Author Archives: mmelland

Book Review: Flyboys: A True Story of Courage by James Bradley

Posted in Historical Nonfiction, Nonfiction by

Flyboys is the devastating story of nine American aviators (Flyboys) who were shot down over the Japanese island of Chichi Jima during World War II. Eight of the nine were captured and died under mysterious circumstances. I credit the author for finally telling their stories, but I found his agenda-driven account of history to be a distracting disservice to the men whose story he is telling. Continue reading →

Shred ALS!

Posted in Opinion by

Hello everyone!

I have ALS so this request is very personal.

This is my annual request for donations to my ALS walk team. Nationwide walks are the ALS Association’s primary fundraiser. This year the walks are virtual. I’m a bit worried that will have a negative impact on fundraising and I’ve vowed to do my part to raise money.

As many of you know, I was diagnosed with ALS in 2011 and I’ve been paralyzed and on a ventilator for about 6 1/2 years. Luckily, the disease hasn’t silenced me – I use eye gaze technology to communicate, which includes writing this blog.

Only about 20,000 Americans have ALS. We’re a select group that absolutely no one wants to be a part of. Because the number of people with ALS is so low, care and research funding tend to get shortchanged. However, the ALS Association advocates for us and provides much needed resources.

Please consider donating to my walk team to support the ALS Association’s ongoing work by clicking this link.

Thanks!
Michelle