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Literary Aviatrix: The Power of Story - Women in Aviation

Advertise on podcast: Literary Aviatrix: The Power of Story - Women in Aviation

Rating
★★★★★
4.8
from
17 reviews
This podcast has
218 episodes
Language
English
Date created
2021/01/19
Latest episode
2026/01/22
Average duration
71 min.
Release period
15 days

Description

Join Liz Booker as she interviews authors whose books feature women in aviation from across genres, historical periods, and types of flying, and be inspired by the tenacity, adventure, and courage of our sisters in the air.  * Liz not only promotes books featuring women in aviation, but also provides the tools and information for other women to tell their stories. Check out  Writers' Room interviews for in-depth discussions on writing, publishing, and book promotion.  * Liz is a retired Coast Guard helicopter pilot and writer, and host of the Aviatrix Book Club, Aviatrix Writers' Group, and Literary Aviatrix website where you'll find hundreds of books featuring women in aviation for all ages.  * Sign up for the Literary Aviatrix Newsletter to stay up to date on book news and book discussions and follow her on social media @LiteraryAviatrix.  * https://linktr.ee/literaryaviatrix 

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Check latest episodes from Literary Aviatrix: The Power of Story - Women in Aviation podcast


Aviatrix Writers' Room - Children's Author Kirsten W. Larson talks about writing, publishing, and her 'Reimagine Your Writing' craft books
2026/01/22
Send us a text In this Aviatrix Writers’ Room conversation, former NASA public affairs specialist and author of four nonfiction picture books, Kirsten W. Larson talks about writing true stories for young readers. We dig into how she learned the craft, the communities and organizations that helped her grow, and the realities of traditional publishing timelines (especially for illustrated nonfiction). Kirsten shares a clear-eyed look at writing “school and library” work-for-hire books, what those contracts mean for rights and creative control, and why she ultimately shifted her focus toward her own trade projects. We also talk about nonfiction kidlit craft—how research becomes story, why emotional connection matters, and the revision mindset behind her Reimagine Your Writing craft books Reimagining Your Nonfiction Picture Book: A Step-by-Step Revision Guide and her latest launching February 1st -  Telling it True: How to Write Non-Fiction Kids (and Teens) Want to Read (Reimagine Your Writing).  What we cover • How Kirsten developed her craft (study, critique, repetition, feedback) • Communities that helped: critique groups, SCBWI, NFFest, webinars, classes • What “kidlit nonfiction” really asks of the writer: story first, facts supported in back matter • The publishing timeline reality for illustrated books (and why it takes years) • Work-for-hire school/library books: what the contracts typically mean (flat fee + publisher holds rights) • How to break in: magazine clips, portfolios, pitching educational publishers • Why she wrote Reimagining Your Nonfiction Picture Book (and what it’s designed to solve) • What she’s building next: a broader nonfiction craft “prequel” + a middle grade graphic novel project • Encouragement for new writers: read what’s being published now, learn the medium, write, revise, repeat Did you know you can support your local independent bookshop and me by shopping through my Bookshop.org affiliate links on my website? If a book is available on Bookshop.org, you'll find a link to it on the book page. By shopping through the Literary Aviatrix website a small portion of the sale goes to support the content you love, at no additional cost to you. https://literaryaviatrix.com/shop-all-books/ Thanks so much for listening! Stay up to date on book releases, author events, and Aviatrix Book Club discussion dates with the Literary Aviatrix Newsletter. Visit the Literary Aviatrix website to find over 600 books featuring women in aviation in all genres for all ages. Become a Literary Aviatrix Patron and help amplify the voices of women in aviation. Follow me on social media, join the book club, and find all of the things on the Literary Aviatrix linkt.ree. Blue skies, happy reading, and happy listening! -Liz Booker
