Many people shared helpful technical advice during the writing of this story. Anything that bears a resemblance to actual science is probably because of them; anything that I got wrong is my fault entirely. The smart folks at www.nasaspaceflight.com and www.cruisersforum.com corrected many important details, and Maria Michelle Vardanian of NYU Counseling Psychology provided extremely helpful feedback on anxiety and panic disorders. My friend Dr. John Malko was right about almost everything, though I offer what I believe is compelling evidence that print is not, in fact, dead.
When I was growing up, my family treated good books as treasures and joys to be shared. I’m especially grateful to my mother, Anne, who always pushed me to pursue a meaningful life while giving me room to discover what that meaning should be. As an adult I’ve learned a lot from my sister, Carrie, which makes me wonder how smart I would be if I’d started paying attention to her when we were kids. My extended family on both sides had an enormous impact on me, and while I don’t have room to list them all, I’d like to especially thank Laurie and Stan Hawkins, who sparked my imagination time and time again when I was young.
I couldn’t have begun a book like this without my children, Jack, Andrew, and Eleanor. The joy of being their father brought me back to writing after a long hiatus. Equally so, I couldn’t have finished any book at all without the love and support of my wife, Kendra, who has made me happier than I used to think I had a right to be.
This book is dedicated to my father, Edward, who passed away before its completion. When I was a teenager, I overheard him saying that he thought I should pursue a creative writing degree instead of studying computer science, which astonished me so much that I actually did it. I hope he was as proud of himself, and of all the things he achieved, as he was of me.
About the Author
Photo credit Katy Ravazza
CHRISTOPHER SWIEDLER is an author and software engineer who lives with his wife and three children in California, where they’re under constant threat from earthquakes, tsunamis, and the occasional Martian dust storm. His goal in life is to win the Newbery Honor (not the Medal itself), because he believes being a runner-up builds good character. This is his debut novel. You can visit him at www.christopherswiedler.com.
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Copyright
IN THE RED. Copyright © 2020 by Christopher Swiedler. All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the nonexclusive, nontransferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, decompiled, reverse-engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins e-books.
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Cover art © 2020 by Brian Edward Miller
Cover design by Jessie Gang
Digital Edition MARCH 2020 ISBN: 978-0-06-289443-4
Print ISBN: 978-0-06-289441-0
2021222324PC/LSCH10987654321
FIRST EDITION
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