When She Flew

Table of Contents

 

 

“A taut, beautifully rendered novel about an injured war veteran, his bright young daughter, and a street-smart police officer who has lost almost more than she can bear. When their lives become entangled, what results has all the urgency of a thriller and offers a moving exploration of parental love and the lengths to which one person will go to take care of another.”

—Marisa de los Santos,
New York Times
bestselling author of
Love
Walked In
and
Belong to Me

“Jennie Shortridge has done it again. Her novels are delightful and compelling stories of real-world characters in mildly dysfunctional lives struggling for wisdom. This one, the story of a courageous and independent woman cop and a remarkably insightful feral girl, will grab you from the start and warm your heart with its originality and honesty. You’ll want to share this story with your friends.”

—Selden Edwards, author of
The Little Book

“A novel with real heart that takes the big issues of returning war veterans and child custody, the hard social choices that make us human, and explores them on an intimate scale. The voice of thirteen-year-old Lindy, interspersed throughout the story, is a welcome addition to the world of child narrators.”

—Erica Bauermeister, author of
The School of Essential Ingredients

“A mesmerizing tale of love, damage, and resurrection, propelled by a girl whose gifts are a marvel of the human spirit.”

—Randy Sue Coburn, author of
A Better View of Paradise

Written by today’s freshest new talents and selected by New American Library, NAL Accent novels touch on subjects close to a woman’s heart, from friendship to family to finding our place in the world. The Conversation Guides included in each book are intended to enrich the individual reading experience, as well as encourage us to explore these topics together—because books, and life, are meant for sharing.

“Jennie Shortridge’s heartfelt new novel takes the reader on a journey into the wilderness of the human spirit and the meaning of home. Against an evocative Northwest landscape, her beloved characters struggle with the ties that bind, ultimately finding the answer to what sets us free.”

—Heather Barbieri, author of
The Lace Makers of Glenmara

 

 

 

 

“Jennie Shortridge invokes the spirit of the Fremont District with a charming new novel.”

—
The Seattle Times

“Midlife crises are a bitch. Jennie Shortridge’s book
Love and Biology at the Center of the Universe
makes that very clear. Set in the fictional town of Pacifica, Oregon, Mira Serafino finds out her husband, whom she’s dated since high school, is two-timing. Instead of melting into a puddle of menopause and hot flashes, Serafino, a high-strung perfectionist, leaves her world behind and heads northward to Seattle, where she tries to bring out the bad girl that has been hibernating within.”

—
Willamette Week
(Portland, OR)

“Smart, funny, and endearing,
Love and Biology at the Center of the Universe
is also deceptively wise….Deeply drawn characters with their seams and raw edges exposed, clever dialogue, and a snappy pace make this one terrific read!”

—Garth Stein, author of
The Art of Racing in the Rain

“Like a Northwest Fannie Flagg, Jennie Shortridge gives us a wry and funny portrait of Mrs. Perfect, Mira Serafino. We all know where perfection can lead and in
Love and Biology at the Center of the Universe,
life becomes anything but
Family
freaking
Circle
. Steam a tall batch of half-caf mocha lattes for the club, throw on your slutty elf shoes, and discuss this delicious, sexy adventure of a mother at midlife.”

—Diana Loevy, author of
The Book Club Companion

“An honest and endearing look into the imperfect life . . . a middle-aged woman of unpredictable hormones and a heart as warm and rich as the espresso shots she delivers to her coffee house customers. Bruised but not beaten, the indomitable Mira escapes her not so perfect life in search of a new beginning and instead rediscovers the woman she was always meant to be. The true-to-life characters, rain-saturated Seattle setting, and flawless storytelling make this a book to remember.”

—Karen White, author of
The Girl on Legare Street

 

 

“A remarkably affecting book.”

—
The Denver Post

“
Eating Heaven
is exactly the kind of book I most love to read—rich, funny, sad, sensual, and hopeful. . . . Jennie Shortridge is a wise woman and her books are a tonic to the heart.”

—Barbara Samuel, author of
Lady Luck’s Map of Vegas

“Funny, sweet and, most importantly, original.”

—
Seattle Magazine

“A tasty novel.”

—
The Oregonian

“An immensely wise and readable book that will provoke amusement, tears, and thoughtful reflection.”

