Back into the groove…

I got a blogpost in the making. You know, one not quite as off-the-cuff as this one, but it’s vitriol might even be too much for me. Then again, after reading this post from Stephen King, I’m thinking if an author’s rant is justified and witty as hell, why not?

Yeah. The Goodreads 2011 Choice Awards and giving good rants — two things I share with the King, baby.

Maybe I’ll work on that vitriolic blogpost, or get cracking on my look back on these past two weekends. I’m still thinking about them.

If you missed it, the trailer filming wrapped Sunday. Two weekends, a cast of eight, and an old Victorian house. It was quite the education and still very humbling that Brute Force Studios would open their house, their props, and their talent to us. This weekend was the Go/No Go Weekend as we needed to get the parlour scene down, or there would be no trailer.

The ladies delivered, and my cameraman worked it like a boss.

Now we get together and start editing. And while The Janus Affair trailer takes shape, Pip and I continue work on By Dawn’s Early Light. That’s Book Three for Welly and Eliza. No release date set, but high hopes indeed. Just as high as the ones I have for the trailer. I dropped in another production shot, this time featuring P.J. Schnyder. I see shots like this and I see the trailer’s potential. Of course I want the trailer to rock the world…but I also want it to blow people away because of the hard work and A-game everyone brought to this production. “Thank you” just doesn’t seem to be enough.

My headache this morning is finally subsiding. It started to recede when I started blogging about the trailer. Coincidence?

No. I don’t think so.

It’s the start to a new week, although it doesn’t feel like I ever finished last week. Immediately after Day Two of the new job, I polished up an audio chapter of Truly, Deeply Disturbed and sent that off to the review cue for the publisher. Then it was packing of the big pink travel bag; and Pip, Jett, Karina, and I mounted up and headed to Grimmoire Manor (the home of Brute Force Studios) to film a book trailer. That’s the challenge of being unemployed: You either sit on your rear waiting for things to right themselves, or you step up to projects and then suddenly find yourself juggling commitments.

Doesn’t mean I’m folding like a cheap lawn chair. I’m seeing all these projects through.

I learned something about steampunk over the weekend, something I don’t think I’ve heard a lot of people mention and maybe it should be mentioned more often: It’s a passion. Whether you are a crafter like Thomas, a model like Sarah (both of Brute Force), or writers like Pip and myself, it’s something we do (and in some instances, defend) because we love it. We have a lot of reasons why but that love is what runs our analytical engines. I am constantly blown away by the talent I meet in this genre, but those who excel at it nurture a real passion for steampunk. Sometimes, artists may not even realize they are dancing with steampunk; and that’s when what happens is less about aesthetic and more about art. Yeah, there is a deeper commitment and drive behind steampunk, and it’s inspiring.

Here’s a behind the scenes shot of our Sophia del Morte (Sarah Hunter). I got high hopes for this book trailer…

Contrary to popular belief that steampunk is dead, and thinking that maybe you missed the recent announcement on The Shared Desk or the Ministry website, I wanted to bring the news and the official launch date for the next project from Imagine That! Studios…

10 April 2012

I will be kicking off the new season of steampunk fiction with “Sins of the Father” where, due to popular demand, we get a peek into  Wellington Books’ past. Then, every alternate Tuesday following Season 2′s premiere, original stories from the Ministry of Peculiar occurrences will premiere, featuring the writing stylings of …

• P.J. Schnyder
• J.R. Blackwell
•  J.R. Murdock
• Shaun Farrell
• Doc Coleman
• Alyson Grauer
• Thomas Wilford

…and many others. With the ideas and stories submitted, including two winners from SpecFicNZ’s writing contest, Pip and I are really excited about what we got coming in 2012. Return with us  to the Archives for untold podcast stories from the Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences.

Enjoy the ride.

With the successful run of the first season of Tales from the Archives, Pip convinced me to take that step into being a self publisher. In this trip, I’ve been taking copious notes from other writers like Mur Lafferty, James Meltzer, and Chuck Wendig.

Today, I’m releasing out into the wild my first novella.

As I mentioned on The Shared Desk, Aladdin and His Wonderfully Infernal Device is an inspiration from a steampunk fairy tale anthology Pip is affiliated with. I went back to a few of the original translations of Aladdin and His Wonderful Lamp (quite a few of those, it turns out…) and then brought in a bit of steampunk for fun. Here’s the summary:

Aladdin is a street-wise thief that finds himself under the tutelage of a world-renown illusionist. He is escorted deep into the deserts in search of a treasure beyond his wildest dreams, and discovers instead something far more valuable—a destiny.

My first step into fiddling with fairy tales, and my first novella. It is now live and can be yours for a mere $1.99, exclusive for the Kindle! Have a read, leave a review, and tell a friend.

It’s hard to believe, but last Friday marked a month since my last day at Intersections.

For the past four weeks, I’ve taken in a lot. Good and bad. Of course, the irony of all this is that when I was hired by Intersections, the Recession was in full swing. And at the beginning of 2012, where a variety of news outlets from around the world were all noticing an economic turnaround at the beginning of 2012, I was downsized.

In this month, from the day I was let go to now, I’ve learned a lot. Granted, each layoff is different. Some involve severance packages. Others do not. Some employers treat you with respect. Others waste no time in getting you out of the door. It’s hard to predict how bad news like this will come, but I can say — after a month of letting the dust settle — there are at least five things to keep in mind when Corporate America pulls the rug out from under you.

