This has been brewing for a while, but I’ve had to keep it quiet. Generation Mars is being developed into a live-action series. And they are not messing around.
The Hollywood Reporter Book festival
Generation Mars will make a rare public appearance at the Tucson Festival of Books this weekend.
I’ll be in the Indie Author Pavilion for Children’s Books on Saturday, March 12, from 2:30-4:30pm.
If you’re in the Tucson area, come by and buy a book or just say “Hi!”
Shelter is now available
Readers of all ages,
Shelter: Generation Mars, Book Two is now officially released.
The family is on an away mission when a solar particle event forces them to seek shelter where they can. As conditions go from uncomfortable to desperate, it falls to the sisters to save the family. It’s a struggle for survival in which they learn the full meaning of shelter.
Available now on Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/1733731040
Middle-Grade March promo
31 mind-bending, fantastical, out-of-this-world, roller-coaster-worthy middle-grade books to discover in March 2022!
Generation Mars has joined 30 other authors to fill your March with stories.
Each day will feature one of the outstanding books pictured.
Coronal mass ejection
Sometimes, twisting of magnetic fields within the corona gets so tight that the tension abruptly snaps, sending massive loops of plasma racing away from the Sun in an event called a coronal mass ejection (CME). Most of the time, these clouds of particles dissipate into space without causing any harm.
Sometimes, the cloud of particles is pointed straight at one of the inner planets. When this happens, the high-speed charged particles slam into the planet in what is called a solar particle event (SPE). For planets with thick atmospheres and strong magnetic fields, most of the energy dissipates far above the surface. Mars has neither a thick atmosphere nor a strong magnetic field. When an SPE occurs on Mars, the surface is flooded with high energy particle radiation.
Sometimes, two or more CMEs will happen in the same place on the Sun, one after another. When this happens, the first clears a path for the ones that follow, allowing them to race even faster out into the solar system.
Sometimes, two or more CMEs will happen in the same place on the Sun and point straight at one of the inner planets. When this happens, the SPE on the planet can go on for several days.
One time in particular, when a mother and father and their two children were on their first camping trip, that planet was Mars.
Shelter: Generation Mars, Book Two
Coming March 1st
(available for pre-order now: https://www.amazon.com/Shelter-Generation-Mars-Book-Two/dp/1733731040)
(image: Luis Peres)
Niger Vallis
“I’m open,” said Nyla. Cas looked up and saw that her mother was standing with knees slightly bent, ready to receive. Cas passed her the ball, and her mother trapped it and dribbled to another spot before passing it back. They continued this—laughing, dribbling, chatting, and passing—until their shadows grew long and the fat blue Sun fell behind the rim of Dao Vallis, far down-canyon from them.
Shelter: Generation Mars, Book Two
Coming in March
(available for pre-order now: https://www.amazon.com/Shelter-Generation…/dp/1733731040)
(image: Niger Vallis near confluence with Dao Vallis, composite from Google Earth Pro – Mars)
Dao Vallis
They walked along the bench a bit, looking for an easy way down. Eventually, they were able to scramble down to the bottom of the channel. The surface was looser here, and composed of various sized rocks. They walked along, each kicking at rocks and stopping occasionally to pick up one that looked interesting, as humans have since they first walked the Earth. Aedan felt completely happy in a way that only happens once in a while. The novelty of walking outside with his youngest daughter had still not worn off, and he loved it.
Shelter: Generation Mars, Book Two
Coming in March
(available for pre-order now: https://www.amazon.com/Shelter-Generation…/dp/1733731040)
(image: upper Dao Vallis, composite from Google Earth Pro – Mars)
In it
“Well,” said Nyla, “now we’re in it, huh?”
Cas smiled. “Yep,” she said. She looked around. They were alone on the surface with no shelter other than their suits and the tent strapped to the SD Rover. Cas’s smile grew broader. “This is cool,” she said.
Shelter: Generation Mars, Book Two
Coming in March
(available for pre-order now: https://www.amazon.com/Shelter-Generation-Mars-Book-Two/dp/1733731040)
#mars #scifi #childrensbooks #middlegradebooks #kidlit #camping
(image: NASA/JPL-Caltech/ASU/MSSS, Perseverance, mission sol 136)
Parting ways
Everyone stood looking at each other. Cas realized that parting on the surface like this was different than parting when they went to school and their parents went to work. They were already separate, each in their own little world maintained by their suit. They couldn’t kiss each other goodbye. Even hugging was difficult with the helmets. But they hugged nonetheless.
Shelter: Generation Mars, Book Two
Coming in March (available for pre-order now: https://www.amazon.com/Shelter-Generation-Mars-Book-Two/dp/1733731040)
(image: Luis Peres)
Offroad challenge
“Well, this looks terrifying,” said their mother, looking out the front window of the LD at the slope their father intended to descend.
“The nearest alternative adds over 120 kilometers to our route,” said Aedan, also staring at the slope. It was steep. It was uneven. It was rocky. He smiled. “It looks like fun,” he said. Nyla gave him a look but said nothing.
“Yeah!” said Cas from behind. “Do it, Dad! It’ll be epic!”
Ori joined in: “EPIC!” she hollered.
Shelter: Generation Mars, Book Two
Coming in March
(image: Luis Peres)