#IWSG:: Favorite Genre #sfr

Happy Insecure Writers Support Group Day. IWSG is the brainchild of Ninja Captain Alex J. Cavanaugh.

Purpose: To share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds! Thanks, Alex, for starting this group and keeping it going. 

I'm thrilled to join this month's awesome hosts: Kim Lajevardi, Sylvia Ney, Sarah Foster, Jennifer Hawes, and Madeline Mora-Summonte!

This month's optional question is one I'm happy to answer.

Of all the genres you read and write, which is your favorite to write in and why?

Science Fiction Romance. My first published novel was a sci-fi romance. After being rejected so many times for contemporary romances, I decided to write for fun and, amazingly, Switched was accepted by a niche publisher.

I read and write science fiction because it reinforces my belief in a future. That other sentients live in our universe. That faster-than-light (FTL) speed is/will be possible. That we (humans) will explore other planets, either by traveling through wormholes or developing engines with warp or FTL drive.

Relationships are important to stories. Without characters, the stories would be dry scientific texts. Characters who work together make the story more interesting. Even better, characters who fall in love reinforce my belief that happy ever after is possible. It's a belief in the future of humankind. 

Combining science fiction with a strong relationship (romance) is my favorite genre to write--both for adults and for middle school age children.

When wise-cracking Jessie Wyndom is beamed from her farmhouse in Ann Arbor, MI aboard an Alliance starship, she meets a regular Mr. Spock. Captain Marcus Viator's well-organized life is turned upside down by a free-spirited Terran. Fate brings them together. Treachery tears them apart.

Amazon ~ Amazon UK ~ B&N ~ Kobo ~ iTunes ~ Smashwords

Her father is gone! Taken by the Queen of Compara’s agents. Fifteen-year-old 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.

Ebooks:  Amazon ~ Amazon UK ~ Kobo ~ B&N ~ Smashwords

Print:  Amazon

Check out the latest anthology contest.

Guidelines and rules: 
Word count: 3500-5000
Genre: Middle Grade Historical – Adventure/Fantasy
Theme: Voyagers
Submissions accepted: May 1 - September 4, 2019
How to enter: Send your polished, formatted (double-spaced, no footers or headers), previously unpublished story to admin @insecurewriterssupportgroup.com before the deadline passes. Please include your contact details, your social links, and if you are part of the Blogging, Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter IWSG group. 

Click here to find others on the Insecure Writers Support Group Blog Hop. Or go to IWSG on Facebook to see who’s blogging today.

#WeWriWa - RESCUING MARA'S FATHER Don't Tell Me I Can't Go #sf #middlegrade

Each weekend, the Weekend Writing Warriors share an 8 - 10 sentence snippet. Be sure to visit the other authors. You can find them here.

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 will be my last snippet from this story. One more argument between daughter and father.

Please excuse the creative punctuation, necessary to keep this within the guidelines. It's also edited from the original.

“What difference does it make now, I’m going to the Tech in three tendays.”

He takes a deep breath, “I know you have been looking forward to going—”

No, he wouldn’t, “Don’t you tell me I can’t go.”

“Excuse me?”

“I mean it,” I fist my hands on my hips, “You are not going to tell me I can’t go, you can’t, I’ll be fifteen in three tendays—I’m going,” we’ve had a lot of arguments, but I’ve never defied him before.

“You may be old enough to enroll in the Institute, but you still need parental approval.”

I’m stunned speechless, but not for long, “You wouldn’t, you wouldn’t punish me like that.”

“Mara, you must obey me on this, you must stay here, you will pay attention in class, you will apply yourself.”

“Like Perfect Lukus? Maybe you wish he was your son instead of a stupid girl like me.”

Rescuing Mara's Father is available in digital format at:

Amazon ~ Amazon UK ~ Kobo ~ B&N ~ Smashwords

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.

Be sure to check out the other WeWriWa authors.

