Best-selling author Jeffrey Zaslow has snared another fantastic book deal. He will assist Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, D-Ariz., and her husband, recently retired astronaut Mark Kelly, in telling the story of their life before and since the January shooting rampage in Tucson in which she suffered a severe head wound.
NASA astronaut and Navy Capt. Mark Kelly announced his retirement from the military and space travel and plans to focus on his recovering wife. He was at the helm as the shuttle Endeavour returned from its last voyage to space. Kelly said, he will handle the bulk of the book work with collaborating author Jeffrey Zaslow.
The congresswoman was shot at point-blank range Jan. 8 during a meeting outside a Safeway grocery store. Six were killed and Giffords and 12 others were wounded. Giffords is recovering as an outpatient at TIRR Memorial Hermann rehab hospital in Houston where she is re-learning to walk and talk.
Recalling some of their experiences has been “emotional” for Giffords, but it is something she wants to do. “There’s certainly a lot there that hasn’t been in the news.” Kelly said in an interview with azcentral.com. “People are inspired by what she’s going through. We thought it was the right thing to do.”
Zaslow earlier collaborated with Prof. Randy Pausch for The Last Lecture and Capt. Chesley B. “Sully” Sullenberger, the Hudson River hero, on Highest Duty — both best sellers. The Wall Street Journal columnist told his fellow columnists at Detroit that the manuscript on the Giffords-Kelly book is due in September. The book will be published by Scribner, an imprint of Simon & Schuster.
Zaslow also has another book in the works — The Magic Room: A story about the love we wish for our daughters, due for publication in early 2012.
