"I'm really into astronomy": Taylor Jenkins Reid on how writing 'Atmosphere' changed her

Taylor Jenkins Reid recently spoke about her upcoming novel, Atmosphere, scheduled to be released on June 3, 2025.

She is a best-selling author who is known for her novels such as Carrie Soto Is Back, Malibu Rising, Daisy Jones and The Six, The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, and many more. Her upcoming novel is set against the backdrop of NASA’s 1980s shuttle program, according to People magazine.

While speaking to the Associated Press, Reid shared her love for astronomy. She told the outlet,

“I’m really into astronomy. Last Thanksgiving my family took a road trip to the Grand Canyon. I routed us through Scottsdale, Arizona, because I wanted to go to a dark sky park.”

She added,

“We got there and it was cloudy. I was beside myself. The next night we got to the Grand Canyon and all the clouds had disappeared and you could see everything. I stood there for hours. I was teary-eyed.”

Here is what else we know about Taylor Jenkins Reid and her upcoming novel, Atmosphere.

What is Taylor Jenkins Reid's upcoming novel Atmosphere all about?

Taylor Jenkins Reid's soon-to-be-released novel, Atmosphere, follows the story of an astronomer, Joan Goodwin. She is also a physics and astronomy professor who has been given the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to send female astronauts into space. According to Associated Press, the story unfolds in two timelines: one when Joan first joins the NASA program and another in December 1984, when a mission goes terribly wrong.

While speaking to People magazine, Taylor Jenkins Reid shared that her stargazing moments with her 9-year-old daughter, Lilah, also played an important role and acted as an inspiration behind writing the novel. She told the outlet,

“I'm really happy to say that my kid has been indulging me, and is doing it with me too, and now can spot certain constellations just by her eye. It just feels like an immense gift that this book has given me.”

In addition to this, Reid received support from her husband, Alex Jenkins Reid, and guidance from Paul Dye, NASA’s longest-serving flight director, who helped her understand the intricacies of shuttle missions and mission control. Speaking in an interview with Associated Press, Reid said,

“I said, ‘I can’t write this book. I don’t know enough about the space shuttle. I don’t know what happens when the payload bay doors won’t shut and you have to get back within a certain amount of revs, but they can’t land at White Sands. They have to land at Cape Kennedy.’ And he’s like, ‘Just listen to yourself. You know so much more than you knew a couple months ago. Keep doing what you’re doing.’”

Taylor Jenkins Reid was born on December 20, 1983, in Maryland. She attended Emerson College and earned a degree in media studies. Initially, after venturing into the Los Angeles film industry, she embarked on her literary journey.

She published her debut novel in 2013. Her best-selling works have earned her numerous awards, including Goodreads Choice Awards for Best Historical Fiction for each of Daisy Jones & the Six, Malibu Rising, and Carrie Soto is Back, according to the description of her bio in Storytel.

Atmosphere will be released on June 3, 2025 and is currently available for preorder.

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