We Have a Winner ~ RESCUING MARA'S FATHER Blog Tour

Thank you so much to everyone who visited the blogs on my tour for RESCUING MARA'S FATHER, my science fiction adventure for young readers. A special thanks to all the authors who gave me a place on their blogs.

Now, to announce we have a winner for the Rafflecopter giveaway.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Congratulations, Kayla.

#IWSG: Words Have Power

Happy Insecure Writers Support Group Day. IWSG is the brainchild of Ninja Captain Alex J. Cavanaugh.

Purpose: To share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds! Thanks, Alex, for starting this group and keeping it going. 

Thanks to this month's awesome hosts:  Lee Lowery, Juneta Key, Yvonne Ventresca, and T. Powell Coltrin! 

OPTIONAL IWSG Day Question: 

What was an early experience where you learned that language had power?

I was in grade school--maybe 3rd or 4th grade--when I encountered bullying. My mother drilled into our heads that "sticks and stone may break your bones, words will never hurt you." I totally disagree. Words do hurt. But, I guess that's why I never told her about the nasty things kids said. I figured she'd say ignore it, or don't let it bother you. 

Easier said than done.

I don't remember getting hit during recess, but I do remember taunts. Words do hurt. Mean words have the power to make you forget good times. When young teachers curry favor with their students--aka the cool kids--they ignore complaints from outsiders. 

Thank goodness, we didn't have social media when I was in grade school and junior high. I was lucky to go to a different high school than those "cool kids" so I got away from them. I never wished ill of those bullies. I hope their children and/or grandchildren are/were never bullied. But if they were, I wonder if they recall their own bullying.

Words hurt. We have to be careful how we use them.

On a happier note: last month, I shared how I uploaded the wrong file to Amazon, one full of typos and other errors. You all were so supportive. Your sympathy and kind words helped more than you can know. Amazon helped as soon as I told them what happened. They said they sent out emails to those who purchased Rescuing Mara's Father the first few days after it was released saying that an update was available. (I didn't receive one, but maybe they didn't think I needed it.) If you purchased my book, check your "Devices and Content" to see if an update is available. I do apologize for the inconvenience. Anyway, I'm happy they responded and helped me fix the situation. 

My "official" blog tour ended last night. I have a couple of guest spots in May.  Special thanks to all the IWSG members who offered places on their blogs or who spotlighted my new release. As I've often said, you all are welcome to visit me when you have a new release.

GREAT NEWS

The Anthology is available now. 

Find love at the ball…

Can a fake dating game show lead to love? Will a missing key free a clock-bound prince? Can a softball pitcher and a baseball catcher work together? Is there a vampire living in Paradise, Newfoundland? What’s more important—a virtual Traveler or a virtual date to the ball?

Ten authors explore young love in all its facets, from heartbreak to budding passion. Featuring the talents of L.G. Keltner, Jennifer Lane, C.D. Gallant-King, Elizabeth Mueller, Angela Brown, Myles Christensen, Deborah Solice, Carrie-Anne Brownian, Anstice Brown, and Chelsea Marie Ballard.

Hand-picked by a panel of agents and authors, these ten tales will mystify and surprise even as they touch your heart. Don your mask and join the party…

http://books2read.com/masqueradeoddlysuited

I hope the month of May brings lots of inspiration.

Click here to find others on the Insecure Writers Support Group Blog Hop. Or go to IWSG on Facebook to see who’s blogging today.

#Giveaway Last Day - RESCUING MARA'S FATHER

The giveaway for a $10 Amazon Gift Card ends tonight at midnight. I hope you entered--many times. 

Have you joined D.M. Burton's Sci-Fi Adventure group on Facebook? Here's the link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/244763419770536/

Each week, I'll post questions about the story to get a discussion going. Pop over and check it out.

Thank you to everyone who purchased Rescuing Mara's Father. I hope you (or your favorite child) are enjoying the story.


One more time, here's the Rafflecopter.

GIVEAWAY

A $10 AMAZON e-GIFT CARD

Many chances to win.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Stop by tomorrow to see if you won.

