Tag: NY

Three More to Go!

I love when live and work dovetail in the least expected ways. This past week I enjoyed a beautiful drive to my hometown of Buffalo, NY, where I took my parents for a day trip to a local vineyard. Eveningside Vineyards is owned by fellow high school alumnus, Randy Biehl. Randy gave us the royal tour of his lovely winery in the midst of  a Western New York autumn. It doesn’t get much better than this! As one of our classmates commented on Facebook, “wine and literature, two favorite things.”

Dream chasers from the same high school
Dream chasers from the same high school

It’s nearing the end of my promo tour this year and the best is yet to come with my next three appearances.  First up, I’ll be signing tomorrow with Heidi Hormel and Karen Rose Smith at the Reader’s Cafe in Hanover PA, then I’ll be signing and speaking at the Las Vegas Readers Festival next Saturday.

I’ll be celebrating a long-held dream when I sign with Nora Roberts at her bookstore in Boonsboro, MD on December 5th. Details on all my appearances are over at my events page. I hope to meet you soon!

WWII Wednesday: Family Memories of the Curtiss Wright Factory

We’re still close enough to WWII in years that I have memories of my grandparents talking about how they survived the war on the home front .

P40 WarHawk by Our Resident Fine Scale Modeler
P40 WarHawk by Our Resident Fine Scale Modeler

A memory that sticks with me is of my Great Uncle Hank, my grandmother’s brother, who was late to work on the day there was a horrible plane crash– a P-40 crashed into the Curtiss aircraft factory where my Uncle worked. Uncle Hank lived to tell the story, but many didn’t. There’s a good article on it here if you’re interested in the facts. I often mention how proud I am to be a Buffalo native, and this tangible tie to WWII,  its heroes and heroines and the immeasurable sacrifice of the Home Front during WWII  highlights why.

Do you have WWII memories passed down in your family? Please share them–we need to keep their stories alive.