Llynne Reed

Alarm Call of the Crow Llynne Reed

A big black American crow calls out an alarm! Could his flock of ground feeding birds be endangered by a stalking cat or could it be an unusual human danger he sees from his perch above the driveway? The Barlows, a fictional Vermont family, know the answer, sharing the events of that day as they unfold, along with generations of happy and sad family happenings. Having earned a BA in English and certification as a librarian, Llynne Reed moved from New York state in 1966 to work at the University of Vermont. In the peaceful state of Vermont, the largest visual reminders of discord were twentieth century war memorials found in cemeteries and parks. One August morning she witnessed a painful event that replaced peace and happiness with distress and fear, remaining in her subconscious for years. Fast forward to 2001. Marriage, family and work had filled the years. When her children, now grown, moved west the nest was empty. Then on September 11th the planes flying into the World Trade Center, killing thousands and injuring many thousands more, darkened human spirits in New York City and the entire United States. It was time to be with family, but for the author, flying did not seem safe. Long cross-country road trips were the answer: the first across the southern tier of states, destination Arizona; the second: destination Oregon, across the north with visits to historical sites, Niagara Falls, Kent State University, Minidoka Internment Camp in Idaho; the third: a permanent move to Portland, site of WWII shipbuilding in the Willamette and Columbia rivers, the Japanese American Museum of Oregon, the Portland Japanese Garden and the Vietnam Veterans Living Memorial. Words-in-a-book history became visual and tangible, showing events that must never be forgotten. This historical novel reveals how history and life often intersect: resulting in understanding, appreciation, concerns and questions.