In VELVA JEAN LEARNS TO FLY, her second novel featuring the
irrepressible and ever-feisty Velva Jean Hart, author
Jennifer Niven transports her heroine from the hills of
North Carolina to the skies over Sweetwater, Texas as she
joins the Women's Flying Training Detachment during World
War II.
Having fled a less than savory life in Alluvial, North
Carolina, Velva Jean set her sights on Nashville, Tennessee
and a singing career at the Grand Old Opry. But upon
arrival, she finds that her dreams of singing at the War
Memorial would have to wait, but her voice found a good use
as she became a singing waitress at the Lovelorn Café. Then
her brother Johnny Clay shows up and introduces her to the
world of flying and Velva Jean's whole world opens up to a
whole range of new possibilities.
Signing on with the Women's Flying Training Detachment,
Velva Jean joins women pilots from all over the country as
they become the first women to fly in the service of our
country during the World War II era. It was tough, it was
exhausting, and there were accidents and even deaths, but
these ladies who persevered become some of the most admired
women of their time.
Jennifer Niven brilliantly captures the atmosphere of the
era of the 40's in this fast-paced and absolutely charming
story. Combining historical facts with a well-told tale of
courage and valor, she presents a novel that is at once
fascinating and inspiring. I can't wait to find out if Velva
Jean has any more adventures up her sleeve in stories to
come.
After Pearl Harbor, Velva Jean signs up for service and gets her wings, risking her life-and her heart. Velva Jean Hart, the fiercely independent heroine of Jennifer Niven's spectacular debut novel, Velva Jean Learns to Drive, returns in a captivating adventure that literally sends her soaring. Bristling at the limitations faced by a woman in rural Appalachia and fuelled by the memory of her late Mama telling her to "live out there," Velva Jean hits the road to pursue her dream of singing at the Grand Ole Opry. But after a string of auditions, she begins to lose hope- until her brother pays her a surprise visit and treats Velva Jean to a flying lesson that ignites a brand-new dream: to become a female pilot. Funny, poignant, and utterly unforgettable, Velva Jean Learns to Fly will have fans cheering all over again