5. Don’t panic. It’s easy to do when the news hits; and while quoting Douglas Adams may seem kind of trite coming from a geek, it really is true. Flipping out is not going to help anyone, and it’s going to make you look like a chump. I’ll admit, I felt a twinge of panic when I was told about how long my health coverage would last. I took a deep breath, and thought, “Don’t panic. Go out with class.” When all the formalities were done, I looked the executive in the eye and said, “It’s been a good run. Thank you.”

Keep it together. Keep it classy.

4. DO. NOT. MELTDOWN. THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA. When I was packing up my office, I saw that my TweetDeck was still running. I felt an urge to tweet “So this is what it’s like to get laid off.” but with my fingers over the keyboard, I paused. I thought about it. Really thought about it.

I immediately took my hands away, and shut down my computer.

What would have sharing my real-time bad news accomplished? Making Intersections look bad? Rally my troops so I can feel better for myself? Light a fuse for a complete online rant? Social Media has a bad reputation for being all about the vitriol because of people melting down as if Twitter or Facebook is a therapist’s couch. Remember that when you go public on social networks, you are going public. Everyone and anyone can see it. How do you want to be remembered at your job and represented online?

A Social Media Meltdown is nothing more than a chump move, and it’s burning bridges that you might want to leave alone.

3. Get organized. By the time I got home (roughly thirty minutes after leaving the parking lot), Pip looked up and said to me “There is a file on your Dropbox with job leads. Good hunting.” I sat down and immediately checked over my LinkedIn page, and even made the investment into a “Premium” account in order to get a few extra bells and whistles.

Within twenty-four hours, I had applied for 16 available Social Media jobs. This week, the number is now 76.

You want to keep your cool, but that doesn’t mean you stay idle. Spend an hour a day searching for jobs, then make one day out of your week the day you go out job hunting. Keep a spreadsheet so you can track what you’ve applied for and when, and keep track of any responses — even from staffing agencies — you get from your applications.

2. Keep it classy when reaching out for references. When downsized, keep this in mind: It’s not personal. This means that you have a window of opportunity —preferably within the first week of the layoff — in getting some good references from where you work.

I reached out to the executives I dealt with directly and sent the following note:

I wanted to thank you for two-and-a-half terrific years with your company, Intersections. I’m looking back on my time with you all, and I’ve got nothing but positive experiences staring back at me. Intersections gave me a chance when no one else would, and Intersections stood by me through one of the darkest times of my life. Couple that with the opportunities and accomplishments I enjoyed while working there, all I can say is “thank you.” My only regret was that Intersections could not find a place for me.

Each version of this letter was different, personalized for each executive I approached.

Within ten minutes I had my first reply. From the C.E.O.

Two days later, I had his letter of recommendation.

A recommendation on LinkedIn. Permission for phone referrals. I got a solid list of references, and these references happened because I didn’t make this personal. This was about numbers. This was about business.

1. Enjoy some downtime for yourself. Yes, I’m suggesting you keep yourself busy, get your references and your resumes in order, and plan for the hunt ahead of you; but make time for you.

When the layoff happened, I had plans with friends that night. Pip suggested I cancel. “No,” I told her. “I don’t want to hide. I want to be around friends.” All weekend, and since then, I’ve been doing just that. Friends. Neighbors.

And, of course, family.

Since the layoff, I’ve been enjoying morning walks with Sonic Boom to school. I then come home and start writing. I’ve been writing. A lot. Two short stories. A novella. (And not all of it was steampunk…but most of it was.) Quality time with The Janus Affair and its final layout.

Whether I planned for it or not, I’ve got time. Loads of it. So I’m taking advantage of it.

Take advantage of time you find yourself having. Bank some quality memories with your family. If you’re a writer, get some ideas down on paper. Or take this opportunity to broaden your skillset. Your job hunt will be there, waiting for you once you get back from what you’ve set aside for yourself. Prepare yourself for your job hunt. Don’t obsess over it.

There will be some days that are going to be easier than others. By doing some footwork immediately afterward, though, you feel like you’re taking the right steps. As I mentioned before, every layoff is different; but if you find yourself in an unexpected, unwanted career change, maybe this blogpost will give you some things to keep your sanity.

Another option in keeping your sanity: Captioned pictures of housepets. Laughter makes everything — even getting laid off — a bit more tolerable.

You might have noticed a few enigmatic tweets from me on Friday. I got a few responses of concern but I was okay. Still am.

No, really, I’m good. January 6, 2012 was a date for the books so I’ll just go ahead and kick off this blogpost with what happened.

Somewhere around 10:15 a.m. last Friday, I was told my services at Intersections, Inc. was no longer needed.

If you’re expecting a complete and utter meltdown against my former day job, you’re not going to get it. Never will. I will only say this:

• I wasn’t the only one let go.
• It wasn’t anything I did.
• You learn a lot about people when things like this happen.

Intersections was a terrific place to work. There are some incredible people there; and many of them reached out to me over the weekend, just to ask, “How are you doing?” It was a sincere question, and I answered it honestly: I’m good. What happened on Friday had nothing to do with me or my performance, and I was able to leave Intersections with my head held high. I was able to look the EVP in the eye, shake his hand, and say “It’s been a good two-and-a-half years. Thank you.” I loved my job. I loved what I did. As friends told me, “I was saving the world, one tweet at a time, one blogpost at a time.” The friendships and associations I made at Intersections, I discovered in that moment, were more than just professional. They ran a little deeper.

Granted, one relationship did show its true colors, and I got to admit—it didn’t just hurt. I was outraged.

