Came a Flight Gently...Leigh Dreyer and Paul Trockner

My guests are Leigh Dreyer and Paul Trockner. I am happy to have both of you visit my blog. Leigh has been a guest before, but not Paul, so welcome, Paul. I am fascinated that the two of you wrote this together, especially since you are father and daughter. That must have been a great experience for both of you. Congratulations! 

We have a giveaway and an excerpt, but first I'll let you learn a bit more about the authors, post the blurb, then get to the excerpt and giveaway. Thanks to all of you, Dear Readers, for stopping by.

Author Bios

Leigh Dreyer is a huge fan of Jane Austen variations and the JAFF community. She is blessed to have multi-generational military connections through herself and her husband, who she met in pilot training. She often describes her formative years in this way: “You know the ‘Great Balls of Fire’ scene in Top Gun (Goose, you big stud!) when Goose and Meg Ryan have their kid on the piano? I was that kid.” Leigh lives with her pilot husband, a plane-obsessed son, a daughter who was a pink pilot for Halloween, and a one-year-old son who is so used to F-16 noise, he does not even startle to sonic booms.      

Paul Trockner was an Air Force fighter pilot for twenty-eight years. He flew the F-111, T-37, A-10, and T-38. He currently teaches fighter pilots using simulator instruction. He has been happily married for thirty-six years to his lovely wife Elizabeth. Leigh is the oldest of his five children. 

Blurb

In the exciting conclusion of the Pride in Flight Series (The Best Laid Flight Plans and The Flight Path Less Traveled), our dear couple Elizabeth and Darcy have moved to Pemberley to begin their lives together. An outsider to New York society and the affluent world of Darcy, our heroine uses her characteristic drive and wit to begin her marriage and all that comes with him.  Helped along by Mrs. Reynolds and a curmudgeonly airplane mechanic, Elizabeth discovers a new path to the civilian flight world. Darcy, ever the hero, supports her and learns to trust her instincts. Fast-paced and dramatic, Came a Flight Gently soars through love, adventure, and intrigue as it races through Reno to the finish.

Excerpt from Chapter Five

“How’d you find this place?” he asked as he sat down with a cup of coffee.

“Mrs. Reynolds sent me down.”

 “I don’t need any help. I’m fifty-nine, not seventy-nine, for heaven’s sake. I can handle the airplane.”

Elizabeth stifled a smile with her cup. “Maybe she thought with two you’d like an assistant.”

“We’ve had two planes before. When Will and Richard were learning to fly, we had a Citabria and the Bonanza. Mr. Darcy and I taught them. Will’s become a great little pilot, though I shouldn’t let him hear me call him little.” Chuckling, the mechanic continued. “No, not Mr. F-22 fighter pilot.” He straightened himself. “Of course, it’s not an A-10. Now, I think he just got done flying ‘38s.”

“Did you fly in the service?” Elizabeth asked, taking a sip.

“Yep, F-111s, two tours, T-37s in between, A-10s and T-38A and Cs. Around forty-three hundred hours. But what I’m most proud of is over two thousand instructor hours.”

“How’d you become a mechanic?”

“Retired from the service. Got into some financial trouble with my ex-wife. Mr. Darcy, Will’s dad, hired me as an assistant mechanic. I apprenticed for a year, then took over when the other retired.” He looked at her over his glasses. “You aren’t in trouble, are you?”

“No, no.” Elizabeth laughed.

“By the way, I’m Steve Weston,” he said, reaching out his hand.

“Elizabeth Ben—I mean—Elizabeth Darcy.”

“You one of their cousins or something?”

“Or something,” answered Elizabeth, not wanting to ruin the moment.

“Well, hot chocolate’s done. The salt’s probably worked so we have no excuse.”

They donned their gloves again and went back to the doors. The salt had worked and the ice on the doors only required a little persuasion with the sledgehammer. Elizabeth felt a thrill run through her with the physical labor and banging the ice off the door. It’s been too long since I’ve felt useful. After several minutes of work, the large doors creaked open, filling the warmer hangar with cold air.

“We need to work quick,” Mr. Weston called loudly to her from the other side of the hangar. “The block was heated, and it’s been in the hangar, but we need to get the runup done before it cools.”

The aircraft positioned and chocked, Mr. Weston opened the back door and started the engine to let it warm and cycle the propeller. Once shut down, he motioned over to Elizabeth and showed her where to look for leaks. When they found none, they closed the hangar doors and turned up the heater. It was six when they got all the covers put on the plane and it was ready to fly again another day.

“What can you tell me about the Lancair?” she asked, pointing to the candy apple red plane next to Darcy’s Bonanza.

“Not much,” Mr. Weston said as he filed various tools away into their places. “A friend of mine flew it in for Will a couple weeks ago on a ferry permit. The builder did a good job but didn’t fly it. I’ve got the paperwork and books on it. I’ve got to do a condition check and go through all the systems. It’ll take about two months. It has better technology than the Bonanza, well at least newer, composite fuselage, fuel injection. Updated glass cockpit inside. Comfortable, stable, fast, but you have to pay attention more than a 172. You got any time?”