Kirsten W. Larson on Wonder Woman, aircraft designer E. Lillian Todd, and astrophysicist Cecilia Payne
2026/01/22
Send us a text I’m joined by Kirsten W. Larson, former NASA public affairs specialist and author of four nonfiction picture books—including Wood, Wire, Wings, the story of pioneering airplane designer E. Lillian (Emma) Todd, and A True Wonder, a biography of Wonder Woman as a cultural icon shaped by women’s history. We talk about how Kirsten became a children’s nonfiction author, why the back matter matters, and what drew her to stories that put overlooked women back into the historical record—especially women who weren’t “the winners” history tends to preserve. We also dig into the inventive, practical brilliance of Lillian Todd, the wild early days of aviation design, and the fascinating ways Wonder Woman’s portrayal rises and falls alongside cultural attitudes toward women in the U.S. Buy the book: https://literaryaviatrix.com/book/wood-wire-wings-emma-lilian-todd-invents-an-airplane/ Did you know you can support your local independent bookshop and me by shopping through my Bookshop.org affiliate links on my website? If a book is available on Bookshop.org, you'll find a link to it on the book page. By shopping through the Literary Aviatrix website a small portion of the sale goes to support the content you love, at no additional cost to you. https://literaryaviatrix.com/shop-all-books/ Thanks so much for listening! Stay up to date on book releases, author events, and Aviatrix Book Club discussion dates with the Literary Aviatrix Newsletter. Visit the Literary Aviatrix website to find over 600 books featuring women in aviation in all genres for all ages. Become a Literary Aviatrix Patron and help amplify the voices of women in aviation. Follow me on social media, join the book club, and find all of the things on the Literary Aviatrix linkt.ree. Blue skies, happy reading, and happy listening! -Liz Booker
Breaking formation – U2 Pilot Merryl Tengesdal on graphic novels, confidence and courage, and raising the next generation of leaders.
2026/01/14
Send us a text In this interview, Merryl Tengesdal, Col USAF (ret.) returns to talk about Shatter the Sky: Tales of Dragon Lady 788— a comic designed to bring confidence, critical thinking, and leadership lessons to younger readers. We discuss why comic books and graphic novels matter, how real-world aviation experiences shaped this story, and why kids (and adults) need to listen to their inner voices and speak up when something doesn’t feel right. This conversation moves from the cockpit to the classroom to the living room — touching on parenting, peer pressure, mental health, and the responsibility of preparing the next generation to lead with integrity. Buy the Book: https://literaryaviatrix.com/book/shatter-the-sky-tales-of-dragon-lady-788/ If you haven’t listened to my full interview with Merryl about her memoir, Shatter the Sky, you can find it here: https://literaryaviatrix.com/shatter-the-sky/ Did you know you can support your local independent bookshop and me by shopping through my Bookshop.org affiliate links on my website? If a book is available on Bookshop.org, you'll find a link to it on the book page. By shopping through the Literary Aviatrix website a small portion of the sale goes to support the content you love, at no additional cost to you. https://literaryaviatrix.com/shop-all-books/ Thanks so much for listening! Stay up to date on book releases, author events, and Aviatrix Book Club discussion dates with the Literary Aviatrix Newsletter. Visit the Literary Aviatrix website to find over 600 books featuring women in aviation in all genres for all ages. Become a Literary Aviatrix Patron and help amplify the voices of women in aviation. Follow me on social media, join the book club, and find all of the things on the Literary Aviatrix linkt.ree. Blue skies, happy reading, and happy listening! -Liz Booker
Aviatrix Classics: Pioneer Ruth Nichols’ Wings for Life—record-setting flights, devastating crashes, and the resilience to find purpose that joined aviation skill with Quaker compassion to deliver air relief worldwide.