But how do I feel now, on my first day of unemployment?

When I came home, Pip already had already found seven job openings in Social Media. I have a possibility from Que Publishing that I can pursue. Then there are the fiction possibilities — a steampunk novella, a reboot of Morevi, setting up the groundwork for Volume 2 of Tales from the Archives, and the third installment of The Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences. Before the end of the weekend, I had applied for fifteen positions in Social Media. A far cry from 2009 when I was lucky to get fifteen applications out in a week. And just now, I got an email from the CEO confirming that a letter of reference was en route.

How do I feel? Wildly optimistic.

I knew, heading into the new year, that something was something. Something big. I’m going to take a wild guess and say, “This…isn’t it.”

This is the first step in a new journey.

Sure, I’m scared; but that fear isn’t paralyzing me. It’s inspiring me. It’s driving me. In the wake of this, I’m moving forward, undaunted. I’ve got a great kid, and fantastic wife, and amazing friends from Intersections and elsewhere, all rallying around me. I’m truly blessed.

Thank you, Intersections. Thank you for one amazing run.

Onward.

So this week, you might have heard from SyFy’s Blastr that steampunk is dead, and let’s face it — when it comes to really knowing what fans of Science Fiction think, you can’t really argue with the same people who cancelled Farscape, Eureka, and Stargate Universe to make room for reality TV and professional wrestling…

…but I digress…

From high profile blogs like Gawker to passionate fan sites like Stellar Four, the death bell tolled for my beloved genre of gears, cogs, and steam. It was all over. Time to dismantle the analytical engine, box up the boater hats, and put your goggles away. Steampunk, a genre created back in the Eighties due to a group of authors that challenged this boundaries of imagination, had officially been ruined, all due to a single music video from a beloved pop star.

My own response to this?

Seriously? Seriously?! Steampunk is dead because of a Justin Bieber video?

I think the guy who’s face truly is next to the definition of steampunk, Jared Axelrod, said it best:

“If having a teen heartrob play your sandbox ‘ruins’ it, then it probably wasn’t your sandbox to begin with.

If you haven’t seen the video, I insist you watch it. I will say this much — it’s a step up from Rebecca Black’s “Friday.”

Pip and I have stepped into the genre just this year, and we came in with our boilers at full with a podcast anthology and a book. We’ve been learning a lot since we dropped that first short story in Tales from the Archives, but one thing I’ve been noticing is a great divide whenever steampunk steps closer to mainstream culture. Whenever steampunk is introduced in mainstream venues, elitists ranging from steampunks who “know how it is properly done” to SMOFs (Secret Masters/Mistresses of Fandom) who have hated the sub-genre now that it is making its presence known at SF conventions everywhere cry “FOUL!” and proclaim that steampunk is dead.

Well, to you nay-saying asshats I say your arguments are completely invalid. Why? Because you — and if you’re looking around the table of geeks and wondering if you’re wondering who the asshat is, congratulations, you’re the wiener — are pointing out why we get persecuted and dismissed by mainstream culture.

Do we want steampunk to go mainstream? Of course we do. Think for a moment about the works in our genre that did so. Harry Potter. The Hunger Games. The variety of comics from Marvel and D.C. Sure, people sneer and call us “geeks” but the same people who persecute us are also tripping over themselves to get to the box office when the films adaptations are released. Steampunk, when you really think about it, is already mainstream as many of us have seen Disney’s 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea or even Chitty, Chitty, Bang, Bang.

Then something like Bieber’s steampunk video hits (and no, I’m not going to call it Bieberpunk, as I have strong issues with doing that…), and suddenly the asshats scream “The skyship is falling!” and pretty much make rest of us look like utter rubes.

But what really torques me is how websites, fans, and those SMOFs who have wanted to see steampunk fail are so quick to proclaim steampunk is dead.

Ben Love said it best on Pip’s Facebook:

“Steampunk survived The Wild, Wild West. It’s going to survive Bieber’s Christmas video.”

Why are we panicking here, and why oh why are we vilifying Bieber? Chances are, one of his “peeps” got wind of this “steampunk thing” and convinced Bieber that this was going to be the look for his Christmas movie-music video tie-in. Or maybe Bieber is a fan of steampunk. Maybe he said “Steam-what?” when the video was pitched to him. We will never know, but the video is what it is — it’s a pop star trying to be trendy. There’s nothing we can really do about it except admire the fact that Bieber was trying something different because he was told “this is the cool thing.”

Yeah, mull that over in your brain for a moment, because there is a good possibility that was how all this went down: Bieber was told steampunk is the “new, cool thing” so let’s make a steampunk video.

As for steampunk being dead, I’m going to lay down a safe bet these asshats haven’t seen Hugo.

This morning, someone on Facebook questioned my classification of Hugo as steampunk, but this film features an automaton, a child genius with a penchant for D.I.Y. projects, a hidden world within a Paris train station, and a filmmaker who — with no prior knowledge or experience with filmmaking — built his own camera and became a pioneer in cinema.

Ladies and gents, that’s steampunk.

Oh, and did I mention this film sports some brilliant performances from Sir Ben Kingsley, Jude Law, Helen McCrory, Chloë Grace Moretz, and Sacha Baron Cohen? And this film marks a break-out performance from Asa Butterfield…a performance that helped him hand the role of Ender in the upcoming Ender’s Game film?

So, asshats, I see your Bieber video and raise you with a mother fucking Scorsese film! Call!

