By Steve Seepersaud
When you're a writer, you put pen to paper or type on your computer to produce works you hope will be seen across a wide circle. Crystal DiMeo '88, whom romance readers know as Cat Johnson, has attracted large audiences. The prolific author has made it to USA Today and New York Times bestseller lists. In what may be seen as a counterintuitive move, her current project is placing her work where no one may ever see it.
Johnson was one of 125 authors selected for Writers on the Moon, a project to put their books into a time capsule that will be sent to the moon in December.
"I found out about the project from my fellow author, Susan Kaye Quin, the project's coordinator," Johnson said. "Her husband works for Astrobotic, the company launching Peregrine Mission One, the first commercial payload ever to be sent to the moon. She applied for and got a slot in the 'Moonbox.' A spot is basically about an inch big, but she soon realized it would be perfect for a memory card, and that digital storage device could fit more than just her books. So she invited her fellow authors to join her and I jumped on it.
"It's still completely surreal to me to think that not only will my books be on the moon, but that this is the first launch of its kind. The lunar landing site, Lacus Mortis, could become a landmark, just like the Apollo Mission landing sites. I imagine, generations from now, there could be a sign marking the spot of the first commercial payload in history to be sent to the moon. And I'll be part of it. It's amazing."
Deciding what to send for this once-in-a-lifetime moon landing was stressful because Johnson has published 80 books and initially thought she'd have to pick just one.
"I [later] learned I could send up to 20 files and I could send not just eBooks but also photos. I decided to send a bunch of my books, but also items that documented my career. A picture of when I was invited to sign with Nora Roberts at her bookstore. A picture of the New York Times and USA Today newspapers from when I hit those bestseller lists. A picture of the menu of the Oklahoma restaurant where my books are mentioned because I wrote the restaurant and its signature dish into my book. Photos of the bull riders I sponsored to promote my cowboy series."
Being selected for Writers on the Moon is one of the more noteworthy — and certainly the only extraterrestrial — accomplishments in a career with strong enough sales to enable Johnson to focus full time on writing. The Westchester County native writes from the serene setting of Unadilla, N.Y., about 40 miles from Binghamton.
"The best thing about being a writer is that I can work anywhere in the world. And maybe one day even on the moon!"
If Johnson ever gets there, she'll be able to view her materials. It's unclear when the time capsule would be opened, by whom or what they'd be able to do with it. But it's still cool, regardless.
"I don't think there are plans for the opening," Johnson said. "I think Astrobotic is more concerned about getting it up there first and in one piece. Signing the waiver that I understood the payload might blow up was an interesting experience.
"There's a very good chance future society won't be able to open the file formats we send. Think about finding an 8-track tape now, but having no player to play it on. And that's for something within my lifetime. Now imagine 100 or 200 years from now. Will they be able to read my files? I sent a variety of file types hoping I'd hit one still in use."