2025/12/31
Send us a text In this deeply immersive Literary Aviatrix Classics conversation Dr. Jacque Boyd, Captain Jenny Beatty and I discuss Wings for Life, the extraordinary memoir of pioneering aviatrix Ruth Nichols. Nichols’ life reads like myth—altitude, speed, and distance records; repeated catastrophic crashes; unrelenting physical pain; and a relentless return to the cockpit. Beneath the headlines lies a story of discipline, preparation, spiritual conviction, and resilience shaped by mentorship, friendship, and loss. We trace Nichols’ journey from debutante to record-setting pilot, from shattered vertebrae to historic long-distance flights, and from personal heartbreak to immensely impactful global humanitarian work. This conversation also places Nichols within the broader context of women’s aviation history—alongside Amelia Earhart, The Ninety-Nines, and the interwar aviation world that shaped (and constrained) women’s opportunities. What makes this episode special is not just what Nichols accomplished—but how she endured. This is a story about what happens when a woman refuses to disappear, even when the world—and her own body—tries to stop her. Topics Covered ·       Ruth Nichols’ record-setting flights in altitude, speed, and distance ·       The brutal physical cost of early aviation—and survival against the odds ·       Mentorship from Harry Rogers and Clarence Chamberlain ·       Women pilots, publicity, and the economics of survival in aviation ·       The founding and early purpose of The Ninety-Nines ·       Competition, friendship, and tension with Amelia Earhart ·       Faith, Quaker values, and Nichols’ pivot toward humanitarian aviation ·       Relief Wings, disaster response, and the roots of Civil Air Patrol ·       Why Ruth Nichols deserves a larger place in aviation history Did you know you can support your local independent bookshop and me by shopping through my Bookshop.org affiliate links on my website? If a book is available on Bookshop.org, you'll find a link to it on the book page. By shopping through the Literary Aviatrix website a small portion of the sale goes to support the content you love, at no additional cost to you. https://literaryaviatrix.com/shop-all-books/ Thanks so much for listening! Stay up to date on book releases, author events, and Aviatrix Book Club discussion dates with the Literary Aviatrix Newsletter. Visit the Literary Aviatrix website to find over 600 books featuring women in aviation in all genres for all ages. Become a Literary Aviatrix Patron and help amplify the voices of women in aviation. Follow me on social media, join the book club, and find all of the things on the Literary Aviatrix linkt.ree. Blue skies, happy reading, and happy listening! -Liz Booker
Captain Lynn Rippelmeyer — From TWA Stewardess to Pioneering 747 Captain
2025/12/22
Send us a text Pioneering airline pilot Lynn Rippelmeyer reflects on her extraordinary journey from being hired as a TWA stewardess in the early 1970s to becoming one of the first women to fly the Boeing 747, and later retiring from United Airlines after a career shaped both by deregulation, mergers, and furloughs, and by generosity, unexpected opportunities, and adventure. We talk about her two-part memoir, beginning with Life Takes Wings, which traces her path from the cabin to the flight deck at a time when women were told — explicitly — that they didn’t belong there. Lynn shares unforgettable stories from the cockpit, including a laugh-out-loud reading involving a seeing-eye dog, Florida mud, and an entire airport watching it unfold. In Life Takes Flight, the adventures continue as she pursues her flying career, takes a break to raise a family, and then returns to flying as a single mom.  This episode also explores: The transition from “stewardess” to “flight attendant” and what that shift meant culturallyBeing told women couldn’t fly “the heavies” — and proving otherwiseThe mentors (and gatekeepers) who shaped her careerHow discovering the WASP later in life reframed everything she’d been toldWhy writing her story became a responsibility, not just a creative actHow her flying career ultimately led to humanitarian work in Honduras and the founding of a nonprofitLynn’s story sits at the intersection of aviation, feminism, labor history, and storytelling — and it’s one every aspiring aviator (and writer) should hear. Buy the books directly from Lynn to support her non-profit Roatan Support Effort. https://lynnrippelmeyer.com/purchase-now Did you know you can support your local independent bookshop and me by shopping through my Bookshop.org affiliate links on my website? If a book is available on Bookshop.org, you'll find a link to it on the book page. By shopping through the Literary Aviatrix website a small portion of the sale goes to support the content you love, at no additional cost to you. https://literaryaviatrix.com/shop-all-books/ Thanks so much for listening! Stay up to date on book releases, author events, and Aviatrix Book Club discussion dates with the Literary Aviatrix Newsletter. Visit the Literary Aviatrix website to find over 600 books featuring women in aviation in all genres for all ages. Become a Literary Aviatrix Patron and help amplify the voices of women in aviation. Follow me on social media, join the book club, and find all of the things on the Literary Aviatrix linkt.ree. Blue skies, happy reading, and happy listening! -Liz Booker
