Motives In Science Fiction by @CorrinaLawson

by Corrina Lawson

Science fiction and mysteries have always been intertwined. And, though some who love those genres would deny it, relationships and romance have always been a large part of them.

                                

Let’s break them down.

Science fiction is a search to explain the unknown, to peer into the unknowable future and use it to project the present. It’s the genre of possibilities.

Combine science fiction with a mystery, and the questions become explicit.

And, because the solution to those mysteries are bound up in how humans (and other intelligences) relate to one another, relationships and even romances have always been part of them too.

I grew up reading science fiction, fantasy, mysteries, and a few romances, and, naturally, I tossed all three into the pot when I set down to write my first steampunk mystery, The Curse of the Brimstone Contract.

There were several direct influences. My writing owes something to the science fiction mysteries of Isaac Asimov, particularly  Lije Bailey/R. Daneel Olivaw detective stories. Asimov, of course, was drawing on the tradition of the Holmes/Watson partnership. (Of course, I read the complete Sherlock Holmes as a young teen as well. Thank you, Arthur Conan Doyle.)

But what really cemented my love of science fiction mysteries was the discovery of the late Randall Garrett’s Lord Darcy stories. In this alternate world, where Richard Lionheart reigned far longer, an alternate timeline that also features magic spun out through the centuries, leading to the roughly Victorian-era of Lord Darcy, detective to the Duke of Normandy, and his assistant, forensic sorcerer, Sean O'Lochlainn.

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 And, yes, forensic sorcerer is as cool as it sounds, basically a scientific approach to magic. The Lord Darcy books are collected in one great big volume nw, so they should be easy to find still. Garrett died before he could write more than that collection, however. :sigh: However, his stories do feature romance in a subtle way, one between Lord Darcy and a foreign spy, another, more explicit, between Darcy and a noblewoman with a penchant for mysteries.

As I’m a believer that the stories we adore in our formative years shape our fiction, it was perhaps not surprising that when I created a steampunk world, I started with my own Sherlock Holmes analog, one Gregor Sherringford. (His last name being one of Conan’s Doyle’s rejected first names for Holmes.)

The first novel in the Steampunk Detectives, The Curse of the Brimstone Contract, introduced Joan Krieger, our narrator, and my own version of Watson. Joan is where I veered far outside the lines of my influences. She’s more than a simple assistant: she’s a seamstress, a dressmaker intent on remaking the world through fashion, who has a natural curiosity and drive to become more than what society says she should be. Working against her is her class, her gender, and her religion, Jewish. 

Gregor Sherringford is also a departure from Holmes, that consummate loner. He has a living mother, and noble family that he avoids. This is partially his natural reserved inclination and partially because Gregor never possessed a powerful mage gift, as his parents’ hoped.

But also it’s because Gregor’s mother is Indian and Gregor’s place in the rigid class society of the peers of the realm is uneasy.

That makes Gregor naturally empathic to those of society who are prevented from standing up for themselves because of prejudice. Gregor, being Gregor, would deny the empathy and insists that solving mysteries is the only way to feed his active mind.

As would the original Holmes.

But Doyle’s Holmes had nothing but sneers for the nobility who endanger innocent lives or take advantage of others. Original Holmes admires those who stand up for themselves, even if they need a little help doing so, like the young heiress in The Adventure of the Speckled Band or, more famously, “the late Irene Adler of dubious and questionable memory.” It’s clear in A Scandal in Bohemia where Holmes’ sympathy resides.

Doyle’s Holmes is a champion, if your cause is just, no matter the odds against you. That’s what I wanted Gregor Sherringford to be as well.

Like the original Holmes, Gregor does not like admitting he has emotions. Except, of course, where Joan Krieger is concerned.

In Curse of the Brimstone Contract, I blended science fiction and mystery in a search for those killing the clients of Joan’s dress shop via magical attack. There is a growing romance between Joan and Gregor as well. For Joan, Gregor is a person who sees her true self, who views her as worthy as any peer. For Gregor, Joan is someone immensely gifted, someone not intimidated by his reserve, someone who innately trusts him to do what’s right, even under dire circumstances.

But it’s not an easy relationship, given their differences in class and religion. To explore those, I knew the sequel had to bring in Gregor’s family, via the family estate at Lotus Hall.

