A New Year...A New Steampunk Blog!

2014 was a big year for me, in a lot of ways. 2015 promises to be just as big, if not bigger, and I'm super excited about it! After the November release of my first novel, I took a whole month off to rest and relax, but now I'm hard at work on the sequel!
In addition to that, I've decided to invest a bit more time and energy into exploring the world of Steampunk. I'm doing it in a variety of ways. One of those ways is by experimenting with writing Steampunk literature for children. I've noticed that by and large, the steampunk literature being published "for children" is extremely dark, and I'm not too keen on that notion, so I'm hoping to shine some light into that genre. I'll be sure to keep you posted on my progress!
Another way in which my foray into steampunk is manifesting itself is in the launch of a new online steampunk community, The Facts of Steampunk Life.

The first inspiration for this concept came to me only very recently, but things seem to be falling into place very well and I'm pleased to announce that the blog, which will be the foundation site for the community, launched yesterday, January 1. You can check it out here, at http://factsofsteampunklife.blogspot.com
While the blog will serve as the foundation, the community also has a YouTube channel, a Pinterest, and a Google+ page, so if steampunk is something that interests you, be sure to check them all out!

Happy New Year, everyone!

Steampunk versus Cyberpunk - The results are in!

Hey, all! Some of you probably heard about the epic genre-versus-genre contest that Splickety Publishing Group ran in issue 1.2 of their speculative imprint, Havok. If you didn't, here's the rundown: Havok hosted a competition between the Steampunk and Cyberpunk genres to see which one was the best.
Naturally, I enlisted on team Steampunk.
Good news: I made the top 3 in my division!
Bad news: My division lost, and Cyberpunk was declared "Ruler of the Genres." All of you who know how I feel about Steampunk will be able to guess how I feel about that.
But hey, I still made the overall top 6, which got my story, "Flesh and Bone," a slot in Issue 1.2 of Havok, so I'm happy as can be.
You can pick up your copy of Havok 1.2 (and, for you writers out there, keep up to date on all the latest contests and publishing news) at http://splicketymagazine.com/
Hope you enjoy all the results of an epic competition, but of course I especially hope you enjoy "Flesh and Bone"!

Interview with Perpetual Motion author, Bruce Hesselbach

{If you missed yesterday's post, be sure to scroll down and read the book review of Bruce's book, Perpetual Motion.}

MRP:  Welcome to the Writer’s Lair, Bruce! Since the steampunk genre is still fairly new, why don’t you start off by telling us a little about how you came to be interested in it? What made you want to write in this genre?

BH:  I enjoy science fiction and I enjoy history.  Steampunk is an intriguing marriage of these two subjects.  Most of my prior stories were either fantasy or science fiction, set in a fictional world I created.  I had a story that I wrote with a scene in a place similar to Bath, England, and reading about the spas and watering places of Europe made me think that the time immediately prior to World War I would be a great setting for a story.

MRP:  As far as the steampunk genre is concerned, you chose a very unique setting for your story. How did you decide on that location and premise?

BH:  I wanted to get away from using a fantasy world and set my story in the real world.  Most steampunk is set in London during the Victorian age.  I had not heard of a steampunk novel set in Germany and I decided I would write one.   This gave me the opportunity to portray German opinions through Fritz von Lassberg, and thereby give the reader a fresh perspective.

MRP:  I did find it very interesting to see Fritz’s opinions and thought processes through Sybil’s eyes, since we don’t often get to look at those specific ideas through a lens that lacks post-war “twenty-twenty hindsight,” as it were.

Interweaving fictional plots with historical facts can be extremely challenging for a writer, and your story is tied to some pretty significant historical events. What did you find most challenging about it, and how did you handle those challenges?

BH:  This was actually much more fun than work.  Once I picked out a time and place, I could read about many things that I had not heard of before.  One of the points of Dante’s Paradiso is that heaven is a place where you learn things.  I couldn’t agree more.  I learned about the apparition at Knock, Ireland; the history of Meersburg Castle; the battle of Bagamoyo; what Lord Tennyson wore when he went walking on the Downs; what performances Richard Wagner put on when he opened Bayreuth.   It was great fun.  The more I studied about the time and place, the more ideas I had for my story. 