To repeat what Jared had said earlier — Maybe steampunk wasn’t your thing after all, if you think it so fragile a thing that a holiday music video is going to tear it down. Steampunk is not only alive and well, I believe that Hugo has given it a delightful shot in the arm. As the asshats read this and salivate at citing its less-than-impressive numbers at the box office, allow me to read off a few acclaims it has already received within its first month in release:

• National Board of Review: Best Director
• National Board of Review: Best Film
• Rotten Tomatoes: 94%
• IMDB: 8.5 out of 10 stars

If you haven’t seen this steampunked homage to the history of cinema, just go. Stop reading this, book tickets, and go. (I’ll be here when you get back.) Pip and I saw it on a standard screen and are still raving about it the next day; so if you find it in 3D, you are in for an experience. After you watch Hugo, come back here and tell me steampunk is dead. Go on. I dare you.

Suck it, asshats. Steampunk is just getting warmed up.

This month, on Twitter, Facebook, on the podcast, and even at the official website of the Ministry, we’ve been talking up the recent accolade from the book readers’ social network, Goodreads. The first round was comprised of selections from Goodreads, based on activity and reviews. The second round included write-in nominations. Both were voted on by members of the Goodreads network.

Today, it’s official — Phoenix Rising is a Finalist for Best Science Fiction of 2011.

Goodreads and its community of readers have spoken and here is (by author, in alphabetical order) their Top Ten Best Science Fiction of 2011:

• Ann Aguirre, Aftermath
• Ilona Andrews, Silver Shark
• Pip Ballantine & Tee Morris, Phoenix Rising
• Earnest Cline, Ready Player One
• James S.A. Corey, Leviathan Wakes
• Hillary Jordan, When She Woke
• Stephen King, 11/22/63
• China Miéville, Embassytown
• Rob Thurman, Basilisk
• Daniel H. Wilson, Robopocalypse

Not only are we thrilled beyond reason that Phoenix Rising made it into the Top Ten of Goodreads’ Choice Awards, we are honored and a bit humbled that we are the only steampunk remaining for this award.

As it has been since the first round, we’re in the running alongside New York Times bestsellers, Hugo winners, and Nebula winners (oh yeah, and some guy named “King” whom, I understand, has written a few books in his day). Pip and I wanted to keep Phoenix Rising in the running, and you all made that happen. In our minds, this turkey has been cooked to perfection for Thanksgiving and we are so grateful for those of you showing support for us and for the title. Anything else, from this point, is gravy.

Did I ever mention how much I love gravy?

Between November 21 and November 30, the opportunity is there for the Ministry. If you haven’t voted yet and you have an account with Goodreads, please vote. We got to the Top Ten. We’ve won, as far as we are concerned.

Could we win the title of Best Science Fiction of 2011? Cast a vote and let’s find out.

There’s a real two-edged sword when it comes to honors and awards. I remember reading about the “importance of awards” when reading titles about getting published, grabbing an agent’s attention, and even marketing a book once it is out there. Across the board: Awards and distinctions help sell books. At least that is what the pros I was reading were telling me.

For a while, though, I’ve been giving awards a sideways glance. yeah, they’re nice and all; but did The Case of the Singing Sword go gangbusters when it won a Parsec? No, not really. Picked up a few more listeners, sure, but it didn’t really give Billi a boost in print sales. So, yeah, awards — nice, and it was very cool going home with that trophy…but I can write without them.

Then Pip and I won the Airship Award for Best Steampunk Literature of 2011. Regardless of what it did for Phoenix Rising sales, I won’t lie to you — it felt good. Really good. I mean, coming-in-from-playing-in-the-snow-and-having-Cream-of-Tomato-soup-with-a-bagutte-side good.

Then, two days before heading out west to Blogworld and ComiKaze Expo, we received word from Goodreads that Phoenix Rising had been short listed for Best Science Fiction of 2011.

At first I was just happy with the nod, but then I took a closer look at the company we were keeping:

• Stephen King
• Charlie Stross
• Sharon Lee & Steve Miller
• Robert J. Sawyer
• China Miéville
• John Scalzi

Then Pip and I noticed we were the only steampunk in the running for this distinction.

And then the ugly head that is my competitive streak reared back and asked “Hey, is that steak I smell on the grill?”

As cool as this honor already is, I’m keeping my feet firmly on the ground. We’re in the running with Hugo winners, Nebula winners, New York Times bestsellers, and a guy who is considered one of the most prolific authors of our day; so the plan is not to take the title. Pip and I just want to keep Phoenix Rising in the running.

Last week was simply the first round of voting. Here’s the breakdown in how Goodreads runs their competition:

• Opening Round: October 31 – November 13, 2011
  Voting open to 15 official nominees, and write-in votes can be placed for any eligible book. (That’s what’s happening now.)
• Semifinals: November 14 – November 20, 2011
  The top 5 write-in votes in each category become official nominees. You can vote for one of the now 20 nominees in each category. Additional write-ins no longer accepted.
• Finals: November 21 – November 30, 2011
  The field narrows to the top 10 books in each category, and you have one last chance to vote.

So if you haven’t voted yet, and you have an account with Goodreads, please vote. We want to get the sole steampunk nominee of 2011 to the Finals. Top Ten. That’s our goal. Don’t mistake — we are thrilled to make such a fantastic list of authors. We just want to keep the momentum going.

We are not intending to turn our feeds into something spamalicious, rest assured; but you can expect to see:

2011 Goodreads Choice Awards: Best Best Science Fiction Vote now for your favorite books!

• At least a few tweets from Books & Braun asking for your vote
• Facebook posts, asking for your vote
• Widgets here and at The Ministry…and yeah, go on and post your own widget for us, if you like…
• And perhaps, a quick blogpost reminding you of deadlines and where we stand

As they say in Pip’s ol’ stomping grounds, “Top Ten would really be choice, bro.” So please, take a moment to vote. If you have already, ask folks in your Goodreads network to show some love to the Ministry.

Let see if, together, we can bring the boilers to full and keep a steampunk title in the running.

With only a few days remaining until FenCon, Pip and I are planning furiously for what is promising to be a really fun weekend of panels, podcasting, and steampunk. We owe a special thanks to Matt Bowerman for being our location scout for our own “kickoff celebration.” If you’re in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area on this Friday at 8 p.m., we are hosting a Texas tweetup — steampunk style — at Spring Creek BBQ.

For non-FenCon attendees, it a chance to hang. For FenCon attendees, the restaurant is just five blocks north of the hotel. Pip has made an event page live on Facebook (please RSVP there), but here are a few extra details…

TIME: Friday, September 23, 8:00 p.m.
ADDRESS: 14941 Midway Road, Addison TX
MENU AND INFO: www.springcreekbarbeque.com

We are also planning to wear our steampunk gear for the tweetup! Ladies, strap into your favorite corsets. Gents, wear your best bowlers (or, if you’re doing the Wild, Weird West, your sharpest ten gallon hat)! It’s time to gear up, chow down, and jump into a good time in Texas! Pip and I hope to see you there!

First, I want to give a huge shout-out to Stephanie Kim, Assistant Publicist at Harper Collins. She has made this happen along with the crew of New York ComicCon, and with i’s dotted and t’s crossed I am now here with the details on what will be happening in the Big Apple this October!

DATE: Friday, October 14
PANEL: Steampunk in Comics and Literature

TIME: 9:00PM-10:00PM
LOCATION: 1A01

Steampunk traces its origins back to the science fiction of the 19th century, and the term itself was coined to describe a genre of Victorian sci-fi being written by modern authors. At the same time,  steampunk and Victorian industrial age aesthetics have long held a  great fascination for comic and manga artists of various backgrounds.

This panel will discuss steampunk as a literary and artistic genre,  examining steampunk’s literary origins and early examples of steampunk  in comic book medium, as well as modern examples from both mediums  such as Jay Lake’s Mainspring, G. D. Falksen’s Blood In The Skies,  Alan Moore’s The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, and Girl Genius by Phil and Kaja Foglio. The panel will also feature first looks at upcoming titles and give aways from leading publishers such as  Wildside Press, Orbit Books, and Yen Press.

I still have no idea who I will be on the panel with, save for one. It is with great pride, joy, and pleasure to let you know that the one and only Jared Axelrod, one of the creative powerhouses behind Fables of the Flying City, will be joining me. Not only does this make my first NYCC experience that more exciting, I feel my fear factor calming ever so slightly. I’ve gotten my steam on with Jared at Balticon (with Pip Ballantine, too, actually) so I am looking forward to what will be happening on this panel!

And as for Pip…she’s running with the big dogs.

DATE: Saturday, October 15
PANEL: Winter Is Here: Epic Fantasy Takes the Throne

TIME: 6:30PM-7:30PM
LOCATION: 1A15

Long a staple of the SF/F genre, epic fantasy is poised to take a coup over the bestseller lists, thanks in part to HBO’s fantastically popular series based upon George R.R. Martin’s Game of Thrones novel.  This summer saw signing lines hundreds of readers deep (luckily none with swords in hand) for #1 New York Times bestselling author Patrick Rothfuss’ American appearance.  Now, in a special spotlight session exclusive to New York Comic Con, we pair internationally bestselling author Brandon Sanderson, Peter Brett, Phillipa Ballantine and epic fantasy debut authors Rae Carson, David Chandler and Nils Johnson-Shelton talk about why swords and sorcerers, king-makers and kingslayers; dragons and high drama have renewed resonance in fiction.

She running with a crew here, and I am thrilled to see Pip in said company. I have no doubt she will leave an impression and do the Deacons of The Order proud.

Mark your calendars and say “hi” if you’re in the Big Apple that weekend. We are counting down to this big step forward.

When Pip and I first got the email from Harper Voyager asking if we would be interested in speaking at ComicCon, I thought it was a longshot. We’re talking about ComicCon, right? The East Coast’s biggest popular culture convention. This weekend is two Dragon*Cons in one convention center. The show floor plays hosts a who’s who of comics, graphic novels, anime, manga, video games, toys, and media. The panel, autograph sessions, and screenings feature all feature A-Listers of Hollywood and Geek Culture.

And they want us to speak on a panel?

We were asked to wait to go into detail, and today we were given a green light.Turns out I was wrong.

New York Comic Con 2011 wants us to speak on two panels. And have a signing session.

Ummm….okay.

To give you an idea of just how big of a deal this is (and how utterly freaked out and excited we are), New York Comic Con attracted over 96,000 attendees in 2010, making this weekend the second largest comic book and pop culture gathering in the country. (And I think the only event bigger than this one…yeah, it’s in San Diego…two guesses what it is…) Pip has been invited to speak on the panel “Winter is Coming: The Return of High Fantasy” while I will be speaking on “Steampunk in Comics and Literature.” More details on the when’s and where’s, as well as the time for our first Comic Con signing, we will be a part of will appear on this blog and on our respective Facebook groups.