And, so, science fiction, mystery, and romance entwine once again in A Hanging at Lotus Hall. The science fiction comes from the meld of steam technology with magic, producing such things as a flying carriage and automated doors. The mystery comes from a locked-room murder committed by a mage within Lotus Hall. 

The romance comes from Joan’s collision with the noble family of the Dukes of Bennington. Like many families, including her own, they are hiding secrets, sometimes, deadly ones, leading Joan not only unsure whether she belongs, but who she can trust with her life.

The external mystery had to reflect the internal problems between Joan and Gregor. Oddly, that led me to including not one but two other romantic subplots in the book, though not as fully developed as Joan and Gregor’s romance.

Add thwarted love to a desire for power, and it’s a heady combination for my ultimate villain.

Because even in science fiction, the motives are going to remain…human. 

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Follow Corrina Lawson: 

Website: www.corrina-lawson.com 

Newsletter sign-up: https://corrina-lawson.com/newsletter/

Curse of the Brimstone Contract available at Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0755C8WZF/

Hanging at Lotus Hall releases February 5, 2019. 

SFRB Recommends 83: The Lamplighter's Love by Delphine Dryden

Mary has trained for years to become the next Lamplighter of London. When her chance comes, however, she realizes the massive difference engines of the Lampworkers' guild would be a cold substitute indeed for the passion she's begun to explore with the current Lamplighter, Nicholas.

But Fate, it seems, is determined to separate them. A rival threatens to upset all Mary's hopes and dreams within the guild, and with her newfound love. Even as snow blankets London in readiness for Christmas, intrigue blazes in the secret labyrinths of the Lampworkers’ guild below.

Through bitter deception and scorching erotic discovery, Mary and Nicholas must find a way to shine a light on a new future—one they can spend together.


Nicholas and Mary are both unusual heroes: their skill is that they are excellent at abstraction, logistics, and running systems. Today's they'd probably be math professors or highly paid software engineers. The system they use is an imaginative take on a steampunk computer. They are well-matched and their romance tender.

This story has so many original world ideas. I'd love to spend more time in said world. Nicholas, starved for human companionship and the outside world, delights in the bits he does experience, and his joy and wonder are infectious.

And yes, it's a Christmas story that I'm recommending in July. Enjoy!


Book site: Delphine Dryden - The Lamplighter's Love
This recommendation by Lee Koven.

Meet the #Author Monday: S.B.K. Burns #scifi #romance #timetravel #interview

Please tell us a bit about yourself:

I’m a retired scientific generalist and an applied mathematician with multiple advanced degrees and journal-published research that’s been downloaded around the world. My research might be interesting to Sci-fi writers since it provides an analog for the number of planets of various sizes that might be expected to form in accretion disks orbiting distant stars (Trappist 1, for example, with its 7 Earth-sized planets).

At the moment I’m publishing my second SFR series, AGES OF INVENTION, which honors women scientists and those women who funded European royal societies of science in the past.

Tell us about your book:

My latest book, FLY LIKE AN EAGLE, a non formulaic, sci-fi, time-travel, steampunk romance introduces an alternative science history. It’s a story of forbidden love where only the lovers can stop a world-obliterating timequake by determining if Franklin’s Kite Experiment—ushering in the electronic era—is a go/nogo.

What inspired you to write this particular story?:

This is the second book in the AGES OF INVENTION series. What started me writing the first book, ENTANGLED, was the paucity of women named as great scientists of the past. I, too, like the women in the movie, HIDDEN FIGURES, had to learn and work as the only woman in my graduate courses and the world of corporate science. As I investigated the controversity about who discovered calculus, I noted that it was the royal wives who encouraged their husbands to establish the European Royal Societies of Science which funded the great scientists of the past.

Please share a favourite snippet from your book:

Just welcomed into her home, was a man she barely recognized as her father’s associate, John Vaughan… and his footman. They stood speaking with her father.

She would analyze Vaughan’s features to see how he’d aged from the younger man she’d remembered. Vaughan and his man motioned toward her father, and then in the direction of the painting.

Looks as if they’re discussing it. Well, she had her own opinion about such gifts and would not to be left out. She also wanted to alert her father about the giant bird she’d seen the hawks attacking, but then she remembered how his eyes glazed over anytime she spoke eagerly about the nesting hawks. Hard metal and angular things interested him more than the natural world.

