Author Author Shine Out Loud:
Interview with Author Linda Swink,
"Life on a Five Dollar Bet"
Air
Force veteran, Linda D. Swink is an award winning three time author and
professional speaker......2013 Gold Award Winner for Biography, "Life
on a Five Dollar Bet" is a true story. .....When Ed Mechenbier retired
from the United States Air Force Reserve in June 2004, he held the
distinction of being the oldest former Vietnam POW and Air Force general
still in uniform on flying status......."Life on a $5 Bet" tells how he
survived those dark days and went on to become a general officer by
holding to values learned at the Academy: Integrity First, Service
Before Self, and Excellence in All We Do......This interview is the back
story of the author, Linda Swink.....As a member of the United States
Air Force for fifteen years and an Army wife for ten, Linda learned to
appreciate the sacrifice those in uniform made for this country.
.....With a deep understanding and respect for military veterans, she
honored those who fought and died for our county in her book, "In Their
Honor: The Men Behind the Names of Our Military Installations."
.....LInda Swink, 2013 Military Writer's Society of America for the
Biography, "Life on a Five Dollar Bet."
LISTEN TO INTERVIEW HERE
Short synopsis: Life on a $5 Bet is a story
about Major General Edward Mechenbier, an amazing man who after being shot down
over North Vietnam in 1967 endured the indignities of being held prisoner of
war in the infamous Hotel Hilton for almost six years.
Ed tells how he survived those long torturous years by holding
true to the Code of Conduct and never allowing the Vietnamese to break him. He
relates how humor got him and his fellow prisoners through those dark days, how
the human spirit endured, and how ordinary men overcame adversary by keeping
faith and having courage and commitment.
You will read about a man, after returning from hell, went on to
become a test pilot, a squadron commander in the Air National Guard, and made a
flight back to Vietnam flying the Hanoi Taxi to repatriate two of his fallen
comrades. Although a humble man, he still considers himself to be the World’s
Greatest Fighter Pilot.
Taken from flyer:
When Ed Mechenbier retired from the United States Air Force Reserve
in June 2004, he held the
One of eight children made attending college financially
difficult. When his father bet him $5 that he could get an appointment to the
Air Force Academy, Ed accepted the challenge. That decision set the course for
a career that lasted forty years.
During those years, Ed went from being a high-spirited fighter
pilot full of hopes and dreams to a prisoner of war, held in the infamous Hanoi
Hilton. He lived through hell at the merciless hands of prison guards and
tortuous interrogators, but never lost his sense of humor or duty to his
country.
Life on a $5 Bet tells how he survived those dark days and went on
to become a general officer by holding to values learned at the Academy:
Integrity First, Service Before Self, and Excellence in All We Do.
Ed gives the reader a glimpse into his zany life as a test pilot,
lobbyist, squadron commander, spy, member of the Reserve Forces Policy Board,
golfer, syndicated television air show commentator, sales engineer with major
aircraft companies, devoted family man, and pilot of the C-141, dubbed the
Hanoi Taxi, on a repatriation flight to Vietnam in 2004.
About the Author:
Linda D. Swink is an author, professional speaker, and an Air
Force veteran.
As a member of the United States Air Force for fifteen years
and an Army wife for ten, Linda learned to appreciate the sacrifice those in
uniform made for this country. With a deep understanding and respect for
military veterans, she honored those who fought and died for our county in her
book, In Their Honor: The Men Behind the
Names of Our Military Installations.
Her latest book: Life on a
$5 Bet: Major General Edward J. Mechenbier, recounts the story of an
amazing man who suffered nearly six years as a prisoner of war in the infamous
Hotel Hilton in North Vietnam.
Recognizing the need to hone her public speaking skills, Linda
joined Toastmasters International and gained confidence at the lectern in a
friendly, warm, and supportive atmosphere. From that experience, she shares her
knowledge in, Speak With Power and Grace:
A Woman’s Guide to Public Speaking.
In addition to her books, she has written a wide variety of
articles for consumer and trade magazines and military and community
newspapers.
Linda holds a degree in
journalism from the University of Texas at El Paso and lives in Hamilton, Ohio.
AWARD WINNER; Life on a
$5 Bet: Major General Edward J. Mechenbier, Little Miami Publishing Co, 2012.
In Their Honor: The Men
Behind the Names of Our Military Installations, Little Miami Publishing Co. 2009. www.intheirhonor.info
Speak With Power and
Grace: A Woman’s Guide to Public Speaking, Citadel Press, 1997.
www.intheirhonor.info
Linda can be contacted
at
Website: www.intheirhonor.info.
