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Author
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Topic: Footprints on a Secret Moon (Senechal)
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dsenechal
Member Posts: 539
From:
Registered: Dec 2002
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posted 10-05-2006 05:14 PM
   
Just wanted to let you all know that my new (and yes, my first) book is finally available. It's entitled "Footprints on a Secret Moon (Senechal)" and it's about a young man who grew up during the Apollo era, with a dream of becoming an astronaut and flying to the moon. With financing from an unlikely benefactor, and more than a little help from his friends, he "borrows" an unused Gemini spacecraft and modifies it so it can be used to make a moon landing (this may strike a chord with many collectSPACE readers). I have no illusions that this effort meets the definition of "fine literature," but people who've read it say it's a good read, and reviews and feedback thus far (including collectSPACE'rs and people "in the business") have been very positive. Here's a copy of the announcement that provides a few more details, as well as availability.  |
spacecraft films
Member Posts: 802
From: Columbus, OH USA
Registered: Jun 2002
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posted 10-06-2006 07:41 PM
I read this book in almost a single sitting. While I don't particularly like one aspect of the plot (which I have expressed to Dave, even before the publication), I found it very refreshing to read an account such as this written by someone who cares to be accurate and is very knowledgeable about the subject. I must say I identified with the characters a great deal... (who among us hasn't fantasized about a similar mission?) and this made it a very enjoyable read. It's a great idea and ride to enjoy and I would recommend it... with my previous plot reservation (which I can't say directly for spoiler reasons). Very nice job, Dave. |
Wehaveliftoff
Member Posts: 2343
From:
Registered: Aug 2001
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posted 10-10-2006 10:44 AM
I like the title... |
tegwilym
Member Posts: 2331
From: Sturgeon Bay, WI
Registered: Jan 2000
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posted 10-10-2006 11:41 AM
Description kind of sounds like a combination of the movie "Stowaway to the Moon" and the old show "Salvage I".  Sounds like fun! |
Dwayne Day
Member Posts: 532
From:
Registered: Feb 2004
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posted 10-11-2006 12:07 PM
So, the astronaut is supposed to land the vehicle while facing downward? And as soon as he opens the hatch he is going to fall out! |
pollux
Member Posts: 54
From: London, England
Registered: Dec 2005
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posted 10-11-2006 02:21 PM
Given the choice between landing upside down, and not going to the moon at all, I know which option most of us would settle for.  |
dsenechal
Member Posts: 539
From:
Registered: Dec 2002
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posted 10-11-2006 06:45 PM
From the book: Most noticeable, though, was that the capsule was now upside down. Alan had wrestled with this one for a long time. His dilemma had been finding a way to see out his window as he was landing on the moon. With the original plan of attaching the landing gear to the rear end of the spacecraft, Alan was contemplating mirrors and TV cameras to allow him to see what would be going on behind him when he landed. Driving himself crazy.
One afternoon, Tom had been standing next to Alan, both of them staring at the Gemini capsule and scratching their heads. Tom looked over at Alan. "How many g's will you be pulling when you fire that thing up and land?" he asked."Just a little more than one. No big deal." "So the shoulder harness and lap belt would be strong enough to hold you upside down?" "They're rated at more than eight. Why?" Just as he asked 'Why?', the light came on, and Alan's face broke into a huge smile. Tom was already grinning. "Man, you're amazing," Alan said. "This solves everything." Well, it didn't solve quite everything, but Tom's idea of attaching the landing gear and engine to the nose instead of the rear of the Gemini did solve one of the biggest problems thus far - seeing out the window during landing. Rather than lying on his back and wondering what was happening as he backed his spaceship to a landing; Alan would be hanging, suspended from his seat by his restraint harnesses, with a direct view of everything that was happening through the front hatch window. Genius! |
Dwayne Day
Member Posts: 532
From:
Registered: Feb 2004
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posted 10-13-2006 09:31 AM
Uh, yeah, "genius."Until he has to get back into the craft. |
Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 42981
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 10-15-2006 11:04 PM
quote:
Originally posted by Dwayne Day:
Until he has to get back into the craft.
To be fair, Dave provides a mechanism for Alan Malone getting back into the capsule as well.I finished reading Footprints this evening and generally enjoyed it. I can honestly say that it left me wanting for more of Alan Malone's story. Like Mark, I have my own reservations regarding a central plot point but also like Mark, I found myself empathizing with the main character. I would describe Footprints as somewhere between soft and hard science fiction. At some points, the attention to detail illustrates David's passion for history; at other times, depending on your knowledge of how the present-day NASA operates, you need a healthy suspension of disbelief. I know David is a spacecraft modeler and model enthusiast. His take on a modified Gemini is fun to imagine and comes to life on the cover of the book. I can easily see some of his fellow hobbyists accepting the challenge to modify their own Gemini model kits accordingly. |
Gilbert
Member Posts: 1328
From: Carrollton, GA USA
Registered: Jan 2003
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posted 10-16-2006 02:31 PM
I am looking forward to reading the book. Didn't a 1960s movie starring James Caan use a modified Gemini capsule (similar to the one depicted on the book's cover) for a moon landing? |
FFrench
Member Posts: 3161
From: San Diego
Registered: Feb 2002
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posted 10-16-2006 03:12 PM
quote:
Originally posted by Gilbert:
I am looking forward to reading the book. Didn't a 1960s movie starring James Caan use a modified Gemini capsule (similar to the one depicted on the book's cover) for a moon landing?
Here it is. |
Ken Havekotte
Member Posts: 2913
From: Merritt Island, Florida, Brevard
Registered: Mar 2001
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posted 10-16-2006 06:37 PM
I'll have to get a copy of the book and look forward to reading it.
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Steve Procter
Member Posts: 1031
From: Leeds, Yorkshire, UK
Registered: Oct 2000
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posted 10-17-2006 07:32 AM
Francis, the first illustration of the "lunar Gemini," are you sure this didn't come from an episode of "The Clangers"? NASA never let on about where Neil and Buzz got the soup! |
freshspot
unregistered
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posted 10-22-2006 01:56 PM
I enjoyed "Footprints on a Secret Moon" (Senechal) a great deal — much more than I had expected. I read it in just two sittings. I read about a book a week and probably ten percent or so are space related. After reading virtually all of the Apollo astronaut biographies, this thriller was a welcome breath of fresh air. I'd compare the plot, pacing, and attention to technical detail to that of an early Tom Clancy novel, except that Footprints is not as drawn out. I'm also an author (a novel called "Eyeball Wars" and several non-fiction books on internet marketing) so I know how much work goes into what Senechal has accomplished. I wish that Senechal had made the book about twice as long. It would have been cool with longer scenes. I found myself wanting more detail, character development, and dialog at virtually every twist and turn. Kudos to David Senechal for a job well done. Maybe there will be a further Alan Malone adventure? |
dsenechal
Member Posts: 539
From:
Registered: Dec 2002
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posted 12-02-2006 04:43 PM
My thanks to everyone here who's purchased the book thus far, and for all of your nice comments and reviews. The publisher only tallies sales every few months, so I'm not sure how many copies have sold, but I'm guessing a reasonable number. The book is readily available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble.com, and many other on-line and traditional bookstores. Just in time for your holiday gift giving! Thanks again. |
Larry McGlynn
Member Posts: 1255
From: Boston, MA
Registered: Jul 2003
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posted 12-02-2006 07:27 PM
Thanks to David I read his book. I enjoyed it. It is a fast read. I thought the plot was unique with a twist that I did not expect. I am glad to have an author signed copy in my book collection. Thank you Dave. I appreciate your work and effort. |
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