The storm came so fast—nobody was ready for it. The giant airship, which had been moored to its high mast at the top of a hill, was ripped from its tower and sent hurtling through the night with helium leaking from its crumpled bow. Even experienced airmen would have struggled to save the ship—but instead, the ship had been tended by a group of aeronautics students, none of whom had ever flown before in their lives.

The odds for survival were nearly impossible.

Nearly.

Avaris Quae, the ambitious eldest daughter of a prominent senator, is not the type to accept defeat. Over three long years at the Naval School of Aeronautics, she has endured ridicule from her classmates, extra rules of dress and conduct, and the loss of her closest classmates to dishonor, desertion, and a deadly accident. Despite these hardships, she has risen to the top ranks of her class and has proven that girls can succeed in a role previously given only to boys­­­­, while at the same time turning a fierce rival into her closest friend.

But now the storm has changed everything. Trapped aboard the crippled airship being blown out to sea—where enemy submarines prevent all hope of rescue—Avaris and her classmates must forget their rivalries and their egos if they ever want to see land again. Behind the petty bickering is a web of secrets and lies that could destroy their future naval careers, and soon Avaris will be forced to chose where her true loyalties lie—with her friends, or with the oath she swore to defend her country at all costs.

Set in an alternate history 1920’s USA, The Vigilate is loosely based on true events from the early days of aviation, and is dedicated to the memory of the brave pioneers of the air who risked—and often gave—their lives in the pursuit of conquering the skies.

DIRECT LINK TO AMAZON

Thank you to everyone who has supported this blog over the last year. The wait has been long, but I think you will agree that it has been worth it!

Future updates to this site include the archive of original blog posts detailing the original history of the Democratic Commonwealth of Ameria, an expanded glossary from the published books, and a sneak preview of the next entry in the series. That’s right – the next book has a complete first draft, and will be going through editing and revisions over the next year. No release date yet, but check back here periodically for the latest news!