Lot's of things going on but it is always my pleasure to bring a guest back to share treasures with us! Although it has been a while, Diane shared treasures and thoughts and been in our spotlight with her romantic suspense novels but today she shares treasures and a peek into her first YA novel!
Take it away Diane....
One of the things I treasure is my mother’s ceramic nativity
set. Like many women of a certain age, my mom decided to sign up for a
ceramics’ class. At first, she did little things, for example, Easter “eggs”
and chicks. Then, she decided to make a nativity set for each of her children.
She asked how I would like it decorated. I told her, and this is what she made.
The set is a reminder of the importance of Christmas, the
true meaning. Each year, as I set it up, I’m reminded of all the work that went
into the making of each piece. Mom died in November twelve years ago, close
enough to Christmas that the first holiday without her was very difficult. The
nativity set is a small part of her that’s with us each Christmas.
In my new release, Rescuing
Mara’s Father, the main character never knew her mother who died at her
birth. Mara would’ve given anything to have her mother with her.
RESCUING MARA’S FATHER
A Middle Grade Science Fiction Adventure
By D.M. Burton
Approx. 75,000 words
3 friends, a hidden starship, a quest
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
their 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:
[When three bullies tried to beat up her friend, Mara jumped
into the fray. Together they trounce the bullies. Then, her father takes her
home.]
Father makes me sit on a chair in the kitchen because the light’s better
in there. He is gentle as he cleans my scrapes and bruises. He’s almost
finished when I see his lips thin and his eyes harden. He tilts my chin and
pulls aside the neck of the old shirt I’m wearing.
“You have bruises on your throat. That—” He calls the bully a filthy
name. I’m surprised. He never swears or calls anyone bad names.
What he does next surprises me even more. He kneels next to me and pulls
me into his arms. I can’t remember the last time he hugged me. He strokes my
hair, and I think this is how it used to be . . . when he loved me. Tears
prickle my eyes, and my throat thickens.
Abruptly, he pushes me away and stands. I want him to come back, to hold
me again. To be the warm, loving Father he used to be. He doesn’t. “I concur
with your little friend. You did well. However, you could have been killed.
Those Dunpus boys are mean, the father meaner. Stay away from them.”
“But they were beating up Jako. It wasn’t fair.”
Father walks over to the stove and lifts the lid of the large pot. “You
have a good heart.” He stirs the stew. “You are very much like your mother. She
would have been proud of you.”
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.”
He continues to stir the stew. 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.”
About the 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.
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.
Goodreads: Diane Burton
Author
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/dmburton72/
GIVEAWAY
A $10 AMAZON e-GIFT
CARD
Many chances to win.
What a lovely treasure, Diane! I love nativity scenes too of all kinds! Thanks for sharing.
Good luck and God's blessings with your new book and good luck to everyone who enters the contest!
Hope you enjoyed Diane's treasures, friends and that you'll drop by each week to see who's doing what on our blog.
Until next time, take care and God bless.
PamT
14 comments:
Pam, thanks so much for inviting me over. I love your blog.
Diane, that nativity set is amazing! Your mom's work is lovely. The story sounds great, and I Love that your grandkids can read and enjoy.
Thanks, Alina. I'm waiting to hear how they enjoyed it.
Wow, your blurb has me hooked! It sounds like a super creative, action-packed story. Good job!
Hi Diane,
Like you, I enjoy writing for YA, middle grades, children and adults. Your book sounds great. Wishing you much success!
Hi! I enjoyed the interview. I love nativity scenes. They are beautiful and priceless! I also enjoyed the excerpt. Good luck to you!
I enjoyed your interview and post. I have a large nativity scene that was painted in colors, glazed, and detailed with beads and sequins. I used to put it up when my sons were little. They scarfed "Baby Jesus" from the scene and broke him three times. I kept going back to ceramic class and remaking him. Alas, all the pieces now sit in a box with the rest of my holiday decorations.
Lovely nativity set! I have lots of treasures that mom brought over from Japan. And I'm reading Mara's story now. What a wonderful book!
Thanks, Erin. I'm so glad the blurb hooked you.
Thanks, Jacqueline. I channeled the young teen I wished I'd been. LOL Brave and strong.
Kara, I agree about nativity sets. They are priceless, esp. when made by a family member.
Thanks, Judy. Your nativity set sounds priceless. Good thing you could remake "Jesus".
Patty, the treasures your mother brought from Japan must be priceless. How wonderful. I'm glad you're enjoying my book.
Wow, that is a treasure indeed. Something like that from a beloved mother is priceless. Thank you for sharing with us.
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