I'm sharing snippets from my Middle Grade/YA science fiction adventure, Rescuing Mara's Father. The narrator is Mara, an almost 15-year-old girl who lives in a mining outpost on the Outer Rim. This snippet takes place right after last week's, which ended with her father saying, "She [Mara's mother] would not have been pleased with your attitude in the classroom."
Please excuse the creative punctuation, necessary to keep this within the guidelines. It's also edited from the original.
I jump up, “I knew it, you just can’t be nice to me for more than a minute. Why can’t you be my father instead of Teacher all the time?”
“Mara,” He sounds weary, “You don’t understand.”
“No, you don’t understand--I hate school.”
“And yet you want to go to Pamyria Technological Institute,” I’ve heard him use that tone on adults, right before he zings them with reason, “Which, by the way, is a type of school.”
“That’s different, I would learn what I want to learn--not the history and governments of Central Planets, like Compara. I’ll never use that planetary poop.”
“Planetary poop?” He arches his eyebrow in such a haughty way I cringe, “I am certain your vocabulary is advanced enough to find a more appropriate description,” There he goes again, correcting me, never giving me credit for what I do know.
“You don’t understand--I want to learn about starships and how to fly them.”
Rescuing Mara's Father is available in digital format at:
Available in Print: Amazon
3 friends, a hidden starship, a quest
Her father is gone! Taken by the Queen of Compara’s agents. Mara has to rescue him before the Queen tortures and kills him.
Instead of the kind, loving father she’s always known, he’s become demanding, critical, with impossible expectations—not just as Father but also as the only teacher in their frontier outpost. Mara would rather scoop zircan poop than listen to another boring lecture about governments on Central Planets. Give her a starship engine to take apart or better yet, fly, and she’s happy. Now, he's gone.
Never mind, they’ve had a rocky road lately.
Never mind, Father promised she could go off planet to Tech Institute next month when she turns fifteen, where she’ll learn to fly starships.
Never mind, she ran away because she’s furious with him because he reneged on that promise. Father is her only parent. She has to save him.
Along with her best friend, eleven-year-old Jako, and his brother 15-year-old Lukus, Mara sets off to find her father. An old spaceport mechanic and her mentor seems to know why the Queen captured Father. In fact, he seems to know her father well. But, does he tell her everything? Of course not. He dribbles out info like a mush-eating baby. Worse, he indicates he’ll be leaving them soon. And Lukus can’t wait to get off our planet. Mara’s afraid they will all leave her, and she’ll be on her own. Despite her fears, she has to rescue her father.
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I'm wondering if this is a longstanding desire that she's shared with him before, or is it a surprise?
ReplyDeleteLong standing. I may have left out details of their visit to Pamyria in the previous snippets.
DeleteSometimes parents know best, but kids don't realize it until they're adults themselves. Though I'm sure she still needs the comfort that he doesn't seem to provide. Great snippet!
ReplyDeleteOh, Jess. You are so right. Thanks.
DeleteParents know best? I often wonder about that. Well done, Diane.
ReplyDeleteSometimes, they do. But not always. Thanks, Charmaine.
DeleteOh dear, parent and child taking at each other and missing the point, both of them. Sounds like an old argument for them though. Well done snippet!
ReplyDelete"Talking" at each other, not 'taking'. Sigh. Enjoyed the excerpt :)
DeleteI read talking before your correction. lol Yes, they are talking at each other, neither listening--or so Mara thinks.
DeleteYou capture the reality of parent/child conflict--the generation gap is alive and well, even in the distant future (or a galaxy far, far away). Great snippet!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Jenna.
DeleteVery realistic. Neither is listening to the other. They're both right and both wrong. Well written.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Kate. I hope the young readers recognize themselves.
DeleteWhat a realistic argument between child and parent. I curious to know what he thinks about her wanting to learn about starships and to learn how to fly them.
ReplyDeleteHe's okay with it, but he needs her to learn about the Central Planets, too. He has a reason that he doesn't share with her.
DeleteI just bought the book! Looking forward to reading it!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Lisa! I hope you enjoy it.
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