memoir Archives - Gail KittlesonGail Kittleson

It’s summer, and we all need some laughs, right? You’ll find them here, courtesy of Elizabeth Calwell, and in her memoir, Dear Passenger: Welcome to My Wacky World as a Flight Attendant.

Some readers will want to know this book contains some mild “language,” because that’s part of the life of a flight attendant. Having said that, I think you’ll still enjoy her true stories. And she is offering a giveaway–one free paperback book to a commenter. Now, enjoy!

Hey y’all, I’m a “High Altitude Safety Technician”. That’s a highfalutin way of saying I’m a flight attendant.

It’s just not possible to get trained for all the bizarre things that happen on airplanes these days. You’ve watched the stories on the TV news from the comfort of your recliner, but I’m locked in with this insanity going on.

If you all think this inflight craziness has only been happening the last few years, let me tell you about my very first international flight over twenty-five years ago.

We were on the way to Jamaica. I was standing in the galley with several of the flight attendants when a woman tapped me on the shoulder and yelled, “You need to do something about that thing.”

“I’m the brand new flight attendant here but is there something I can help you with?”

She said, “I’m not kidding. That thing’s waking my baby.”

Then we heard a strange noise. “Cock-a-doodle-doo.”

“Cock-a-doodle-doo?” We all looked at each other then rushed to investigate.

A Jamaican man had snuck a rooster on board in a brown-paper bag and shoved it under the seat in front of him. Do you know what a cock does when it wakes up? “Cock-a-doodle-doo. Cock-a-doodle-doo!”

Everyone was laughing and all the passengers were pointing at the man, who didn’t understand all the excitement. He said, “Hey Mon, No problem here. It’s my dinner.”

Speaking of dinner, back when we regularly served meals on flights we hustled as fast as we could to get the passengers served as quickly as possible. Each new row, we repeated in rapid succession, “Beef? Or chicken? Beef or chicken? Beeforchicken?”

When I moved the cart forward to the next row, a man sitting next to the window declared in a booming voice, “I think I’ll have some of that thar’ beaver-chicken.”

“Excuse me?”

“Yeah. Beaver-chicken.”

There are things that just don’t bear explaining. I served him the chicken without a word. After all, doesn’t everything taste like chicken?

When we got closer to the back of the plane, we ran out of chicken. I asked a passenger, “Would you care for the beef for dinner?”

He demanded, with a Spanish accent, “I require cheeken.”

I said, “I’m so sorry, but we don’t have any more chicken, all we have is beef.

“I require cheeken. My ticket say I require cheeken.”

“Really! OK, show me your ticket.”

Sure enough, he pulled out his boarding pass and pointed to where it was printed in bold letters, CHECK IN REQUIRED.

Why couldn’t that man have been on my very first international flight? I could have handed him some really fresh poultry in a brown paper bag!

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You’ll find lots of amusing situations like these in my comedy memoir, Dear Passenger: Welcome to My Wacky World as a Flight Attendant. It’s humorous, light-hearted and entertaining with some vital information about air travel slipped in. My small town upbringing has given me a unique Southern perspective on the antics of passengers and unusual happenings while traveling.

Have you ever wondered about the life of a flight attendant? Or maybe you’ve had a hard day at work and need to escape your on the ground job. Well, fasten your seat belt and join me at 35,000 feet. I can tell you all about it.

Welcome aboard!

Elizabeth Calwell

Purchase Dear Passenger at:https://www.amazon.com/s?k=books+Dear+Passenger&ref=nb_sb_noss

You may contact Elizabeth at: Elizabeth@elizabethcalwell.com

I’m absolutely delighted to welcome Gail Johnson to Dare To Bloom this week. The two of us share a love for the genre of memoir, and she clarifies that here. What do I mean? The deep, underlying belief that our stories matter, and that the sacrifice involved in telling our stories has the power to free us…and others.

As I’ve often quipped when facilitating a memoir writing workshop: “Our stories are the best gift we can give.” Enjoy, and Gail will give one free print copy of her memoir to a commenter. Thanks for participating!

Excited About Memoir

Nonfiction never entered my head until 2016 when I couldn’t shake the need to write my memoir.

Of course, I had no idea about writing a memoir. I had studied fiction for years. So how could I take those skills and write my story? Interestingly, the same skills I learned as a fiction writer can be used in nonfiction writing. I don’t claim to be an expert, but I would like to share why I’m excited about this genre.

Purpose

But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive (Genesis 50:20 KJV).

Memoir writing is cathartic, exhausting, and painful. But through my journey, I realized scars can be a life-changing testimony of God’s ability to heal the unspeakable. I found purpose in spite of my pain. My memoir wasn’t about my story alone, but HIS story through the heartache, healing, and recounting of my journey. As a Christian writer, my purpose was to share the redemptive story in my own way. Mine was memoir. Yours may be fiction. Either way, there is a reader in need of hearing the good news.

Vulnerability

Memoir scared me. In memoir writing there is no hiding. The character was me. The story was mine. And the whole world would know the truth between the pages. But, I knew there was only one way to get to the heart of my reader. Vulnerability.

And from the feedback I’ve received from my readers, it was worth mining the deep.

Audience

As a reader, I love books that speak to my heart. As a writer, I wanted to speak to the heart of kindred spirits. What did I want to share with them? What did I want them to remember after reading my story?

Just as in fiction, I wanted to offer hope in the middle of my heartache. I wanted to give them a satisfying ending, and I did that by sharing the promises of God.

Closure

Talk no more so exceeding proudly; let not arrogancy come out of your mouth: for the Lord is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed (1 Samuel 2:3 KJV).

Does this mean everyone must write a book to find closure? Not necessarily. But in my case, I needed to see the big picture. My thoughts and notes were scattered throughout multiple journals. When I had finished reading my manuscript, the words solidified the lessons learned. The simple task of closing a book took on a spiritual meaning.

So, if you have a memoir buried within you, I encourage you to write it. Connect the dots. Publishing it will be your choice. Write on, dear one.