Behind the book: Selling a debut sci-fi novel

"You blew me the f--- away." How Yume Kitasei found an agent and a publisher for THE DEEP SKY.

Generation ship novels are one of my favorite subgenres of science fiction. The concept dates back to at least 1918, when Robert Goddard imagined an “interstellar ark” that could carry humans across vast distances of space over long periods of time in his (secret!) nonfiction work, The Ultimate Migration.

Since then, generation ships have popped up in Arthur C. Clarke’s Rendevous With Rama, Gene Wolfe’s Book of the Long Sun, Ursula K. Le Guin’s “Paradises Lost” (from The Birthday of the World), Kim Stanley Robinson’s Aurora, and Rivers Solomon’s An Unkindness of Ghosts.

Yume Kitasei is a Brooklyn-based writer whose clever and propulsive debut novel, The Deep Sky (Flatiron Books, out now) is about a generation ship barreling toward a new home planet for humankind. But it’s also a locked-room mystery courtesy of an explosion that kills some of its 80 crew members, all selected for their ability to give birth in deep space. The last crew member to join the ship, Asuka Hoshino-Silva, has to solve the whodunit while her teammates fix the ship’s trajectory.

In this week’s edition of Behind the Book, I spoke with Yume, her agent Mary C. Moore, and her editor at Flatiron Maxine Charles about what drew them to THE DEEP SKY, as well as how it evolved during the submission and editing process.

Yume Kitasei (author)

When and how did The Deep Sky begin for you?

I wrote a book that got me my agent but didn’t sell. So then I had to write another. THE DEEP SKY flips the gender ratio on the kind of sci-fi books I grew up reading. I loved them, but I was excited to write something that has all the characters I realized were missing from those narratives. I started with a generation ship with crew selected for their ability to give birth and went from there.

What was your querying process like, and why did you choose your agent?

As usual, I made a massive spreadsheet. I found Mary through her profile on manuscriptwishlist.com. I loved that she had a STEM background. She represents speculative, crossover, and mystery — this was important to me, because I write across genres. She liked books I liked. And her family is bicultural. I write a lot of biracial/bicultural characters, so I was like, yes. I said all this when I queried her; she requested a full, and here we are!

Bottom line, it’s important to do your research when querying. You’re looking for the one who will get you and your writing specifically.

What was your submission process like, and why did you choose Flatiron?

Mary starts by giving me the list of folks she’s planning to submit to. I secretly spreadsheet it and gather some information so I can decide in case everyone wants me (they do not). We went on sub in late fall and got the offer in January. We were still early in the process given the holidays. It was a pre-empt. I was excited to work with Maxine and Flatiron, because they cross genre (credit to Mary here for thinking about this).

I liked that Maxine wanted me to cut 30,000 words. Is that weird? I was so into that.

Mary C. Moore (agent at KC&A)

What excited you about Yume's manuscript? 

From the first moment I read Yume’s work, her ability to ground the reader in what feels like utterly relatable characters in fantastic situations caught me. The STEM background she weaves into all her stories coupled with beautiful language and page-turning tension, created a loyal fan. But in the end, what drove me to want to be her partner in her publishing journey was her brilliant and nuanced exploration of what it means to be human. And this manuscript really highlighted that journey.

What was it originally titled? And did you retitle it for submission? 

I loved the original title Yume pitched me, THE NARROW ROAD TO THE DEEP SKY, inspired by The Narrow Road to the Deep North by Matsuo Basho. So I kept it for submission. It ended up being shortened during the publication process to the equally beautiful THE DEEP SKY.  

How did the manuscript evolve before you submitted it to editors?

We did a few rounds of revision before submitting it to editors, with a focus on character development and plot balance. But honestly I knew from the first draft that this was going to be a big book. I sent Yume an initial reaction comment of “you blew me the f*** away,” haha.

Maxine Charles (editor at Flatiron)

What drew you to The Deep Sky and to Yume's writing in general?

Basically everything. Before I read a word, I was fascinated by the gender demographics of the crew. The mystery too seemed like a ripe opportunity for moral ambiguity and intrigue. I also gravitate toward stories that use fantastical concepts as a vehicle for the emotionally resonant or thought-provoking. I'm primarily interested in seeing that from a marginalized perspective. And the more I read THE DEEP SKY, the more I was touched by Asuka's angsty and poetic voice. She's the exact type of narrator who can ground a high-concept novel in the relatable, which is paramount for genre fiction. So it was really the perfect book for me in every way possible.

What made The Deep Sky a great fit for Flatiron?

I am probably the Flatiron editor who acquires the greatest proportion of genre fiction. I want to widen its scope and show people its potential for nuanced and driven characters, beautiful writing, and fresh and profound perspectives. Yume's novel checks all those boxes. I'm lucky enough to be supported by lots of people here who understand my vision and how it fits into the greater Flatiron list beyond just me and THE DEEP SKY. I adore THE DEEP SKY of course, but Yume is also ambitious and smart in a way that will sustain her career beyond just this novel. She's someone I'd love to publish again and again.

How did The Deep Sky evolve during the editing process?

Yume and I have a similar work ethic and similar goals for the book, which made for a fantastic collaboration. I'm so grateful for her enthusiasm. She never wore down through any of the several rounds of revision it took to master the balance of scientific accuracy, pace, and Asuka's emotional journey.

Asuka originally had two brothers instead of one. The first scene started a little more action-y than its more internal final iteration. Yume took great care to sharpen the physicality of the story, both in terms of the spaceship itself and the characters as they fought in it. She did a lot of space travel research on her own and consulted a few scientists.

Finally, we sought out multiple readers to help us with the authenticity of characters of different nationalities and genders from ourselves. We tried our best to fill in any blindspots we have. I'm very proud of how far she took it.