Hillary E. Peak - Wings of Hope - Author Interview

About the Book

The letter said he was dying, that’s all Jules Weinstein knows when she leaves her life in San Francisco and moves to New York City to be with her father. She goes for the remarkable opportunity to really know her father. She never dreamed he had liberated a concentration camp, dealt cards to Bugsy Siegel or saved the life of a Black Panther. Wings of Hope is a road trip through the memories of a man making peace with his life. Little does she know that by getting to know her father, she will find herself. While her father struggles with whether his life was meaningful, Jules discovers that her father’s last gift to her is the ability to reach for her dreams. Her journey teacher her that “the goodbye” is sometimes the most heartbreakingly beautiful part of life.

Author Interview

1. Who is the plot based around?
There are two main characters: Sol and Jules. Sol is the father. He has a terminal illness and wants to spend his last days with his daughter, Jules. He and her mother divorced when she was a child. This is his last chance to really get to know her and impart any last wisdom. Jules is drifting through life. She has a job she doesn't really care about, a boyfriend she's only sort of interested in. She doesn't really know what to do with herself. So, when her dad asks her to come because he is dying, she drops everything and goes.

2. What is the main idea of the plot?
A father and daughter spending precious time together, getting to know one another as adults and sharing hopes, fears and a final goodbye. Sol wants to make certain that Jules is going to try and move forward into a life that is more meaningful. Jules wants to get to know her father better, hearing about his life before she knew him.

3. When does the plot take place?
Present day.

4. Where does the plot take place?
Mostly in New York City, much of it in Sol's apartment.

5. Why did the plot develop the way it did?
Because I was using my father's own true stories, the stories Sol is telling drove the plot--where they go, who they meet, what they see. Everything was determined by the stories I wanted Sol to tell Jules. Even Jules life was put together in a way to allow Sol to impart particular ideas, thoughts and wisdom.

6. How did you come up with the idea for the plot?
My father lived a truly extraordinary life. I started writing his stories down for my daughter while I was pregnant. The idea of weaving them into a fiction novel grew out of that. Jules was a product of a discussion I wish I'd been able to have with my own father about ambition and the need to follow your dreams.

***

Wings of Hope can be purchased at:
Amazon
Barnes&Noble.com
Kindle
Smashwords

Price: $9.99 paperback, $2.99 ebook
ISBN: 9781466312197
Pages: 226
Release: December 2011


About the Author

Hillary Peak is a recovering idealist. She became a lawyer to change the world and is still somewhat shocked that didn't occur. Now, her goal is to retire from practicing law and write novels that people love. She is currently a practicing attorney in the District of Columbia. She lives with her family in Alexandria, VA.

Connect with Hillary:
Web Site
Facebook
Twitter
Goodreads
Tribute Books Blog Tour Site