She let her hand glide along the smooth painted wing as she listened. “I’ve my private license and about seventy hours in the T-6.”

“Tailwheel time, eh?”

“Uh, no. The new T-6. I was in the Air Force.”

“Was?”

She shifted uncomfortably as he examined at her. She could practically see the questions running through his mind, though he had not paused his work.

“Yeah, I had a mishap and was medically retired.”

“Hmm, you’ll have to tell me about it sometime. I worked as a safety for a bit, so I enjoy hearing about those things.”

After a pause, Elizabeth summoned the courage to ask: “Mr. Weston, do you still teach?”

“Flying or mechanics?”

“Flying is what I’m most interested in at the moment. I think I would like to get my commercial and become a CFI.”

“Can you afford it? The 172 down the road rents for a hundred and fifty dollars an hour.”

“I think so—my husband has a pretty good gig, and he’s a pilot, too, so I’m sure he’ll be supportive.”

“You’re young. How long have you been married?”

“Almost four months.”

“It will take some time away from him.”

“I think he’ll be okay with it.”

“Huh, let me check with the boss. I don’t think he’d be upset. He just moved back so hopefully no more random trips across the country. Though, with more consistent flying, he might need me around a little more often than in the past.”

“How much will you charge to instruct?” Mr. Weston laughed, a jolly sort of chuckle that Elizabeth found appealing, contrasting his initial porcupine-like personality. He seemed a teddy bear sort of person, one who was initially gruff, but quite warm once he welcomed you to his circle of trust.

“You live near here?”

A smile crossed her face, and she said, “Pretty close.”

“How about you come clean and sweep the hangar, help me with the aircraft, and bring me donuts once a week?”

As she reached out her hand to make the deal, an artic blast came whooshing through the door. Both of them yelled, “Come in or go out, but shut the door!” Shaking hands, they grinned at each other.

“All right. I’ll get it!” They heard as the door slammed shut.

Will Darcy stepped into the hangar. He looked between Elizabeth and Mr. Weston and gave a half-smile.

“Hello, Mr. Weston. How’s the Bonanza?”

“She’s great. Fresh oil. Run up and leak check done. Ready to go again. You put twenty-five hours on her in two months. She’s not flown that much since your dad flew her on business.”

“I know, it got busy there for a while.”

“Will, Mrs. Reynolds sent Elizabeth down for some work.”

Will raised an eyebrow at Elizabeth. “She did, did she? Mrs. Reynolds does a good job making sure everyone stays busy and has the help they need.” Darcy bowed to Elizabeth. “Hello, madam. Captain William Darcy at your service.”

“Pleasure to make your acquaintance, kind sir.” Elizabeth held Will’s outstretched hand and curtsied. Neither could keep a straight face and burst out laughing.

Steve Weston looked confused.

“Mr. Weston, may I introduce my husband, Captain William Darcy.” She elbowed Darcy, teasing him about their courtly introduction.

Mr. Weston shook his head and narrowed his eyes at her. “Cousin or something—you had me going. Why didn’t you say something? Oh no. And I had you chopping ice, grabbing tools—”

Elizabeth interrupted. “I was having such a good time, doing something, learning something, I didn’t want to spoil it.”

“I should have thought to introduce both of you before now,” said Darcy. “Mr. Weston was on the board until a few years ago when his son, Frank, took his place.”

Weston smiled sheepishly. “I’ll teach you anytime you want after the thaw, and you’re welcome to stop by anytime to learn something.”

Elizabeth grinned. “I hope our deal’s still on then. I’ll bring the donuts! When do you want me here?” 

*****

Have you read the first two books in this series? If so, what did you think?  We would love to hear your thoughts. What about this excerpt? (I loved that Elizabeth didn't specify exactly who she was!) Make you want to know more? You can go ahead and preorder with the universal links below.

Universal Links for the February 14th Preorder:

US Link: http://bit.ly/CameaFlightGentlyUS

UK Link: http://bit.ly/CameaFlightGentlyUK

If you haven't read the first two books, they are on sale right now. There are buy links below. The sale is through the 14th of February, so now is your chance to own these eBooks. 

The Flight Path Less Traveled Links

Amazon US: http://bit.ly/FlightPathLessTraveled

Amazon UK: http://bit.ly/UKFlightPath

The Best Laid Flight Plans Links

Amazon US link: https://amzn.to/2IkAWTF

Amazon UK link: https://amzn.to/2SfGA9m

Contact Information

Author Name: Leigh Dreyer and Paul Trockner

Email: leighdreyerauthor@gmail.com

Facebook: Leigh Dreyer

Facebook Page: @leighdreyerauthor

Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/leighdreyer

Website: http://www.leighdreyer.com/

Giveaway Time: 

The authors are giving away one eBook and it is worldwide. Leave a comment below to enter, and be sure I have an email or some way to contact you, should you be the winner. The giveaway will end February 15th at midnight central time. Good luck to everyone. 

Thank you to Leigh and Paul for visiting my blog and hosting a giveaway for my readers. We wish you the best with your book.