Gabrielle Giffords and Mark Kelly Book Due in November

Sept. 7, 2011 — -- Much has been made of their love story -- the congresswoman married to the astronaut. Gabrielle Giffords' marriage to Mark Kelly would probably have made little news if not for the tragic shooting in front of a Tucson supermarket on Jan. 8.

Giffords and Kelly are collaborating on a book, which will be released Nov. 15, and is almost guaranteed to be an instant best seller. Today Scribner, their publisher, announced the title: "Gabby: A Story of Courage and Hope."

Giffords was hosting a meet-and-greet event with constituents in Tucson, Ariz., on that January morning. Jared Loughner allegedly opened fire at the event, killing six people and injuring 13 others, including Giffords.

Her recovery has inspired many observers, though information about her medical condition, and photos and video of her are carefully controlled by her protective staff and family, so the extent of her recovery is really unknown.

Giffords has been in therapy at TIRR Memorial Hermann Hospital in Houston since she was transferred here in January. After several months as an inpatient, she continued while living with her husband at his Houston home. The couple had a long-distance relationship before the shooting; she went back and forth between Washington and Arizona while he was in Houston or other NASA centers.

She has returned to Tucson twice since January, and she made a noteworthy appearance in Washington in August to vote on the debt crisis bill -- receiving a standing ovation from Republicans and Democrats.

Her appearance at an awards ceremony in June for her husband brought her another standing ovation. That time was in Houston, in front of a crowd gathered to see Kelly and his five fellow astronauts after they returned from STS-134, the final mission of the space shuttle Endeavour.

Giffords and Kelly are both starting new chapters in their lives. While she concentrates on her recovery, she will eventually have to face the question of whether she can run again for her congressional seat. Kelly, meanwhile, has announced his retirement as an astronaut, and has dodged questions about whether he is interested in a political career.

Click here to order an advance copy of Gabrielle Giffords' and Mark Kelly's new book