Where
Does Inspiration Come From
Thank you so much
for having me on your blog, Kat. Readers often ask where authors get
their inspiration. Boy, is that a hard question to answer.
Everywhere? That isn’t a satisfying answer. Readers want specifics.
My grandchildren,
ages 9 and (almost) 12, know I write novels. They also know they have
to wait until they’re grown up before they can read them. That’s
disappointing for them. So, an idea for a book they could read came
out of the blue. Since I (and my grandchildren) enjoy science
fiction, I set the book at an outpost on the frontier of space, the
Outer Rim. Because I want to differentiate my children’s book from
my adult fiction, I wrote RESCUING MARA’S FATHER, A
Science Fiction Adventure as D.M. Burton.
Writing for my
grandchildren is what precipitated the book. Fleshing it out is
another story. The main character, Mara, is an almost
fifteen-year-old girl. I remember my teenage years and my daughter’s.
What a turbulent time. Arguing, testing limits, wanting to be both an
adult and a child. So, I tapped into those emotions for the beginning
of the story—Mara arguing with her father (her only parent). The
argument is over something so important to her that she runs away.
While she is gone, her father is arrested and taken off-planet.
As I said, the teen
years are volatile, with emotions all over the place. Mara’s are no
different. She goes from never wanting to see her father again
(running away) and zooms into a determination to rescue him, even if
it means finding a way off the planet by herself.
What would the teen
years be without friends? Mara has one BFF, Jako, an 11-year-old boy.
His older brother, Lukus, is Mara’s nemesis in the classroom. His
eagerness to learn puts her to shame. When the teacher is her father,
and he often praises Lukus, the green-eyed monster, jealousy, colors
her relationship with him. But when she announces her determination
to find her father, Jako enthusiastically volunteers to go with her.
Not quite so eager, but with his own reasons, Lukus agrees to go,
too. Faced with the scary idea of rescuing her father, Mara welcomes
their company.
Rescuing Mara’s
Father is first and foremost an adventure story. Yet, I hope my
young readers will recognize that they aren’t alone. That other
kids go through the same emotional turmoil.
Blurb:
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. Her mentor, old
spaceport mechanic, 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, and she’ll be on her own. Despite her fears, Mara has to
rescue her father.
Excerpt:
Another
boring class on another boring day in my boring life. Nothing ever
happens here at Raythos Outpost #3, the most boring place on the
planet. I can’t wait to leave. Just three tendays and I’ll be off
to Pamyria Tech. Then I won’t have to listen to Teacher drone on
about governments of the Central Planets.
“…democracy,
confederation, autocracy…”
Blah,
blah, blah. I’ve heard this lecture a thousand times already.
Teacher is only going over it because Perfect Lukus missed the other
nine hundred and ninety-nine times. He’s fifteen—a year older
than me—my best friend’s brother and a pain in the butt. He only
comes to class when his work in the stable is done. Lucky him. I’d
rather shovel zircan poop than sit through another history or
government lesson. Bo-ring.
Of
course, where I’d really rather be is in the pit at spaceport
taking apart the engine of a Gilean Cruiser or, better yet, at
Pamyria Tech learning how to fly one. I can’t wait. It’s bad
enough this class comes after Mid-Day Meal. The sun shines through
the closed window, and guess who’s sitting in its beam? If the
window was open, the fresh air wouldn’t help. Just more heat,
making me more drowsy.
“.
. . Mara?”
How
in Smilian’s Pit does Teacher always know when I’m not listening?
Reluctantly, I get to my feet. Teacher insists we stand when speaking
like we’re in a real classroom on a Central Planet instead of
Teacher’s study in a mining village on the Outer Rim. Teacher’s
desk is in one corner, and the eight of us older kids sit in two
rows, one in front of the other, our comp pads for note-taking on our
laps.
Usually,
I sit in the back row with my buddy Jako. Today, the others got there
first, and I had to sit in front. Lukus always sits in the front row
whether or not he comes in late, like today. His light brown hair is
slicked back and wet, as if he’s just showered. He missed the
linguistics and mathematics lessons which were a lot more
interesting, where I always know the right answers. Now, he gets to
see me humiliated. Not that I care what he thinks of me. I don’t.
Teacher
waits, his expression stern, while I try to figure out what question
he asked. Part of me wants to crawl under the chair and hide. Instead
I continue to stand, back straight, head up, my face burning hotter
than the Laborian Desert.
I
stare back at Teacher, who knows I don’t want to be here. I’m
just about the only kid in this outpost who has to go to school. No,
make that the only kid on this planet since Outposts #1 and #2 don’t
have any kids. Wish I lived over there. As far as I’m concerned,
learning history or government is a waste of time. Now, learning the
inner workings of a Gilean Cruiser would be a lot more interesting.
Behind
me, Jako whispers, “Example of autocracy.”
He
always has my back. He’s the best friend a girl could have, even if
he is only eleven.
“CoalitionPlanetComparaintheCentralDistrict,”
I say in a rush and sit down.
“And
why is the government of Compara considered an autocracy?” Teacher
looms over me. Since the study is so small, he actually looms over
all of us. He’s so tall his dark brown hair nearly brushes the
ceiling. He stands as still as a soldier, back straight, his dark
green eyes boring into me.
His
hair and eyes are like mine, only darker. We’re a minority at this
outpost. Most people have light hair the varying colors of grain in
the fields, and their eyes range from pale blue to a light gray. Our
green eyes set us apart, as if we don’t belong here.
I
keep my head down and sharpen the pleat in my dress slacks. Most of
us wear our best clothes to class. Those of us who have good clothes,
that is. Being orphans on their own, Jako and Lukus don’t have good
clothes. Still, they always wear clean pants and shirts, even if they
are mended in places, especially Jako’s. His clothes are Lukus’s
hand-me-downs. Even Teacher wears dark gray slacks and a white shirt,
more formal than the normal work clothes other men wear in town. He
says appropriate clothing is essential to making a good impression.
Right.
Like I want to make a good impression on the kids I’ve grown up
with.
Teacher
clears his throat, waiting for a response. If I don’t look at him,
maybe he’ll pick on someone else. It’s not like I don’t know
the answer. He’s drummed it into our heads all year, as if knowing
how Comparans are governed is the most important topic in the galaxy.
Big whoop.
Lukus
stands. “Teacher, may I attempt to answer your question?”
Show
off.
At
Teacher’s nod, Lukus explains. “Technically, Compara is an
absolute monarchy which is a more specific type of autocracy. The
Queen Regent assumed absolute power after the king and both their
sons died fifteen years ago. She dissolved the Body of
Representatives and rules by intimidation and terror.”
“Very
good.” Teacher smiles. When he does, his eyes brighten. “Unlike
some students, you have been listening,”
Gee,
you think he means me?
“Thank
you, sir.” Lukus sits, alert, eager to get on with the rest of the
lesson.
Teacher’s
Pet, I sneer, though I don’t say it out loud. I could’ve been
the focus of Teacher’s smile if I’d answered. I don’t want to
show off in front of the other kids. Most are my friends, and I don’t
want them to think I’m better than they are. Lukus doesn’t have a
problem with demonstrating what he’s learned.
How
does he know this stuff? Maybe he only missed nine hundred and
ninety-eight lectures. Okay, how’s this for irony? I have to be
here all the time and hate it. He wants to and can’t because of his
jobs. He’s the janitor at a boarding house in the morning, stable
hand in the afternoon, and dishwasher at night. You’d think he’d
want to just chill when he finishes early. Instead, he comes to
school. Weird, huh?
The
four little kids in the other corner of the study are getting
restless. They must have finished the exercises Teacher gave them
before he started teaching us older ones. He ignores them and asks us
to identify the ideal form of government.
Like
the others, except Lukus, I keep my head down so I won’t be called
on. Once again, he stands. The rest of us sit back in relief. Lukus
has Teacher’s attention, which is just fine. “The ideal form of
government is one where all the inhabitants have a voice and are
treated equally.”
I
snort then mutter, “Like that’s ever going to happen.”
Jako
yanks my braid and hisses at me to shut up.
Teacher
pins me with his stare. “Mara, you have something to add?”
“I
can explain what Mara means.” Lukus is still standing and according
to class protocol, I shouldn’t have spoken. “Civilizations strive
for the ideal. However—”
“I
can do my own explaining.” I ignore class rules and stand without
waiting for Lukus to sit. “Out here on the Rim, the only thing that
matters is who’s rich enough or strong enough to rule. Might makes
right. The Central Planets with their Coalition Security are light
years away. They don’t care about us. Why should we learn about
them or how they rule? All we have to know is who’s in charge here,
and that’s the mining company.”
I
sit quickly, surprised at my own outburst. Not as surprised as the
rest of the class, let alone Teacher. He gives me a look that says
I’m going to hear about this later. I am so glad I only have three
more tendays of this. At Pamyria Tech, I won’t have to learn
useless information about the Coalition and especially about Compara.
I’ll learn important stuff about starship engines. Three more
tendays. Just three tendays. And I am gone.
Rescuing
Mara’s Father, A Science Fiction Adventure will be
released on March 30th. It’s available for pre-order at
the following online vendors:
Smashwords:
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/929324
About Our Feature Author:
The first
time D.M. Burton saw Star Wars IV: A New Hope, she was hooked
on science fiction and space travel. The Star Trek movies made
her want to travel to other planets. Alas, she is still Earth-bound.
D.M. and her husband live in Michigan, close to their two children
and five grandchildren.
Join D.M. Burton's
readers’ group on Facebook.
For more info and
excerpts, visit D.M.’s website: http://www.dmburton.com
She writes adult
fiction as Diane Burton, where she combines her love of mystery,
adventure, science fiction and romance into writing romantic fiction.
Besides writing science fiction romance, she writes romantic
suspense, and cozy mysteries.
For more info and
excerpts from her books, visit Diane’s website:
http://www.dianeburton.com
Connect with Diane Burton
online.
Twitter:
http://twitter.com/dmburton72
Facebook:
http://facebook.com/dianeburtonauthor
Goodreads: Diane
Burton Author
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