Tracey Curtis-Taylor — Bird: Flying the Spirit of Artemis Across Continents and Confronting the Old Boys’ Club
2025/10/31
Send us a text If you love daring women, vintage airplanes, and real-world adventure, you’re going to love this one. Pilot and author Tracey Curtis-Taylor shares her journey from a $15 introductory flight in Canada to flying her restored 1942 Stearman across Africa, from UK to Australia, and across the United States. We talk about her inspirations — Lady Mary Heath, Amy Johnson, Out of Africa — and her experiences confronting backlash in modern aviation.  Did you know you can support your local independent bookshop and me by shopping through my Bookshop.org affiliate links on my website? If a book is available on Bookshop.org, you'll find a link to it on the book page. By shopping through the Literary Aviatrix website a small portion of the sale goes to support the content you love, at no additional cost to you. https://literaryaviatrix.com/shop-all-books/ Thanks so much for listening! Stay up to date on book releases, author events, and Aviatrix Book Club discussion dates with the Literary Aviatrix Newsletter. Visit the Literary Aviatrix website to find over 600 books featuring women in aviation in all genres for all ages. Become a Literary Aviatrix Patron and help amplify the voices of women in aviation. Follow me on social media, join the book club, and find all of the things on the Literary Aviatrix linkt.ree. Blue skies, happy reading, and happy listening! -Liz Booker
Literary Aviatrix Classics: Aviatrix by Elinor Smith — The Flying Flapper Who Outsmarted Putnam, Outflew the Boys, and Spilled All the Aviation Tea
2025/10/20
Send us a text Hold on to your flight goggles — this episode might be our juiciest Literary Aviatrix Classics yet. In this roundtable, Dr. Jacque Boyd, Captain Jenny Beatty, and I dive into Aviatrix: The Story of Elinor Smith, the 1981 memoir of the teenage pilot who took the 1920s aviation world by storm. Elinor Smith — “The Flying Flapper of Freeport” — was famous for flying under New York’s East River bridges at just seventeen, setting endurance and altitude records, and standing toe-to-toe with the biggest names in early aviation, from Jimmy Doolittle to Amelia Earhart. We talk about her outrageous feats, her sharp wit, her complicated relationships with the men (and women) of her era, and the political games of George Putnam that still echo through aviation history. It’s history, fierce flying, gossip, mentorship, and womanhood — all wrapped in one bold memoir. ✈️ Topics include: ·       Elinor’s bridge stunt and early fame ·       The rivalry (and respect) between Elinor Smith and Amelia Earhart ·       The dirty dealings of aviation icons and prominent promoters. ·       Women’s solidarity and tension in 1920s aviation ·       Why Aviatrix should be required reading for every pilot Even after you listen to us dish about it for 2+ hours you’ll still want to read it yourself. There are a few used copies on the market and it’s available in e-book: https://literaryaviatrix.com/book/aviatrix-elinor-smith/ Did you know you can support your local independent bookshop and me by shopping through my Bookshop.org affiliate links on my website? If a book is available on Bookshop.org, you'll find a link to it on the book page. By shopping through the Literary Aviatrix website a small portion of the sale goes to support the content you love, at no additional cost to you. https://literaryaviatrix.com/shop-all-books/ Thanks so much for listening! Stay up to date on book releases, author events, and Aviatrix Book Club discussion dates with the Literary Aviatrix Newsletter. Visit the Literary Aviatrix website to find over 600 books featuring women in aviation in all genres for all ages. Become a Literary Aviatrix Patron and help amplify the voices of women in aviation. Follow me on social media, join the book club, and find all of the things on the Literary Aviatrix linkt.ree. Blue skies, happy reading, and happy listening! -Liz Booker
Finding Myself in Aviation | Mary Build’s Inspiring Story of Flying, Seaplanes, and Second Chances
2025/09/27
