Captain Barnaby's Helicopter School For Bears

One dark, stormy night a single bolt of lightning struck two things at the same time.

One was a top secret AWACS plane on its final approach to Boeing Field. The huge aircraft was bucking turbulent head winds, heavy rain, and occasional lightning. The other was a trash dumpster behind a fast food place, where a homeless woman was headed to look for any left-over hamburgers. The metal was hot and steaming when she first looked inside.

Suddenly, she saw movement under some newspaper and carefully lifted one corner to see what was under there...

It was a cardboard box full of dead-oh, no! Who would do such a thing? But wait-one of them was still alive! Its eyes were sparking and cracking like electricity and its hair was standing up all over.

"Don't worry little fella," she said as she picked him up. "I'll get you outta here."

Which is exactly what caused a chain of unusual events to pop-just like popcorn-from one end of that city to the other.

And his name was Barnaby.

While flying a tour of duty in Vietnam, Randy Mains was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Bronze Star Medal and 27 Air Medals. An early pioneer in helicopter air ambulance service, he-along with six other ex-Vietnam helicopter pilots-worked 72-hour shifts to prove the helicopter air ambulance concept could save lives in America as it did in the battlefields of Korea and Vietnam.Randy was the first recipient of the Golden Hour Award, recognizing an individual in the air medical industry for their contribution to further the helicopter air ambulance concept in America. He was also the recipient of the prestigious Jim Charlson Safety Award for his contribution to further air safety in helicopter air ambulance operations worldwide. Over the years, Randy has been a flight instructor, flight simulator instructor and flight examiner evaluating helicopter Airline Transport Pilots from over twenty countries worldwide. A graduate of San Diego State University, with degrees in Journalism and English Creative Writing, Randy has also been a columnist for Rotor Pro magazine, and written seven books related to the helicopter industry. Captain Barnaby's Helicopter School For Bears is his first children's book.

Work that is colorful and vibrant, with a certain storybook pleasure, Brian Beausoleil paints from the heart no matter what the subject is. He has a masters level in fine art and illustration, two years of study with a former Disney animator, and brings a great sense of joy and satisfaction to his work. He has been painting professionally for over thirty years, and also serves as a member of the board of directors for PRIMA, the Pacific Rim Institute of Marine Artists. You can see more of his work and connect with him over at: BrianBeausoleil.crevado.com