“Smooth writing, a cast of nicely developed characters, and a winning portrait of Portland, Oregon, add up to one good read.”

—Nancy Pearl, author of
Book Lust

 

 

“Shortridge does a fine job of molding her heroine into a sympathetic, even admirable character . . . hits all the right notes.”

—
The Miami Herald

“An absorbing novel of a family with hard edges but an unbreakable bond. . . . Shortridge’s finely crafted sentences often use a single telling detail to suggest the larger picture. It’s a notable debut.”

—
Rocky Mountain News

“Funny, sexy, smart. . . . Shortridge has done something few writers accomplish.”

—
Statesman Journal

“Jennie Shortridge writes with an easy grace and a backbeat of the blues that lends a quiet authority to this novel.”

—Summer Wood, author of
Arroyo

OTHER NOVELS BY JENNIE SHORTRIDGE

 

 

 

 

NAL Accent
Published by New American Library, a division of
Penguin Group (USA) Inc., 375 Hudson Street,
New York, New York 10014, USA
Penguin Group (Canada), 90 Eglinton Avenue East, Suite 700, Toronto,
Ontario M4P 2Y3, Canada (a division of Pearson Penguin Canada Inc.)
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Penguin Books Ltd., Registered Offices: 80 Strand, London WC2R 0RL, England

 

First published by NAL Accent, an imprint of New American Library, a division of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.

 

First Printing, November

Copyright © Jennie Shortridge, 2009

Conversation Guide copyright © Penguin Group (USA) Inc., 2009

 

All rights reserved

REGISTERED TRADEMARK—MARCA REGISTRADA

 

LIBRARY OF CONGRESS CATALOGING-IN-PUBLICATION DATA:

 

Shortridge, Jennie.
When she flew/Jennie Shortridge.
p. cm.

eISBN : 978-1-101-14920-1

1. Policewomen—Fiction. 2. Middle-aged women—Fiction. 3. Self-actualization (Psychology)
in women—Fiction. I. Title.
PS3619.H676W47 2009
813’.6—dc22 2009022838

 

 

 

Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise), without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the above publisher of this book.

 

PUBLISHER’S note

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

The publisher does not have any control over and does not assume any responsibility for author or third-party Web sites or their content.

 

The scanning, uploading, and distribution of this book via the Internet or via any other means without the permission of the publisher is illegal and punishable by law. Please purchase only authorized electronic editions, and do not participate in or encourage electronic piracy of copyrighted materials. Your support of the author’s rights is appreciated.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

My utmost respect and appreciation to Sergeant Michael Barkley of the Portland Police Bureau for his time, his thoughtful responses to my many, many questions, and for his respect for the lives and privacy of those he serves in the community. Thanks also to Portland detectives Travis Fields and Heidi Housley, and Officer Dorie Scott of the Seattle Police Department. And without Miss Carol Frischmann, Lindy would not have had her birds. Thank you, Carol, for the hike and the owl and the magic of your world. Many thanks to my early readers who helped guide the craft and kept me going: Sherry Brown, Jeri Pushkin, Cindy Grainger, Stan Matthews, Carol Hickman, Heidi Yorkshire, Alison Galinsky, and Sandra Fischer. (Thanks also to Sandra for all her help with . . . everything.) Big grateful hugs and a toast to my writers’ group, as amazing a writers’group as anyone could have: Stephanie Kallos, Randy Sue Coburn, Heather Barbieri, and Erica Bauermeister, who read and advised, as well as Garth Stein, Kit Bakke, and Mary Guterson. Thanks to our wonderful booksellers, whose support and friendship mean so much to writers, and even more to readers. (Patronize them, please, dear reader, as much as you can.) A big hug to Howard Wall at Penguin Group for taking me under his wing (sorry, I couldn’t resist), and to all of the wonderful people at NAL and Penguin, whose hearts and souls make great books happen, from copyediting to cover design to introducing them to booksellers. Thanks to my editor, Claire Zion, who makes me a better writer and seems to feel as passionately as I do about every aspect of the book. Thanks to my agent, Jody Rein, for believing in my writing from the start, and to her capable assistant, Johnna Hietala, for making everything run smoothly. And most especially, always, thanks to my family for their love and fierce loyalty, and to my husband, Matt Gani, who reads, suggests, listens, loves, and comforts me, all while doing his own good and intense work in the world.