Monday, March 13, 2017

Fly Me To The Moon by Diane Burton

 If you were around in 1969, you and your family were probably glued to the television set on July 20th. I was. Since that was in the days before recording shows on VCR tapes (which we hadn’t even heard of then), my dad aimed his Super 8 movie camera at the TV screen and recorded Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin stepping out of a spacecraft onto the moon’s surface.

Exciting times.

Guess what? By the end of next year, we’re going back to the moon. SpaceX, the private spaceflight company, plans to send a crewed spacecraft around the moon in 2018 in time for the 50th anniversary of the first trip around the moon. NASA, too, plans to return to the moon but not until 2021.

I don’t care who goes first. I’m just excited that we’re going back. You may ask why. We’ve been there, done that. Yes, we have. But we haven’t been that far into space since 1972. The flights have been to the space station. NASA has to contract out space launches.

Since this blog isn’t a scientific one, what’s the connection? I write science fiction romance, still considered part of paranormal romance. “Adventure and Romance in this world and beyond” is the subtitle of my blog. It’s what my writing is all about. Notice “adventure” comes first in that subtitle.

Space adventure. My first love.

When I write about adventures in far off planets or on spaceships, I use my imagination to build those worlds. Of course, I use movies and books for ideas. Pinterest, too. But soon those worlds won’t be fictional. Not in my lifetime and probably not in my children’s. Maybe my grandchildren will see us venture beyond our moon to other planets in our solar system. Maybe their grandchildren will get the chance to venture beyond that.

Wouldn’t that be fantastic?

In my science fiction novella, Mission to New Earth, pioneers fly to a Goldilocks planet to settle, explore, and populate.

Would you go on a one-way trip to explore a new planet? Would you do it to save humankind?

In 2172, Earth’s overpopulation and dwindling resources force the United Earth Space Agency to expedite exploration of new planets for a possible new home. When new crises ensue—a giant tsunami and the threat of nuclear winter—the timeline changes. Eight years of training crammed into four.

Sara Grenard and her team prepare for launch, but are they ready for the one-way trip? Will the Goldilocks planet prove just right for Earth’s inhabitants? Before time runs out.





14 comments:

Maureen said...

I've always been fascinated by space. I loved the Carl Sagan films in school. But I'm not good on an airplane & don't like heights so I think my only space travel will be in my imagination. I enjoyed your post!

Diane Burton said...

Thanks, Maureen. Heights really bother me, yet flying (in a big airplane) doesn't. Weird, huh?

Diana Rubino said...

Great post! Yes, I sure was glued to the set on July 20, 1969. The space program has always fascinated me. Great idea of your dad's to take home movies of Armstrong & Aldrin walking on the moon! Diana

Unknown said...

I remember the first walk on the moon. I hate to admit it, but I am that old. I'm looking forward to reading your book.

Diane Burton said...

Diana, my dad was so excited about that event. The movie was so grainy and flickering. Still, it was a great momento.

Vicki, I'm that old, too. LOL I hope you enjoy the book. It's a novella, so it doesn't take long to read. ;)

J Hali Steele said...

Ahh, the memory! My whole family gathered around our small TV to watch and we talked about it for days! Enjoyed this post, Diane, and the memories it evoked.

Alicia Dean said...

Fun post! I was 8 years old when that happened, and I don't recall it at all. I also don't recall the Vietnam war. I think my parents just didn't expose us to a lot of news. :) I admire your passion for outer space. I've never caught the 'bug' though. But, I do enjoy your sci-fi romances for sure! :)

Diane Burton said...

Hali, ours was big console TV, black & white. It was years before I saw the landing in color. We, too, talked about it for days.

Alicia, I think you were lucky not to be exposed to a lot of news, esp. the Vietnam War. That was a terrible time for our country. Still, the space stuff was great. Even if you don't care for sci-fi (like my sisters), I'm glad you like my stories, though. ;)

CJ Burright said...

I think all space travel is exciting! And scary...it's something I'm definitely not ready for, which makes me respect those astronauts that much more. Great post, Diane!

S.K. Dubois said...

I never understood why we didn't go back sooner. I was led to believe by The Jetsons that I would be able to fly my car to a luxury vacation spot on the Moon by now! Interesting post!

Diane Burton said...

Hi, C.J. Scary is right. I'm not sure if I'd go. When I was younger, I would've jumped at the chance. As we've seen twice, going into space is dangerous. Astronauts die. A lot of respect for them, too.

Sorchia, it's so disappointing that we haven't gone back sooner. I want that flying car, too. Self-driving, of course. :)

Pamela S Thibodeaux said...

Sorry I'm late getting here!
Great post
Good luck and God's blessings
pamT

Crystal Collier said...

Personally, I'm good to keep my feet on the ground. My hubby loves the idea of space travel, but it has never been that attractive to me. Maybe it's the motion sickness? Unless they can automatically teleport me into space, it's not happening.

Nancy Gideon said...

LOVE space adventure but am too much of a coward to ever thing of boldly going myself. I'll continue to vicariously enough the trip through TV and, of course, through your books!!