Amanda Flower was back on Friday with her Latest!
- Sarah Ickes
- Jul 1
- 3 min read
Right: Amanda signing books. Top Left: Amanda giving her talk. Bottom Left: Her books on our tables.
It had been a couple of years since Amanda had last visited our shop, and we were delighted to host her this past Friday, as part of her book tour for Not They Who Soar, the second installment in her "Katharine Wright Mystery Series."
The evening began with an introduction, and a quick look ahead to our shop's future events, given by the owner of the bookshop, Deb Beamer. After she handed the "microphone" over to Amanda Flower, our readers tentatively listened to her talking about the real-life heroine of her story, Katharine Wright. Here is a snapshot of what we learned about the sister of the famous flying duo, the Wright Brothers:
Despite being the youngest sister to Orville and Wilbur Wright, Katharine was more akin to a mother hen for the "boys," as she often called them. She was a full-time teacher, who was well-versed with languages, such as Latin and Greek, who also helped to run the bicycle shop that funded their plane experiments. As they were off testing, she kept the "home base" operating efficiently while they waited for their patent to be approved.
To Slip the Bonds of Earth, the first book in Amanda's historical mystery series, takes place around their first flight in 1903, and during her research for the storyline, Amanda could not find a single biography solely written on Katharine. While she did locate a children's book focusing on their "silent partner" in the business, she used her past experiences as a librarian to gather more information through tapping into additional sources.
In Not They Who Soar, Katharine goes by herself to attend the 1904 World's Fair and meets up with a friend of hers who's husband is there on business. Though it is the first time that an aeronautic competition would be featured at the fair, her brothers did not wish to showcase their plane without a patent, and the area for the contest did not include a long enough stretch of land for them to take off. Most of the competitors were operating balloons and "air ship" like vessels, including one man who had his mailed in from outside of the United States. But when they went to open the well-packed balloon, on the day he was supposed to race, they found it had been stabbed through on all sides of the box. In Amanda's book, the man offers to show Katharine his machine, and upon seeing the dastardly deed, they stumble onto a dead body that has been murdered.
Now, while this author normally writes cozier mysteries, she did inform us that these books do contain a little of the "heavier" themes that the 1904 World's Fair had; given the multi-cultural display that had been sent in by their respective countries.
Toward the end of her talk, our readers did get a preview of what other books would be in-store for them next year: another installment in the "Amish Candy Shop Mysteries," a new series that will take place in the same town as her other Amish mysteries, and possibly a third one in the "Katharine Wright Mystery Series." She also gave us a taste of a new historical mystery series that her publisher would like for her to write.
Our readers had a number of good questions for Amanda, and a line formed for her to sign books before they left for the evening. As a Thank-You gift from our shop to her, we presented her with a brick for her garden, that had been painted by Sarah Ickes. It had Jethro the Pig, who is the "mascot" from her "Amish Candy Shop Mysteries," painted in-between two flowers, as the picture shows below.
Amanda Flower holding the painted brick that Sarah Ickes completed.
Once more, we would like to thank Amanda Flower for stopping by our shop last week, and talking with our readers. Without the authors, our customers wouldn't have anything to read, and nothing to read would mean no bookshops. Every cog in the wheel has an important role to play, and we are grateful to continue doing our part in making meaningful connections within the reading community. Until next time!
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