Send us a text At age 47, Mary Build took her very first flight lesson. What followed was a remarkable 30-year career in aviation—flying seaplanes, running her own seaplane base in Maine, flying to Alaska, competing in the Air Race Classic, and serving as a Designated Pilot Examiner (DPE). In this interview, Mary shares her powerful journey from overcoming personal challenges to becoming a respected leader in aviation. We talk about her memoir Finding Myself in Aviation, the courage it takes to start something new later in life, and the joy of never saying no to opportunity. 📚 Finding Myself in Aviation was the Aviatrix Book Club pick for August. Order it here: https://literaryaviatrix.com/book/finding-myself-in-aviation/ ✈️ Topics we cover: Mary’s path from young motherhood to seaplane pilot and instructorAdventures flying to Alaska (and close calls along the way)Competing in and judging the Women’s Air Race ClassicLessons learned as a flight instructor and examinerAdvice for starting—or restarting—your aviation journey at any age💙 Blue skies and happy reading! #WomenInAviation #Seaplanes #AirRaceClassic #AviationHistory #PilotLife #LiteraryAviatrix Did you know you can support your local independent bookshop and me by shopping through my Bookshop.org affiliate links on my website? If a book is available on Bookshop.org, you'll find a link to it on the book page. By shopping through the Literary Aviatrix website a small portion of the sale goes to support the content you love, at no additional cost to you. https://literaryaviatrix.com/shop-all-books/ Thanks so much for listening! Stay up to date on book releases, author events, and Aviatrix Book Club discussion dates with the Literary Aviatrix Newsletter. Visit the Literary Aviatrix website to find over 600 books featuring women in aviation in all genres for all ages. Become a Literary Aviatrix Patron and help amplify the voices of women in aviation. Follow me on social media, join the book club, and find all of the things on the Literary Aviatrix linkt.ree. Blue skies, happy reading, and happy listening! -Liz Booker
Captain Tammie Jo Shults — Southwest Airlines Pilot of Flight 1380, Navy Jet Pioneer, and Author of Nerves of Steel
2025/09/16
Send us a text In this episode, I sit down with Captain Tammie Jo Shults — one of the first women to fly Navy tactical jets, longtime Southwest Airlines captain, and author of Nerves of Steel. Tammie Jo is best known for her extraordinary leadership on Southwest Flight 1380, but as she shares in this conversation, her story is about much more than one day in the cockpit. It’s about the obstacles she faced along the way, the resilience she built, and the way her faith, perseverance, and preparation equipped her for the moment the world was watching. We talk about: 🚫 Being told “girls can’t fly” — and proving them wrong✈️ Breaking barriers in Navy aviation in the 1980s💪 Facing cultural and institutional challenges in both military and airline cockpits📝 Why journaling matters and how it shaped her memoir, Nerves of Steel🧭 How true stories and past experiences shaped her decision-making on Flight 1380❤️ The role of faith, family, and community in sustaining her through adversityThis is a conversation about resilience, truth, and the power of persistence — one that will inspire anyone navigating obstacles in their own path. Did you know you can support your local independent bookshop and me by shopping through my Bookshop.org affiliate links on my website? If a book is available on Bookshop.org, you'll find a link to it on the book page. By shopping through the Literary Aviatrix website a small portion of the sale goes to support the content you love, at no additional cost to you. https://literaryaviatrix.com/shop-all-books/ Thanks so much for listening! Stay up to date on book releases, author events, and Aviatrix Book Club discussion dates with the Literary Aviatrix Newsletter. Visit the Literary Aviatrix website to find over 600 books featuring women in aviation in all genres for all ages. Become a Literary Aviatrix Patron and help amplify the voices of women in aviation. Follow me on social media, join the book club, and find all of the things on the Literary Aviatrix linkt.ree. Blue skies, happy reading, and happy listening! -Liz Booker
Captain Patty Bear Book Launch: Air Force KC-135 Veteran & Airline Pilot on Wisdom Hacks, Decision-Making, Career Transitions, and Women in Aviation
2025/09/04
