Fort Worth Writers Publishing News

We’d like to congratulate Jerry Gladyz who has contracted with Fawkes Press to publish his military thriller Dying to Fly. The book chronicles the life of a new helicopter pilot in the Vietnam war. On the flight over he meets a national columnist, who will do anything for a story. She vows to stop the war. All he wants to do is fly. While awaiting orders in Saigon, he is assaulted by US soldiers and nearly dies in a terrorist bombing. Events spiral out of control when he starts flying in the First Cavalry Division. He is ambushed, hijacked, crashes and lives the nightmare of combat in the air and on the ground. The First Cavalry Airmobile Division wasn’t what it was cracked up to be. Soldiers expected to be freed forever from the tyranny of terrain. Yet the horror of war persisted in spite of the humanity delivered by the rotor blades of the ‘Cav’. You are transported into the action from the first-hand viewpoint of a pilot in his first ninety-six hours in a war zone. He stretches beyond his limits in order to survive. If he fails, he’ll die. Many of the air-to-air sequences are from Jerry’s personal experiences. During his tour, he had 985 hours of combat flight time and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, Bronze Star and the Air Medal with 25 Oak Leaf Clusters.

Jerry published his first nonfiction novel, Ski Taos Style in 1993 and a sequel, T.A.O.S. The Art of Skiing in 2002

Richard Gonzales recently published his historical fiction novel, Deer Dancer. Set in 1800s Sonora, Mexico, the Yaquis are in constant struggle to keep their homelands from first the Spaniards and later the Mexicans. The battle between Yaquis and the Mexicans is personal for the Falcon family of Mateo, Petra, Luz, Angel and Cheve, as they fight to survive in the dangerous and violent world they live in. Deer Dancer blends both the mystical culture of the indigenous peoples of the Americas and historical events from this dark period in Mexico’s history to fascinate and educate older young adults and adults alike.

Previously Richard published Raza Rising, a scholarly account of the Chicanos’ struggles and contributions in creating a diverse Texas. Based on articles written for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, author Richard J. Gonzales draws on his educational, inner-city and professional life experiences to weave eyewitness testimony into issues facing Chicanos, including economic, health, education, criminal justice, politics, immigration, and cultural issues. Raza Rising presents a personal recounting of a Chicano’s struggle with and understanding of the socio-economic policies and historical actions that impact their ascendancy. Raza Rising offers first-hand observations, supported by well-documented scholarly research, of Chicanos’ growth and subsequent struggles to participate fully in North Texas’ political and economic life.

Raza Rising offers students, instructors, policy makers, politicians and neighbors a deeper understanding of Chicanos, who in the near future will transition from minority to majority status in Texas.