The story of Mike Sierra Echo – a middle-grade scifi space novel is simple, but powerful. In the vast emptiness of grief, twelve-year-old Mike discovers that some journeys require more than courage—they demand escape velocity. As family tensions spiral like debris around him following Mom’s loss, Mike realizes that healing isn’t about navigating the asteroid field of dysfunction, but breaking free from its gravitational pull entirely. To survive the collision of Grandma’s vengeance and Dad’s distant pain, Mike must do more than adapt: he must launch himself past his family’s broken orbit, and seek redemption in the infinite unknown.
I’ve finished writing this novel and now MIKE SIERRA ECHO is looking for a home with one of the Big Four publishers and a literary agent.
Information for Publishers and Lit Agents
Pitch
Twelve-year-old Mike navigates the loss of his mother and the chaos of his unraveling family, while facing his grandmother’s revenge on his dad, leading to a daring adventure with his AI best friend to steal a space elevator and save their future—an epic journey reminiscent of CRATER (Disney) meets FOUNDATION (Apple) and REBECCA REZNIK REBOOTS THE UNIVERSE by Samara Shanker, where sometimes you have to leave Earth to find home
Query
Twelve-year-old Mike’s life spirals out of control after his mother dies suddenly from a brain aneurysm. Struggling with grief, his grades drop into the toilet, dad becomes emotionally distant, and his sister Jennifer gets caught up in social media chaos. Meanwhile, Mike’s grandmother blames his dad for the family’s problems and uses her wealth to sabotage his new job building the world’s first space elevator.
Desperate to restore some order, Mike’s role as peacemaker only make things worse. He feels trapped between his dad and grandmother while grappling with his own emotions. In his quest for control, he unwittingly triggers a global crisis involving a dangerous Gray Goo nanotechnology that threatens to consume all life on Earth.
MIKE SIERRA ECHO is ‘We Dream of Space’ by Erin Entrada Kelly and ‘Rebecca Reznik Reboots the Universe by Samara Shanker with a dash of Ender’s Game – a middle-grade sci-fi novel that combines heartfelt family drama with thrilling adventure. It’s a story about grief, family conflict, and the moral dilemmas Mike faces as he learns to embrace his mother’s philosophy of “defeating through harmony.” Set 150 years in the future, this novel will resonate with readers who enjoy emotional, character-driven stories set against a hard sci-fi backdrop.
Target Audience: The target audience for this book pitch is middle-grade readers, typically aged 8 to 12 years old, who enjoy science fiction and adventure stories that incorporate emotional themes such as loss, family dynamics, and personal growth. Additionally, the references to popular titles like CRATER, FOUNDATION, and REBECCA REZNIK REBOOTS THE UNIVERSE suggest an appeal to readers who appreciate stories that blend relatable, character-driven narratives with speculative or futuristic elements.
Length: 53,500
Published Anywhere Else?: No
Please Contact Me for Synopsis and Sample Chapters
More About Mike Sierra Echo
Are Space Elevators Real?
Our Space Elevator Future Getting Closer
Space Elevators on the Moon?
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