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touchmyspinebookreviews · 6 years ago

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I am so happy to share this really cool book with you and reveal its amazing trailer! If you like the cover, wait to you see this! There is also a chance to win a digital copy of Dead Steam, so make sure to enter the giveaway at the bottom!

Title: Dead Steam: A Chilling Collection of Dreadpunk Tales of the Dark and Supernatural

Expected Publication Date: October 1st, 2018

Genre: Anthology/ Dreadpunk/ Dark Steampunk/ Horror

I would like to thank Shannanigans @ Reads & Reels and the authors for giving me this opportunity. I’m sorry for my posts being late and that I haven’t been my usual blogging self but family tragedies and hurricane florence has taken its toll to my mobile home. But enough about me, I want you to check out this trailer reveal!❤💛❤

Reader beware: to open this tome is to invite dread into your heart. Every page you turn will bring you closer to something wicked. And when the dead begin to rise from the steaming pits of hell, only then will you discover that it is already too late. Your life is forfeit. Featuring an introduction by Leanna Renee Hieber, author of the Eterna Files and Strangely Beautiful saga, DeadSteam plays host to the scintillating writing of David Lee Summers (Owl Dance, The Brazen Shark), Jen Ponce (The Bazaar, Demon’s Cradle), Wendy Nikel (The Continuum), Karen J Carlisle (The Adventures of Viola Stewart), Jonah Buck (Carrion Safari), and more… With seventeen chilling tales of Dreadpunk, Gaslamp, and Dark Steampunk, DeadSteam will leave you tearing at the pages, desperate for more. For within these pages, the dead rise from their graves to haunt the London Underground, witches whisper their incantations to the wind, a sisterhood of bitten necks hunts fog-drenched alleyways lit only by gaslight, and only one thing is certain: that dread will follow you until you turn that final page. And that sinking feeling in the pit of your chest? That fear that something is following you, watching you, hunting you? It is not for nothing. Look over your shoulder, dear reader. Watch behind you. Listen to the whispers in the darkness. But know this…it is all inevitable.

Goodreads

Purchase Links: Amazon Hardcover:

Amazon Paperback & Kindle:

UK Amazon:

Barnes & Noble Paperback & Nook:

Barnes & Noble Hardcover:

Kobo:

Booktopia: https://www.booktopia.com.au/deadsteam-bryce-raffle/prod9780995276741.html

*Link will go live Sept. 17th

Excerpt

Burke Street Station The city was frost and fog. Icy crystals formed on the windows of the train station. Breath drifted up in a hazy clouds like puffs of