Flowing effortlessly down the stairs like the well-brought-up lady she pretended to be, Samantha wondered about the artist who created that canvas, why anyone thought such a scandalous gift would be appreciated, let alone hung on a wall in her household.

Crossing the foyer, she approached the men. They faced away from her, gazing at the painting. Vaughan’s man stood a little behind the others, dressed all rudely informal as one of her father’s livery stablemen might.

Disturbingly tall. His exposed hands, forearms, and neck were tan. Yes, very tan indeed. He’d not bothered to tie his shoulder-length hair back, And it was black, very black, almost the blue-black of the night sky, just like the brave in the painting her father, Vaughan, and this savage were now viewing.

“I wonder who painted it?” she said aloud to no one in particular

Her father and Vaughan, closer to the painting, hadn’t heard her, but Vaughan’s man turned and she forgot to breathe. He’s the model, subject of the painting, the Indian brave surrounded by those sex-crazed maidens. He’d dressed somewhat differently this time, she admitted. Clothed. Yes, and it was strangely troubling to her that he was.

Had she just seen a twinkle in his eye and a twitch of his full and naughty lips? Yes, definitely a twitch. He bowed to her, never taking his eyes from where—she reminded herself— she’d forgotten to close her shawl and don her bodice lace. She squinted to see her appearance in the mirrors above the wainscoting and noticed her breasts were dangerously close to popping out of the scooped neck of her gown—or was that in her imagination, the effect of her disrobement by his eyes?

How rude. How could her father allow the savage to look at her that way? How could her aunt?

Her aunt’s negligence wasn’t difficult to figure out. Before Samantha descended the stairs to view the painting, the room to her guardian’s door had been opened by maids attempting to prepare for the guests. Her aunt rested on a chaise—pickled.

“Do you like the painting? Horrible. Horrific. Is it not?” the savage said. “I thought you might recognize me, and I can see from the way you’re looking at me you do. I told Davies to destroy it. Instead, he finishes the painting and sends it to my father by way of yours. I couldn’t be more embarrassed.”

He didn’t look embarrassed. Not as embarrassed as the brave in the painting being fawned over by those young women. Not as embarrassed as she, with him examining her chest.

“I’ll wait,” he said.

“Wait?” What could he mean?

His eyes squinted, sparkled. “Go on up now and finish dressing.”

Was he laughing at her? Meaning to instruct me about my own business?

Samantha scrunched her face, giving him the meanest look she could muster. Wrapping her shawl around her more tightly, then clutching it, she wondered why she’d decided to leave her lace behind, her breasts open to all his scrutiny. Looking down at her slippers, because she couldn’t force herself to look up into his smug face, she stifled a retort and rushed up the stairs to her bedroom. Behind and below, she heard a confusion of men’s voices, perhaps chastising that rude man.

She hurried into her room, closed the door, and rested back against it. With uncomfortable awareness, she knew that man had been Vaughan’s half-breed son, Migizi. She vaguely remembered his visits. When we were much younger.

Opening her shawl to assess the problem, she almost expected herself to be naked. At least she felt naked, and something else, some other part of her body, down there between her thighs, beat as rapidly as her heart.

Samantha knew where the throbbing came from. She wasn’t that naïve. She’d read about it while viewing the medical illustrations in her comparative anatomy texts.

Which comes first for you – a character's looks, personality or name?:

Honestly, looks and names are not as important to me as personality. And for that, as mostly a pantser, I let my characters find themselves. Of course, I do lots of historic research of those mathematicians and scientists of the past before I give them voices.

Any tips for aspiring authors?:

Don’t worry about your first words. You have a committee in time just waiting to help you out. They’re the you of tomorrow and the next day, and the next day. All the me(s) who edited my books for me wish all the you(s) great success.

Questions for fun:

If you had the power of time travel, is there anything you would go back and change?: No.

Why/why not?: As a fluid mechanics person, I choose a real, existing, physical parameter called The Flow. My time-traveling Native American, Migizi, in FLY LIKE AN EAGLE, calls this flow by its Algonquin name—Bimijiwan. So my philosophy might be, Go with the flow.

Here’s a quote that starts off the novel, FLY LIKE AN EAGLE:

 “Faith does not need to push the river because faith is able to trust that there is a river. The river is flowing. We are in it.”                           Franciscan Father Richard Rohr

As you can see, I like to blend science and spirituality in my books. I believe them to be two major aspects of existance.

What super-power would you choose?: A creative mind has got to be the greatest superpower, because no matter what life brings, in some way, it can always be seen from a positive perspective.

If you could have three wishes, what would they be?: To love the universe—cubed.

What is your favourite book?: SECOND FOUNDATION (I love Arcady, and, of course, Asimov)

Favourite genre and why?: Romance, because it’s the best genre to learn about character development from both male and female points of view.

Upcoming news and plans for the future?: My critique partner, Jackie Leigh Allen, will know more about that than I would. Each year, I get so exhausted going to RWA Conferences around the States. Not to worry—Jackie has already reserved the hotel rooms for us, so I’ve got to go!

Thank you so much for taking the time to talk to us!:

Pippa and SFR BRIGADE, You are so very much welcome.

Everyone, have fun reading and writing SFR.

SFR rocks!

SFRB Recommends 67: Mission: Improper by Bec McMaster

Entire families have gone missing in the East End. When Caleb Byrnes receives an invitation to join the Company of Rogues as an undercover agent pledged to protect the crown, he jumps at the chance to find out who, or what, is behind the disappearances. Hunting criminals is what the darkly driven blue blood does best, and though he prefers to work alone, the opportunity is too good to resist.

The problem? He’s partnered with Ingrid Miller, the fiery and passionate verwulfen woman who won a private bet against him a year ago. Byrnes has a score to settle, but one stolen kiss and suddenly the killer is not the only thing Byrnes is interested in hunting.

Soon they’re chasing whispered rumours of a secret project gone wrong, and a monster that just might be more dangerous than either of them combined. The only way to find out more is to go undercover among the blue blood elite… But when their hunt uncovers a mysterious conspiracy, Byrnes and Ingrid must set aside their age-old rivalry if they have any chance at surviving a treacherous plot. 

McMaster's Blue Blood Conspiracy series takes off from her London Steampunk books, in which she created a detailed and believable steampunk world. Here, the paranormal is scientific. Experiments regarding vampirism vividly recall Victorian England and the way the Industrial Revolution created monster novel classics.

The story's strength is its characters. Byrnes and Miller make a great team, their coworkers make me want to read more, and the villains are fascinating creatures. I also enjoyed the exploration of how the backroom politicking of the nobles affects the agents: people have to learn to work together to do the really heavy lifting.


Author site: Bec McMaster - Romance in a World of its Own

Recommendation by Lee Koven.

SFRB Recommends #65: Heart of Brass by Kate Cross #steampunk #romance

Arden, undercover for The Wardens of the Realm who protect 1898 steampunk England, has the status, wealth, and independence of a countess - and can see the final moments of a murder victim’s life. Her husband Lucas vanishes until she spots him one night. The Company wiped his memory, sent him to kill her, but he cannot. Yet if he does not, someone will — and kill him.

This book has steampunk cybernetics and lots of cool inventions mixed in with its romance. If you're a fan of historical romance, this follows lots of the tropes and the hearfelt moments are lush and vivid.

I love Arden's ongoing struggle with her grief and anger and how she deals with it and goes through it with her husband. People in service to their country or a greater good can neglect their personal relationships, and even if they don't, the idea of something more important than a family can be tough to come to grips with.

Author site: Alter Kate

Recommendation by Lee Koven.

SFRB Recommends #53: Riveted by Meljean Brook #steampunk #romance #sfr

A century after a devastating volcanic eruption forced Iceland’s inhabitants to abandon its shores, the island has become enshrouded in legend. Fishermen tell tales of giant trolls guarding the land and of seductive witches who steal men’s hearts. But the truth behind the legends is mechanical, not magic—and the mystery of the island a matter of life and death for a community of women who once spilled noble blood to secure their freedom.

Five years ago, Annika unwittingly endangered that secret, but her sister Källa took the blame and was exiled. Now Annika serves on the airship Phatéon, flying from port to port in search of her sister and longing to return home...but that home is threatened when expedition leader David Kentewess comes aboard.

Determined to solve the mystery of his own origin, David will stop at nothing to expose Annika’s secrets. But when disaster strikes, leaving David and Annika stranded on a glacier and pursued by a madman, their very survival depends on keeping the heat rising between them—and generating lots of steam...

The world of the Iron Seas is original and fully realized. David and Annika are, as well: she's a woman of color from Iceland (yes, there's a reason) with great mechanical acumen, and he's a cyborg (due to an accident) who chases volcanoes. Their missions collide aboard an airship, and they find they have an intense chemistry and friendship that develops organically. Although Annika may want to help David for personal reasons, she cannot endanger her people further.

Riveted is a finely crafted story with tight plotting, convincing action, and memorable characters that made its way onto my keeper shelf years ago. It touches my heart every time I reread it.

Author site: Meljean Brook - Author

Recommendation by Lee Koven.

SFRB Recommends #50: Gunpowder Alchemy by Jeannie Lin #steampunk

In 1842, the gunpowder might of China’s Qing Dynasty fell to Britain’s steam engines. Furious, the Emperor ordered the death of his engineers—and killed China’s best chance of fighting back…

Since her father’s execution eight years ago, Jin Soling kept her family from falling into poverty. But her meager savings are running out, leaving her with no choice but to sell the last of her father’s possessions—her last memento of him.

Only, while attempting to find a buyer, Soling is caught and brought before the Crown Prince. Unlike his father, the Emperor, the Prince knows that the only chance of expelling the English invaders is to once again unite China’s cleverest minds to create fantastic weapons. He also realizes that Soling is the one person who could convince her father’s former allies—many who have turned rebel—to once again work for the Empire. He promises to restore her family name if she’ll help him in his cause.

But after the betrayal of her family all those years ago, Soling is unsure if she can trust anyone in the Forbidden City—even if her heart is longing to believe in the engineer with a hidden past who was once meant to be her husband…

Lin presents a non-traditional steampunk perspective in Gunpowder Alchemy: that of an empire in decline. British imperialism had adverse effects on the already-troubled Chinese. The world is a fascinating mix of historical accuracy (Crown Prince Yizhu, Opium Wars, the Taiping Rebellion, Soling gets away with being of good birth but having unbound feet only because she is Manchu) with floating ships and clockwork technology.

The story presents many questions about conflicting loyalties and what it means to be a person of virtue: Soling tries to be a good daughter, serve the Emperor, and serve her country at the same time. Soling's adventures will continue, so there's no happily-ever-after here, but she and Chang-wei slowly build the beginnings of a relationship in a convincing fashion.

Author site: Jeannie Lin | Historical Romance Author

3 Tips for Short Story Writing

by Bokerah Brumley

January has been a busy month for short story contests. Mash Stories offers an on-going flash fiction contest. Writer’s Digest offered a short, short fiction contest earlier this month (and , Simon and Schuster held a fan fiction contest, Baen has a near-future science fiction contest, and the Chicago Tribune has a short fiction contest open until January 31, 2016.

This week, I’m participating in the 10th Annual Short Story Challenge offered by NYC Midnight. It’s tremendous practice.

Here are three tips I use for writing better short fiction.

1) Pick one main event. Streamline the story so that everything points to that one event – even after the climax, the story finish still points to that one event. The plot can be as simple as cooking dinner or as complex as sky diving from a space elevator. Don’t stuff in extra details. Often, the beauty of a short story is rich characters, full of depth, but a plot that exists within a small space and lower word counts. Short stories, even though a different experience than writing novels, are great practice in streamlining.

2) Limit characters. Pick one or two. Don’t name anyone else. If the main character is on a crowded bus, blur the extras by providing little-to-no information about them. Include only the details that are necessary to move the plot forward for the main character. Character naming is similar to adopting a stray dog. Once it has a name, it wants to stick around in the readers’ mind.

3) Limit Point of View. In short fiction (whether flash fiction – 1,000 words or less – or a novelette – up to 17,500 words), there is a limited amount of time to hook the reader. Begin close to the inciting incident, but keep it simple. Story creators often want to keep all the viewpoints, include the antagonist’s reasons or mention the main character’s last love interest. Don’t obscure the great words with superfluous ones. Increase tension and interest, limit readers’ knowledge to only what the main character knows. Pick one character that is central to every situation, jump in that head, and stay there.

Just remember: first drafts don’t count. Get the story down. Get the words out. Don’t worry about rules or tips or editing. After that first draft, go back and edit it into shape. And whatever happens, keep writing. Your uniqueness enhances our own.

What are some tips you have for writing better shorts?

I’d love to hear from you: me@bokerah.com. Or find me on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram.

(All views expressed in this post are that of the author and not necessarily that of The SFR Brigade.)

Author Bio:

Bokerah Brumley is an award-winning writer from West Texas. She is the Publicity Officer for the Club while simultaneously addicted to Twitter pitch contests, writing contests, and social media, in general. She has too much planned for this year, but is doing it anyway. She lives with her husband, five home-educated children, three dogs, and two cats.

'Dogwood Sprocket' by Bokerah Brumley

A SciFi Steampunk Romance Novelette Available for FREE in "Seasons: A Multi-Genre Story Collection."

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SFRB Recommends 43: The Alchemist's Kiss by A.R. DeClerck #steampunk #romance #sfrom #paranormal #magical #novel #ebook

London 1869 

A dark wizard has arrived in London, at exactly the time unrest among the non-magical community is coming to a head. London is under the protection of wizard and alchemist Icarus Kane and his loyal friends Cora Mae Jenkins and Archimedes Merriweather, and together they must chase down the threat while dodging the riots and the angry poor along the way. Icarus has no use for science, but there will be no escaping it as the aether, the very heart of magic, is threatened. All of London may perish if the dark wizard gets his way, and Icarus could lose his best friend and his lover in the battle. All the world could be destroyed under the tide of the oncoming storm unless Icarus can face his own power and embrace his inner darkness.


I loved this book. It’d been a while since I read a steampunk, and this book drew me right back into the tech. Very well written with main characters and secondary characters all having great depth. The worldbuilding was excellent, and nothing felt out of place. I devoured this book in a very short space of time.

Author site: AR DeClerck - Love is a Grand Adventure

Victorian Restraint and Modern Sexuality Romance in Steampunk

by AR DeClerck

 

 

The Victorian Era stretched from 1837 to 1901, during the reign of Queen Victoria of England. Many readers know the characteristics that define the Victorian Era; prudish snobbery in the high and upper-middle classes and a conviction that the British Empire was, and always would be, the foremost power in the world. There was a sharp divide in the classes during this historical period, with the poor usually being very poor while the middle class was growing in both number and power. The British Empire was increasing its reach and wealth all over the world and the British “lifestyle” found its way into homes on every continent.

There is much to say about the truth of the Victorian world. It was a time of invention and the beginning of many social and economic changes for British people. However, we’re not here to discuss the truth of Victorian times, but to talk about the fiction. Steampunk is traditionally set in or around this era and describes the world if the industrial revolution had gone in a very different direction. Steam, rather than combustion engines powered by coal or electricity, would have been the mechanical genius of the day. Steampunk authors give us a peek into a world where human ingenuity extends into the realm of steam mechanics and alternate forms of energy.

Alternate history in terms of science would have, believe it or not, a direct impact on everyday life. I like to focus, in particular, on how steampunk authors incorporate ideas of modern sexuality into their books. Gail Carriger, for example, threw out the book in terms of what a “proper” British female might be like in order to create her feisty heroine Alexia Tarabotti. Alexia is a member of the high-brow upper middle class gentry and yet her father was “a foreigner”. It’s very interesting how this perceived difference in Alexia’s parentage creates in her an ability to shrug off the disdain of her peers and be exactly the woman she chooses to be. This strong will vexes Alexia’s love interest, and makes me laugh every time I read the stories. Carriger has women dressed in men’s clothing and a rather flamboyant male character with no worry that it goes outside the boundaries of societal acceptance. The disdain of society is there, but her characters simply don’t care that they are different.

