Fly Safe - Letters from the Gulf War and Reflections From Back Home

It is August 1990, and Iraq has just invaded Kuwait, setting off a chain reaction of events leading up to the first Gulf War. Vicki Cody's husband, the commander of an elite Apache helicopter battalion, is deployed to Saudi Arabia--and for the next nine months they have to rely on written letters in order to stay connected. From Vicki's narrative and journal entries, the reader gets a very realistic glimpse of what it is like for the spouses and families back home during a war, in particular what it was like at a time when most people did not own a personal computer and there was no Internet--no iPhones, no texting, no tweeting, no Facetime. Her writing also illuminates the roller coaster of stress, loneliness, sleepless nights, humor, joys, and, eventually, resilience, that make up her life while her husband is away. Meanwhile, Dick's letters to her give the reader a front row seat to the unfolding of history, the adrenaline rush of flying helicopters in combat, his commitment to his country, and his devotion to his family back home. Together, these three components weave a clear, insightful, and intimate story of love and its power to sustain us.

About the author

Vicki Cody grew up in Burlington, Vermont and graduated from the University of Vermont with a BS degree in education in 1975. For the next thirty-three years she was an Army wife, supporting her husband in his career. While raising their two sons and moving all over the United States and overseas, she served as a coach and mentor for other Army spouses, and as an advocate for Army families. Her first book, Your Soldier, Your Army: A Parents' Guide was published by the Association of the United States Army in 2005. Her articles have appeared in numerous military magazines and publications. This is her first memoir. She and her husband of forty years live in the Washington, DC area.

Summary

This is a story about the power of written letters and their ability to connect us, fulfilling our need for human connection. With Operation Desert Storm serving as the backdrop, it is also a story about the uncertainty of life, how the rules of the game can change in an instant, and how to keep moving forward when faced with everyday challenges.

Foreword

AUTHOR HIRED: Crystal Patriarche, BookSparks
160 hours
• National print, broadcast, and online media campaign
• Local print, broadcast, and online media campaign
• Widespread Galley distribution to national, local, and niche markets
• Targeted trade media campaign for reviews and spotlights
• Digital marketing campaign including blog tour
• Branded graphics package including print collateral, social media graphics, email and newsletter banners
• Early reviewer promotions on Goodreads option
• Strategy to position author as an expert

Additional text

“A searchingly personal memoir that also provides a thrilling peek into the Gulf War.”

—Kirkus Reviews

“In Vicki Cody’s Fly Safe, her moving follow-up to her first memoir, Army Wife, she delivers a tour de force full of emotion, determination, grit, and hope, something our country needs now more than ever. Vicki’s engrossing writing style takes us inside her world of handling critical roles as army wife, mom, family readiness group leader, and friend to so many as her husband famously fired the first shots of the Gulf War.”

—Anthony J. Tata, Brigadier General, U.S. Army (Retired) and national best-selling author of Chasing the Lion

“Cody gives us a front-seat ride on her journey as an Army wife, this time through journal entries and personal letters from her husband as he flew the most dangerous missions of Operation Desert Storm more than thirty years ago. Vicki weaves the correspondence into a gripping, historical narrative that chronicles the fears, tensions, high notes, and loneliness of an Army family waiting at home, all at a time when handwritten letters and sporadic phone calls were the only lifelines. A truly American tale of sacrifice, love, and commitment that, as readers will find out, isn’t over yet. An elegant and riveting work.”

—Gina Cavallaro, author of Sniper: American Single-Shot Warriors in Iraq and Afghanistan

“Cody has an uncanny way of giving us a vulnerable look behind the curtain of a Commander in theater, and the woman who loves him back on post. Her intimate details of ‘deployed love’ are honest and heartfelt . . . with a level of candor I’ve never before seen. Thank you for your bravery in giving us all a window to your soul, the soul of your marriage, and the soul of those who serve.”

—Heidi Collins, former CNN news anchor and proud wife of USAF fighter/attack pilot, Capt. Matt Collins

“With unparalleled grace and humility, Vicki Cody pours her soul out on the page for all to experience. In bearing her soul, she captures our hearts. Fly Safe is a must read for all Americans.”

—Jimmy Blackmon, author of Pale Horse and Cowboys Over Iraq

Product details

• Authors: Vicki Cody
• Publisher: Ingram Publishers Services
• Languages: English
• Product format: Paperback / Softback
• Release: 03.08.2021, delayed
• EAN: 9781647421441
• ISBN: 978-1-64742-144-1
• No. of pages: 304
• Subjects: Fiction > Narrative literature > Letters, diaries; Social sciences, law, business > Sociology > General, dictionaries; BIOGRAPHY & AUTOBIOGRAPHY / Personal Memoirs, HISTORY / Military / Persian Gulf War (1991), FAMILY & RELATIONSHIPS / Marriage & Long-Term Relationships