Rod Pyle: Interplanetary Robots

Advance copy: Backstories on books by NASW members

For this column, NASW book editor Lynne Lamberg asks NASW authors to tell how they came up with the idea for their book, developed a proposal, found an agent and publisher, funded and conducted research, and put the book together. She also asks what they wish they had known before they began working on their book, what they might do differently the next time, and what tips they can offer aspiring authors. She then edits the A part of that Q&A to produce the author reports you see here.

Publication of NASW members’ reports in Advance Copy does not constitute NASW’s endorsement of their books. NASW welcomes your comments, and hopes this column stimulates productive discussions.

Cover: Interplanetary Robots

INTERPLANETARY ROBOTS: TRUE STORIES OF SPACE EXPLORATION
Rod Pyle, foreword by James Green
Prometheus Books, January 29, 2019, $18, Kindle, $11.99
ISBN-10: 163388502X; ISBN-13: 9781633885028
ASIN: B07BD1V66B

Pyle reports:

I proposed Interplanetary Robots as a sequel to my Amazing Stories of the Space Age for the same publisher, Prometheus. While the earlier book was about human spaceflight, Interplanetary Robots chronicles the robotic missions, both American and Soviet, that explored the planets from the 1950s through the 1990s.

As in Amazing Stories, I included not just missions that were flown, but also some that were not flown. The latter include US and Soviet government plans to explode nuclear weapons on the moon as a show of force in the 1950s. Thank goodness cooler heads prevailed.

Rod Pyle

When I sent the publisher my proposal for Interplanetary Robots, I also offered to produce another book called Heroes of the Space Age. Prometheus agreed, asking for both books before the end of 2018. It is worth noting that due to my work for Prometheus on previous titles, the publisher required only short proposals—a great luxury in our business.

Researching and writing Interplanetary Robots was a joy. I interviewed a number of people involved with the programs in the book, a task made easier by my proximity to and status as a contractor with NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, just a few miles from my home.

The main challenge in researching the book was researching the variations that often occur in primary references. Spaceflight is a fast-moving business, and after many decades, archived records do not always match. Also, the memories of participants in those programs tend to vary many years later. It can sometimes become a game of averages.

After the initial manuscript and all cleared photos and illustrations went to the publisher, advance reading copies were sent to selected people for cover blurbs. James Green, PhD, NASA’s Chief Scientist, kindly provided a foreword. Editing then proceeded with an allotted schedule of about a month, with only moderate changes requested along with many suggested footnotes and citations. The final MS was approved and set to typesetting shortly thereafter.

Interplanetary Robots went on sale earlier this year. Heroes of the Space Age should be on shelves in May.

Contact info:

Rod Pyle, 626-399-4440, rod@pylebooks.com; https://www.pylebooks.com/, @chryseplanatia
Agent: John Willig, 609-698-7162, jwiltagent@msn.com
Publicist: Lisa Michalski, 800 733 3000, lmichalski@prometheusbooks.com

NASW members: will your book be published soon? Take advantage of this opportunity for shameless self-promotion. Submit 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.

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 150 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.

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

Image: Baroque Library at the Klementinum in Prague by Jonathan Francisca on Unsplash.

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.