When I sat down to write The Alchemist’s Kiss I decided to keep the very strict societal boundaries that most of the higher classes lived by in Victorian England. I did this, to be honest, because it created more obstacles for my hero and my heroine to overcome. A brash American (gasp) heroine from Civil War-torn Virginia not only traveling with, but living with, a single man would have been unheard of in 1869 London. However, as was true with society at that time, power buys acceptance. Icarus’ appointment as the Warden of London creates in the story an ability for him to flaunt the normal rules. This does not, however, erase the way he was raised. When he figures out (finally) that he is in love with Cora he decides that he cannot offer her the proper life a lady of her caliber deserves. This antiquated ideal mixes with the modern one that Cora is a woman of her own mind, and once she decides to make Icarus her own there is no stopping her.

I thoroughly enjoy the way steampunk authors choose to approach the ideas about sexuality in their novels. As with any alternate history genre there is no right or wrong answer to any of these questions. The author has complete power to change or erase any characteristics about the world that clash with their overall vision. Romance in Victorian times was usually a stiff and formal affair, with scheduled interludes and arranged marriages. This takes all the fun out of a good romantic romp, so steampunk authors are challenged with bringing together two characters without sacrificing the world building and overall feel of the genre itself.

The genre of steampunk is a wide-open one with possibilities around every corner. Authors should not be afraid to think outside the proverbial box when it comes to writing steampunk because anything is possible. This is especially true when writing romance into steampunk. Victorian men and women were still, essentially, men and women. They had sex and they fell in love, just like men and women do today. The most difficult obstacle for the steampunk author is figuring out how to bring the two together and still remain true to the period. I would urge steampunk authors who add romance into the mix to experiment with the same issues of sexuality that we experience today. Build your world so that the hows and whys of their behavior and reactions seem normal and a seamless romance full of modern sexuality can come to life.

 

 

 

 

 



Author Bio:

AR DeClerck is a wife and mother of 2 daughters. She lives in the Quad Cities, IL and works as a dialysis technician. She grew up in the mountains of NC and has always been an avid reader. She started writing in high school and never stopped.

AR writes adventure romance novels in many sub genres. She publishes through Nevermore Press and currently has 5 novels available with a few more in the works and thousands more in her head. She credits her love of reading and writing to her mother who always has a book handy.

Links:

Facebook: https://facebook.com/authoramydeclerck

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/@ARDeClerck

Amazon: www.amazon.com/author/ardeclerck

Website: www.sites.google.com/site/amydeclerckauthor

 

Book Link:

AVAILABLE VIA KINDLE AND KU

http://amzn.to/1egPS0T

SFRB Recommends 26: The Curse of the Brimstone Contract #scifi #steampunk #romance

This week's recommendation is brought to you by Sabine Priestley.

Book Description

Magic existed at the fringes until Prince Albert discovered he was a mage. Now he and others like him are leading a revolution in steam technology that’s held tight in the grip of the upper classes.

A man of half-Indian heritage, rejected by his upper-crust, mage-gifted family, Gregor Sherringford lives in working-class London, investigating cases involving magic among the lower classes. But he’s never met a client quite like spirited, stubborn Joan Krieger.

Joan’s dream was to lead a fashion revolution designing women’s clothing suited to the new technology. But when her richest client mysteriously dies outside her shop, it deals a mortal blow to her dreams.

She hopes the handsome, enigmatic detective can prove the death a magical murder. She never expected a dark plot would be woven right into the fabric of her family. Or that cracking the case will mean merging gifts, minds—and hearts—with the one man who could be her partner in every way. If they survive the release of a soul-binding curse.

Warning: This novel contains an intelligent, repressed detective and a woman who won’t take no for an answer, not when she hires him…and not when she falls in love with him.

Recommendation

This was a seriously enjoyable read. I prefer my heat level to sizzle, and this is sweet, but I loved it anyway. The writing is pretty tight, with minimal errors. The physicality was messed up a few times (for example someone sat when they’d already sat). I love the way Corrina writes, she has a strong voice that really works for me. I highly suggest this book!

Author site: Corrina Lawson: Writer, Mom, Geek & Superhero

WHY DID THE CHICKEN CROSS THE GALAXY?

 

(Copyright by WyoJones. All rights reserved. Used with permission.)

 

Why does anyone cross the galaxy? Why to get to the other side.

Of course, you know I went looking for chicken-crossing-the-road jokes and was actually surprised there were so many. Here’s some, modified for our galactic theme:

Q. Why did the chicken cross only halfway across the galaxy: A: She wanted to lay it on the warp line…

Q. Why did the monkey cross the galaxy? A: Because the chicken got refried…

Robert Frost: to take the wormhole less traveled…

Captain Kirk: To boldly go where no chicken has gone before…

Sir Isaac Newton: Chickens at rest tend to stay at rest. Chickens in the wormhole tend to cross the galaxy…

Albert Einstein: Whether the chicken crossed the galaxy or the galaxy crossed the chicken depends on your frame of reference…

Darth Vadar: because it wanted to go to the dark side…

I know, pretty lame. The thing is, chicken jokes and space travel have a lot in common.

They are about getting to the other side. Or the other planet. Or from point A to point B. And to accomplish it in a time frame that is a) reasonable; and b) believable.

The first truth of writing (and reading) about fictional space travel is that it is (mostly) made up. While this seems obvious, since we haven’t managed to get a human being further than the moon, there are those who want only “reality” in their fiction. (Personally, I’d like a little more fiction in my reality. I think it's past time we got transporters...)

From the time science fiction first appeared, authors have been making up ways for their characters to move through space and time. Some feel more “real” than others, but they all require us to suspend disbelief in order to take the ride with the story.

Some of my personal favorite types of fictional space travel are:

Warp Drives and wormholes (Star Trek)

Hyperdrives (Star Wars)

Infinite Improbability Drive (The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy)

FTL - (Battlestar Galactica)

Tardis (Dr. Who)

Starburst (Farscape)

Stargates (Stargate SG-1, etc)

Jump Gates/Jump Space (Lost Fleet, Dock Five)

In my own Project Enterprise novels, I use a mix of types, though I tend to focus more on the story than the science of getting around. I start from the point of: it just IS. The technology is there and now we’re off on an adventure, so that the hosing of my characters can commence.

When I went to mix some steampunk into my science fiction romance (Tangled in Time: Project Enterprise 3), I made the mistake of asking the scientist hubs if a concept I wanted to use sounded “real.” We ended up in this painful causality loop:

Hubs: But it’s not real.

Me: It’s fiction. Does it SOUND real?

Hubs: But it’s NOT real.

Me: It’s FICTION. I’m making it up.

Hubs: But it’s not real.

Me: You want my science FICTION to be real?

Hubs: Of course.

I left him with a puzzled expression, turning instead to a friend who is a physicist at NASA. I asked her the same question and her response was, “It’s fiction. It sounds fun. Go for it.”

I suspect your enjoyment of any science fiction romance novel will be predicated on how real the science is, and how real you like your fictional science.

In the end, the means aren’t as important as the fact that the chicken (or the characters) do get to the other side—or where they need to go. 

Why (and how) does your chicken cross the galaxy? And while you're figuring that out, don't forget to hop over and check out the category that the SFR Brigade is sponsoring for the Brenda Novak Online Auction. For the month of May you can bid on some cool SFR related goodies, including signed, print editions of my Project Enterpise series and some yummy soaps.

 

Dream Realm Award winner 

When Sara Donovan joins Project Enterprise she finds out that what doesn’t kill her makes her stronger…

"From the beginning, action is non-stop and filled with suspense. Sara is more than the quintessential kick-butt heroine. She is the perfect warrior, a woman confident in her abilities in the air and on the ground, and so loyal to her country that she is willing to make personal sacrifices to ensure its safety…This sci-fi adds a nice dose of romance and a touch of humor, placing it at the top of the list for a danged good read." Midwest Book Review

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Pauline Baird Jones had a tough time with reality from the get-go. After “schooling” from four, yes FOUR brothers, she knew that some people needed love and others needed shooting. Pauline figured she could do both. Romantic suspense was the logical starting point, but there were more worlds to explore, more rules to break and minds to bend. She grabbed her pocket watch and time travel device and dove through the wormhole into the world of science fiction and even some Steampunk.

Now she wanders among the genres, trying a little of this and a lot of that, rampaging through her characters' lives like Godzilla because she does love her peril (when it's not happening to her). Never fear, she gives her characters happy endings. Well, the good characters. The bad ones get justice. 

Pauline released her 13th novel, Relatively Risky, in 2013. She's not superstitious about it, well, maybe a little. But the whole loving/killing thing that needs to be done? Doing it fictionally is just better for everyone. And for Pauline, who hates the thought of getting strip searched and jailed.