smoke as Theodore tried to warm his hands, blowing hot breath onto his stiff, cold fingers and rubbing his hands together vigorously. When that failed, he thrust them back into his coat pockets, cursing under his breath. His threadbare coat offered little warmth. Drafts of wind found their way through the broken stitching and the tears in his sleeves like rats scrambling through the cracks in the station walls. A discarded page of newsprint, caught in the rushing wind, tumbled and turned in the air and landed, crumpled and torn, at Theodore’s feet. He stooped over, picked it up, and glanced at the engraving of a wanted man. Even without a skill for reading, he knew what name was printed beneath the picture of masked man on the page. Anthony Tidkins. Wanted, he read. That was one word Theodore recognized. Crimes was another, and then, finally…murder. Rubbish. The newspapers always tried to make villains out of the radical thinkers of the world. The Resurrectionists, who named their organization after the sack-em-up men who provided the anatomists with subjects for their scientific endeavors, were scientists. They had provided the world with aether, revolutionizing air travel. They had brought Prince Charles back from the brink of death. They had devised the engines for the London Underground. Anthony Tidkins himself promised to cure death. Yet the newspaper men still called for his blood. Theodore balled up the page and shoved it in his pocket. He pulled out his trick coin as he approached the gate. The station master was asleep at his booth, a little dribble of spit running down his chin. Typical. Thoedore stuck his coin in the machine, waited for the gate to open, and then, with a light tug on the fishing line threaded through a little hole in the tip of the coin, it popped back out. Easy. He was in before anybody noticed what he had done. He pocketed the coin and started down the hallway. Tap-tap, clack, tap-tap, clack, his shoes beat a rhythm on the stone steps. The sole of his left shoe was beginning to wear, and the heel of his shoe tapped against the heel of his foot as he walked. He puffed on his hands again, and peeked over his shoulder. No one was after him. He had done this trick a thousand times before. So why did he feel like there was someone watching him? Clack, tap-tap, clack. Again, he glanced over his shoulder. The odd double-rhythm of his broken shoe was suddenly unnerving in the deserted station. Where were all the other passengers? Nice folks avoided this place like the plague, especially after midnight. The oil lamps that lit Burke Street Station were so routinely out of oil that he could hardly find his own feet in front of him, but still, Theodore expected to see other passengers. But where were the other vagrants? They should be sleeping in the dark corners of the hallway under blankets made of rags. And the boys from the blacking factory should be heading home from their long shifts, fingers stained black with powders and oil. But there was no one. Only the rats skittering through rat tunnels to keep him company. Tap-tap, clack, tap-tap, clack. Another set of footsteps began to follow his own, beating out a different rhythm. A steady tap, tap, tap, tap. He paused to listen, and nothing but silence greeted him. He glanced over his shoulder. Nobody there. He continued onward, and again, a second set of footsteps started up behind him. He paused to listen. This time, they didn’t stop. Tap, tap, tap, tap. Whoever it was, they were getting closer. Closer and closer, louder and louder, tapping out a steady rhythm as they approached down the long, dark hallway. He could almost make out the solitary figure in the gloomy, hazy light, but then the fog grew thicker, and whatever he thought he’d seen was gone. The footsteps kept on getting louder, though, and closer. He turned and ran down the hallway. A long flight of steps delved deeper into the darkness of Burke Street Station, down, down toward the platform. The train was already rumbling, announcing its approach. It vibrated through Theodore’s toes to the tip of his spine, rattling his bones. He grabbed the railing all but flew down the staircase. The rumble of the train grew louder and clearer. “Shit,” Theodore cursed. Taking the steps two at a time, he hurtled down the steps and didn’t stop when he reached the bottom.

Nails on a blackboard. The tines of silverware scraping against a ceramic plate. The screaming madmen at Newgate Asylum. The anguished cry of a mother weeping over her stillborn babe. Theodore had heard these sounds all, but not one compared to the shrill screech of an automatic train rolling into Burke Street. Iron wheels grinding against iron tracks. Hot metal sending up sparks, belching out steam as black as sin. The carriages rattling and clanging against one another. The hiss of hot coal burning in the engines. The shriek of brakes as the train ground to a halt. If it went on long enough, it would surely drive a man mad. Theodore covered his ears with his hands, pressing them against his head to muffle out the deafening noise, and waited for the thundering train to come to a halt.

When it did, he realized it must have drowned out the sound of the steadily approaching footsteps he’d heard in the hallway, because he could hear them again, and they were closer. So close he half expected to feel someone’s hot breath on his neck. He whirled around, but there was no one there. Silence greeted him like an old friend. His heart hammered against his chest.

“There’s no one there,” he muttered to himself. But he didn’t sound convinced.

A smell lingered in the air, as if something foul had passed through. The smell was familiar enough, the breath of a man with rotting teeth. It was a foul, cloying stench. He spun around again, and this time found himself face to face with the man to whom those dreaded footsteps belonged.

Only he wasn’t a man. Not really.

About the Author

Bryce Raffle writes steampunk, horror, and fantasy. He was the lead writer for Ironclad Games’ multiplayer online game Sins of A Dark Age and is the founder of Grimmer & Grimmer Books. His short stories have appeared in numerous anthologies, including Hideous Progeny: Classic Horror Goes Punk, Denizens of Steam and Den of Antiquity. His short story, The Complications of Avery Vane, was awarded Best Steampunk Short in the Preditors and Editors Reader’s Poll in 2016. He lives in beautiful Vancouver, Canada, where he works in the film industry. Author Links:

Twitter @bryceraffle

Facebook: http://facebook.com/bryceraffle

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bryceraffle/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14585685.Bryce_Raffle

Website: http://www.bryceraffle.com

Giveaway Details: Bryce is giving away a digital copy of Dead Steam to one lucky winner. The giveaway will run from Sept. 17th to Sept. 20th so make sure you enter!

Link: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/0e7c6a8f45/?

