Traveling Light
Page 36
“You got the last seat on the two pm flight,” he explained. “Check-in time is at one fifteen pm, so you’ve got a little time. Change planes in Minneapolis. Will you be checking any bags, ma’am?”
“No.” Paula looked down at her feet. “No bags to check.”
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
I’d like to thank Marge Gibson and the staff of Raptor Education Group, Inc., in Antigo, Wisconsin, who one snowy day in late December 2010 responded to a phone call from a stranger and granted us a full tour of her facility, as well as cooked and served us lunch. Marge introduced me to my first-ever eagle, owl, turkey vulture and many other raptors and other birds. Her generosity with this visit cannot be overstated nor can I thank her enough. The work they do at REGI is both unparalleled and amazing, and my heart and admiration go out to wildlife rehabilitators and rescuers everywhere. They are special beings who do special work. I would also like to thank Marlene Stringer, who is an amazing agent, for her levelheaded-sane interjection and sensitivity that are needed at times in the writing process. And also thanks to Stephanie Flanders, who is ever supportive and talented and whom I trust implicitly with my words and ideas. To my faithful “boots on the ground” beta readers, Nell Thalasinos and Karen McGovern, to whom I’m never ashamed or embarrassed to show anything, no matter how rough or bad. And to my family, who is always with me. And also to Ron Kuka, University of Wisconsin Creative Writing Program, for his unwavering support and encouragement through this process. And last, to all of the early Greek emigrants who left behind the land they loved in order to create a better life for the rest of us. Thank you for your sacrifice. Your steadfastness beats in the hearts of your grandchildren and will live on in all generations to come.
FORGE BOOKS BY ANDREA THALASINOS
An Echo Through the Snow
Traveling Light
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Andrea Thalasinos, Ph.D., is a professor of sociology at Madison College. She is the author of An Echo Through the Snow, an inspiring novel that combines her long-standing passions for dogs, nature, and native peoples. Andrea lives and writes in Madison, Wisconsin. Visit her online at www.andreathalasinos.com.
This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, organizations, and events portrayed in this novel are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.
TRAVELING LIGHT
Copyright © 2013 by Andrea Thalasinos
All rights reserved.
Cover photography © Mark Owen, Arcangel-images.com
A Forge Book
Published by Tom Doherty Associates, LLC
175 Fifth Avenue
New York, NY 10010
www.tor-forge.com
Forge® is a registered trademark of Tom Doherty Associates, LLC.
ISBN 978-0-7653-3302-5 (hardcover)
ISBN 9781429966559 (e-book)
First Edition: July 2013