If you travel in certain Twitter circles, you probably saw a thread yesterday by Mary Robinette Kowal about using the bathroom in space:
If you enjoyed that thread (and how could you not?), you might be interested to know that her latest novel is on sale for $3 on Kindle today. The Calculating Stars won the 2018 Nebula award for best novel, and tells the story of a very alternate history of the early space program:
On a cold spring night in 1952, a huge meteorite fell to earth and obliterated much of the east coast of the United States, including Washington D.C. The ensuing climate cataclysm will soon render the earth inhospitable for humanity, as the last such meteorite did for the dinosaurs. This looming threat calls for a radically accelerated effort to colonize space, and requires a much larger share of humanity to take part in the process.
Elma York’s experience as a WASP pilot and mathematician earns her a place in the International Aerospace Coalition’s attempts to put man on the moon, as a calculator. But with so many skilled and experienced women pilots and scientists involved with the program, it doesn’t take long before Elma begins to wonder why they can’t go into space, too.
Elma’s drive to become the first Lady Astronaut is so strong that even the most dearly held conventions of society may not stand a chance against her.