Embed:

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Book Trailer Reveal Organized By:

R&R Book Tours

http://www.rrbooktours.com

Connect with Reads and Reels! You can also check them out with the following link to be a guest blogger: Reads and Reels Guest Bloggers

Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Dead Steam Trailer Reveal~Reads and Reels I am so happy to share this really cool book with you and reveal its amazing trailer!

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byroncollinmckoy · 9 years ago

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#jim-e stack #deadsteam #indie #pop #dance #electronic

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eseneca · 2 years ago

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DeadSteam Release Date

[This is a legacy post mirrored from its original source.]

Some updates to share.

First, the release date! October 1st. Pre-orders can be placed on the website now, and for those who use GoodReads, added to your shelf. The anthology will be available both in paperback and hardcover for those who prefer it (I'm partial to hardbacks myself).

And for something else to spread about, here is the brand new book trailer! Please watch and share!

Find my story “Harvesters” within. Amazon link.

#E. Seneca #Grimmer & Grimmer Press #Indie Anthologies #Indie Publishers #Indie Presses #Horror #Horror Fiction #Steampunk #Gaslamp #Dreadpunk #DeadSteam #Horror Anthology

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karen-carlisle-off-the-artboard · 3 years ago

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Deadsteam II

https://karenjcarlisle.com/2021/10/31/deadsteam-ii/

There’s a new anthology out today, just in time for Halloween. Deadsteam II is the second dreadpunk/steampunk anthology by Grimmer & Grimmer Books, with thirteen more dark stories.

I was asked to join the ranks of fellow returning authors, James Dorr, Bryce Raffle, Ross Smeltzer, C.C. Adams, E. Seneca, and Rob Francis, and David Lee Summers, as well as welcoming new authors to the fold. This time, I have a longer short story; , following Doctor Jack/ James Findlay (The Adventures of Viola Stewart) after he boarded that ship to Australia. (Haven’t read it, check it out here: eBook/ Paperback

Just when you thought the nightmare was over, what was dead comes crawling back from the beyond. We warned you not to open that fateful tome. But you just couldn’t resist, could you? Back with more chilling tales of the dark and supernatural, the anthology of dreadpunk, gaslamp, and dark steampunk returns to haunt you with mummies, witches, vampires, gorgons, ghosts. The second installment in the DeadSteam series from Grimmer & Grimmer Books, DeadSteam II promises an even darker, grimmer gothic than the first offering. DeadSteam II includes stories by DeadSteam alumni David Lee Summers (Owl Dance, The Brazen Shark), Karen J Carlisle (The Adventures of Viola Stewart), Bryce Raffle, Ross Smeltzer, C.C. Adams, E. Seneca, and Rob Francis, while also introducing newcomers to the DeadSteam series. If you should sense someone lurking down by the river, some thing creeping through the forest, a sound from the attic, a strange pattern in the wallpaper that shouldn’t be there, a cold gust of wind on your neck…don’t look back. Just run. Run as far as you can But know this…we’re still here.

Where to buy your copy:

Kobo / Amazon/ and other online stores. You can find the first Deadsteam anthology here.

lang: 'en-GB'

#Adventures of Viola Stewart #anthology #books #dark steampunk #dark story #Deadsteam #Doctor Jack #dreadpunk #halloween #halloween read #James Findlay #short story #steampunk #undead stories

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karen-carlisle-off-the-artboard · 6 years ago

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The Dark Side of Steampunk

https://karenjcarlisle.com/2018/10/07/the-dark-side-of-steampunk/

Welcome to my guest blogger this week, Bryce Raffle, editor of the dreadpunk anthology, Deadsteam, which contains my penny dreadful inspired short story, The Case of the Murderous Migraine.

Bryce is also a fellow steampunk and long-time member of Scribblers Den (an international steampunk writers forum). Take it away, Bryce.

The Dark Side of Steampunk

Initially, when I came up with the concept for the DeadSteam anthology, I had it in mind that I wanted to showcase the dark, supernatural side of steampunk.

Steampunk is a reimagining of the Victorian era from a modern day perspective, with a lens squarely pointed at the technology: the brass and copper, the engines running on coal and steam. But while the technology of Queen Victoria’s era fascinated me, I began to see other inspiration in that time period beyond the technology. Victorian literature was one source of inspiration. In particular, I began looking at the Victorian penny dreadful.

