Hurricane Barry, The Night of the Comet, and High School Science Nerds

We’re still getting rain from Hurricane Barry (now Tropical Storm Barry) here in New Orleans. But in following the storm, many of us relied on reports and analyses from the National Hurricane Center.

Alan Broussard, one of the main characters in my novel THE NIGHT OF THE COMET, was inspired in part by a guy I went to high school with. You probably had one in your school, too: a science nerd who knew everything about space and weather and clouds. The one at our school–let’s call him “Jack”–used to stand out in the parking lot in his black raincoat studying the sky, his weather radio pressed to his ear. He could predict the weather better than the TV weathermen could. He was teased mercilessly for this, of course. But to his credit, Jack stood his ground, he kept his eyes on the clouds . . .

And today, he’s a Senior Hurricane Specialist at the National Hurricane Center. I’ve seen his name on the reports about Hurricane Barry. His predictions are always right on the money. 

 

 

 

Letter from a Reader

I don’t get fan mail often, but when I do it’s always a treat. Thanks, Matthew, wherever you are.

“I have never felt compelled to contact an author of any of the many books I’ve read. Night of the Comet was one of the greatest books I’ve ever read in my life and I felt that I had to email you and let you know. The moment when Alan and his father were spending time at Alan’s friend’s house, about to have a meal of hamburger meat and onion soup spice…it really hit me. I felt their doom and desperation while looking at what their lives might become… The entire story was so amazing and hit home on so many levels.. I am looking forward to your next book, whatever that may be.

“Take care,

“-Matt”

Rosetta Makes Unexpected Discovery About Comets

Last month I posted again about the European Space Agency’s Rosetta mission. The spacecraft, after chasing Comet Churyumov–Gerasimenko for ten years, finally caught up with it.

Here’s the comet:

07comet-cnd-master675

Now scientist have announced this finding from Rosetta:

European Scientists Conclude That Distant Comet Smells Terrible

A European spacecraft orbiting a distant comet has finally answered a question we’ve all been wondering: What does a comet smell like?

“It stinks,” says Kathrin Altwegg, a researcher at the University of Bern in Switzerland who runs an instrument called ROSINA that picked up the odor.

The European Space Agency has posted a full rundown of the comet’s BO on its website. The mix includes ammonia (NH3), hydrogen sulphide (H2S), formaldehyde (CH2O) and methanol (CH3OH).

Of course, anyone visiting the comet would be wearing a spacesuit (on top of that, the sense of smell is notoriously numb in space). Nevertheless, taking a whiff of this comet would be like sharing a horse barn with a drunk and a dozen rotten eggs.

“It’s quite a smelly mixture,” she says.

The Rosetta mission has gotten to within just a few miles of the comet. Close enough to whiff its coma, or atmosphere, and conclude that it really stinks.

Why didn’t we know comets smelled so bad before?

“That’s mostly because we’ve never been that close to a comet,” says Altwegg. The Rosetta mission is now just 5 miles from the comet’s surface.

It’s just like a person: You can’t really get a good sense of a person’s body odor until you’re right up next to him.

These chemicals are also clues to how the comet — and maybe how our solar system — formed. And for that reason, Altwegg doesn’t really mind the stench.

“It’s a little smelly, but at the moment it’s a lot of fun to go to work every morning,” she says.

Fun for now. But that could change. The comet is currently getting closer and closer to the sun. And like anything you leave out in the sun too long, it will soon start to smell even worse.

Goodreads Giveaway

There’s a Goodreads promo on for THE NIGHT OF THE COMET that somehow slipped my notice until now. Enter before Aug. 25 to win one of 15 free copies of the book.

More here at Goodreads.

Psst!

Random House is planning a promo soon for “The Night of the Comet,” to celebrate the one-year anniversary of its release. More later . . .

secret

Romance in New Orleans, Pt. 2

I enjoyed meeting with members of the Southern Louisiana Romance Writers of America chapter here in New Orleans last weekend. Thanks especially to Chris Smith, super librarian, for arranging the space and etc.

I was surprised to learn that not all the writers there were romance writers; there were also writers of thrillers, horrors, paranormals, detective stories, and young adult fiction.

Here’s a view of them at work:

SOLA Romance 1

And here’s me talking about something:

SOLA Romance 2

And signing a book for author Pamela Kopfler:

SOLA Romance 3