Читаем Daughters of the Night Sky полностью

Daughters of the Night Sky

On the other hand, every effort was made to respect the dates and positions where the regiment moved throughout the war. Many of the events described—such as the half-drunken scramble to fly after the women’s sanctioned celebration of the October Revolution, the furor over flare parachutes being fashioned into ladies’ undergarments, and several of the pivotal flight scenes—were adapted from anecdotes from the Night Witches themselves.

The biggest departure I make from history comes at the very end. These pilots were a very patriotic bunch, and I’ve not found evidence to support that any of them left the USSR after the war. Katya’s departure from Russia to build a life in France is her symbolic fulfillment of her promises to Vanya and Oksana to remain safe, and true to herself. She always wanted to see the world outside Russia, and I couldn’t end the story before she had her chance.

The purpose of this novel is to depict what I imagine to have been the emotional realities these women faced. There are precious few examples of historical fiction that showcase these women, and I sought to change that. If you seek nonfiction works that shed more light on the history of the time, please visit my website at www.aimiekrunyan.com for a list of further reading.

Writing this book has been one of the greatest challenges—and joys—of my life. I sincerely hope you enjoyed it.

With love and light to all my dear readers. Clear skies.

~Aimie K. Runyan

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Writing a book is a solitary endeavor in its infancy but becomes the work of many as it blooms into adulthood. I am so grateful to so many:

• Melissa Jeglinski, my inimitable agent, for encouraging this project from the outset and keeping me grounded. I couldn’t have done this without you.

• Miriam Juskowicz, for her unparalleled enthusiasm, and Danielle Marshall, for making it very clear that my book is in excellent hands.

• The entire Lake Union team for all their hard work in making this book a reality. You made my book look beautiful!

• David Downing, for his astute and detailed edits. You, sir, are a joy to work with.

• Danielle Gibeault and Dave Seymour, pilots extraordinaire, as well as the entire staff of the Flying Heritage Collection in Seattle. My profound thanks for your assistance with all things in the realm of aviation. All mistakes are mine, but they would have been far more numerous without your wisdom.

• Abby Polzin, for sharing in the excitement of this project with me and for being a wonderful photographer and Seattle tour guide. Fortuitous wrong turns and all!

• The ladies of the BWW: Jamie Raintree, Kate Moretti, Ella Olsen, Orly Konig, Andrea Catalano, and Theresa Alan. Your support makes this crazy business all worthwhile.

• To Kate Quinn for being my comrade in Russian headaches for the past year and for being a dear friend. And to Libbie Hawker and Kate Quinn (again) for the Facebook comedy of errors that led to this book deal.

• The Tall Poppies: I learn so much from you each and every day. I am honored to be a part of this movement to promote excellence in women’s fiction.

• The Ladies of the Lake for welcoming me into the fold. You’re all remarkable authors.

• The good people of RMFW and WFWA: You’re a wonderful tribe. I love you all.

• My readers everywhere—you’re the reason I do this, and I appreciate all of you! Especially all of the active members of my beloved Facebook readers’ groups: Bloom, Great Thoughts Great Readers, Readers’ Coffeehouse, A Novel Bee, Women Readers Women’s Books, and so many more. It is a joy to get to interact with you every day.

And as always, I thank:

• My family, both the Trumbly and Runyan clans, for your unwavering support.

• My darling children, Ciarán and Aria, for reminding me daily about what’s important.

• My brilliant, adorable husband, Allan, for standing by me as I navigate the world of make-believe friends. You’re truly wonderful, and I appreciate all you do.

AUTHOR BIO

^{Photo © 2016 Abby Polzin}

Aimie K. Runyan is a historian and author who writes to celebrate history’s unsung heroines. She is the author of two previous historical novels: Promised to the Crown and Duty to the Crown. She is active as an educator and a speaker in the writing community and beyond. She lives in Colorado with her wonderful husband and two (usually) adorable children. To learn more about Aimie and her work, please visit www.aimiekrunyan.com.