WHERE STORIES TAKE FLIGHT: My Interview with "Flight Through Fire" Author, Carol Fiore

by Jennifer Lynn Alvarez

Today I'm thrilled to introduce a talented writer and all-around amazing lady, Carol Fiore. Carol's book, Flight Through Fire, is a narrative non-fiction account of what it takes to become a test pilot and what it costs to love one.

Carol's husband, Eric Fiore, a former F15 fighter pilot, is a safety fanatic. So when his test plane crashes in Kansas, Carol is certain of one thing--her husband could not have been flying the plane. Through this gripping tale, you will discover the truth about Eric's accident, experience the response of a billion dollar company, feel the intense pressure put on a hospital, and get to know a couple who love aviation as much as they love each other.

My favorite line from the book is on page 2: Carol and her daughter see smoke from the accident billowing in the distance, even commenting on it, but Carol doesn't sense that anything about the day is different. She writes, "It would take me years to understand that Eric and I were separate people." In a long marriage, two become one. This book poignantly describes the painful process of one becoming two again. Told with humor, piercing insight, and superb pacing--this is a book I could not put down.

Please enjoy my interview with author and speaker, Carol Fiore.

Jennifer: Your non-fiction narrative, Flight through Fire, is a vivid and heart-wrenching retelling of your husband's plane crash and subsequent events. How long did it take to write this book?

Carol: Eleven years!

Carol Fiore

Jennifer: Have you always been a writer, or did you have to learn to write?

Carol: Throughout school, I excelled at writing. My graduate school advisor told me it was a relief to have, finally, a student who could write. However, my writing consisted mainly of manuals, scientific reports, and technical papers with loads of statistics. I am, at my core, a science geek.

I had promised Eric I’d tell the world about him, so I was faced with a dilemma after he died. Perhaps because I hold three science degrees, I didn’t think I could write anything creative. I went to a writing group shortly after Eric’s death and announced that I was looking for someone to write my story. An old cranky man named Darwin pounded a fist on the table and said, “Write your own damn story.” These writers made me promise to write something and bring it back the following week. After reading my piece to the group there were shocked looks. “The hell you can’t write!” exclaimed Darwin. Later, we became close friends until his death two years ago. The story I read that day ended up in the book. It is the one about my first date—in an airplane—with Eric.

I pursued writing with the same passion I’ve pursued almost everything in my life. I worked hard for over a decade and refused to give up. I read every memoir I could find, studied authors’ writing techniques, joined writing groups, went back to college, read grammar books, attended seminars and book signings and workshops, and tried not to despair when I received rejection letters from publishers and agents. I read many books because the best writers are voracious readers. I wrote every single day, determined to become a writer. I did it because I loved Eric that much. But along the way, something rather astounding happened. I discovered that I loved to write.

Jennifer: Did the process of recreating your marriage through prose change your perspective of it?

Carol: I’ve realized that I had the kind of marriage most people never have. That, more than anything, has prevented me from becoming a victim.

Jennifer: You have shared your grief with readers; can you also share with us how you've coped with the loss of Eric over the years?

Carol: I’ve written a book which I hope to publish soon called A Grief Workbook for Skeptics—Surviving Loss without Religion. In it, I describe in detail how I’ve learned to heal. The book, written in a friendly conversational tone, combines a guided journal with self-help tools. I believe nonbelievers, and even many religious folks, want to be active in dealing with grief. My book contains twenty-two tasks to empower the grieving. I blend my own personal experience into advice and suggestions for the grieving skeptic.

Jennifer: Eric was a safety fanatic, and his job was very dangerous. In the book you describe how he prepped you for the possibility of an accident. Did you ever think it would really happen? Did his words help you in the aftermath of the crash?

Carol: I’m a licensed pilot, so of course I understand the risks of flying. But Eric was such an amazing pilot that I convinced myself nothing bad would ever happen when he was at the controls. Everyone who gets in an airplane should pause for a brief moment and think of the test pilots who gave their lives so all of us could be safe. Though flying commercially is very safe, test flying is not.

Eric’s words didn’t just help in the aftermath; they saved me. He had made me promise many times over the years to honor aviation if he was ever in a crash. He didn’t want me suing, blaming, and being what he often called “the whiny wife.” I call the book an aviation love story because it is not just about the love we had for each other, but also the love we had for aviation. This is the main theme of the book.

Eric Fiore

Jennifer: Have your children read the book? If so, how did they respond?

Carol: Our daughters, Tia and Robin, have read parts of the book—mostly the flashbacks. Their favorite story is the one about the rabbit murders. They don’t know much of what happened at the hospital and they prefer to keep it that way. Parts of the book are very graphic. Burns are horrible, and I don’t think my daughters need those images of their father.

They helped write the sections about themselves in the epilogue. Tia is very open about her eating disorder and it was with her full approval that I detail it in the book. She feels it might help others.

Jennifer: Have any changes been implemented in the world of test pilots as a result of Eric's accident?

Carol: Pilot friends from the air force and from Eric’s company, Bombardier, frequently tell me about newly implemented safety measures. In aviation, it is vital to study and learn from accidents. Things definitely have been changed and improved. Incidentally, Bombardier now has a new plane called the Cseries, which is completely amazing. It seems Eric had a “fingerprint” in the design and testing. I feel safe flying anything Eric touched.

Jennifer: What else have you written and do you plan to continue with your writing?

Carol: In addition to A Grief Workbook for Skeptics, I’m currently working on a young adult trilogy with environmental themes; the first book is titled Countdown. I’ve published many magazine articles, which are listed on my website. One is about my late friend Darwin.

I love writing, and I can’t imagine stopping!

Jennifer: Thank you for stopping by The Jennifer (Author) Diaries, Carol! I wish you and your book much success!

You may read more about Carol and her projects on her website www.carolfiore.com

You may enter to win a copy of Flight Through Fire on Goodreads here: