Late 2002: writing Rockets

November 17, 2002

Well, that's a longish break between reports, but I have managed to complete the rockets ms (it ended up at 80,000 words, less what gets cut). It has now gone off for editing, I have completed the initial picture research and printed off copies of the digital photos I want to include — I shoot at 4 megapixels, which will work in print. I have known for a while that Bittersweet would go to Britain in March next, but I heard two days ago that IPG will release it in the USA in May, 2003.

I am now into the next book, and for the first time, I have a title first, though more of that, and the subject, later. Suffice it to say that I am looking forward to telling some rather ripping yarns about matters with quite a lot of science — and history — thrown in. I hope to have that one finished by June, 2003, but I plan to take my time over it. Early December will see the edited rockets ms come back, and I will need to see then whether it needs extra writing.

September 24, 2002

I have been chasing last bits and pieces for the rocket book, doing rewrites on the bits I didn't like, and I am waiting for the editor's first comments on an earlier draft. Then there are all the boring bits like making sure the references are all there, and beginning to think about pictures. I have been trying to find out about a hint that two Australian explorers, Burke and Wills, took rockets with them, so far without luck, but I pinned down a use of rockets in the Maori Wars in New Zealand. And I have started talking to people about the next book . . .

Oh yes, that's right, I wrote up the Hyshot launch as well: see the pics below.  Then I did an Ockham's Razor script though that didn't come out for a while.

You don't get to see that much in a successful rocket launch. We were happy that the data were good.  You can read more about the launch here.