As Eagles Soar

About the Book

As Eagles Soar is a romantic historical fiction account of a remarkable woman. Lizzie LaBeau was born into a wealthy family in the Montgomery, Alabama, area in 1880. Her mother dies when she is a small child, and her father tries to compensate by giving Lizzie the best of everything. Her best friend for life, Clara, the daughter of former slaves, was born the same day as Lizzie. The two become inseparable, getting themselves into numerous comical predicaments. Lizzie is a gifted child, beautiful, talented, and full of life. She grows up to become a nurse, serving in both world wars. She meets many famous people along the way, including Ty Cobb, Carole Lombard, Hank Williams, Martin Luther King, Orville and Wilbur Wright, and Andy Devine, as well as numerous Alabama politicians and governors. Along with her many adventures, Lizzie falls in love with two wonderful men and meets Emma, another lifelong friend. As she nears the end of her life, she sits in a nursing home and tells her remarkable life story to a Montgomery reporter. This story embellishes the many amazing accomplishments of women throughout America during these transitional years and is based loosely on the lives of four actual women. The story covers the years 1880 through 1969, with brief glimpses back into the Creek Indian Wars and the War Between the States. Lizzie has a lifetime struggle with religion, racism, elitism, disappointing love affairs, death, war, women’s suffrage, and the change from horse and buggy to men landing on the moon. Indeed, Lizzie LaBeau lived a full life, and the reader will have a greater appreciation for what women like her have accomplished over the years. And the final chapter will tug at your heartstrings.

About the Author

Don Laney has a bachelor’s degree in history and English and has had three other books published. Don began his writing career with short stories for a regional magazine. Several of his stories have received recognition for their humor and realism. Don also won first place for the best short story written in Stories from North Alabama, winning over 350 other entries. His first book, Charley’s Boys, was about his college days in the 1960s, emphasizing a championship basketball team and its legendary coach. His second book, The Laney Saga, is historical fiction about his own ancestry, dating back almost two thousand years. His third book, Forever Arabian, depicts life in a small Alabama town in the 1950s and 1960s. Don spent most of his career as a teacher and minister and is an avid jogger and cyclist. He enjoys hiking, reading, and writing and loves spending time with his grandchildren. He continues to write articles for his hometown newspaper as well as working on other books.