We are thrilled, terrified, excited, and over-the-moon…and I hope to see you there when I take that first step into a (much) larger world…

As mentioned on The Shared Desk, Pip and I are heading to the Lone Star State for FenCon VIII (also the host of DeepSouthCon 49). We’re looking forward to it as the guest list and programming promises to be a fun time. If you are in the Dallas/Fort Worth area between September 23-25, you will be able to find me at FenCon taking part in the following…

• Welcome to Global Dynamics
  Friday  4:00 PM  - 5:00 PM Addison Lecture Hall
• Goggles, Gears, and Gadgets: The World of Steampunk
  Saturday  10:00 AM  - 11:00 AM Trinity I – IV
• Book Signing (with Pip Ballantine)
  Saturday  2:00 PM  - 2:30 PM Gallery
• Yes. Yes We Are Having A Phineas & Ferb Panel
  Saturday  3:00 PM  - 4:00 PM Pin Oak
• Reading and Q&A with Tee Morris
  Saturday  5:30 PM  - 6:00 PM Pecan
• Writers Beware: Publishing Scams
  Sunday  11:00 AM  - 12:00 PM Elm

Now this is the official FenCon schedule, but there are going to be at least two unofficial events. These events that will include a Friday night tweet up and a “Let’s Crowd into Tee & Pip’s Room” recording of The Shared Desk. Keep tabs on these off-the-clock events at The Captain’s Quarters on Facebook.

Eleven days and counting until we mess with Texas — it’s time for FenCon!!!

So, this eBook thing. It’s been a trip.

We’ve not been at it for very long, but Pip and I have learned a lot. The biggest thing is that Smashwords’ “Meat Grinder” (the one-stop online application that creates a multitude of formats) can be a fussy, fickled wench. And sure, it’s great to handle all the other formats, but imagine our surprise when we were being asked by Nook users “Why are you using Smashwords? Why not use PubIt?”

And we responded with “Yeah, why not?”
Now, after a whopping half-an-hour for set-up, the Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences is making their first round of short stories available for the Nook as well as the Kindle. Here is the complete list of the Ministry’s 99-Penny Dreadfuls, ready for both devices:

• The Evil that Befell Sampson, written by Philippa Ballantine
  Amazon –Nook
• Dust on the Davenport, written by O.M. Grey
  Amazon – Nook
• The Astonishing Amulet of Amernatas, written by Nathan Lowell
  Amazon – Nook
• A Ruby in Rain, written by Grant Stone
  Amazon – Nook
• Darkest before the Darkwater, written by ME!
  Amazon – Nook

As I mentioned in my previous post, you should expect more Ministry shorts coming from both Pip and myself. Some will be podcast in the 2012 for Tales from the Archives: Volume 2, but many will be available only as eBooks.

For those of you enjoying your digital short fiction on iPad, eReader, and other devices, we will continue working with Smashwords and all its quirks. Don’t mistake — Smashwords does make it easy. Amazon and Barnes & Noble, however, are making delivery a touch faster.

Thank you, everyone, who have already invested in our 99-Penny Dreadfuls. We hope you keep coming back for more! Please, do leave us reviews on Amazon.com and BarnesAndNoble.com for our short story offerings, and tell a friend curious about steampunk to give our short stories a spin. Who knows — your 99¢ suggestion might lead them straight to an exciting steampunk adventure. Available for both the Kindle and the Nook

Next week, at this time, I will be kicking off a few days of panel appearances at Renovation: the 69^th Annual World Science Fiction Convention in lovely Reno, Nevada. If you are out west for the extended weekend, here is where I will be appearing during the weekend:

• Social Media for Writers (moderating), Fri 11:00 – 12:00, A03 (RSCC)
• Introduction to Steampunk: What Is Steampunk and Why Is it so Popular? (moderating), Fri 13:00 – 14:00, A13 (RSCC)
• Writers Collaboration Panel, Sat 11:00 – 12:00, D05 (RSCC)
• Steampunk versus Alternate History (moderating) , Sat 13:00 – 14:00, D03 (RSCC)
• Autographing: Sat 14:00 (with Pip Ballantine) , Sat 14:00 – 15:00, Hall 2 Autographs (RSCC)
• KaffeeKlatsch: Sat 17:00 (with Pip Ballantine), Sat 17:00 – 18:00, KK1 (RSCC)

Saturday night may very well be an all-nighter for Pip and myself as we are scheduled for an early Sunday flight out of Reno (the only flight we could get out of Reno that returned us to DC at a decent time…), but grab us anytime between Thursday and Saturday as we will be there at WorldCon!

So, I’m all rested up and recovered from an amazing weekend at the Steampunk World’s Fair (review in the works). What’s next?

Why, another con appearance, of course…

Concluding The Ministry MAY-hem Tour (at least, this part of it) is an old favorite of mine — BALTICON. It was nearly ten years ago when I first arrived at this event with Morevi.  I looked something like this back then…

This was before the time of facial hair, before the days of podcasting, before the days of Facebook, Twitter, and Social Media. Right now, I’d love to go up to that guy and say “You have no idea what’s in store for you, bro.”