MRP:  I was very appreciative of the attitude that your heroine, Sybil, had towards traditional clothing. Even though I have no problem with a girl wearing pants (provided it is with the permission of her husband or father) I get very tired of reading about heroines’ longings to “rebel” or “buck the system” to wear pants, and their complaining about dresses being so impractical. And yet Sybil has no problem doing anything—even hiking or mountain climbing—in a dress, which I found very refreshing. Tell us a little bit about your thought processes behind that.

BH:   A great example of a Victorian woman not in the least held back by the encumbrance of her dress would be Mary Kingsley, who climbed Mount Cameroon in 1895 while wearing extensive skirts.   This is a 13,760 foot mountain that had only been climbed a couple times before.  She was the first woman to ascend it, and she did it by a new route.  She went in the company of a crew of strong natives.  It poured rain the entire time.  The natives all became exhausted and dropped out.  She finished the ascent alone, an absolutely amazing feat by a fearless woman.  Another time her skirts and petticoats saved her from death, when she fell into a trap set for leopards.  It was a large pit with sharpened ebony spikes at the bottom.  But, due to her Victorian excess of clothing, she escaped what would have been certain death.  Even in our modern times, Sandra Weber wrote a book about Mount Marcy, the highest mountain in the Adirondacks, indicating that she likes to climb it in a long skirt down to her ankles, just as the Victorians did.  My hat is off to her.  Most people have a hard enough time hiking in shorts.  Women used to be called the weaker sex, but I don’t think Mary Kingsley was weaker than anybody.

MRP:  I shouldn’t say so!

Perpetual Motion isn’t like most stories, that simply say “Here’s how it is and this is what happened”. It truly invites the reader into the thought processes of the characters and puts him or her into a position where they have to try to figure it out on their own. The questions raised and the scenarios laid out are such that we really have to think about them—just reading the story isn’t enough. What inspired you to write the story this way, and how did you go about making it work without bogging down the plot?

BH:  One aspect of writing in the first person is that the story is framed by what the character sees and hears.  Just as the narrator has to try to make sense of competing claims and explanations, the reader also has to puzzle things out along with her.  It is a shared journey. 

      I am more a reader of travel and exploration than of fiction.  One thing that I don’t like about fiction is that many writers go on and on about what the character is thinking.  This goes against my grain.  Wouldn’t it be more creative to let you infer what the character is thinking by what she says and how she acts?  In the case of Sybil Hardenbergh, I conceive of her as being far too modest to spend pages and pages telling you what she thinks.  It would go against her character and how she looks at life.  Instead, I tried to imagine how she would tell her story to a close friend.  She would feel free to confide about some things, but still she would maintain a large degree of modesty and reticence.   This becomes especially tricky when she falls in love.  Of course she has obsessive thoughts about her beloved, but she is too shy to spend pages and pages telling you about this.  You mostly have to infer it from what she says and what she does.

MRP:  You explore a lot of hypothetical moral and ethical dilemmas in Perpetual Motion, especially when it comes to issues related to time travel and historical events connected to Christianity. What can you tell us about that?

BH:  I’m very glad you asked that question.  The moral and ethical dilemmas drive the story.  It is not just theoretical; it is a matter of who dies and who lives.  War is a very grim and dark presence.  I present these dilemmas, but I don’t actually resolve any of them.  It is up to the reader to decide what is right and what is moral.  Let me give an example.   In The Turn of the Screw, Henry James wrote a ghost story.  He intended it to be a ghost story and he himself believed in the literary existence of ghosts.  However, a skeptic could read the story and believe that the ghosts where just a delusion of the crazy narrator.  That would be a perfectly coherent reading and the skeptic would still enjoy the story just the same as a believer in ghosts would.  When I became an Episcopalian in 1983, I wrote a poem about an alchemist in which I used alchemy as a symbol for the spiritual world.  I wanted the reader to decide for himself if alchemy were true or bogus.  In Perpetual Motion, I presented a number of perspectives from the devout Protestant Hardenbergh family to the young aristocratic scientist Fritz to the iconoclastic mad genius Erasmus Gegenwart.  I could totally empathize with the strong religious faith that Antoinette Hardenbergh has and this helped me draw her as a character.  On the other hand, I wanted the reader to enjoy the book regardless of whether or not he shares the beliefs of one character or another.   Yes, there are a number of very serious religious and ethical issues raised, but they are all subservient to the story and I am not trying to dictate how the reader may react to these conflicts.

  

MRP:  There were several aspects of the story that were never really “nailed down,” leaving the readers to draw their own conclusions. Is there a sequel in the works?

BH:  Since this is a coming of age story, I ended it when Sybil showed by her words and actions that she has actually matured from a very impressionable and bewildered youngster into a decisive and brave young woman.  For me, that was the end of this cycle.  In order to provide a more complete picture, I could have carried this story through new adventures and even as far as Sybil’s death.  After all, it is not just Sybil’s story, it is the saga of her family.   I think a sequel would be very much in order and I have had some people urge me to write one.  What writer could resist that?  Even apart from a sequel, I think it would be fun to write a story about Sybil’s father Otto, how he met Antoinette and how he decided to travel 2000 years into the past.  But first I want to finish a different story I am working on, a piece of literary fiction.  When I started going to a writer’s group in my home town of Newfane, I told them that I would keep writing stories until one of them got published.  Now that that has happened, I think I will keep writing stories as long as readers tell me they enjoy them.  

MRP:  Well, in that case, allow me to join the ranks of those readers! There is precious little originality in the literary world these days, but what I’ve seen of your work is most definitely new and intriguing. Keep it up!

Also, thanks so much for taking the time to share with us about your work and your ideas as a writer. It’s always great to get a peek inside the mind of a fellow author.

You can check out Bruce's book, Perpetual Motion, for yourself here:

http://www.amazon.com/Perpetual-Motion-ebook/dp/B00C0Z5S3M/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1382647812&sr=1-1&keywords=perpetual+motion+bruce+hesselbach

Book Review: Perpetual Motion

Author: Bruce Hesselbach
Genre: Steampunk

When it comes to writing book reviews, I sometimes feel like a broken vinyl record... or King Solomon. It seems that every review I write contains something to the effect of "This story wasn't very original," or "This story was just so cliche."
"There is nothing new under the sun!"
Once in a while, though, I'm fortunate enough to come across something that steps out of line and dares to be different... and this was one of those books.
Perpetual Motion is a story with all the classic elements you expect of steampunk fiction--gears and gadgets and intriguing inventions and gorgeous architecture, to name a few--but it shakes them up, gives them a twist, and with a generous splash of sci-fi and time travel thrown in you get a highly original, thoroughly engrossing novel that is unlike anything you've ever read before.
The author starts off with a setting that, as far as I know, is completely unique to the steampunk genre thus far in its short history: Germany, shortly before the dawn of WWI. From there he keeps the originality coming non-stop, but I don't want to say too much lest I give something away. ; )
This is a coming-of-age story, an adventure story, a family story, a love story. But more importantly, it is a story of ideas and worldviews. The author does a brilliant job portraying the progression of what start out simply as different points of view, as they grow in different directions and become much more serious--matters of morality, of destiny, opinions that could change the face and history of an entire planet.
The most fascinating aspect of this is when you, the reader, realize that you're seeing what is probably a very accurate picture of how and what people thought of real issues and events at that time, before they led into what we now know as WWI. With our modern, 20-20 hindsight, it's easy for us to decide what was right and what was wrong in the days before the Great War. But for the people actually living there, it might not have been so easy to tell, and this book offers a stunning hypothetical look into that struggle.
Another interesting aspect of Perpetual Motion was the way in which the author presents the viewpoints of the various characters. As I said, this is a coming-of-age story, and it is written from the first-person perspective of a teenaged girl who has found herself involved in a very complex world filled with many opposing ideas. Everyone she talks to presents their ideas and worldviews as truth, and the author offers no comment on who may or may not be lying or misguided. It is left to the viewpoint character (and, thereby, the reader) to try and determine what really is the truth and what is not.
Needless to say, this isn't a book you can just lightly skim over and still have a good grasp on the story. This is a book that needs careful attention and demands a lot of thought. That isn't to say that it doesn't tell a good story--on the contrary, it tells a fantastic story sure to delight steampunk fans--but it's a story completely saturated with meaning and thought-provoking ideas. I gladly give it a high recommendation--plus bonus points for being unique. ; )

Be sure to stop by tomorrow--I'll be interviewing Perpetual Motion's author, Bruce Hesselbach. He has been gracious enough to share some of his thoughts on steampunk, the historical research behind Perpetual Motion, some interesting facts about the real people who inspired the development of his main character, and more. Don't miss it!

I received a copy of this book free of charge in exchange for my review, but a favorable review was not required. My opinions are my own.

The Moment You've Been Waiting for...

... is here!

Burns the Fire, the sequel to the groundbreaking Christian steampunk novel Falls the Shadow, is here.
No more waiting. The day has dawned. Click Here to read the just-released prologue (if it were in print the ink would still be wet, that's how new it is) and return to the shattered world of Shandor Rei, the White Tiger, and the battle to restore and secure the freedom of mankind's mind.
Rejoin Libby, Skylar, Maricossa, and the rest of the cast, as old struggles continue and new adventures begin. Meet brand new characters as the story expands in new directions. Explore and experience the post-Bug War world as never before... and be sure to pay attention, because it's about to change. Forever.

Welcome to the new war.

www.lostscribes.blogspot.com

Book Review: Worldshaker

Author: Richard Harland
Genre: Steampunk
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Pages: 388

I was very unsure when I first picked up this book at the library. A book I'd never heard of, from an author I knew nothing about, in a genre that's still considered cutting-edge and somewhat experimental... but, I figured, it's just the library. I can always bring it back if I don't like it.
To my delighted relief, however, I loved this book!

At 16 years old, the main character Colbert Porpentine knows nothing about anything outside of his highly sheltered and controlled Victorian life on the upper decks of the massive juggernaut Worldshaker. When he's told that the 'Filthies' who live in the bottom decks, 'Below', are mindless, animal-like creatures with no emotions, no capacity for intelligent thought, no ability even to speak or understand speech, he believes it. When he's told that the 'Menials' - slow, speechless creatures who serve the upper classes - are Filthies who have been improved with intense training, he believes it. His whole life consists of social functions, and training to succeed his grandfather as Supreme Commander of the Worldshaker.
Until a Filthy escapes and accidentally finds her way into his life. Amazingly, she can speak and think and learn, and she seems completely human. What else has Col been told that isn't true?

Honestly, I couldn't put this book down. From beginning to end, it kept me eagerly turning pages and didn't get boring a single time. The action and character development are great, and the story has a thrilling plot as well as a great message, all in an amazing steampunk setting the likes of which you've never seen before. But on top of that, there is the added delight of a story that contains absolutely no language, and no inappropriate scenes. There was one scene that was the slightest bit suggestive, but the suggestiveness lasted for maybe two sentences, literally, and as I said, it was very slight.
The only thing I can say that would come close to a complaint would be the dark, brutal violence of the story. The darkness itself, I don't have so much a problem with because of the message of the story. You have to have darkness to show light, after all. But the violence towards the end of the book, as things started coming to a head, was very brutal and bloody in places, which I didn't like. I understand that realistic violence is bloody and brutal, but we all know that. We don't need to see it in technicolor.
The only other thing was the few instances in which some of the non-central characters seemed to make choices for which there was no prior suggestion in their character. The readers are left with a little bit of the where-did-that-come-from? feeling, since we were given no reason to think a particular character had it in them to make that particular decision. (I can't give specifics lest I give something away.) But it wasn't an overpowering thing, and I was able to enjoy the story in spite of it.
I would definitely say that Worldshaker is a book for older readers, simply because of the violence factor. Otherwise, a great read that I really, really loved!

A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words...

So here is a picture to sum it up:

Yep, I won! In spite of all my own expectations, I managed to hit that magical 50K mark with fourteen whole minutes to spare before the stroke of midnight.
Of course, the story itself is a total disaster and didn't really end, it just stopped - in quite a state of disarray, too.
Thaddeus, Fu-han, and Cole all got suspended from coming to St. George's Academy, while the school authorities try to figure out how they're going to explain away all the unexplainable stuff that has been happening at the school since Reuben Clark's arrival.
Fu-han and Jen must have gotten their issues resolved one way or another. I don't really know, since I don't speak Chinese, but I assume so since they decided to get married.
One of the bad guys died as a result of the fire that almost killed Thaddeus, and the other bad guy is currently recuperating from some rather serious injuries, after which he will be transferred to a cell somewhere and promptly forgotten about. (Unless I need a bad guy from the past to return for a sequel... wait, what am I saying?! No more sequels!)
I seem to have mislaid Lorena Cavitt, the St. George's Academy teacher that Ann Morgan captured after finding out she was an anarchist agent. I put her in Jen Qiao's care in Chapter Seven, but she disappeared after that and hasn't been seen or heard from since. I can only assume that she'll surface eventually.
But, on the whole, I'm perfectly satisfied. I didn't set out on November 1st to write a masterpiece, I set out to write 50,000 words in 30 days, and that's what I did. The editing, rewriting, (and plotting) can come later.
Thanks so much to all of you who dropped by during the month to offer encouragement or just track my progress. It's been fun, and I appreciate every single one of you!
That being said... I am completely exhausted, and why on Earth am I still sitting at a computer pecking on the keyboard? I happen to know that there's a box of butter pecan ice cream in my freezer, and if there were ever a moment when a dish of butter pecan ice cream was needful, I would say it is now. So I am off to set the universe back in balance by doing what needs to be done (i.e., eat a bowl of ice cream). And then I think I'm going to drop into bed and go to sleep... for a very, very long time...
Happy NaNoWriMo 2012, everyone!

Journaling, Day 29 of NaNoWriMo

Total Word Count So Far: 40,003

Yes, still behind, but catching up. All I have to do is write 10K words in two days... with one of those days being Friday, my busiest day of the week... okay, so maybe I am in trouble. But I'm not going down without a fight, so we'll see what happens.
At present my story is in complete disarray and I have absolutely no idea what's going to happen next or how it's going to end. My main character Thaddeus is currently out of commission and being nursed back to health by his wife after suffering from some pretty severe smoke inhalation. (We burned down the textile factory after we broke into it. In our defense, it was an accident.) Since he's supposed to be the main character, that leaves the story in a bit of a lurch, especially when one considers the fact that Reuben Clark, the boy Thaddeus and Fu-han are supposed to be protecting, is still missing after being kidnapped by James Wells, who we thought was a good guy but wasn't. So, Thaddeus' current state leaves Fu-han to rescue Reuben with the help of Jen Qiao, the woman who has the connection to his past that neither of them want to tell anyone about.
I'm hoping maybe they'll use the opportunity to work out some of their issues... I just hope they do it in English, since the only words I know in Chinese are their names. I suppose we'll just have to see.
So on that note, I'm off to write.

Oh - but before I forget - today is C.S. Lewis' birthday! If you're like me and woefully behind on NaNo, you probably don't have much time to spend the day celebrating the life of the man I consider one of Christianity's most influential writers (and who is my personal all-time favorite writer). But, I am going to make time today for a nice big cup of Irish Breakfast Tea and re-read a few of my favorite C.S. Lewis quotes, since I feel I would be remiss if I did nothing at all to celebrate. I'm currently reading That Hideous Strength, the third book in his Space Trilogy, for the first time too, so maybe I'll take time out from writing to read a chapter or so.

How about you? How has the life and/or work of C.S. Lewis influenced you? Do you have a favorite work or quote of his?

Share it in the comments box! And for those of you frantically struggling to catch up on and finish your NaNo... don't give up!

Journaling NaNoWriMo, Day 26

Total Word Count So Far: 31,333

Yes, I am unbelievably far behind. And it has been way too long since I've journaled, so please forgive me.
This November has turned out to be one big hectic roller coaster. In a moment of blind, rash stupidity, I decided that I needed to tear the old carpet out of my room and give the whole thing a thorough deep-clean... in November. *Note to Self: Never, ever undertake a project of this nature in the month of November again!* Then my mom got sick and was down for a few days, which left me in charge of all the normal, routine cooking and housecleaning, on top of the added work of getting ready for Thanksgiving. No sooner did Mom get well than I got sick and was down for three days, so Mom had to cook Thanksgiving dinner all by herself, while I laid on the sofa and got absolutely no writing done.
By the time I got well and was able to open up my NaNo document again, I was 12,000 words behind. Can I get caught up fast enough to still finish on time? I guess we'll see.
As for the story itself, it's taking some crazy and totally unexpected turns. I've had a bit of a hard time dealing with 'quantity over quality', but my main character Thaddeus took it upon himself to call me out into the story and give me a pep talk (yes, I am actually in a scene in the story - blue jeans and all), which helped me get back on track. That's when the surprises started showing up in the story. So far I've discovered that one of the characters, who was supposed to just be a highly annoying good guy, is actually a bad guy. Then this random Chinese girl, Jen, waltzed into the story, and apparently she and my character Fu-han have some pretty intense history that neither of them want to talk about. Thaddeus' wife and sons, who weren't supposed to be actively involved in the story at all have now been dragged out of their home and through the streets of London in the middle of the night to hide out at Jen's house where the bad guy can't find them. Thaddeus' student Cole has developed a major crush on Thaddeus' daughter Ann. At the moment, Thaddeus and Fu-han have broken into a textile factory in search of the leader of the anarchist rebellion. And I, the writer, have absolutely no idea where any of this is going.
With only four days left, though, I'm going to have to hurry and find out!

Journaling, Day 12 of NaNoWriMo

Total Word Count so far: 13,304

Yes, I'm already a few days behind. I had a bit of a crazy weekend, and time change really threw me for a loop this time around, which doesn't usually happen. Plus I've had a really hard time getting into this story for some reason. Of course, that could be due to the fact that the story idea was only two weeks old when NaNo started... not the greatest plan I've ever had... but I've ironed out some issues and I think this week I should be able to get caught up. Maybe I can even start building up some cushioning so I don't get behind again over Thanksgiving. (Whose crazy idea was it to put a national holiday right in the middle of NaNo, anyway?)
I realized that my main character, Thaddeus, had no character arc, and that that was part of what was creating so much drag in the story's flow. So I've figured out what his arc is, and I think it's starting to streamline things a little more. That being said, I should probably get off the internet and go write. I have a lot of ground to gain!
One last thing: since life does seem to go on outside of NaNo (It's a wild idea, I know, but hey--they laughed at Copernicus, too.), I've got a few more interviews with authors from the Avenir Eclectia anthology that I'll be posting later this week, so be sure to watch for those!

How is NaNoWriMo going for the rest of you (whether you're writing or not - you still have to live through November)?

Election Night Write-In, anyone?

Today is Election Day, people, so unless you're not a U.S. citizen or not old enough to vote yet, I'd better not hear about any of you not going to the polls!
That being said, I'm planning an Election Night watch party/write-in tonight, and you're all invited to join me! It's pretty simple: stay up to watch the results come in, and write while you do it. If you ask me, I think it's monstrously inconsiderate of them to put Election Day in the middle of NaNoWriMo (don't they know we've got enough on our minds already?), but since they're doing it anyway we might as well make the best of it. So get thee to the polls, and while you're out and about stock up on your favorite writing treat. Then come home and get settled in for a long night of writing in front of the TV while the results come in. Come morning, we'll all be aware of the national results already, but we can still get together and share our personal word count results.

Who's with me?

