The ARCs (advance review copies) for the next Generation Mars book have arrived!
Preparing
Now, in the ObsDome near the airlock, Cas felt the familiar calm that always came to her once a worrisome task got under way. She and the other third graders were squirming into their surface suits. This was a slow process. The wire mesh that provided compression would not squeeze until the suit was turned on. But, even when off, the suit fit tightly and took some effort to get into. Outside the windows of the ObsDome, she could see nothing but a dim brown.
Air: Generation Mars, Book One
Coming in October
(image: Luis Peres)
Air cover reveal
Ladies and Gentlemen, the cover of the next book in the Generation Mars series.
Air: Generation Mars, Book One
Coming in October
(images in montage: Luis Peres)
Acidalia Planitia
Acidalia Planitia is a broad, flat, lowland area in the northern hemisphere of Mars. As the ancient oceans of Mars receded, Acidalia Planitia held one of the last shallow seas. That water is long gone now and Acidalia is a windswept plain. On this plain, the thin wind of Mars dances and plays with the dust of the ancient sea, as it has for billions of years.
Air: Generation Mars, Book One
Coming in October
(image: Luis Peres)
Air: Generation Mars, Book One
There was a sudden roar, louder than any noise Ori had ever heard. She sank to the floor, pulled her knees to her chin, closed her eyes, and cowered against the closed door. She had never felt wind before, only slight movements of air from the distribution system in the colony. But now she felt a terrifying rush of air over her. There were crashes and groans all around, and she opened her eyes to see the content of the dome—tables, chairs, lab equipment, plants, all—falling and shifting in the direction of the wind. She closed her eyes and screamed.
Air: Generation Mars, Book One
Coming in October
Getting real
Just assigned ISBNs and requested Library of Congress numbers for the paperback and ebook versions of the forthcoming book. Things are finally getting real.
Illustration for next book
Illustration for the next Generation Mars book is coming along nicely. Here’s a sample.
This is what Cas sees from inside her helmet as she walks through a dust storm. Note the cool head-up display. (great work by Luis Peres)
Audiobook available!
At long last, the audiobook version of Scratching the Surface has been approved and is now available. Read by Emily Lakdawalla, Senior Editor and Solar System Specialist for The Planetary Society, the audiobook includes a downloadable pdf containing illustrations and background material.
https://www.amazon.com/Scratching-Surface-Generation-Mars-Prelude/dp/B08CDVG5NR
https://www.audible.com/pd/Scratching-the-Surface-Audiobook/B08CDW2BLN
Also available from iTunes!
Middle Grade Treasures
Parents with young readers!
Sixteen authors, including yours truly, have teamed up to offer their books at a discount for a month (April 25 – May 25).
There are some great titles on this list. Please take a look!
Author reading
As part of the Generation Mars coronavirus response, I’ve decided to read the first book of the series, Scratching the Surface, on YouTube. The first installment is available now. The next will be released tomorrow (4/4).
If response is positive, I may consider some other YouTube goodies in the near future. Follow Generation Mars on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube for timely updates.
youtu.be