Authorpreneur Dashboard – Jay Williams
Wings of Honor
Mystery, Thriller & Suspense
A ruthless, crazed serial killer terrorizes North Carolina. He’s not killing teenagers with a grotesque butcher knife, but instead shooting down unarmed, helpless small planes over the blue Carolina skies while flying a replica of the "Red Baron's" triplane. If you want a fast-paced action/adventure novel about a battle between two men for the sake of honor, buy WINGS OF HONOR and buckle up your seat belt for an action-packed flight.
Book Bubbles from Wings of Honor
The Pilot's Lounge
The excerpt is from "The Pilot's Lounge" a glossary of sorts at the back of WINGS OF HONOR to help the non-pilot readers of the book understand the terms used in this flying adventure. I came up with this because one day I was talking to a group of students (I was their advisor) and used the term "Catch-22". They didn't bat an eye, but later I thought to myself, "these kids have no idea what that means, nor read the book which came out decades before they were born. All of us often do that when we speak. We use terms or abbreviations that mean something to us, but may not to the listener. So I had a feeling this might happen in the book and decided to cover some terms that pilots use daily, but the non-pilot may not understand. The section includes some aerobatic terms, instruments and other helpful expression that should help the reader fly through this aviation adventure.
The NTSB vs. FAA
You would think that all government agencies would get along. After all, they are all basically part of the same organization (federal government), but that rarely is the case. When doing research for WINGS OF HONOR I remember running across some newspaper article about the FAA and the NTSB quarreling about some air traffic control situation. It dawned on me that this bit of bickering between federal agencies that deal with aviation would fit nicely in WINGS OF HONOR. So in this passage, Dallas Wright's boss tries to tell this straight-as-an-arrow man to go easy on the FAA as the two groups are trying to get along. Throughout the book you'll find other instances where these two agencies face off, as well as a few times versus the FBI. So I hope you will enjoy this little subplot in the book where federal agencies go toe-to-toe.
Werner Voss
The killer in "Wings of Honor" talking to his small collie--named after a WWI ace. This is one more small piece of information about the mysterious killer stalking the North Carolina skies. The clue isn't the dog, but the killer's language. As for the real Werner Voss, he may have been Baron von Richthofen's equal. For a short while he flew in the same squadron, but later commanded his own (through the Red Baron's request). Shortly after earning his 48th kill, he was shot down while facing eight British pilots in solo combat. Well, that's the way the German legend tells it.
What's your ETA?
Often when I'm talking to someone I'll blurt out some aviation expression that completely puzzles the listener. People who fly use these terms all the time and don't realize that non-pilots might not understand. Because I didn't want people reading WINGS OF HONOR to be too confused, I included a glossary of sorts in the back of the book. I call it, "The Pilot's Lounge." No, you won't be able to pass an FAA flight exam, but you'll at least make it easily through WINGS OF HONOR and maybe also keep up with that pilot you sit next to at a ball game. So next time you want to impress someone with your aviation knowledge, feel free to try expressions such as: "Oh, my ETA to your barbecue is 6 pm," or maybe "I did a 360 to figure out where I was." I'm sure your friends will be impressed.
The Killer Strikes
The killer has just shot down another helpless victim. He has a strange honor code that makes him believe that only the worthy should take to the skies. Of course, he's the one to decide who is worthy and who is not. In "Wings of Honor" the killer does not have a name, nor does the reader have much information about him. I've dropped a few hints here and there (for example, when he sings Die Lorelie) but otherwise, he's a mystery. I did this because back in the 80s faceless killers seemed to be the rage in horror movies. Although I'm not a fan of those movies, the idea that you can't easily ascribe motivation or desire easily to the character appealed to me and makes him a more interesting adversary.