The cheap, sensational literature of the era, known as penny dreadfuls, were sold for a penny per issue. The stories were released in weekly parts, and often portrayed supernatural entities, such as ghosts, ghouls, and, of course, vampires.

A Feast of Blood, or Varney the Vampire, by James Malcolm Rymer (and/or Thomas Preskett Prest—penny dreadfuls were often written anonymously, and Varney was variously attributed to both Prest and Rymer), was a perennial favourite, running at a whopping total length of nearly 667,000 words. Varney introduced many of the common vampire tropes still common today, most notably the sharpened fangs now associated with the undead creatures.

“The figure turns half round, and the light falls upon its face. It is perfectly white—perfectly bloodless. The eyes look like polished tin; the lips are drawn back, and the principal feature next to those dreadful eyes is the teeth—the fearful looking teeth—projecting like those of some wild animal, hideously, glaringly white, and fang-like. It approaches the bed with a strange, gliding movement. It clashes together the long nails that literally appear to hang from the finger ends. No sound comes from its lips.” – James Malcolm Rymer, Thomas Preskett Prest Varney the Vampire

Penny Dreadfuls, otherwise known as penny bloods, also portrayed the deeds of criminals, such as the Resurrection Man portrayed in The Mysteries of London.

The stories often drew from gothic literature for their inspiration, and were often reprints of popular gothic novels, such as The Castle of Otranto. The dark and stormy nights, therefore, were not far where penny dreadfuls were concerned.

I began to see in penny dreadfuls an inspiration for a steampunk anthology with more of those dark, supernatural elements that you’d expect in a penny dreadful but not necessarily in your average steampunk story. I wanted to show a bit less of the science and gadgets and machinery and a lot more of the Victorian Gothic.

This was before I stumbled across dreadpunk.

What is dreadpunk?

Dreadpunk is an emerging genre founded by Derek “The Dreadpope” Tatum, who on his website dreadpunk.com, describes the genre as the “‘costume drama’ of the macabre.”

“I coined the term ‘dreadpunk’ in early 2015. At the time, there appeared to be a resurgence of interest in the Gothic; most notably, Penny Dreadful was on Showtime and Guillermo del Toro’s Crimson Peak was scheduled for release later that year.” – Derek Tatum, (dreadpunk.com)

I reached out to Tatum for further info on the dreadpunk movement, and he was kind enough to get back to me, describing the movement as “gothic horror with modern storytelling techniques.” Hammer Horror, he said, makes a good comparison, “since that was an attempt to bring ‘period’ horror up to the era it was made.”

Besides Hammer, he also referenced Corman’s Poe flicks, Burton’s Sleepy Hollow, Ravenloft, Coppola’s Dracula, Castlevania, and of course (Showtime’s) Penny Dreadful.

Exactly the sort of thing I had in mind for the DeadSteam anthology.

I began to envision DeadSteam as a dreadpunk anthology, although I did encourage steampunk authors to submit their stories, with the caveat that they should be more in the vein of Edgar Allan Poe and Mary Shelley and less in the realm of Jules Verne and HG Wells. In other words, less science fiction and more of the trappings of gothic horror and penny dreadfuls.

Thus emerged DeadSteam.

Each of the stories owes some credit to the writers of penny dreadfuls, who introduced us to fang-bearing vampires like Sir Francis Varney, resurrection men who dredge the dead up from their rest to sell to anatomists, and ghosts haunting the halls of gothic manors on dark, foggy nights.

Pre-orders are available now in hardcover, paperback, and ebook.

Thank you, Bryce, for introducing us to dreadpunk.

Photos supplied by Bryce Raffle.

#anthology #books #Deadsteam #dreadpunk #gothic #Guest blog post #penny dreadfuls #short stories #steampunk #writing

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karen-carlisle-off-the-artboard · 6 years ago

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First Review of Deadsteam

https://karenjcarlisle.com/2018/09/24/first-review-of-deadsteam/

I’m excited! Deadsteam has its first review posted on Goodreads – and my short, The Case of the Murderous Migraine, got mentioned as a favourite!