#WeWriWa RESCUING MARA'S FATHER - The Coalition Is Closer Than Mara Thinks

Each weekend, the Weekend Writing Warriors share an 8 - 10 sentence snippet. Be sure to visit the other authors. You can find them here.

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 Mara saying, “You don’t understand--I want to learn about starships and how to fly them.”

Please excuse the creative punctuation, necessary to keep this within the guidelines. It's also edited from the original.

“Are you not learning about starships from Basco, does he not allow you to pilot them?”

“He only lets me move them from one section of ‘port to another, but it’s not enough—I want to fly in space.”

“As I recall, you have,” He would bring that up—on our last trip away from Raythos, Father let me take the controls of our rented starship. Though it was only for a brief time, I was thrilled beyond belief—he even praised how quickly I learned to control the ship.

“Mara, child, you must learn about the universe that exists outside our little village. The Coalition is an ever-expanding entity, more planets are finding it economically advantageous to become part of the Coalition.”

“The only reason the Coalition has anything to do with us out here on the Rim is because of the brilium mines.”

“Of course, they need brilium to heat their homes, run their factories, and fuel their starships, and with that need comes regulations and governance,” He’s back in lecture mode, “The Coalition is getting closer, Mara—there’s a contingent of peacekeepers on Pamyria.”

On Pamyria, the nearest planet?

Rescuing Mara's Father is available in digital format at:

Amazon ~ Amazon UK ~ Kobo ~ B&N ~ Smashwords

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.

GIVEAWAY

A $10 AMAZON e-GIFT CARD

Only 2 days left, many opportunities to win

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Be sure to check out the other WeWriWa authors.

#WeWriWa - RESCUING MARA'S FATHER Mara Wants To Fly Starships #sf #MG

Each weekend, the Weekend Writing Warriors share an 8 - 10 sentence snippet. Be sure to visit the other authors. You can find them here.

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:

Amazon ~ Amazon UK ~ Kobo ~ B&N ~ Smashwords

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.

GIVEAWAY

A $10 AMAZON e-GIFT CARD

Many opportunities to win

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Be sure to check out the other WeWriWa authors.

And the Blog Tour continues - RESCUING MARA'S FATHER #sf #mg

Pamela S. Thibodeaux invited me to stop by her blog on my tour for Tuesday Treasure. I share some thoughts on one of my favorite treasures.

https://pamswildroseblog.blogspot.com/2019/04/tuesdaytreasures-with-diane-burton.html

Stop by and enter the Rafflecopter for a chance to win a $10 Amazon Gift Card.

#WeWriWa RESCUING MARA'S FATHER She looks like her mother. #sf #MG

Each weekend, the Weekend Writing Warriors share an 8 - 10 sentence snippet. Be sure to visit the other authors. You can find them here.

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: He rarely talks about my mother, who died giving me birth. When I used to ask about her, he would get such a pained look in his eyes I always backed off. This time, I can’t let the opportunity pass. “Please, Father, tell me about her.”

Please excuse the creative punctuation, necessary to keep this within the guidelines. It's also edited from the original.

 

He doesn’t say anything, and disappointment settles over me—just like before. Then, he turns around, “She was tall and slender with hair as dark as midnight and eyes as green as a mountain meadow. You look very much like her—your skin is not as fair as hers, though. She would not go outdoors without covering up for fear of burning,” He smiles, warmth and love shining from his eyes, “She hated freckles.”

“I hate them, too.”

He chuckles, “Not enough to stay indoors. Your mother cared deeply for others, as you do, but she would not have risked her life in combat. Learning was important to her. She would not have been pleased with your attitude in the classroom.”

Rescuing Mara's Father is available in digital format at:

Amazon ~ Amazon UK ~ Kobo ~ B&N ~ Smashwords

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.

GIVEAWAY

A $10 AMAZON e-GIFT CARD

Many chances to win.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Be sure to check out the other WeWriWa authors.