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About Amy Trueblood
A devotee of reading and writing from a very young age, Amy Trueblood grew up surrounded by books. As the youngest of five children, she spent most of her time trying to find a quiet place to curl up with her favorite stories. After stints working in entertainment and advertising, she began writing her first manuscript and never looked back. Her debut novel, Nothing But Sky is a Spring 2018 Junior Library Guild selection and will be published March 27, 2018 by Flux.
Sometimes historical fiction, especially in the Young Adult category, gets a bad rap. When people hear the word “historical” I think they believe it’s synonymous with the words “boring” and “snoozefest”. To be honest, before I started writing historical fiction I would have agreed. But here’s the truth: beyond the headlines and story makers, are the heroes who are quietly making history and their stories are FASCINATING! We need more books about these people. The themes in their lives resonate as much today as they did almost one hundred years ago.
The women who graced the skies as wing walkers in the 1920s and 1930s weren’t so much hell-bent on breaking stereotypes as they were on trying to make a life for themselves. It’s not any different in the world we live in today. Women are still pushing the boundaries of what society believes is the norm. They are shattering ceilings and battling every day expectations. In 2018, it’s almost expected for women to challenge the status quo, but Grace in 1922’s Nothing But Sky is an anomaly. A girl who refuses to play by the rules, not because she has an agenda, but because she has one singular focus: keeping her family together.
No matter the circumstance, we as humans can identify with the need for family connection. From the security that comes with knowing the people we care about will always be around to love and support us. While Grace may look like a daredevil, someone who enjoys living life on the edge, for her, every trick, every moment out on the wing is more about fear of loss than it is about making it to Hollywood.
These same themes can be found in many Young Adult historical books I adore. In Sherri L. Smith’s, Flygirl, Ida Mae is focused on being a pilot while struggling with her commitment to her family. In Stacey Lee’s Under A Painted Sky, Samantha finds that friendship can mean family too. And while he has some raucous adventures, I’d dare say that Monty in Mackenzi Lee’s The Gentleman’s Guide To Vice and Virtue holds onto the goal of keeping his one true love, Percy, in his life.
While each of these stories takes place in a different time and place, they still carry the same sense of family and belonging. And no matter how much the world changes, and whether the stories are told from the perspective of someone in 1920 or 2020, the themes of love, support, and family continue to resonate.
A few more Young Adult historical books I love:
Title Nothing But Sky
Author Amy Trueblood
Pages 284 Pages
Intended Target Audience Young Adult
Genre Historical Fiction
Publication Date March 27th 2018 by Flux
Find It On Goodreads ● Amazon.com ● Chapters ● The Book Depository
Grace Lafferty only feels alive when she’s dangling 500 feet above ground. As a post-World War I wing walker, Grace is determined to get to the World Aviation Expo, proving her team’s worth against flashier competitors and earning a coveted Hollywood contract.
No one’s ever questioned Grace’s ambition until Henry Patton, a mechanic with plenty of scars from the battlefield, joins her barnstorming team. With each new death-defying trick, Henry pushes Grace to consider her reasons for being a daredevil. Annoyed with Henry’s constant interference, and her growing attraction to him, Grace continues to test the powers of the sky.
After one of her risky maneuvers saves a pilot’s life, a Hollywood studio offers Grace a chance to perform at the Expo. She jumps at the opportunity to secure her future. But when a stunt goes wrong, Grace must decide whether Henry, and her life, are worth risking for one final trick.
One Response
Nothing But Sky blew me away! Definitely need to pick it up if you like Flygirl. 🙂