What a long strange trip it has been. And with the premiere of Phoenix Rising: A Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences Novel, it may just get a wee-bit stranger at Balticon 45 as tea parties, time traveling dances, rock-and-roll courtesy of Ditched by Kate, and panels-panels-panels are all in store! Here’s my schedule for the next few days…

FRIDAY
New Independent Voices in New Media — 6:00pm, Chesapeake
(New Media GoH, Pip Ballantine will be taking my place on the “Alien Sex: What Could Go Wrong?” panel at 9:00pm)

SATURDAY
The Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences Tea Party & Book Launch — 3:00 pm, Chesapeake

REMINDER: At the Ministry tea party we are giving away prizes, including a Catherinette steampunk ring AND a Dr. Grordbort signet ring. Constellation Books will be there to sell books, and we will provide tea and cookies!

Antigone’s Wrath LIVE — 4:00pm, Salon D
Low Budget Filmmaking — 9:00pm, Chesapeake

SUNDAY
Metamor City LIVE — 5:00pm, Chesapeake
The Time Traveler’s Ball (serving as DeeJay PirateBoy) — 10pm-1am, Garden Suite

MONDAY
Networking Vs. Platform — 10:00am, Salon C
The Shrinking Man Project LIVE — 1:00pm, Derby

The schedule is subject to change (in case of invites to join other panels), but now you know where to find both Pip Ballantine and myself. Don’t be a stranger — say hi, buy a book, and get your geek on at Balticon!

Yes, it has been a little quiet on my blog…but that doesn’t mean I’ve been standing still.

Our first steampunk exposition, The Steampunk World’s Fair in Somerset, New Jersey, is happening this week; and they are making us feel welcome! The guest list is mind-blowing, and yet we — the steampunk rookies — make their Lovecraftian promotional poster.

I think this is a sign of a FUN weekend ahead!

Both Pip and I will be there as part of “Ministry MAY-hem” and there are more details about the weekend to be found at the Ministry website. Track the weekend on Twitter by following the #SPWF hashtag.

We hope to see you this weekend as we get our steampunk funk on!

While putting together The Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences blog and hopping around from steampunk site to steampunk site, I noticed a similar page at current online resources that Pip and I needed for our own. I also thought this would be a nice kick-off for the blog tour that we will be undertaking between now and May to promote Phoenix Rising, a post that begins with the basics: What is Steampunk?

Depending on which website you visit, be it the Wikipedia entry (featuring our good friend and creative talent, Jared Axelrod in this photo by Kyle Cassidy, licensed under Creative Commons 3.0) or Steampunk.com, you will get a variety of answers and interpretations to this creative movement that has been growing in popularity, but also capturing mainstream curiosity.

So I put together for the Ministry a page that gave several descriptions of what we thought constitutes steampunk. So, when you hear me talk about it and you still remain curious as to what it is, I present an “elevator pitch” to start off with, eventually work up to the “deep dive” that not only touches on the foundations of the genre, but even touches on the debate making rounds online and at the cons.

The Elevator Pitch

Steampunk is modern technology—iPads, computers, robotics, air travel—powered by steam and set in the 1800’s.

This is as brief and as compact a description you can give people when wondering what steampunk is. Perhaps the most mainstream point of reference would be the episode “Punked” from ABC’s popular crime drama, Castle (seen above, with Nathan Fillion featuring an armoured forearm creation from Brute Force Studios).

A Few More Details, if you please…

Steampunk is an inspired movement of creativity and imagination. With a backdrop of either Victorian England or America’s Wild West at hand, modern technologies are re-imagined and realized as elaborate works of art, fashion, and mechanics. If Jules Verne or H.G. Wells were writing their science fiction today, it would be considered “steampunk.”

So if you want to know more after “the elevator pitch” this brief summary names two of steampunk’s most revered heroes, Jules Verne and H.G. Wells (pictured above). While Verne and Wells are regarded as part of the foundation of Science Fiction, they would be listed as steampunk authors if they were writing their works today.

The Deep Dive…20,000 Leagues or so…

If you are reading this, you want more. So, here we go…

The term “Steampunk” originated in the late 1980s with a cheeky letter to Locus Magazine from science fiction author K. W. Jeter. Jeter was trying to find an accurate description of works by himself (Morlock Night), Tim Powers (The Anubis Gates), and James Blaylock (Homunculus). While Jeter coined the word, it was William Gibson and Bruce Sterling that brought the genre attention with the book The Difference Engine (1992). Best known for their offerings in cyberpunk, Gibson and Sterling took their intimate integration of man and machine back to 1885. In this alternative Industrial Revolution, Charles Babbage’s Difference Engine is not merely a curiosity but the norm, and now his Analytical Engine comes to fruition. The book centers around the struggle between the working class Luddites (who fear technology) and the upper-class “enhanced” elite.

Over the years, steampunk has evolved into more than just a sub-genre of Science Fiction and Fantasy. Steampunk now extends into fashion, engineering, music, and for some, a lifestyle. With the Victorian British Empire or American Wild West as the backdrop, steampunk projects are a challenge of making something elegant out of random bits and bobs. Picture MacGyver or The A-Team in the 1800’s. Consider Dick Van Dyke’s Caractacus Potts and his creations in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, or the ingenious contraptions from Artimus Gordon’s laboratory in the television show The Wild, Wild West. What others see as junk or scrap parts, steampunk artists transform it into something new and expressive, be it an original creation or a modification of a modern convenience.

Where exactly does the “punk” come into play?

A current debate amongst writers is that the growing commercialism over the genre has diluted the “punk” aspect of steampunk. Their argument is that steampunk has been reduced to a backdrop of romantic Victoriana, goggles, and brass fixtures. Instead of works like The Difference Engine, The Diamond Age, and The Windup Girl where social commentary and dystopia are the focus, the grittiness and edge of steampunk is merely a shiny, spiffy backdrop as seen in lighter works such as Soulless and Girl Genius.

