Flying At Night

About the book

An emotionally charged debut novel of a family on the brink--an autistic child, his determined mother, and her distant father--who learn that when your world changes, you find out who you really are... .

While she was growing up, Piper's father, Lance "the Silver Eagle" Whitman, became a national hero piloting a plane through an emergency landing. But at home, he was a controlling and overbearing presence in her life, raining emotional and verbal abuse upon the entire family.

It's no surprise, then, that as an adult, Piper has poured all of her energy into creating a warm and loving home for her own family, while catering to her son Fred's ever-growing idiosyncrasies.

Then Lance has a heart attack, leaving him with a brain injury--and dependent upon Piper for his care--just before tests confirm Piper's suspicions that Fred is on the autism spectrum.

A powerful and extraordinary novel, Flying at Night gives voice to Fred, trying to find his place in a world that doesn't quite understand him; to Lance, who's lost what made him the man he was, for better and worse; and to Piper, who, while desperately trying to navigate the shifting landscape around her, watches as her son and father start to connect--in the most miraculous ways... .

Praise for this book:

"A beautiful, and in turns heartbreaking and humorous, account of what it means to be both a child and a parent. It is about loss and redemption, love and humanity, and forging connections in the strangest and most unexpected ways." - Erin Celello

"[An] absorbing novel about the vulnerability and heartbreak of family life, its unexpected pleasures and pains... Brown's swift story toggles between three powerful voices, each an irresistible swirl of self-protection and exposure, each struggling with the age-old dilemma of how an individual survives life inside a tribe." - Susanna Daniel

"In Flying at Night, Rebecca L. Brown traces smart, important parallels across tribulations and generations. She manages the neat trick of making you root for every character, even when they aren’t rooting for one another." - Laurie Frankel

"Brown has crafted a stunning debut brimming with compassion, humanity, and uncommon humor...an unforgettable tale of fierce love, forgiveness, and the malleability of the human heart." - Susan Gloss

"Raw with emotional honesty, this book is a fearless, graceful and compelling look at family, marriage and parenting. Utterly captivating. I loved it!" - Kristan Higgins

"A beautiful, compassionate novel, Flying at Night provides a checklist for what human beings demand and give to one another. Ms. Brown opens a door to a household you will recognize as partially your own, and partially the indisputable headquarters of real people you’ve seen and want to know better. This is the good stuff, the true stuff, the stuff that keeps novels alive. Flying at Night provides a GPS to the heart of family life." - J P Monninger

"Beautifully written and endlessly touching, three memorable characters face life head-on with bravery and heart." - Phaedra Patrick

"Rebecca L Brown’s debut novel offers an engaging glimpse into the life of a family in crisis. Flying at Night’s characters are uniquely endearing, and their story presents a moving reminder of the ways that forgiveness can heal both the giver and receiver." - Kelly Rimmer

"A gorgeously written book. Told with impeccable clarity and insight, the author doesn’t pull any punches, but instead of wincing, the reader finds herself nodding with understanding and compassion. Piper is a flawed yet very relatable heroine stumbling over seemingly insurmountable obstacles, and readers will cheer for her as she finds her own voice and strength to move forward. Alternating points of view are expertly done, filling in the missing pieces to create a wonderful and emotionally engaging read." - Karen White