore, falls somewhere between fiction and non-fiction. 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 the book page. By shopping through the Literary Aviatrix website a small portion of the sale goes to support the content you love, at no additional cost to you. https://literaryaviatrix.com/shop-all-books/ Thanks so much for listening!
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| WP4: Tricia Aurand, Coauthor of Taking Flight: The Nadine Ramsey Story, the biography of a WWII Women Airforce Service Pilot (WASP), does a reading from the book that vividly describes WASP life at Avenger Field in Sweetwater, TX. | 12 Jan 2023 | 00:06:29 | |
In this clip from my interview with author Raquel Ramsey and co-author Tricia Aurand, we hear what it was like for the women living together during training in the barracks at Avenger Field in Sweetwater Texas from the book they wrote about Nadine’s sister-in-law, WWII Women Air Force Service Pilot Nadine Ramsey. 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 the book page. By shopping through the Literary Aviatrix website a small portion of the sale goes to support the content you love, at no additional cost to you. https://literaryaviatrix.com/shop-all-books/ Thanks so much for listening!
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| WP3: Author Amy Shira Teitel talks about whether pilot Jerrie Cobb’s expectations to go to space in the 1960’s were appropriate based on her success in Dr. Lovelace’s astronaut tests, and the conflict created by Jerrie & Jackie Cochran jockeying for power | 10 Jan 2023 | 00:10:16 | |
In this interview with Amy Shira Teitel about her book Fighting for Space: Two Pilots and Their Historic Battle for Female Spaceflight, Amy talks about whether Jerrie Cobb had a reasonable expectation that she and her cohorts who were tested for the space program by Dr. Lovelace in the 1960’s had a shot at being astronauts. She also highlights how the letters between the 13 participants revealed that not everyone was on the same page in terms of hopes and expectations. If you’re into mid-century space history, Amy is the host of The Vintage Space YouTube channel. Check it out! 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 the book page. By shopping through the Literary Aviatrix website a small portion of the sale goes to support the content you love, at no additional cost to you. https://literaryaviatrix.com/shop-all-books/ Thanks so much for listening!
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| AN1: Welcome to Author’s Notes. We kick it off with determining your WHY as a writer with Robin D. Kardon, author of the Flygirl series. | 08 Jan 2023 | 00:07:31 | |
In this Author’s Note from my Writers' Room interview with Robin D. Kardon, she shares her writing journey, talks about determining your why as a writer, and offers advice about how to develop your craft through structured programs like San Diego Writers, Ink. 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 the book page. By shopping through the Literary Aviatrix website a small portion of the sale goes to support the content you love, at no additional cost to you. https://literaryaviatrix.com/shop-all-books/ Thanks so much for listening!
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| WP2: Author Lauren Kessler talks about how she was introduced to the larger-than-life pioneering Aviatrix, Pancho Barnes, and what Pancho was really serving up at her ranch, The Happy Bottom Riding Club, outside Edwards Air Force Base in the Mojave Desert | 05 Jan 2023 | 00:07:00 | |
In this excerpt of my interview with Lauren Kessler about her book, The Happy Bottom Riding Club: The Life and Times of Pancho Barnes, she explains how she learned about Pancho and her entertainment ranch near Edwards Air Force Base, and what was really going on behind the scenes. 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 the book page. By shopping through the Literary Aviatrix website a small portion of the sale goes to support the content you love, at no additional cost to you. https://literaryaviatrix.com/shop-all-books/ Thanks so much for listening!
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| Final Flight, Final Fight: Author Erin Miller talks about her crusade to change federal law to inter her WASP Grandmother at Arlington National Cemetery | 05 Jun 2025 | 01:03:17 | |
In this interview with author, lawyer, and pilot Erin Miller, we talk about her journey through the halls of congress to change federal law so she and her family could honor her WASP Grandmother, Elaine Danforth Harmon's wish to be laid to rest in Arlington National Cemetery. 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 the book page. By shopping through the Literary Aviatrix website a small portion of the sale goes to support the content you love, at no additional cost to you. https://literaryaviatrix.com/shop-all-books/ Thanks so much for listening!
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| WP1: Author Kathy Mexted introduces pioneering Australian female pilot Nancy Bird Walton, a Women in Aviation International Pioneer Hall of Fame selectee for 2023 | 03 Jan 2023 | 00:07:11 | |
In this excerpt of my interview with Kathy Mexted about her book Australian Women Pilots: Amazing True Stories of Women in the Air, she introduces us to Nancy Bird Walton, who will be inducted into the Women in Aviation International Pioneer Hall of Fame in February 2023. 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 the book page. By shopping through the Literary Aviatrix website a small portion of the sale goes to support the content you love, at no additional cost to you. https://literaryaviatrix.com/shop-all-books/ Thanks so much for listening!
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| Welcome to Season Three of the Aviatrix Book Review Podcast - Interviews with authors whose books feature women in aviation. | 01 Jan 2023 | 00:03:39 | |
I'm thrilled to begin a new season author interviews and to introduce Literary Aviatrix Waypoints and Aviatrix Author Notes--excerpts from my collection of interviews over the past two years. Links to all things Literary Aviatrix. 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 the book page. By shopping through the Literary Aviatrix website a small portion of the sale goes to support the content you love, at no additional cost to you. https://literaryaviatrix.com/shop-all-books/ Thanks so much for listening!
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| St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands native and first Black female Coast Guard Air Medal Recipient, HC144 pilot Ronaqua Russell talks about her career. | 31 Dec 2022 | 01:01:31 | |
In this special episode of the Aviatrix Book Review, I talk with Lieutenant Commander Ronaqua Russell about how she found her way into Coast Guard aviation, her participation in hurricane relief efforts as an HC144 pilot (I mistakenly introduce her as an HC130 pilot at the beginning but we clear that up later), the experience of receiving the Coast Guard Air Medal at Moton Field, home of the Tuskegee Airmen, and the role mentorship has played in her success as the fifth Black female pilot in the Coast Guard. Ronnie’s story was highlighted in Ann McCallum Staats’ middle grade biography collection HIGH FLYERS: FIFTEEN INSPIRING WOMEN AVIATORS AND ASTRONAUTS. 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 the book page. By shopping through the Literary Aviatrix website a small portion of the sale goes to support the content you love, at no additional cost to you. https://literaryaviatrix.com/shop-all-books/ Thanks so much for listening!
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