posted 06-01-2010 01:23 PM               

Justiz, whose last day with the space agency was today, was an instructor pilot and an examiner pilot in the T-38, the Shuttle Training Aircraft (with more 15,000 shuttle approaches), the C-9 "Weightless Wonder" and in the modified-Boeing 747 Shuttle Carrier Aircraft. He has now applied his real-life experience flying high-performance vehicles to crafting a science-based thriller that is equally fast-paced and engaging.

Here's how Justiz summarizes the plot of Specific Impulse:

Space scientist Carin Gonzales and former submarine commander Jake Sabio are two strangers drifting separately through life when a mysterious explosion rocks them and brings them together. Now, the after effects have changed them both in unpredictable ways. Sometimes they can see more clearly than before the explosion; while at other times they can smell more precisely and they move in ways that are clearly impossible. These and other changes come at a price. To make matters worse, anyone else who felt the effects of the explosion is now inexplicably dead.

Time is running out for Gonzales and Sabio. An infection from the explosion is slowly killing them and the Center for Disease Control would like to lock them up in a lab for study. Due to a suspicious string of events, Special Agent Will Greenfield wants them for questioning. In addition, contract killer Antonio Crubari would be happy if they would just hurry up and die, and he's willing to help speed up the process. How can they survive when everyone wants them dead and there appears to be no cure on Earth for their infection?

You can read more about Specific Impulse on Justiz's website, including several sample chapters, as well as find praise for the book from space and media personalities such as Ed Lu, Bonnie Dunbar, Alan Stern, Miles O'Brien and even yours truly who wrote...

"Engaging for both its use of science and suspense, 'Specific Impulse' blends the macro- and micro-worlds with intrigue and adventure. A unique combination that kept me engrossed throughout!"