Retirement bound ...

Originally published in the Ketchikan Daily News, August 2021; written by Tammy Dinsmore.

Do you ever get into a book that keeps you up way beyond what should have been time for lights out? You look up, and here it is 1 AM, and you have to get up and go to work the next morning?

That was the case for me when I was reading “Falling” by T.J. Newman. An edge-of-your-seat thriller that was really hard to put down.

Bill Hoffman, an airline captain with Coastal Airways has been called in to work at the last minute. His wife, Carrie is not happy about it. They had plans for Bill’s day off. It was opening day for their 10 year old son Scott’s baseball league.

As Bill is leaving for work, an internet repairman arrives at their door. He leaves for work not knowing that the repairman is actually a terrorist that takes his family hostage. The flight is from Los Angeles to New York, over 5 hours long. Bill doesn’t know about the situation at home until after his plane has taken off and the guy holding his family hostage gives him an ultimatum: crash the plane or his family dies. Bill is told not to inform anyone.

So, what to do? Does he tell someone? He has to. But who can he trust? He has also been informed that there is a backup on board the flight. If Bill doesn’t do exactly as he is told, there is someone on board who will make sure it gets done. Who could that be? A passenger? A member of the crew?

The story alternates between what is happening in the cockpit, with the flight attendants Jo, Michael (aka Big Daddy), and Kellie in the passenger area, at home with the terrorist and Bill’s wife, Carrie, son, Scott, and their 10 month old daughter, Elise, and the FBI trying to save Bill’s family before it is time for him to crash the plane.

Bill is the captain, and he is determined to not only save his family, but to land the plane safely, and with all 144 “souls on board” alive if possible. Did they do it?

Whew! I think I will be waiting a while to do any flying after reading this!

Plenty of things are happening at the library. A new Adult Take Home Craft will be available beginning Monday, August 30th (one per adult). Children’s programming will be taking a break for the month of September, but the library will still be open, and the Children’s staff are busy planning some exciting things for October, so stay tuned!

This is my last ad-lib column for the Ketchikan Public Library and the Ketchikan Daily News. I have turned in my retirement paperwork and will be done at the end of September! It has been a joy to work with the amazing staff at the library, and to serve you, our patrons these last 22 years. I will be seeing you on the other side of the circulation desk starting in October!