“What a reading delight!! …This dreadpunk (steampunk horror) anthology is a perfect way to get in the Halloween mood. These story’s are reminiscent of classic penny dreadfuls and gothic horror. I especially loved the tales where vampires were the focus. Like Anthony in Red by Jen Ponce and The Case of the Murderous Migraine by Karen J. Carlisle. I haven’t read gothic vampire tales in a while and forgot how much I enjoy those tales. ” – Bedelya (clockwork.bookdragon) Moreno-Roth’s Reviews

You can read the full review here on Goodreads.

Buy you copy from Book Depository, Amazon, Amazon.com.au, Smashwords or Kobo Also available in hardcover.

lang: 'en-GB'

#anthology #books #Deadsteam #dreadpunk #gaslamp #gothic #review #short story #writing

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karen-carlisle-off-the-artboard · 6 years ago

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Reader Beware: 'Deadsteam' is Coming.

https://karenjcarlisle.com/2018/09/17/reader-beware-deadsteam-is-coming/

Do you like the more dread end of steampunk? Gaslamp? A touch of horror? Then this anthology is right up your dark, fog-drenched cobblestone alley!

“Reader beware: to open this tome is to invite dread into your heart. Every page you turn will bring you closer to something wicked. And when the dead begin to rise from the steaming pits of hell, only then will you discover that it is already too late. Your life is forfeit.”

‘Deadsteam’ features an introduction by Leanna Renee Hieber, author of the Eterna Files and Strangely Beautiful saga. DeadSteam plays host to the scintillating writing of David Lee Summers (Owl Dance, The Brazen Shark), Jen Ponce (The Bazaar, Demon’s Cradle), Wendy Nikel (The Continuum), Karen J Carlisle (The Adventures of Viola Stewart), Jonah Buck (Carrion Safari), and more…

With seventeen chilling tales of dreadpunk, gaslamp, and dark steampunk, DeadSteam will leave you tearing at the pages, desperate for more. For within these pages, the dead rise from their graves to haunt the London Underground, witches whisper their incantations to the wind, a sisterhood of bitten necks hunts fog-drenched alleyways lit only by gaslight, and only one thing is certain: that dread will follow you until you turn that final page.And that sinking feeling in the pit of your chest? That fear that something is following you, watching you, hunting you? It is not for nothing. Look over your shoulder, dear reader. Watch behind you. Listen to the whispers in the darkness.But know this…it is all inevitable.

(Will be available in paperback, eBook and hardcover).

The official release date is: October 1st, 2018.

Until then… check out the book trailer.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VaK6P5_z35

You can also view it here on Vimeo.

Find out more about the authors, with interviews on the Deadsteam Blog.

Deadsteam features my gaslamp story, The Case of the Murderous Migraine. You can read my interview on September 28th.

Find out more about Deadsteam at: http://deadsteam.wordpress.com/ and Pre-order you copy at: https://deadsteam.wordpress.com/pre-order/

#books #Deadsteam #gaslamp #horror #short stories #steam #writing

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eseneca · 2 years ago

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Works

"Harvesters" -- DeadSteam, 2018, Grimmer & Grimmer Press

"Light in the Dark" -- Aether & Ichor, 2019, Issue #2; reprinted in Issue #50 of Sirens Call eZine, 2020

"It Lives in the Mineshaft" -- The Monsters We Forgot vol. 2, 2019, Soteira Press

"A Specific Sort of Shared Madness" -- What Monsters Do For Love vol. 2, 2020, Soteira Press

"Haunt Me Like A Memory" -- A Monster Told Me Bedtime Stories, 2020, Soteira Press

"The Parade" -- Halloween Horror vol. 2, DBND Publishing, October 2020

"Glut" -- Slashertorte, Sliced Up Press, December 2020

"Waiting" -- Through Other Eyes, All Worlds Wayfarer, December 2020

"Cecilia" -- DeadSteam II, Grimmer & Grimmer Press, October 2021

"The Shadow Beneath The Water" -- Sherlock Holmes & The Occult Detectives IV, Belanger Books, May 2022

"Ashen Queen" -- Kingdoms of Wrath & Ice, Tourmaline & Quartz Publishing, November 2022

"Blood of the Sea" -- The Deeps Issue #1, June 2023

"The Case of the Arkham Doctor" -- Sherlock Holmes: Adventures in the Realms of H.P. Lovecraft: Volume 2, Belanger Books, October 2023

