Hillary Peak gives us Wings of Hope

Title: Wings of Hope

by Hillary E. Peak

 

Genre – Literary Fiction
Publisher – Create Space
Release Date – December 2011

ABOUT THE BOOK:

The letter said he was dying, that’s all Jules Weinstein knows when she leaves her life in San Francisco and moves to New York City to be with her father. She goes for the remarkable opportunity to really know her father. She never dreamed he had liberated a concentration camp, dealt cards to Bugsy Siegel or saved the life of a Black Panther. Wings of Hope is a road trip through the memories of a man making peace with his life. Little does she know that by getting to know her father, she will find herself. While her father struggles with whether his life was meaningful, Jules discovers that her father’s last gift to her is the ability to reach for her dreams. Her journey teacher her that “the goodbye” is sometimes the most heartbreakingly beautiful part of life.

AUTHOR GUEST POST:

Making Your Dreams Come True In 2012

By Hillary E. Peak

Interestingly, when I received this blog topic, I was stunned because this has been the theme of my personal year as well.  In order to make your dreams come true, you have to be able to answer one question:  What are your dreams?  How silly!  You exclaim.  But it isn’t.  Determining what your dreams really are is very difficult.

First of all, dreams change over time.  When I was in college, all I wanted to do was change the world.  I went to law school thinking that I would get into government and solve problems.  I live in Washington DC and what I’ve determined is that the government is the source of many of said problems and as one tiny individual, I’m not going to be able to make the difference I long to make.  What does this mean?  It means my dreams have to change.

Now, I want to make it as an author.  Making it for me means that I can retire from the practice of law because I make enough money (i.e. my current salary or more) as a writer.  WOW!  I must be nuts, huh?  Well, that is my career dream—along with wanting to join the team of the Today show to tell the good ole US of A what to read and then get to be on Dancing with the Stars!

As for other dreams, I actually keep a list of things I want to do:  become a master yogi, go to the Kentucky Derby and wear a fabulous hat, see the Serengeti.  I don’t expect them all to come true in 2012, but it keeps me excited about the life that is to come.

My novel, Wings of Hope, is even about making your dreams come true.  In it, the main character, Jules, realizes that she is not fulfilled just having a good job and a good boyfriend.  She wants to design fashions.  I’m hoping readers will take away that it is better to try and live your dreams, even if you fail, then to never try at all.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Hillary Peak is a recovering idealist. She became a lawyer to change the world and is still somewhat shocked that didn't occur. Now, her goal is to retire from practicing law and write novels that people love. She is currently a practicing attorney in the District of Columbia. She lives with her family in Alexandria, VA.

Website – www.hillaryepeak.com

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Purchase Link:

 http://www.amazon.com/Wings-of-Hope-ebook/dp/B0058ORO0W/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1333571076&sr=8-3

http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/133482

Link to Tour on Main Site -  http://www.virtualbooktourcafe.com/3/post/2012/04/wings-of-hope-by-hillary-e-peak.html

Excerpt : 

As we sat at the table sipping coffee, I ventured my first question, “Dad, what were your parents like? You haven’t told me much about them, except that your mother had more brains in her pinkie than you’ve ever had.” I worried I wouldn’t have time to find out all I wanted to know.

He looked up, surprised. “Haven’t I told you about them?”

I shook my head. “But I’d really like to know more about them--especially what they were like.”

A smile spread across his face, “Really? I can’t believe that. My mother would have loved you--eaten you with a spoon. Remember when I took you to Fiddler on the Roof?”

I nodded, not wanting to break the spell by speaking.

I nodded again. That had horrified me, I couldn’t imagine not falling in love, courting, all that comes with the fun of meeting someone special, dressing up to go out, etc. The coffee mug warmed my hands, as I listened enraptured.

“Well, my parents were married like that.”

Rather than actually seeing it, I felt my jaw hit the floor. “You’re kidding!” I exclaimed without thinking.

“Nope.” He shook his head, watching me with amusement.“They’d never even seen one another. Married in a little village in Poland called Tarnapole. It is gone now--burned to the ground by the Nazis, I think.” His eyes misted over, but continued anyway. “My mother got pregnant with your Aunt Rebecca almost immediately. My dad was a barrel maker--and a fine woodworker. He made furniture for people as well. Six months after Rebecca was born, my mother got pregnant again--with Aunt Rachel. The pogroms went on at that time, and getting worse every day from what I gathered from my parents. Money and food were running out. It was quite desperate. My father decided to come to America, make some money with my mother’s brother who already lived here in New York, then send for my mother and the two girls. He left taking nearly two months to get to New York. It was barely three weeks after he stepped onto Ellis Island when World War One started. My mother and your aunts were trapped for the next three years. For a while, my dad could get in touch with them. He sent money, but after about a year, the lines were totally cut off. He didn’t know where they were, if they were even alive. As far as I know, he kept working, saving money. My mother on the other hand, was starving. The pogroms were continuing. The Cossacks were riding through villages, raping women and running everything that moved through with a sword.” He licked his lips, concentrating, clearly thinking about what it must have been like for his mother. My hair stood on end.

“One day, my mother was in the town rather than at their farm when the Cossacks came riding in. One grabbed my mother around the waist and lifted her onto the horse while he was moving. He intended to rape her in the saddle and kill her. She grabbed his pistol from out of the holster around his waist. She shot him dead as they rode.”

My mouth was open and my eyes were far bigger than saucers. My dad laughed at my expression. “I know. Totally amazing--she was an amazing woman. She never told me that story. Her brother told me after she died. I remember saying to him, ‘My Mother?’ I couldn’t believe it.”

“What happened?” I asked mesmerized. “How did she get away with it?”.

He nodded solemnly. “I asked the same question. She rode back to the farm. Her brothers buried the body. They slaughtered the horse and ate the meat—they couldn’t keep it, even though it would have been great for the farm, because it would have aroused suspicion and questions--but it was no longer safe for her or your aunts. People had seen it happen. They knew it wasn’t long before someone turned her in for a loaf of bread.” He bit the inside of his cheek, just a bit; frightened for them even though he knew it turned out alright.

“So she took what she could carry, along with my sisters and started walking to America.”

“Walking? Are you serious?” I literally could not imagine walking thousands of miles.

“Yep. She and my sisters hid in the woods during the day and walked at night for months. Eventually, she joined a refugee line.”

“How long did it take?” I couldn’t imagine. The fear I felt hearing about it was palpable--what must it have been like to go through something like that?

“Two years.”