Send us a text This is my first in-person interview, recorded at Patty Bear’s home in a medieval village in Provence. Her new book, Captain Patty’s Wisdom Hacks, launches September 9 and is available for preorder now. We bridge the years after her memoir From Plain to Plane—from USAF KC-135 pilot (Desert Shield/Desert Storm) to nearly 30 years at United Airlines, parenting, coaching, and building a life between the U.S. and France. In this episode: Pay Yourself First (money, health, time, energy)Like It or Love It? (making aligned choices)New Day, New Jet (reset after mistakes)The Ground Doesn’t Care (respect reality)Mentor Yourself (self-leadership > gurus)Anam Kara (soul friends & discussion prompts)Leaving Your Neighborhood (life passages & growth)Preorder: link in show notes Launch: September 9 Also by Patty: From Plain to Plane and House of the Sun. #AviatrixBookClub #WomenInAviation #Leadership #Resilience #Provence Did you know you can support your local independent bookshop and me by shopping through my Bookshop.org affiliate links on my website? If a book is available on Bookshop.org, you'll find a link to it on the book page. By shopping through the Literary Aviatrix website a small portion of the sale goes to support the content you love, at no additional cost to you. https://literaryaviatrix.com/shop-all-books/ Thanks so much for listening! Stay up to date on book releases, author events, and Aviatrix Book Club discussion dates with the Literary Aviatrix Newsletter. Visit the Literary Aviatrix website to find over 600 books featuring women in aviation in all genres for all ages. Become a Literary Aviatrix Patron and help amplify the voices of women in aviation. Follow me on social media, join the book club, and find all of the things on the Literary Aviatrix linkt.ree. Blue skies, happy reading, and happy listening! -Liz Booker
Bestselling author Tracey Enerson Wood on her historical novel, Katharine: The Wright Sister, and how Katharine Wright changed the course of aviation history
2025/08/24
Send us a text This June, I sat down with bestselling author Tracey Enerson Wood to talk about her newest historical novel, Katharine, the Wright Sister: A Novel (2024). The book shines a spotlight on Katharine Wright, the often-overlooked sister of Wilbur and Orville Wright—whose contributions were vital to the invention and promotion of the airplane. Tracey and I talk about her path from registered nurse to novelist, her love of writing about “hidden women in history,” and her other works: The Engineer’s Wife, The War Nurse, The President’s Wife, Homefront Cooking, and Life Hacks for Military Spouses. Since recording this, I’ve begun work on my women in aviation history textbook—and Katharine  appears in Chapter One, in a sidebar about the hidden women who shaped early flight. Listen in for a lively, inspiring conversation about writing, research, and the women who changed history. Buy the book: Katharine, the Wright Sister #AviationHistory #WomenInAviation #BookClub #Podcast Did you know you can support your local independent bookshop and me by shopping through my Bookshop.org affiliate links on my website? If a book is available on Bookshop.org, you'll find a link to it on the book page. By shopping through the Literary Aviatrix website a small portion of the sale goes to support the content you love, at no additional cost to you. https://literaryaviatrix.com/shop-all-books/ Thanks so much for listening! Stay up to date on book releases, author events, and Aviatrix Book Club discussion dates with the Literary Aviatrix Newsletter. Visit the Literary Aviatrix website to find over 600 books featuring women in aviation in all genres for all ages. Become a Literary Aviatrix Patron and help amplify the voices of women in aviation. Follow me on social media, join the book club, and find all of the things on the Literary Aviatrix linkt.ree. Blue skies, happy reading, and happy listening! -Liz Booker
Yogini Modi: Entrepreneur, Aviation Mentor, and Community Leader, talks about how her flight school in Homestead Florida is helping to grow India's commercial pilots
2025/08/19
Send us a text From growing up in a Gandhian school in India, to serving ten years in the Indian Army, to founding a thriving flight school in South Florida, Yogini “Yogi” Modi’s journey in aviation is extraordinary. In this interview, Yogi shares how her father’s encouragement sparked her passion for flying, how she became one of the Indian Army’s microlight pilots, and how she has dedicated her career to training and mentoring the next generation of aviators — many of them women from India who return home to join the airlines. We also talk about: Her leadership style, shaped by her Army serviceThe unique strength of India’s women pilots (15% of the commercial workforce — the highest in the world)Her role as chair of the Gold Coast chapter of the Ninety-NinesAttending Harvard’s Women in Aviation Leadership ProgramHer vision for expanding her school and scholarships to support future aviators📖 Listen to the full interview here, or watch on the Literary Aviatrix Website, and check out my feature