“The Compound” — Astral: Alien Fiction, Issue #1, March 2024

"Salt and Rust" -- Islandia Journal, April 2024

“Regarding the Coffin From the River” -- Too Bad, You Died, Infested Publishing, October 2024

#E. Seneca #Horror #Horror Fiction #Fantasy #Specfic #Original Fiction #Indie Anthologies #Indie Publishers #Indie Presses

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karen-carlisle-off-the-artboard · 4 years ago

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When things don't quite go to plan - but turn out alright anyway

https://karenjcarlisle.com/2020/10/14/when-things-dont-quite-go-to-plan-but-turn-out-alright-anyway/

Well, this is interesting.

Last time I published an eBook, via Smashwords and Draft 2 Digital (and listed it on Goodreads and my website bookshop), the entire process took about 3-7 days to sort itself out. With this in mind, and now my Patreon Adventurer Extraordinaire and above tiers have got their patron reward copy of the eBook, I started the process for Another Twist of the Nib.

I began with Draft 2 Digital, as there have been issues on Amazon’s end for three of my eBooks. I was quite happy to have them chug away and expected not to get any results until the weekend while I sorted the rest…

Well, knock my socks off! The Draft 2 Digital publication went through without a hitch (I thought Amazon would block the process as there was a small ‘freely available’ excerpt of the final short, The Case of the Murderous Migraine, online for it’s first publication in Deadsteam, 2018). I emailed the very helpful Tara, at D2D, to warn her of the (<5%) excerpt. She made a note of it. (I am extremely pleased with D2D’s customer service, btw.)

well… This time it all went through without a hitch. It went through (thanks to Tara’s note to the Amazon vetters/reviewers). Squee.

Thus began the process of adding Another Twist of the Nib to my Amazon author page. It took a day to be visible to add to the page via Amazon’s author central. Next, there’s usually there’s a 2-7 day wait for it to process and become visible on my author page on Amazon’s website. Blow me over with a feather; it popped up within three hours!

In the meantime, I uploaded to Smashwords (to distribute to Kobo, Apple Books, B&N etc) This can usually be done in half a day (though it takes longer to be approved for Apple Books). Today it was a tad quicker. I then assigned an ISBN and it was all go, go, go!

I popped over to Books 2 Read to check out my links listing… Again, it seemed to be a much faster process this time round (not waiting for Amazon make a huge difference). So you can check out the links listing HERE already!

I’ve now made the eBook listing public in my website page, with both the Smashwords direct and the link listing link, and added the eBook to my Goodreads listing.

A process that took me over a week previously, has taken just 24 hours this time. To say I’m surprised is definitely an understatement.

So, a good surprise. Definitely less stress this time round. (am wondering what I haven’t noticed has gone wrong). But also a tad annoying, as I’d hoped my patrons to have their reward copy at least a week before it was online. My apologies to you all.

Here is the complete list of links:

Smashwords https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1047365

Amazon https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08KSGXL1N/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i3

Book 2 Read – all online stores listing: https://books2read.com/Another-Twist-of-the-Nib

Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/55586030-another-twist-of-the-nib

my webpage shop: https://karenjcarlisle.com/product/another-twist-of-the-nib/

When you read the eBook, feel free to leave an honest review on Smashwords, Amazon and/or Goodreads if you wish. Every little bit helps.

This post was published via Patron on 7th October.

#another twist of the nib #anthology #books #collection #darker fantasy #darker short #ebooks #fantasy #indie author #processes #publishing #sci fi #SF #short collection #short stories

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karen-carlisle-off-the-artboard · 5 years ago

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New Year: 2020 Plans (so far)

https://karenjcarlisle.com/2020/01/13/new-year-2020-plans-so-far/

Happy new year!

The new year has brought mixed feelings down here in Australia. Bushfires are still burning. Friends have been evacuated, here in South Australia, Victoria and NSW. We wait to hear if they have a home to return to. I don’t think there’s anyone in Australia not either affected directly or knows someone devastated by this firestorm. We’re safe (ish) on our side of the Adelaide Hills. If you wish to help the relief effort, please donate to

Red Cross or

Salvation Army (Salvos) Australia who will ensure people get what they need.

