Sky Queen
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Release Date: June 28, 2019
Book Excellence Award Finalist
Synopsis
KATHERINE ROEBLING, a young woman from Chippewa Falls, WI, embarks on a journey from her quiet academic life studying anthropology at Beloit College to taste the Jet Age. The era of rapid social change, ushered in by faster and bigger jet engines, created stewardesses as the glamour girls. Airlines market these young women as the jet goddess hostess trained to pamper male passengers mix their martinis and calm their fears of flying. On the ground these jet goddesses become freedom warriors poised to lead a revolution.
Praise
"Kundert paints a vivid portrait of Katherine's flight attendant world... A thoughtful and sensitively observed tale with a heroine whose adventures are worth following."
—Kirkus Reviews
“Her Native American ancestors guide her along the way using feathers and her beloved talisman. The story addresses a particular era in the fight for women’s rights.”
—Booklist
“Sky Queen by Judy Kundert was an enjoyable read about a life that pulls our leading lady in two directions. One that has her feet firmly on the ground and helps her explore her roots and the other that has her sky-high living the life others can only dream of."
—Latest Book Crush
Excerpt
Beginning of the story – Katherine’s childhood friend who is a Playboy Bunny and her roommate got Katherine an invitation to a Playboy Press Party at the Chicago Mansion. The invitation has a stipulation – Katherine is a supposed be a journalism student who will write a fake article as a ruse of attending the party.
Excerpt from Chapter 6
Playboy Bunny for a Night
Katherine flung her hands over her face, wondering what she’d done. She didn’t want to write any article about the Playboy press party and especially not one with a Bunny-for-a-night angle. And what about Charlotte if she messed up? Would she get fired? Hey, a Bunny isn’t any sexier than a stewardess. Most airlines want stewardesses dressed like Bunnies, so I can do the job. But that article will remain an untold, unwritten story.
End of story where Katherine’s Beloit College professor acquired a rare internship in the 1960s for Katherine at the Smithsonian.
Excerpt Chapter 49
Katherine’s Miracle
Katherine’s tongue pushed at her teeth like a protective guard ready to charge through the bolted door. How can I ever show this woman the amazing gift that she’s given me and the opportunity that the American Folk Festival offered me? In the future, she could help promote and educate the world on the art and gifts that Chippewa tribes bring to the world. Katherine raised her hands to her face to suppress her tears of joy, so she could replace them with a grin that slipped from cheek to cheek. “Oh, Professor Kingsley, I don’t know how to thank you. You’ve opened more doors for me than I could ever imagine. I only hope that I can walk through each one and come out a better person. I hope I can make you proud of me as my thank-you to you.”