Tammie Jo Shults, Captain of Southwest Flight #1380, Announces Book at EAA Airventure Show - Nerves of Steel Releasing in October 2019

July 24, 2019
Nerves of Steel is the true story of Shults' remarkable life, from growing up the daughter of a humble rancher, to being one of the Navy's first female F/A-18 Hornet pilots, to safely landing the severely crippled Southwest Airlines Flight 1380.

Nerves of Steel: How I Followed My Dreams, Earned My Wings, And Faced My Greatest Challenge (ISBN# 9780785228318) is a personal chronicle from Captain Tammie Jo Shults being released on October 8, 2019, by W Publishing Group, an imprint of Thomas Nelson.

Nerves of Steel is the captivating true story of Tammie Jo's remarkable life – from growing up the daughter of a humble rancher, to breaking through gender barriers as one of the Navy's first female F/A-18 Hornet pilots, to safely landing the severely crippled Southwest Airlines Flight 1380 and helping save the lives of 148 people.

"Adventure is worthwhile," is one of Tammie Jo's favorite quotes by Amelia Earhart, an American aviation pioneer and whose birthday is tomorrow, July 24. Tammie Jo has spent her entire life loving the skies. She became one of the few female fighter pilots in the U.S. Navy and in 1994, after serving her country honorably for eight years, Tammie Jo joined Southwest Airlines.

On April 17, 2018, Captain Tammie Jo was called to service once again. Twenty minutes into a routine domestic flight, she was faced with the unthinkable – a catastrophic engine failure in the Boeing 737 caused an explosion that punctured hydraulic lines and severed fuel lines, tearing away a section of the plane, puncturing a window, and taking a woman's life. Drawing deeply from her well of experience, Captain Shults was able to wrestle the severely damaged 737 safely to the ground. Not originally scheduled for that flight, Tammie Jo believes that there is no doubt God had prepared her and placed her right where she needed to be that day.

This book will take the reader back to Tammie Jo's early days watching Air Force pilots hone their skills in the skies overhead in New Mexico and dreaming that one day she, too, would be flying. She had to overcome obstacles and barriers to pursue those goals. Her story will inspire and captivate the reader and show us all that perseverance prevails.

"We knew Tammie Jo had an amazing story, but it's been wonderful to go deeper into her journey as a woman so committed to her family and her faith—and to learn more about the experiences that have made her who she is today," said Daisy Blackwell Hutton, Vice President of Thomas Nelson and Publisher of W Publishing Group. "Readers will be enthralled and inspired by her story."

Additionally, a book adapted for young readers will instill bravery and dedication in boys and girls alike. Nerves of Steel (Young Readers Edition): The Incredible True Story of How One Woman Followed Her Dreams, Stayed True to Herself, and Saved 148 Lives (ISBN# 9781400215317), will release November 12, 2019, and show the next generation of pilots what it means to work hard, find purpose, and prepare for the adventure ahead.

Thomas Nelson, a division of HarperCollins, is a world-leading provider of inspirational content and has been providing readers with quality life-changing product for more than 200 years. The publishing group provides multiple formats of award-winning Bibles, books, gift books, cookbooks, curriculum and digital content, with distribution of its products in more than 100 countries. Thomas Nelson is headquartered in Nashville, TN.