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Dannis' NaNoWriMo

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dannistories

Novel: NaNoWriMo Offplanet
Genre: Science Fiction

9,504 words so far  

• Novel Info

About dannistories Location: Cuthbert, GA, USA Home Region: United States :: Georgia :: Elsewhere Website: http://dannistories.com Favorite novels: The Morcai Battalion, Diana Palmer; Double Star, Robt A Heinlein; Harry Potter Series; Gone With The Wind, Margaret Mitchell; Mars, Ben Bova; 2001 Series; Martian Chronicles, Ray Bradbury Favorite writers: Heinlein, Bradbury, Asimov, Diana Palmer/Susan S Kyle, CS Lewis, Tolkien, Brian Jacques Favorite music: Resphigi - Fountains and Pines of Rome Non-noveling interests: Science, Do-It-Yourself, Green Home, Painting/Graphic Arts, Computing, Disability Issues

Joined: August 23, 2009 This Year: Official Participant NaNoWriMo History: NaNoWriMo posts: 12 NaNoWriMo buddies: 15

Brief Author Bio: I've been writing since I was 11. I decided to do this because I've become an Indie publisher [of my own books] and marketing my paperback is taking me away from the writing side. For this challenge, I think I'll write a non-fiction title, since I write science fiction. For me, this is something new and harder! I love the idea, and wish I'd done this last year! I plan to blog about it. I'm a single mom, disabled, raised two daughters, and my youngest was homeschooled. She started Andrew College at age 17. My oldest works as a vet tech in Portland, OR. I became an independent publisher in late July after I uploaded a bunch of novels and short stories to Amazon Kindle [which is free and you get 40% of the list price that you set yourself]. I've been sending my stories off for years, but I'm very disorganized, and have a good-sized collection of rejection slips. Aldrus Budrys liked one of my stories enough to write a personal note to me, but he couldn't use it for his market. Indie publishers have a bad rep. So, it's anyone's guess as to whether I'll be able to supplement my income with writing. But, it's great fun! My writing didn't come together until age 30, and I kind of exploded. Don't let me discourage you who haven't yet finished a novel, though. I was there at 30 and had no clue. I am not sure now if I 'have it' or not! But, my sister advises me, persistence is worth a lot more than talent. She went the traditional slush pile route and now has >160 books in print! You can do it, too!! Never give up.

Synopsis: NaNoWriMo Offplanet

Myra is 14, and she's let a friend lead her astray. She meets a man over the Internet whom she thinks is her age, but he takes her for a slave. They are rescued by the Zheien of MarKu in another galaxy, so Myra learns to live in a new culture, and with her shame. But, when slavers invade all of MarKu, it's up to Myra to help hide her group.

Excerpt: NaNoWriMo Offplanet

It was like my memories ended there, and I wore one of those scratchy tunics. Felt like it was made of a scouring pad! I had scrapes all over me. Worse. All of me hurt. I shook all over. I wanted to feel that high again. That scared me. I never thought I’d get addicted to anything! Last year, when I was thirteen, I wrote a novel. Our teacher got us into the National Novel Writing Month Young Writers’ Program. When I heard she wanted us to try to write 50,000 words, I thought she was crazy! But, I did it. Only five of us finished. Then, I’d never tried drugs, but my friend Ellie told me what happened to her. She did cocaine and got addicted. I felt bad for her. My best friend, a misfit like me. She said she never felt happy again after that one, wonderful high. She kept using cocaine, but it was just to feel normal, not to get high. If she didn’t, she got sick. So, I wrote my book about my friend; but, to cheer her up, I made her get abducted by aliens who could cure her addiction, and she went off to live in this fairy place where she could be happy. I even gave her a loving foster family. Her dad got high and beat her up, and her mother. When I finished the book, I called her up to tell her, and her mother told me she died the day before that.

My life’s over. All around me, guards in black robes shook fists at scared people in the tunics. We’re slaves!

But, the man who held me, and the ones around us, sat so they hid me. From that day on, they protected me, on that horrible ship. They didn’t speak English, so I only got mind-pictures, but I learned he was a healer. They use telepathy for healing. He couldn’t save me, and his sorrow rumbled on my skin. Why so sad over me, a stranger? His name was Teherah, and he looked peachy-skinned like me, but with wrinkles and silver hair like my dad’s. But, he didn’t act rough with me like Dad did. His touch was very gentle, and he seemed to know when something got uncomfortable. Sometimes it was a wrinkle. Sometimes, he turned me so I could lie the other way in his lap. Or, he’d straighten my neck when it hurt from all the shivering. I couldn’t get warm. I had tubes in me so when I got sick, nothing got messy. A guard put them in. Teherah wasn’t happy about them, but they did keep me dry.

Copyright © 2009 The Office of Letters and Light :: All posted novel excerpts remain copyright their authors.

via nanowrimo.org

Here's what I'm doing for NaNoWriMo this year, my first year! Comments welcome.

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