Saturday, October 20, 2007

My cousin's wedding

I'm in wedding mode. Last September I attended the wedding of Kate McMenamy, who I have known since she was in first grade. I was her afterschool and summer nanny for almost 6 years.

My cousin, who is my age, married for the second time last Sunday. Since our mothers were sisters, we've been close since being in diapers. The wedding occurred Sunday afternoon in Batesville, IN. Many of you may recognize Batesville, for I've set books near there: Legally Tender and my upcoming The Marriage Recipe (April 2008).

Since I'm on deadline and had to work on Monday, there was no way I could do the drive up and back. I left at 6 PM that night, and driving would have gotten back to St. Louis around midnight. Instead, I flew.

Well, not me personally, but for a little bit my daughter got to fly the Diamond Star four-seater we took across the country. The hero of The Marriage Recipe is a pilot. One of my former students is a commercial pilot and he helped out wwth all the research for the book.

While in The Marriage Recipe I used a Cessna, I have to say I liked this plane better. You actually step on the wing to get in and the windows are bigger--you pull the glass down to close the plane. We left Spirit of St. Louis Airport and headed for Greensburg, where my cousin had someone waiting with her van to pick us up and get us back to her house. We arrived on time, the wedding was beautiful, my cousin gorgeous and happy, and we were back on the ground in St. Louis by eight.

I'm a nervous flyer, but we went right over the Arch and I've never been able to see my hometown so well (amazing at 6,000 feet). The skies were kind and one the way home the lights below contrasted with dark patches. I'm spoiled now. No security, pilot I know--great way to travel.

I have feeling you may see more pilots in future books...in The Marriage Recipe Colin takes Rachel to dinner--in Chicago. Ah, the romance.

Michele

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Michele- My March, 2008 book features a pilot, too. :-) Must be a trend or something.

Michele Dunaway said...

Perhaps! All I know is that the book really clicked once I decided to make Colin a pilot (he's a lawyer).

When I flew the first time with Chris, I whacked my head on the underside of the wing while getting out. The co-pilot was really worried but I laughed (after wincing) and said, this will be in the book.

It is. Maybe that's why I like the Diamond Star better. I can't hit my head.

(PS--I have a coworker's weding in November then I think I'm done for a while.)

Michele

Jennifer Faye said...

I traveled once in a small commuter plane from an international airport to a small airport in the suburbs, talk about being cramped. Felt like my knees were around my ears. LOL. Of course at that time I had my baby on my lap and she wouldn't sit still. It was extremely bumpy and long. After that, I made the family drive to the international airport to pick me up. LOL.

Glad the wedding went well. Have fun at the next one. Maybe you'll get a breather until next spring. :)

Jennifer

Lily said...

As you have been flying these days... maybe there will be a pilot in one of your books ;)

Estella said...

I have flown in a small commuter plane. Didn't much care for it.

Michele Dunaway said...

This isn't a small commuter plane. This plane only seats four people. It's a single engine located on the nose and we all wear headphones so we can talk to each other. The headphones actually make things a lot quieter.

One of the great things about Chris is the whenever I have questions about a plane, I call him up or email him and he's got the answer. Flights have become much better since I learned the insider guide as to where to sit, what planes will not allow you to have your carry on with you (most regional jets will check those at the gate) and the real reason why your cell phones and electronics must be off.

If you are really curious, here's the plane we were in:

http://www.skylineaero.com/showplane_detail.html?tail=N545CF

It's a 2005 Diamond DA40.


Michele