Available now!
Water: Generation Mars, Book Three is now available on Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Water-Generation-Mars-Book-Three/dp/1733731067
One year
Scrolling back through my writing journal, I see that today is exactly one year since I started work on Food: Generation Mars, Book Four.
My entry from that day outlines some elements of the plot that have made it into the manuscript. But, oh my!, the Doug writing that entry had no idea of the many wonderful and terrible things that would find their way into the story over the next year. The manuscript I am working on now bears only passing resemblance to what I had in mind then.
And that’s awesome!
I still have a long way to go. What new surprises are lurking out there (or in my subconscious), waiting to find their way in? I don’t know!
And that’s even more awesome!
image: generated by ImageFX
Make it better
Once in a while, Kurzgesagt hits it out of the park.
“You get to live in a world that’s deeply flawed but also the best it ever was. And you get the opportunity to make it better.”
Food update
Status update for Food, Generation Mars, Book Four
At some point during the past week, the manuscript passed 50K words.
Manuscript is a loose term that covers everything from get-it-down-and-fix-it-later sketch to fully edited and ready for formatting.
At this point, Food is closer to the sketch. A 50K sketch. I won’t say much more, but I will say this: It keeps surprising me, and I think it will surprise you too.
Luna and Mars
It looks so close! This is an actual image taken from Earth of Mars emerging from lunar occultation. Taken by Andrew McCarthy using a 14″ telescope.
The next Generation Mars book, Food, takes place on both Luna and Mars. And points between…
Progress
This image shows the progress on the next Generation Mars book as of May 30. Since then, I’ve been on a wild and wonderful vacation with the family and haven’t written a word. I expect this number is about to start growing. A lot.
Author intervew
Here’s an interview I did with Elena Jagar at Willow Wren Books recently.
From the interview:
What do you hope young readers will take away from your books?
Optimism is a superpower. Kindness is strength. Society is something you create with those around you; what do you want it to be? In the confines of Martian habitation, tolerance is a key virtue. Care for others, as well. No one can exist without the help of others and nowhere is this more evident than in a colony on a distant planet.
Willow Wren Books
Our future in space
Rick Tumlinson has a lot to say about our future in space. There is much in this piece that fits with the ideas I present in Generation Mars. Give it a read and see what you think.
“But suppose we can get past this first phase of government’s trying to use space to dominate Earth and establish the first viable communities in the beyond. These can be based on underlying principles that focus on caring for life, evolving humanity and exploring the cosmos, and yes, funded by new industries and vast resources we no longer have to rip out of the MotherWorld. In that case, we may have a chance to move to a new level of human culture, where war, conquest, and control make way for more peaceful, collaborative efforts to expand the domain of life for all.”
This is the sort of culture I describe in Dawn, the Martian colony of my books.
Solar storm
In Shelter, Cas, Ori, and their parents must deal with the direct hit of a solar storm on Mars while away from the shelter of their base.
Earth is about to get hit by such an event. But don’t worry. Too much…
A huge solar storm is slamming into the Earth. Scientists say you should look up
An aurora could be visible as far south as Northern California. Experts say the storm could disrupt some communications and navigation systems like GPS.
Humans and lava tubes
Dawn Colony, where the characters of Generation Mars live, is built primarily in lava tubes to protect the inhabitants from the radiation that reaches the surface of Mars.
Recent archaeological research suggests humans have been seeking shelter from radiation in lava tubes for thousands of years.
CNN
Food update
A milestone update on Food: Generation Mars, Book Four
1) The entire book is plotted (or, at least, as plotted as I am willing to go while also leaving room for surprise). All I’ll say is that this one is monumental in scope and will take your breath in the first chapter and keep it until the last.
2) As of today, I passed 5000 words in the initial manuscript. A pittance in the face of this monster, but a milestone to be celebrated nonetheless.
image: generated by ImageFX