1--What is the title of your latest release?
THE MARTIAN CONTINGENCY
2--What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book?
Elma York, the Lady Astronaut, is on Mars preparing for the first wave of permanent inhabitants. She is tasked with building an infrastructure and thriving community on alien soil—before time on Earth runs out due to an extinction-level warming event. Elma encounters disturbing signs of a hidden disaster kept out of the official transcript of the First Mars Expedition, and she must bring the truth to light, before the ripple effects leave humanity stranded on a dying Earth.
3--How did you decide where your book was going to take place?
I was excited to return to the story of Dr. Elma York, the Lady Astronaut. When we last saw her in The Fated Sky, her crew was touching down on Mars—the first humans on the Red Planet. THE MARTIAN CONTINGENCY picks up just minutes later.
4--Would you hang out with your protagonist in real life?
Oh, absolutely. Elma is based on real astronauts mixed with friends and family members. She’s flawed, but she’s witty and dedicated—two qualities I adore in friends.
5--What are three words that describe your protagonist?
Determined, brilliant, and caring.
6--What’s something you learned while writing this book?
I learned how really scary CO2 poisoning is.
7--Do you edit as you draft or wait until you are totally done?
My process is weird. Coming out of live theater, I work best when I have an audience reacting to me in “real time.” So when I finish a chapter, I post it for my beta-readers. I revise as I go
8--What’s your favorite foodie indulgence?
I’m quite the fan of Vosges Chocolate, based in Chicago. Their toffee, in particular, is to die for.
9--Describe your writing space/office!
I’ve carved out a quiet corner of my husband’s and my apartment for my desk. Even though it’s a basement apartment, there is lovely natural light, a spot for my cat, Elsie, to curl up behind me, and a pleasant background for videos. I teach a lot of writing classes, so creating a peaceful environment for attendees is important. I also have a VERY COOL webcam that can zoom in and follow me around with simple hand commands.
10--Who is an author you admire?
Guy Gavriel Kay has always been one of my favorite authors. I love the way he makes epic stories intimate.
11--Is there a book that changed your life?
An Old Fashioned Girl by Louisa May Alcott. I didn’t know it at the time, but I think it’s the first time I saw depression modeled with useful techniques for getting out of a funk. I still use the trick of “do something nice for someone else.”
12--Tell us about when you got “the call.” (when you found out your book was going to be published)/Or, for indie authors, when you decided to self-publish.
With my first novel, I was having dinner with John Scalzi in New York the day before my fortieth birthday. After I got off the phone, John stood up and announced to the entire restaurant that I’d just sold my first novel. They all applauded.
13--What’s your favorite genre to read?
Being a speculative fiction author, my tastes tend to skew into science fiction, fantasy, and alternative fiction. However, I also adore historic fiction, drama, and comedy with a touch of romance.
14--What’s your favorite movie?
The Princess Bride.
15--What is your favorite season?
Autumn
16--How do you like to celebrate your birthday?
I love hosting and throwing house parties. I have a small team of assistants who help with my inbox, calendar, and marketing. I call them my Tiny Empire. For the past several years, I’ve invited the Tiny Empire to my home over my birthday for a week of relaxation, crafting, and friendship. We walk in the woods, sip cocktails, and read to each other from our current works in progress.
17--What’s a recent tv show/movie/book/podcast you highly recommend?
I very much enjoyed the series Death and Other Details
18--What’s your favorite type of cuisine?
Yes.
Seriously. Food is just interesting.
19--What do you do when you have free time?
I am fascinated by the ability of my cat, Elsie, and my dog, Guppy, to talk using buttons. Elsie, in particular, has a vocabulary of over 120 words. I spend a lot of time modeling button use, listening to their commentary and requests, and marveling over just how brilliant they are. If you’d like to learn more, may I suggest giving the Elsie and Guppy Show a follow on Instagram? You can find them at @elsiewants.
20--What can readers expect from you next?
My far-future crime novella, Apprehension, will be released in October, 2025 as part of a Saga Doubles publication from Simon and Schuster along with Sam J. Miller’s Red Star Hustle. If you’re a fan of space adventures, mystery, and intergalactic intrigue, I hope you’ll preorder a copy of this double feature.
Lady Astronaut #4
Years after a meteorite strike obliterated Washington, D.C.—triggering an extinction-level global warming event—Earth’s survivors have started an international effort to establish homes on space stations and the Moon.
The next step – Mars.
Elma York, the Lady Astronaut, lands on the Red Planet, optimistic about preparing for the first true wave of inhabitants. The mission objective is more than just building the infrastructure of a habitat – they are trying to preserve the many cultures and nuances of life on Earth without importing the hate.
But from the moment she arrives, something is off.
Disturbing signs hint at a hidden disaster during the First Mars Expedition that never made it into the official transcript. As Elma and her crew try to investigate, they face a wall of silence and obfuscation. Their attempts to build a thriving Martian community grind to a halt.
What you don’t know CAN harm you. And if the truth doesn’t come to light, the ripple effects could leave humanity stranded on a dying Earth…
Lady Astronaut
The Calculating Stars
The Fated Sky
The Relentless Moon
The Martian Contingency
Science Fiction Space Opera | Science Fiction Alternate History [Tor Books, On Sale: March 18, 2025, Trade Paperback / e-Book , ISBN: 9781250237057 / eISBN: 9781250237033]
MARY ROBINETTE KOWAL, author of The Calculating Stars and The Fated Sky, is a professional puppeteer and voice actor who has performed for LazyTown (CBS), the Center for Puppetry Arts, and Jim Henson Pictures. Her design work has garnered two UNIMA-USA Citations of Excellence, the highest award an American puppeteer can achieve, and was the previous vice-president and secretary of Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America. Mary is an accomplished storyreader and has recorded the audiobooks for most of her novels.
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