This is a short story set in the Lady Astronaut Universe. It is does not contain any real spoilers for the novels — or at least nothing you couldn’t glean from a blurb about the books. Although it takes place between books 1 and 2, you don’t need to have read anything in the LAU to follow this.
Here’s the teaser
ARTICULATED RESTRAINT
by Mary Robinette Kowal
MOON COLONY EXPANDS TO 100 COLONISTS
Sep. 26, 1960 (AP) — The International Aerospace Coalition announced today that the lunar colony, established last year, was ready to expand to hold 100 colonists. This is the next step in preparing to colonize Mars, but although many still question the necessity of such an endeavor.
Patches of orange light from the sodium vapor lamps fractured the dark parking lot at the IAC’s Neutral Buoyancy Lab. Six-thirty in the morning was a brutal time to start work and Ruby was already sore and exhausted, which was she tried to tell herself was good practise as an astronaut.
All she wanted was to do the NBL training run and then collapse in bed, but somehow she’d agreed to another lindy-hop dance rehearsal tonight. It was just hard to disappoint a friend that you’d been dancing with since before the Meteor struck. She didn’t have that many pieces of Before left in her life.
I’m looking for 5-10 new readers. Just raise your hand in the comments below.
What will happen then is that I’ll email you with the link and instructions on what sort of feedback I’m looking for.
Pick me, coach!
Hi Mary,
I’d be happy to give it a read and provide some feedback.
o/ I’m here for it!
I volunteer
Howdy, ma’am. I’d love to give you a beta read. I haven’t read anything in the Lady Astronaut of Mars “universe,” but I’m familiar with some of your other work. Also, thank you for your service to the community with Writing Excuses.
I would love to help!
Consider my hand raised!
I’d love to read and give feedback!
I would love to. Never done it before but a keen reader of too many book.
Dear Ms. Kowal.
I’m old-time SF and fantasy fan, and if you don’t mind to have a foreigner
from Russia in your team of beta-readers, I’d like to join the ranks.
Waiting for your reply,
With best regards,
Alexei
I’m up for it. Cj at czelling dot com. Twitter at cjczelling.
I’d love to read this.
I am interested in being a beta reader forthis piece 🙂
Pick me! Pick me!
Raising hand!
I volunteer!
I can if you are still looking.
Sign me up!
Hi Mary. Got some proofreading behind me, and it’ll tie me over until we hopefully meet again on the Cruise. : ) I unfortunately missed this year’s.
Best,
G
*raises hand*
I’d love to. I’ve done a bit of beta-ing in the past.
Volunteering, ma’am!
Ahoy there! It be looking like ye have enough beta readers. I be apparently fashionably late to this party. I recently found yer blog and be (sadly) fairly new to yer work. Perhaps next time. I will use the time to catch up on yer past works. Arrr!!
x The Captain
Would love to if it’s not too late
Obviously you have LOTS of people volunteering. I’ll throw my hat into the ring as well (I’m also a slush reader for STUPEFYING STORIES, so I have a bit of experience with a quick turn around…)
Guy Stewart
Consider my hand raised
*raises hand* id love to read it and give some feedback!
If you’re not already full up on beta readers, I’d be glad to be one.
Hi, Mary. I’d love to read it if you’re not already full of betas.
I am ready to read. Nelly
????? Ooh ooh, pick me!
I’m ready and willing. I think this would be a cool opportunity. Consider my hand officially raised.
I would love to do this if you still need anyone.
Oh… Late again. Well, I will conveniently believe there’s a slight chance you’ll not pick all ten in one day – or choose amongst the early ones – and give me a chance (;
I’d love to beta read if there’s still space.
Hi Mary! I would love to give feedback and be a beta reader!
Sounds intriguing–love to give it a read!