article about her in the July - September 2025 issue of Aviation for Women Magazine! Visit Pilot Training Center Homestead: https://www.pilottrainingcenterhomestead.com/ Did you know you can support your local independent bookshop and me by shopping through my Bookshop.org affiliate links on my website? If a book is available on Bookshop.org, you'll find a link to it on the book page. By shopping through the Literary Aviatrix website a small portion of the sale goes to support the content you love, at no additional cost to you. https://literaryaviatrix.com/shop-all-books/ Thanks so much for listening! Stay up to date on book releases, author events, and Aviatrix Book Club discussion dates with the Literary Aviatrix Newsletter. Visit the Literary Aviatrix website to find over 600 books featuring women in aviation in all genres for all ages. Become a Literary Aviatrix Patron and help amplify the voices of women in aviation. Follow me on social media, join the book club, and find all of the things on the Literary Aviatrix linkt.ree. Blue skies, happy reading, and happy listening! -Liz Booker
Shirley M. Phillips — How Not to Fly an Airplane: Lessons from 40 Years in Aviation
2025/08/09
Send us a text Shirley M. Phillips is a pioneering female pilot and author whose new aviation memoir, How Not to Fly an Airplane, captures four decades of pilot life stories and lessons from the cockpit. From her start as a teenage student pilot in New Hampshire to becoming the first pregnant airline pilot at her company, Shirley’s career in aviation is filled with grit, humor, and resilience. In this pilot interview, Shirley shares what it’s really like to be a flight instructor, including wild stories like regaining control from a student who froze on the controls, instructing state troopers in Cessnas, and discovering a student was on trial for murder. She also talks about her unconventional publishing journey with Apprentice House Press, a small press run by publishing students at Loyola University Maryland — offering valuable insight for memoir writers and indie authors. 📖 Buy the Book: https://literaryaviatrix.com/book/how-not-to-fly-and-airplane/ ✈️ Learn More About Shirley and Check out her Moth recording on her website: ShirleyMPhillips.com: www.ShirleyMPhillips.com Did you know you can support your local independent bookshop and me by shopping through my Bookshop.org affiliate links on my website? If a book is available on Bookshop.org, you'll find a link to it on the book page. By shopping through the Literary Aviatrix website a small portion of the sale goes to support the content you love, at no additional cost to you. https://literaryaviatrix.com/shop-all-books/ Thanks so much for listening! Stay up to date on book releases, author events, and Aviatrix Book Club discussion dates with the Literary Aviatrix Newsletter. Visit the Literary Aviatrix website to find over 600 books featuring women in aviation in all genres for all ages. Become a Literary Aviatrix Patron and help amplify the voices of women in aviation. Follow me on social media, join the book club, and find all of the things on the Literary Aviatrix linkt.ree. Blue skies, happy reading, and happy listening! -Liz Booker
Women's military equality advocate and author Bridges DelPonte talks about the 14 trailblazing women pilots whose histories intersect with Florida in her book She Soars
2025/07/09
Send us a text In this interview with author Lucille Ponte, writing under the penname Bridges DelPonte, we talk about the fabulous fourteen women featured in her non-fiction anthology, She Soars: Trailblazing Female Pilots in Florida, and her professional advocacy for women’s equality in the military as an attorney and law professor. The book highlights fun and interesting facts about names we know from our cast of women in aviation history and introduces us to a few remarkable new ladies and their impressive accomplishments and contributions. While the Florida nexus strikes a chord with me personally as a South Florida resident, these stories will resonate with and inspire any reader with an interest in aviation. Buy the book: She Soars Here's the blurb:  Florida has a long and unique history of being a testing ground for female pilots who broke new ground in aviation. From the early 1900s when women performed daring stunts in the air to the World War II era when they served as WASP pilots to the modern times when they flew military jets, commercial planes, and Space Shuttles, Florida has been a key place for female aviator history. These stories from Florida will highlight 14 of women who made history with their flying skills; and left their mark in the Sunshine State. The remarkable journeys of these trailblazing female aviators are told in a captivating and informative