Ellen Prager and Dave Jones—Megalodons, Mermaids, and Climate Change: Answers to Your Ocean and Atmosphere Questions

Advance copy: Backstories on books by NASW members

Cover of the book Megalodons, Mermaids, and Climate Change: Answers to Your Ocean and Atmosphere Questions by Ellen Prager and Dave Jones with the title and authors’ names along with images of a melting world, a swirling wind pattern, a giant shark, coral, a jellyfish, a mermaid, ocean currents, and lightning on a dark blue background.

MEGALODONS, MERMAIDS, AND CLIMATE CHANGE:
ANSWERS TO YOUR OCEAN AND ATMOSPHERE QUESTIONS
Ellen Prager (NASW member) and Dave Jones
Columbia University Press, October 22, 2024
Hardcover, $100, Paperback, $24.95, eBook, $23.99
Hardcover ISBN-13: 978-0231212489
Paperback ISBN-13: 978-0231212496
eBook ISBN: 9780231559416
Kindle ASIN: B0D36Y4MVF

Prager reports:

Science misinformation and disinformation now spread like wildfire. From misleading headlines to non-expert influencers and cherry picking of data, it can be like the Wild, Wild West out there. As a marine scientist, frequent public speaker, and on-air expert, I often am asked questions based on widespread misinformation and misunderstandings. Should you pee on a jellyfish sting? Are megalodons still alive and swimming in the deep sea, and is that a lovely white coral (actually bleached and dying)?

My fiancé, meteorologist Dave Jones, gets similar questions. How come weather forecasts are wrong so often? Why can’t we just nuke a hurricane? Isn’t climate change just part of a natural cycle? But it’s not just us, our many colleagues face similar questions.

Portrait photo of Ellen Prager and Dave Jones in the Galapagos

With this in mind, we decided to write a popular science book to combat misinformation about the ocean, atmosphere, and climate change by answering frequently asked and wacky questions about topics such as the deep sea, dangerous marine life, coral reefs, hurricanes, weather forecasting, lightning, space weather, climate change, and more.

We queried our colleagues and interviewed leaders in the field to provide input and images and hired a wonderful graphic illustrator to create cartoon-like illustrations to add to the fun. Having published numerous popular science books without an agent, I sent a proposal to several academic presses whose editors I had previously worked with. As our book is a bit non-traditional for an academic press, several turned it down.

Columbia University Press however was already doing a series on misinformation. Science editor Miranda Martin championed the book, and we got a contract.

We were also very fortunate to receive grants from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation and NASA Heliophysics to research and write the book.

Co-authoring a book can be challenging. In this case, we had a wonderful partnership, partly because of our mutual passion for science communication and our shared sense-of-humor. Additionally, I could walk Dave through some of the frustrating parts of publishing while simultaneously seeing his excitement at being a first-time book author. When asked what the target age is, Dave says, “12 to 120!” Perfect.

Contact info:

Ellen Prager, elprager2@gmail.com
X (Twitter): @elprager
Blue Sky: elprager
Instagram elprager
Facebook: Ellen Prager
LinkedIn: Ellen Prager
Book: Megalodons, Mermaids, and Climate Change: Answers to Your Ocean and Atmosphere Questions
Publicist: Robyn Massey, 1-347-260-1085, rm3785@columbia.edu

NASW members: will your book be published soon? Promote it by submitting your report for Advance Copy.

Tell your fellow NASW members how you came up with the idea for your book, developed a proposal, found an agent and publisher, funded and conducted research, and put the book together. Include what you wish you had known before you began working on your book, or had done differently.

See https://www.nasw.org/advance-copy-submission-guidelines. NASW member login required.

View Advance Copy archives at https://www.nasw.org/member-article/advance-copy.

Thinking of writing a book? If you are a NASW member, you may access a list of more than 200 books and online resources to help you craft your book proposal, find an agent and funding sources, negotiate your contract, learn about self-publishing, publicize and market your book, and more at https://www.nasw.org/article/write-book.

View the recording of a Advance Copy Virtual Business Chat, A Primer for Authors on Book Publicity. NASW member login required.

View the recording of a Virtual Business Chat presented by NASW’s Freelance Committee and Advance Copy column Writing Wikipedia Profiles. NASW member login required.

View the recording of a recent Virtual Skills Chat presented by NASW’s Editing Committee How to Break into Editing. NASW member login required.

View the recording of a recent Virtual Skills Chat presented by NASW’s Freelance Committee Using Generative A.I. as Writers and Editors. NASW member login required.

Send book info and questions about book publishing to Lynne Lamberg, NASW book editor, llamberg@nasw.org.

Follow @LynneLamberg and @lynnelamberg.bsky.social for news about NASW authors, science/medical books, and writing.

Banner image adapted from original photo by Ellen Prager.

NASW invites publishers and publicists to purchase NASW website ads to promote their authors and books via NASW’s self-service purchasing portal.

Advance Copy

The path from idea to book may take myriad routes. The Advance Copy column, started in 2000 by NASW volunteer book editor Lynne Lamberg, features NASW authors telling the stories behind their books. Authors are asked to report how they got their idea, honed it into a proposal, found an agent and a publisher, funded and conducted their research, and organized their writing process. They also are asked to share what they wish they’d known when they started or would do differently next time, and what advice they can offer aspiring authors. Lamberg edits the authors’ answers to produce the Advance Copy reports.

NASW members: Will your book be published soon? Visit www.nasw.org/advance-copy-submission-guidelines for information on submitting your report.

Publication of NASW author reports in Advance Copy does not constitute NASW's endorsement of any publication or the ideas, values, or material contained within or espoused by authors or their books. We hope this column stimulates productive discussions on important topics now and in the future as both science and societies progress. We welcome your discussion in the comments section below.