2010 One World One Heart Giveaway ~ A HAB Story

A day late...but after a couple of gliches, this post is to announce my latest project and my 2010 One World One Heart (OWOH) Giveaway.

I would like to present "Susan's Flight". It is a short story I wrote based on true recorded accounts on one of the first ever hot air balloon flights. The story revolves around a flight on September 19, 1783 with the first living beings in a hot air balloon. The characters in the story are all real but the stories are made up. Every week I will post one of four chapters of the story along with more details and pictures of the project.

Here is Chapter I ...

Susan's Flight - Chapter I

Susan fled the barn so fast that she almost forgot her shawl behind the haystacks from which she was hiding. A noise startled her to her senses and she made her escape before she even got a chance to look under the large tarp. She realized later that it was probably just her father’s horse looking for a midnight snack. She didn’t mean any harm. She was just trying to get a glimpse of the famous Montgolfier balloon. Her father was an eager American investor who had his sights set on the discovery of the first manned flight. Just think of it! A vessel that would lift a human being up to the skies among the birds and the clouds.

One year ago, Mr. Dyer moved his wife and daughter, Susan, to France to grow his investment business. Mr. Dyer followed his good friend and colleague, Mr. Hellmann, who wanted to invest in a new type of spread for meats and cheeses. Their plan was to bring it back to the America’s and grow it into a huge empire. In the meantime, Mr. Dyer got word of two bothers, Joseph and Jacques Montgolfier who successfully defied gravity by floating a globe shaped balloon into the air. Mr. Dyer, never one to miss an investment opportunity, sent a letter to the brothers offering his services and to help coordinate a public demonstration to be held near their home in Versailles. The brothers agreed and now the Aerostat Reveillon was being held in the Dyer barn until the unveiling two days from now.

Susan was always curious as a child, getting herself into trouble poking around corners and trying to listen in on private adult conversations. Even now, as a young adult, her curiosity hasn’t waned. She simply can’t wait so long as another day to see at least a piece of the new vessel. She vowed to try again the next day. In the meantime, she will have to keep her mind preoccupied with other matters. For instance, what will she wear to the pre-celebration ball tomorrow night!? She hurried her pace to get home before the servants woke. She must get at least a little sleep as the day ahead promised to be full of preparation for the weeks’ celebrations.

The OWOH giveaway is a handbound hardcover original copy of the short story, "Susan's Flight". You can enter to win my giveaway by leaving a comment on this post only. Any comment qualifies as an entry, but this year I would like you to share your favorite romance novel. Is it Pride and Prejudiced, The Notebook, etc.?....If you don't have a favorite romance novel then share what your favorite book is.

Check back next week for Chapter II and for more information on the paper mache Hot Air Balloon and the paper figure made just for this story.

Thanks for reading!