Journaling, Day 5 of NaNoWriMo

Total Word Count So Far: 7,387

Not quite up to quota for today, but the day is still young. I'll get it. And, even if I don't, I should be able to catch up tomorrow. First of all, there are no violin lessons to teach tomorrow, so I won't have the interruption. Second, I'm planning an Election Night watch/writing party, so I should be able to get quite a bit of writing done then... since I doubt I would be able to sleep anyway. (I hate suspense, and this particular election is about to kill me already, so I'm just going to save myself the agony and stay up.)
I am totally loving my characters! Well... most of them. Mr. Bowden, the superintendent of St. George's Academy, is a bit too stuck on his own authority. And Mr. Wells, the prime minister's chief of security, is absolutely infuriating. Fortunately, I just finished the last scene that he's going to be in for a long while, so I'll get a bit of a break. And my poor main characters will get one too... since they don't like Wells any better than I do.
But aside from Bowden and Wells, my characters are awesome and I am having so much fun working with them. They're definitely keeping me entertained. This morning Thaddeus hid Cole in a washroom so Bowden and Wells wouldn't find him, but then he forgot about him so poor Cole has spent most of today locked in a very small and very stuffy room. Frankly, though, I think he deserved it. He shouldn't have been eavesdropping.
I'm beginning a search for an opportunity for Ann to use her derringer, but so far I haven't been able to come up with just the right scene. But that's okay, I've got time. I'll think of something. A derringer is just too cool not to use. ; )

How is NaNo going for all of you?

Journaling, Day 3 of NaNoWriMo

Total Word Count so far: 4,836

Yes, I'm already a bit behind schedule. Fridays are my busiest day of the week, so Day 2 falling on a Friday was rather unfortunate. I think I'll be able to get all caught up before bed tonight, though. My characters have already surprised me a few times, which is interesting, especially this early in the story, but I think it's kind of cool. Fu-han, who I had anticipated being a very aloof, only-speak-when-spoken-to kind of guy, has turned out to have a hangup with stating the obvious, and offering advice whether it's been requested or not. Cole, who I had imagined as a down-to-earth, hard working, all-around good kid, has turned out to have huge problems with arrogance. Fortunately, he knows that he has a huge ego and that that is problem, and he's trying very hard to learn to keep it controlled, but the results are mixed. And Thaddeus... ugh, Thaddeus! My main character has wasted no time in revealing the fact that he is the main character not only of The Sword Masters of St. George's Academy, but also a whole series of steampunk novels. Lovely. Don't get me wrong, Thaddeus is a great character and I'm really enjoying writing him so far, but the last thing in the world I need right now is more story ideas packed into this little noggin of mine. So Thaddeus and I are going to have some words about the situation, and we'll see what happens.

How is NaNo going for the rest of you who are participating?

Journaling NaNoWriMo, Day 1

Total word count so far: 1698

I've just barely made my quota for the day, with a few words to spare, but hey - setting the story up is the hardest part, and the day's not over yet.
Why didn't I do more research before starting on this?!?!?! So far today I've Googled at least 20 different things, from 'glossary of fencing terminology' to 'Anglican ministerial hierarchy' to 'traditional Chinese clothing'. (Yes, all for the same story. I like variety, what can I say?)
I've got the initial setup done now, though, so hopefully it will get easier from here on. Exciting stuff should start happening soon... and being exciting steampunk stuff just makes it that much cooler. ; )
Well, since I haven't accomplished a great deal (i.e. much at all [i.e. anything at all]) today, I should probably get some work aside from writing done. Then I'll get back to writing.

Oh - and per special request from Marlene, who is graciously serving as moral support for those of us who have just flung ourselves into the battleground of NaNo, here is the teaser/synopsis from The Sword Masters of St. George's Academy:

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They say the best place to hide something is in plain sight...
At least, that's the theory the British prime minister decides to rely on when he finds himself the target of a violent anarchist faction. Fearing for the safety of his teenaged son, the prime minister hopes to protect the boy by hiding him among the dozens of students at St. George's Academy, one of London's finest schools. Who would think to look for him there?
St. George’s Academy is renowned for employing only the finest teachers, and its sword masters are no exception: Thaddeus Morgan, master of a revolutionary fencing technique sweeping Europe; Fu-han Dao, master of Eastern-style swordsmanship as well as hand-to-hand fighting. Both reputed to be legendary in skill. Who better to protect the prime minister’s son?
So when young Reuben Clark arrives at the school, Thaddeus and Fu-han find themselves conscripted into a job they didn’t sign up for or want—a job that they both know involves much more than simply looking after one teenager. With the entire school's safety now at risk and resting in their hands, it quickly becomes obvious that no one can be trusted... and that plain sight might not be the best place to hide something after all.

