About the Author

Gail Ow is the author of Before Falcons Flew, a historical novel set in territorial Hawai‘i, the Korean War era, and the dawn of the jet age.

The novel began with a question.

Like many children of military veterans, Gail grew up knowing certain parts of her father’s story. She knew he’d been a fighter pilot. What she didn’t know was where that journey began.

Only later in life did she discover that her father had been born in the plantation camps of Maui, in the Territory of Hawaii.

The contrast fascinated her.

How does a boy from a Hawaiian sugar plantation grow up to become an Air Force pilot during the early years of the jet age?

That question led to years of conversations, research, and a deeper understanding of a generation shaped by war, rapid technological change, and opportunities that did not always seem possible from where they started.

While Before Falcons Flew is a work of fiction, its flight sequences draw inspiration from the real experiences of Gail’s father, who earned his wings during the Korean War and flew in the early years of the jet age.

Before turning to historical fiction, Gail spent her career in technology, working in product management, marketing, technical support, and business development. She has also written published industry articles on cybersecurity, supply chain resilience, network visibility, and critical infrastructure, with work appearing through 3BL Media and CSRwire.

Her interest in periods of rapid change, whether in aviation, technology, or the lives of ordinary people facing extraordinary circumstances, continues to influence her writing.

Gail grew up around the United States, as military families do, but spent her formative years in Hawaii.

Selected articles include:

“NERC CIP Standards for Threat Visibility & Detection for Critical Infrastructure”
3BL Media / CSRwire, April 20, 2022

“Securing the Supply Chain and Critical Infrastructure”
3BL Media / Keysight Technologies, 2021

Gail Ow is the author of Before Falcons Flew.

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