Earth scout ship gets unexpected new crewmember in "Mootoa's Moons: The Other Woman"

COLORADO, UNITED STATES, October 6, 2021 /EINPresswire.com/ -- In the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), there is a persistent gender gap. According to Forbes women comprise 27% of the STEM workforce in the United States while men make up nearly three quarters of the ranks. In her novel “Mootoa's Moons: The Other Woman,” author Susan Quilleash-Nelson explores and subverts this disparity in the field of engineering and similar gender issues. This examination of social matters is reminiscent of classic Star Trek and the works of Ursula K. Le Guin. At the same time, Quilleash treats readers to a rollicking space adventure following a starship boldly exploring new worlds and facing unexpected dangers.

A catastrophe destroys two of the starship Lorili's engines, an incident that also claims the lives of two engineers. In danger of being crippled, the vessel must replenish its systems and its crew. They stop at the world Mootoa to acquire new drives and recruit replacement engineers. However, not much is known about Mootoa and its people.

In this era, Earth has found a way to travel among the stars and encountered new civilizations, such as the Mxtel, a trade and protective society, who formed the Confederated Sentient Peoples or CSP. Yet much remains undiscovered or unexplored. Mootoa is one such enigma, a society that regards men as lacking the intelligence to do anything, let alone command starships.

So when a new engineer from Mootoa joins the Lorili's crew, the vessel's mission also gains another complication. Quilleash's narrative follows the engineer as she tries to fit in with the crew of Earthers, exploring her observations and how it clashes with her views on gender, as well as the perspective of the captain and the crew and how they regard the newest addition to their team. For all their differences, there are also unexpected similarities, and while the people of Earth and Mootoa reckon with their contrasting ways, they must also be wary of the greater unknown that is space and all the hazards within its vast inky depths.

"Mootoa's Moons: The Other Woman" harkens to essential works in the sci-fi canon such as Le Guin's "The Left Hand of Darkness. "With insightful commentary on gender and social issues, Quilleash was inspired to write by her experiences as a transwoman, the challenges she faced, the prejudices she encountered, and the journey of overcoming them. She recounts how she applied for TV roles only to be declined.

"I wanted to play the female lead in a TV show. At 5'11" with wide solders, narrow hips and no breasts I did not look very feminine." she says. "I also needed to say something about who can love who and what society does to those who don't conform."


About the Author
Susan Quilleash-Nelson is a retired combat engineer sergeant and a retired high-school math teacher. A transwoman living in Colorado Springs, she was born in a territory of the U.S. that is now a state. After graduating from high school, she worked in South America at a ranch and while not fashioning herself as a seasoned traveler she has lived and worked in four continents. Her careers also included cook, soldier, carpenter, teacher, politician, and writer. When not writing she spends her time in volunteer work for her church and the local GLBT community.

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