Chris Mooney is a freelance writer and the author of two books, 
Well, I guess there's no point hiding it any more. My new book, due out in June 2007, will be entitled Storm World: Hurricanes, Politics, and the Battle Over Global Warming. It now has a cover image and everything.
You should not judge from this fact that the book's completely finished, however; nor am I ready to divulge what it says or argues (beyond what might be gleaned from the cover image). But I will say a few words about what the book is not:
1. This is not a "sequel" to The Republican War on Science.2. This is not a late-breaking addition to the literature of "Katrina books" of last year.
3. This is not a book about New Orleans, even though that's where I'm from.
4. This is not quite what I thought it would be when I started out working on the project (and that's a good thing).
In any case, you'll all find out more about the book soon enough--provided I can actually get it into final form on time. It's probably just my memory's rosy-colored glasses, but I really don't remember things being this nuts when I was trying to complete The Republican War on Science. Indeed, that's the second objective of this post: To call on my blog readers for help getting across the finish line.
If you're an expert in climate or hurricane science (without a stake in the current debate) and would like to help out with "science checking," email me. If you want to help out with more general fact checking, or with graphics, email me. (Help will be acknowledged in the book save for those wishing to remain anonymous.)
Finally, if you just generally want me to get through the next month alive, email your support. I am going to need it.
Thanks to you all....
UPDATE: Thanks again to everyone who emailed me for all your support...I now have more offers of help than I know what to do with! You folks rock. Okay, back to work...
Comments
Hey, bloggers like comments. Here's my support - right here. I am looking forward to the new book - let us know when it is available for pre-order. Make sure you get enough sleep - you'll get more work done as well as feel better if you do.
Posted by: coturnix | November 20, 2006 2:17 PM
Good luck Chris. Please make sure that they don't cast Kevin Costner if it's optioned for a film.
Posted by: STS | November 20, 2006 2:43 PM
Thanks guys. Ah, and so the Waterworld jokes begin....but I am prepared for these, and plan on making the most of them.
Posted by: Chris Mooney | November 20, 2006 2:48 PM
Global warming is a myth, just like dry land!
(Begin? I've been using that one for years!)
Good luck on the new book.
Posted by: Joshua | November 20, 2006 2:51 PM
Three comments in and nobody's denounced it yet? The trolls must be in their holes. As for preserving sanity, second and third movements of Mozart piano concertos. The slow movements for when you're frazzled, thirds for when you need bucking up. The real ones for deadline intensive care are the third movements of nos 5 and 13 and the second movement of no 24.
Posted by: Peter McGrath FCD | November 20, 2006 2:58 PM
Sounds good - I am currently reading The Republician War On Science, and while I can't say I enjoy it, since I get too furious when reading it, it's certainly well written.
Oh, and please tell me that you slam Lomborg - he has shown up in the Danish debate again *argh*
Posted by: Kristjan Wager | November 20, 2006 3:59 PM
So when will you be able to get started on your next book, The Royal Family's War on Science, about homeopathy?
Posted by: Mustafa Mond, FCD | November 20, 2006 4:16 PM
Chris, didn't you learn anything about hurricanes? You should have aimed for a release date in August or September, to get the best opportunity to leverage the peak of hurricane season. ;-)
(Astute readers will note Kerry Emanuel was unhappy about the release date of his book resulting in an unintended association with Katrina, despite the increased sales. )
The favorite counter to your book will be something like: HA! 2006 had below-average hurricanes, so Mooney's book is disproved.
2007 might be inactive too; the El Nino forecasts keep reaching farther and farther into 2007.
Everybody forget that the work by Curry, Emanuel, and others, is on long term trends ...
Posted by: llewelly | November 20, 2006 4:23 PM
Um, no Bjorn Lomborg in this book, that I can assure you....
Llewelly, I don't control the release date. As for El Nino, we'll see....
Posted by: Chris Mooney | November 20, 2006 9:16 PM
Erm, hasn't someone shown recently, taht a weather-sytem (a PLanetary weather-system) will be as violent as it can be.
So, the warmer it is, overall, the more energy there is to dissipate via the weather-system, so the nastier the storms and other events will be?
Posted by: G. Tingey | November 21, 2006 4:43 AM
Keep up the good work, Chris.
(I like the cover, BTW.)
Posted by: Phobos | November 21, 2006 10:50 AM
Looks great, Chris! I look forward to reading it!
Keep up the good work!
Posted by: Stephen Berg | November 21, 2006 5:12 PM
Good looking cover. Should attract a lot of shelf browsers.
Posted by: Gerry L | November 21, 2006 11:52 PM
Make it so, Number One!
Excellent sir.
Best,
D
Posted by: Danø | November 22, 2006 9:27 PM
Congratz on the book, Chris! I'll add it to my Xmas wish list. What, it won't be released until June? I guess it'll have to be beach reading then.
Posted by: Rick | November 28, 2006 8:50 AM
I've been elsewhere so I'm just catching up on my blog scanning. I like the cover, but I'd have thought that stormy sea might include a sailing vessel with Dubya leaning over the railing greener than the sea :-) Seriously, I found the Republican War on Science engrossing and a worthwhile read. I suspect I'll find your new book even more rewarding in that I know much less about global warming and climate science than the targets the Republican went after with such vigor through 2004.
Posted by: Keanus | December 3, 2006 6:01 PM
I'm excited for your new book! Republican War was recommended to me by a young administrator at Harvard's biology department and I find it a great read. As a young scientist, I am glad to be brought up to date in order to fully understand how the Bush Administration is getting away with all this. (I'm 1/2 way through!) I've been recommending Republican War to everyone I talk to! So far I need to pass my copy on to an MD/PhD, an engineer turned art gallery owner, and a graduate student. Keep up the good work!
Oh and I like the cover too!
Posted by: Pamela | December 10, 2006 1:16 AM