UPDATE: The winner is…Beth Caudill!
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Were you alive on July 20th, 1969? I was eleven years old and still vividly remember watching Neil Armstrong take the first step a human ever took onto the Moon’s surface. We had gathered in someone’s living room (I don’t think it was ours) with some neighbors. The children were all lined up, sitting cross-legged in front of an old black-and-white TV, you know, the kind that was on legs, waiting for the broadcast.

I remember when it started. Everyone was silent. I think some of the adults were crying, it was such a proud moment. For this kid it was surreal. I was already a certified space nerd. I adored Star Trek and Lost in Space. I daydreamed about space exploration. (I often dreamed I was Judy Robinson, and that the robot was my best friend.) When I went to the library, I checked out books on the planets and stars. To see Buzz and Neil jumping around the moon, unimpeded by gravity, left me with a lasting feeling of awe and possibility.

Here’s a picture of our intrepid crew: Neil Armstrong, Michael Collins, and Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin.

A side note. When I worked at a large insurance company, Buzz Aldrin came for a booksigning of his co-authored novel, The Return. Naturally, I bought a copy and had him sign it. I was like a fan at a rock concert. I met the second man who stepped on the moon. 🙂

So, my question to you, for a chance to win a free download of one of my books, is…

Are you ready for us to go back? Are you eager to see if we can make the flight to Mars?