Conversation with Mary and Maricossa

Hey everyone! H.A. Titus, a dear friend of mine, as well as one of my co-authors on Falls the Shadow, has graciously allowed me to be a guest on her blog, Magical Ink. Originally she asked me to interview my character Maricossa from Falls the Shadow, but... well, Maricossa had other ideas. It ended up more along the lines of him interviewing me. He did come up with some great questions, though, about what it's like to live with fictional characters. I guess he would know, since he is a fictional character.
Anyway, if you'd like to read my conversation with Maricossa, click on over to Magical Ink for a visit. And if you have any additional questions for me or Maricossa, feel free to ask. : )

Chapter 10 of Falls the Shadow!

In Chapter 9, Maricossa made the decision to return to the library and try to buy or bargain for books. Now Libby is faced with a choice...

...and she responds with a challenge.

Learn the secret behind the title Falls the Shadow as two equally desperate minds engage in a duel of called bluffs and clashing desires that leaves only one question:

Deal or no deal?

Don't miss Chapter 10 of Falls the Shadow!

Chapter Nine of Falls the Shadow

Prepare for intrigue and mystery as Maricossa provides a deeper look into the lavish and deadly world of Shandor Rei's upper crust--the world of the White Tiger.

As one of the White Tiger's best operatives, Maricossa is assigned to gather intel on possible resistance pockets and rebel groups within the Forgotten Sector.
Libby, the kids, and the library have not escaped his notice.
Now he has to decide whether to turn them in to Sergei, the White Tiger's Commander in Chief, or to keep their existence a secret... and put his own plans for them into action.

Click Here to read Chapter Nine.

I'm back!

Well, I've returned from my little summer's end sabbatical, and you've probably already guessed: we're kicking off September with a new chapter of Falls the Shadow.

After a frustrating argument with the Professor, Skylar heads off into the forgotten sector to blow off some steam. In the process he makes an astounding discovery that could change his entire life.

Don't miss one link in the exciting chain of events taking place in the shadowy world of Shandor Rei.

Click Here to read Chapter Eight, and of course be sure to stick around here at the Lair for everything coming up!

Chapter Seven of Falls the Shadow

If you've been following the action over at The Lost Scribes, you know what today is: the fifteenth of the month, and time for a new chapter of Falls the Shadow!

Last time, Maricossa walked into a trap and discovered a ragged band of scared children and a stash of hidden books in the process.
Now Libby, Hamlet, and the gang try to deal with the stranger's intrusion... and hope it was an isolated event.

Click Here to read the new chapter!

~*~*~*~*~*~

On the other hand, if you're just 'tuning in' and don't know what The Lost Scribes and Falls the Shadow are all about, why just head on over to www.lostscribes.blogspot.com and check it out.
The Lost Scribes are three Christian writer friends who got together and decided they wanted to explore the steampunk genre. Falls the Shadow is the story that was born out of their ideas. A little bit sci-fi, a little bit futuristic, a little bit alternate history, and a whole lot steampunk, Falls the Shadow is truly a literary experiment like no other.
Curious? Then Click Here to read the prologue and experience the story from the very beginning.

Chapter Six of Falls the Shadow

That's right! It's the first of the month, and a new chapter of Falls the Shadow is available to read at the Lost Scribes.
In Chapter Five the main characters' paths crossed briefly for the first time. Now, they're about to cross again. This time, it won't be without consequences.
Discover an ability that Maricossa has secretly possessed for the last twenty-three years--an ability that could endanger the secret Libby is fighting so hard to keep.
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Don't miss Chapter Six of Falls the Shadow.