manner. Did you know you can support your local independent bookshop and me by shopping through my Bookshop.org affiliate links on my website? If a book is available on Bookshop.org, you'll find a link to it on the book page. By shopping through the Literary Aviatrix website a small portion of the sale goes to support the content you love, at no additional cost to you. https://literaryaviatrix.com/shop-all-books/ Thanks so much for listening! Stay up to date on book releases, author events, and Aviatrix Book Club discussion dates with the Literary Aviatrix Newsletter. Visit the Literary Aviatrix website to find over 600 books featuring women in aviation in all genres for all ages. Become a Literary Aviatrix Patron and help amplify the voices of women in aviation. Follow me on social media, join the book club, and find all of the things on the Literary Aviatrix linkt.ree. Blue skies, happy reading, and happy listening! -Liz Booker
Author Leona Cobham, granddaughter of pioneering aviation advocate Sir Alan Cobham, joins me again to talk about the latest in her middle grade chapter book series featuring vintage British aircraft, Flying Circus: Above and Beyond
2025/07/06
Send us a text In this interview I talk with author Leona Cobham about the latest in her middle grade chapter book series featuringa cast of vintage British aircraft characters, Airplane Adventures Flying Circus: Above and Beyond. I first interviewed Leona in 2023, and we talked briefly about her grandfather, Sir Alan Cobham and his pioneering contributions to air-to-air refueling. We talk a little more about his advocacy for the advancement of aviation in this conversation. Check out the original interview, and a clip of Sir Alan Cobham himself from the 1930s in the links below: https://literaryaviatrix.com/leona-cobham/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M7eu7rYMS8s&list=PLDIDPYt9Z0z6KZF6lDqTNx3iL0FSNRt_Y&index=4 Buy the books:  Book 1: Flying Circus Takes to the Skies Book 2: Through Thick and Thin Book 3: Above and Beyond Did you know you can support your local independent bookshop and me by shopping through my Bookshop.org affiliate links on my website? If a book is available on Bookshop.org, you'll find a link to it on the book page. By shopping through the Literary Aviatrix website a small portion of the sale goes to support the content you love, at no additional cost to you. https://literaryaviatrix.com/shop-all-books/ Thanks so much for listening! Stay up to date on book releases, author events, and Aviatrix Book Club discussion dates with the Literary Aviatrix Newsletter. Visit the Literary Aviatrix website to find over 600 books featuring women in aviation in all genres for all ages. Become a Literary Aviatrix Patron and help amplify the voices of women in aviation. Follow me on social media, join the book club, and find all of the things on the Literary Aviatrix linkt.ree. Blue skies, happy reading, and happy listening! -Liz Booker

Podcast reviews

Read Literary Aviatrix: The Power of Story - Women in Aviation podcast reviews


4.8 out of 5
17 reviews
★★★★★
Erin Murphy Books 2023/06/09
Inspiring, informative, and fun.
Liz never disappoints in her interaction with guests and as host who allows aviation and writing to propel conversations on a wide variety topics. Th...
★★★★★
CuriousLearning 2023/02/17
New listener
SO thankful you spoke at our Zonta meeting last night! You are such an inspiration with your story & your current path. I am enjoying listening to you...
★★★★★
Just Another Day in Paradise! 2022/09/09
High Flyers
Loved your interview with Ann McCallum Staats author of High Flyers. Can’t wait to read this book, it is packed with so many amazing aviatrices! Thank...
★★★★★
Flywithmanou 2022/06/01
Fantastic podcasts
I love the host and the guests are always so interesting. I love books, and I love that the episodes are for Women in aviation, that write books!
★★★★★
Plain girl free 2022/03/26
Endlessly fascinating
Aviatrix Book Review by Elizabeth Booker shares the fascinating stories of women in aviation and the behind-the-scenes process and viewpoints of the a...
★★★★★
LancasterToLacLeman 2021/12/13
Fabulous every time!
Liz and the intersection of writing and women in aviation will inspire and motivate any listener. Each episode gives treasures of insight and lessons ...
★★★★★
Louis Netherland 2021/08/23
Something for everyone!
These podcasts offer something for everyone - the aviation enthusiast, the history nerd (me), the book lover, and the writer. I really like how the co...
★★★★★
Sean_McGrath 2021/07/10
Excellent podcast!
Really great short episodes. Just two women talking about aviation and books. A remarkable cross-section of history and modernity. Worth the listen!
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