RSS

What am I doing and why?

(Just a note: I have no idea how to remove that box and "Undefined" interfering with the title.  I downloaded this awesome shell, so if any HTML guru knows how to fix it, I'll be your BFF!)

Welcome to Rocket Science for the Rest of Us.  (Thanks, Becca Butcher for the excellent title!)  This blog is going to be a mad, ADD-style mishmash of layman-level articles about the space industry--everything from weekly news to how a VASIMR rocket works to some sci-fi.  If I can, I'll get some interviews from folks in the industry, too.  I plan on posting at least once a week; more if something excites my interest.

My friends who know me probably wonder why in the 'verse I'd even consider making a new blog.  I'm always at least writing a book, editing another, teaching classes, working for the CWG, marketing my books--and then there are the four children who are the stars of my life and my incredibly brilliant, loving and patient husband, Rob.

I'm going to sound hopelessly old-fashioned here, but Rob is the main reason I'm doing this.  He's coming to the end of his military career, and rather than seeing it as an end, he's seeing the exciting new beginning.  He's worked military space and missiles; now he's ready to fulfill his dream of being part of the movement to get Man in space--and he sees that promise in the commercial space industry.  I share his interest and excitement, but I do not share his knowledge--my focus has been elsewhere.  I know enough to have light conversation and to ask intelligent questions, but I'm not satisfied with doing that anymore.  Also, while I feel absolutely no pressure to "talk shop" with other officers when we go to functions on base, I do want to be able to hold conversations with folks at SpaceX or Bigelow that go beyond, "This is so cool!" or "Hi!  I write about dragons."  I want to be the arm candy that talk space.

Arm Candy - Good thing he likes the big sizes!

But that's not the only reason.  I just finished my first sci-fi novel, Discovery.  I had a great time with it, but it was a learning curve, science-wise.  I'd like to write more sci-fi, so I need to get smarter.  And, as a writer, I love to share what I learn.  

Also, I've had a real love-hate relationship with blogging.  As many of you know, my primary blog is FabianSpace, and it's devoted to my writing.  I usually write about my novel's journey, or a book tour I'm holding or I interview another author...  The typical writer's blog.  It's fine enough for people who are interested in what I personally am writing, but I want to reach more than that.  However, I don't want to re-invent the wheel by writing on a topic that's already got scores of others writing about--how to write, how to market, book reviews, etc.  I was about to give up when a friend drew me in to a commentsation on SciFi Catholic about commercial space and I realized I could blog that, be interested and it's not overdone.  So you can also thank/blame Doug Davidson, Walt Staples and Sophie's Favorite.

Finally, I do my best work knowing I owe someone a product.  I've been saying for ages that I really need to study this stuff, but something gets in the way--dragons or psychotic psychics or zombies.  Now, I have to produce something once a week for this blog.

So!  Let's get started!  I'd really appreciate any comments or feedback.  What do you want to know? What great links do you have to share?  What are your feelings about humankind going into space?


  • Digg
  • Del.icio.us
  • StumbleUpon
  • Reddit
  • RSS

0 comments:

Post a Comment