Chester L. Richards is a retired aerospace engineer, prolific inventor with nineteen patents, and a storyteller whose life is a celebration of curiosity and courage. Known for co-authoring the iconic Star Trek episode “The Tholian Web” while still in college, Richards went on to fill his life with adventure—from river rafting in remote locations to composing music, surfing, and working on cutting-edge space technologies. His insatiable appetite for exploration and learning became not only a lifestyle, but also the fuel for his creative work.
Richards is the author of the memoir series Memoirs of a Rocket Scientist, which includes From The Potato to Star Trek and Beyond: Memoirs of a Rocket Scientist (Treks Beyond The Great Potato Book 1) and The Trek Continues: More Memoirs of a Rocket Scientist (Treks Beyond The Great Potato Book 2). Through these works and more than fifty published essays, he shares personal stories marked by wit, depth, and a contagious sense of wonder. Whether recounting encounters in exotic locales or detailing the oddities of hospital visits, Richards infuses every tale with the adventurous spirit that defines his worldview.
At the heart of it all was the love he shared with his late partner Sarah, whose memory continues to inspire his writing. From their Thousand Oaks home, Richards wrote his way through grief, turning their shared adventures into narratives that are as touching as they are thrilling. With a romantic soul, a scientific mind, and a born writer’s instinct, Chester L. Richards invites readers to see life itself as the greatest adventure of all.
To learn more, visit his website.
Fill in the blank: “People will like your book if they like…”
Stories of hair-raising adventure and stories of exceptionally interesting people.
How did you plot out the content of your book?
That’s easy: I lived the life. These are true stories.
Did you write in timeline order or have any specific process for getting your first draft down?
The stories do not follow a timeline. Each is completely independent and may be read in any order.
Did you have trouble writing about yourself, or was it fun and freeing?
The only bit of trauma was writing about some of my failures. That was not easy. But it is a relief to get rid of it all.
How do you handle including dialogue in a memoir?
My only dialogue is with the reader. I am telling a story to my listener.
Did you have any input on the cover?
I worked a little with my editor on the cover. But she supervised the skilled designer who did the cover.
How important was the setting of your book in telling the story that you wanted to tell?
The book has no particular setting. It simply explores the many parts of the world I have encountered, including a bit of that very large place, Africa. And, the sometimes very strange place, the Aerospace industry.
Without providing spoilers, what is one moment that you feature in your book that you would most like to go back in time to change?
I certainly made some youthful mistakes in graduate school. Writing about that puts that demon to rest.
Do you try to hit a certain page or word count with each writing session?
I try to write at least a thousand words a day.
Do you have any writing rituals?
No. I usually wait until I get a sense of what I need to say and the words needed to say it, then I simply sit down and start. The work flows easily once I am underway.
Where did you write this book?
At home with my computer.
What are your favorite memoirs?
Talking about the very interesting people that I have gotten to know.
What are your passions/hobbies outside of writing?
Exploring the world through reading. I also find the world of YouTube to be very rich and entertaining.
Who is your dream audiobook narrator?
I don’t listen to audiobooks.
Who is on your Mt. Rushmore of greatest/inspirational writers?
Robert Heinlein had a great influence on me. My collaborator, Judy Burns, had the gift and showed me how to construct stories. Hemingway influenced my style, but I really don’t like what he wrote. Ernie Pyle, the great war correspondent, taught me the humor in adversity.
Are you a big reader? Do you own a large collection of books, or are you more of a borrower?
I have a huge collection of still-to-be-read books. Someday my local college will get my library.
Who would you most want to read your book? They can be living or dead.
My late wife, Sarah.
Have you ever mentored another writer with their writing?
Mentored no. However, I have passed on some tips to other new writers.
What is an annoying thing that a non-writer has assumed about writers or the act of writing?
I have no idea what goes on in such a person’s head.
What is your favorite website that you use to promote your writing?
I have a good interaction with people on Twitter/X.
What kind of feedback have you received from those featured in your book?
I am an old man. Most of those I write about have long since passed away. Maybe in the next life I will hear their complaints.
Have you made any public appearances to promote your book?
I have been doing a lot of podcasts and live radio interviews. These are all over the world.
How do you measure the success of your writing career?
The very positive response from my readers.
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