For wildlife: donate to Wires Wildlife Rescue. Please be wary of scammers (unfortunately there have been many recently).

To help those in the South Australian bushfires:

SERF (State Emergency Relief Fund): https://dhs.sa.gov.au/services/disaster-recovery/accordion-11

KI Mayoral Relief and Recovery Bushfire Fund: https://www.kangarooisland.sa.gov.au/notice-board/latest-news/ki-mayoral-relief-and-recovery-bushfire-fund

Christmas was also dampened as we knew the Adelaide family who died in the New Zealand volcano eruption. So it’s been a tough emotional month, culminating in a hospital visit (I managed to avoid them last year). Anxiety and smoke are an unfortunate combination.

All is okay. I have a referral for further tests.

Upside? I wrote a short story and a poem (which I don’t do very often) in one day. The short story has been submitted to the Furious Fiction competition. Hey, if I win, that’s the airfare for Brisbane Supanova paid for. The poem was shared with my Patreon supporters and my newsletter subscribers last week. The words were cathartic. It seems I only write poems after distasters.

This is not how I wanted to herald the new year.

As I write this, it’s a much cooler day. Finally, some respite for the firefighters. We all hope the fires can be controlled before the next predicted heatwave (third this month!).

I’ve taken to the time to gather my thoughts and channel them in a more positive direction. I’ve spent a few days eating chocolate, reading a book, looking at kitten pictures, designing book covers and writing. (It was still too hot to garden.)

Another positive: I did get asked to be on the Words Out Loud panel for their Christmas Eve radio show on PBA FM. You can hear it here on SoundCloud (and it’s linked on my Interviews and In the Media pages on my webpage).

I’ve been thinking about New Year resolutions. So many are made. So many are broken. My only resolution this year is to stay healthy, write and be kind. The first part is out of my control, but I’ll try my best. For the second, I have many plans. (I just wish I could write faster):

A Fey Tale is a work-in-progress. When the first draft is done, there’s rewrites, edits and beta reading. The plan is have it ready for publication in the first half of this year. The cover for A Fey Tale is done (Cover reveal to come). The blurb is done:

A deal with fairies… to solve a mystery… and prevent a war.

Fairies and magic: It’s all real!

Enid Turner is invited to a picnic in honour of the creator of the world’s most famous detective, currently on a lecture tour in Adelaide, where they are caught in a web of treachery and betrayal from the Otherworlds.

It’s up to Aunt Enid and the Protectors, with a little help from the self-appointed Fairy Hunter, to solve the mystery, return the kidnapped heir and save the humans from Otherworldly retribution. It’s now a race to save the Earth from becoming a battleground for a magical war.

Artwork: I have five pieces of internal inked artwork to finish for A Fey Tale.

Against the Empire (book two in The Department of Curiosities series): After A Fey Tale is published, I’m diving into more reserach, with a small road trip to experience one of the local settings first-hand (get the smells and bells as a friend calls it). Humbug Scrub is only a short drive away, but I have to wait until the area is re-opened after the bushfires (and hope the wildlife sanctuary and history info has survived). I then need to organise a meeting with local historians and Elders, chase up photos and history of a few Adelaide buildings.

I’ve got version one of the Against the Empire cover.

I’ll need to do a new photoshoot and book trailer – for both Against the Empire and A Fey Tale .

Anthology short stories:

Mrs Hudson has found a new mystery to investigate. This time she enlists Mary Watson. This is for submission to the next Where’s Holmes? anthology.

I’ll delve into the darker side, with another short to submit to the Deadsteam II anthololgy. Wish me luck!

As usual, I’ve had a few new story inspirations over the holidays (this is both squee! and argh at the same time), so there’s at least one more short story/novella (I’m not sure how long it will be) to add to my growing list. I think that’s twenty-two now. At least.

Next on my list is an interview on world building by Phoebe Darqueling‘s blog . It’ll be posted on Thursday 16th January at 11:30 AM East Coast time (US). That’s Friday, here in Australia. I’ll be revealing some information about my third steampunk series, The Wizard of St Giles, which I will be working on after The Department of Curiosities is finished. I also give a few hints on background story shenanigans, and where all three steampunk series sits in my alternate history world.

Until then, be brave and be kind.

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