Steampunk, at least the way Pip and I see it, gets its “punk” not in its dystopian view of the world or even in its gritty edge. The “punk” in “Steampunk” comes from going against convention that, through creativity and declaration of one’s individuality be it through style, gadgets, or attitude, sets one apart. In our own work, the “punk” is embodied in Eliza D. Braun, an agent from New Zealand. Coming from the farthest reaches of the Empire where women have the right to vote, where the natives co-exist with the colonials, and where everyone speaks their mind frankly and honestly, she goes against the standard norms at the home office in London, England. She is paired up with Wellington Thornhill Books, Esquire, a man of the manor born now serving at the Queen’s pleasure. She is everything he is not, and vice versa; and it is their chemistry and unorthodox approach to peculiar occurrences that make them unique within a society based on conformity.

All this, and they’re having a smashing good time while doing it. Well, at least, Eliza is.

Perhaps the best published primer for understanding steampunk, we found, is the unassuming title Steampunk Style Jewelry by Jean Campbell. Along with Amazon.com, you can find this book at your local Michael’s or arts-and-crafts store. As expected, there are plenty of how-to projects, but you will also find columns by musicians, artists, and seamstresses on what steampunk is. The photography in this book is also quite stunning.

And, of course, if you want to experience just how much fun steampunk can be, take a look at Phoenix Rising: A Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences Novel, from Harper Voyager.

[WARNING: While this review does not contain spoilers, the Comments do. You have been warned. Now...read on...]

Director and Writer Zack Snyder can really make a beautiful movie. Snyder set his own style with films like 300 and Watchmen, but has also come under fire for making movies that lack depth or are very “comic book” in their almost balletic approach to graphic violence. When you consider his last two films were pulling from (wait for it!) graphic novels, it makes you want to bitch slap critics. Perhaps this is why critics (and perhaps, some moviegoers) have been overly critical of Snyder’s latest film, Sucker Punch.

On reading some of these reviews, though, I have to ask “Did you see the same film as I did?” I not only loved Sucker Punch, I am here to tell you that missing this on the big screen would be a crime. It is original. It is surprising. It is intelligent.

What is isn’t is what the critics are making it out to be: Geekboy Titillation.

Now there’s no denying it: Snyder covers all of the bases in this flick. Sucker Punch offers up zombies, steampunk, dragons,  WWII bombers, and katana swordfights. And yes, all of the gunfire and swordplay is happening with women who all just happen to be hot.

Quite hot.

Smoking hot, as a matter of fact.

But the titillation critics rant on and on about just isn’t there. I didn’t find anything really “stimulating” about Sucker Punch unless you count the alternate realities where our femme fatales are kicking surrealistic asses in a variety of ways. Snyder’s signature “artistic action” sequences could hardly be described as “erotic” in their video game brutality. (And the more I think about that, the more I come to understand why Snyder’s fantasy sequences are so epic. You have to see the movie to catch it.) An episode of Sailor Moon or Bubblegum Crisis has more titillation than Sucker Punch. What should be titillating — Baby Doll’s hypnotic dance that segues into her own imagination — we never see. All we see is the reaction to it, and that is really intriguing.

Before any of my female readers comment with “If this isn’t geekboy pr0n, why then are Sucker Punch’s insanely attractive women so scantily clad in the action sequences? I mean, where’s the realism? What’s with the high heels in the giant samurai sequence?” I would like to present a few visual aids to end this debate.

History tell us that this is Sparta:Frank Miller and Zack Snyder, on the other hand, tells us that  THIS — IS — SPARTA:

This just in from Zack Snyder: “You’re welcome, ladies.”

Critics have also been making references that the principle players as “happy hookers” and “sensitive strippers.” Both of these assessments are completely and utterly wrong, and ruin the subtext running through this film. While these girls are carrying stripper names like “Rocket,” “Sweet Pea,” and “Baby Doll” (the lead), and while they are exotic dancers performing extravagant burlesque productions, they are not hookers nor are they strippers. And they’re not “happy” by a longshot. They’re sex slaves.

Let me say that again: These girls are sex slaves.

When you accept that uncomfortable fact, the whole mood of Sucker Punch changes; but from the opening — a very bleak, powerful opening telling the backstory of Baby Doll’s arrival to the insane asylum — this movie makes it clear that this is not a fun ride we are undertaking. This is the kind of darkness that makes Synder’s Watchmen look like an episode of Super Friends (the first season with Marv and Wendy…who were those kids anyway?!), and adds a sense of desperation for the girls daring to escape. Calling them “hookers/strippers with hearts of gold” really could not be farther from these characters’ dismal collected truth.

And when you consider the reality that Baby Doll is truly escaping, this tale takes an even darker spin.

That’s where I nurture a growing respect for Sucker Punch: it’s amazing layer-like quality and intelligence. Sucker Punch keeps you guessing as to where the lines of reality reside. Perhaps this is another reason why critics are coming out hard against this movie: Snyder made a geeky action movie that you have to pay attention to when watching it. This is a tale of redemption, and the lines of what is real and what isn’t are blurred just enough that when you walk out of the film, you are trying to piece together what was real and what wasn’t. Giving away any details right now would be spoilerific so I will simply say the ending completely caught me off-guard. How things play in the finale, which you discover isn’t the finale you were expecting, are a complete and utter surprise.

Perhaps this is why critics are so “angry” about Sucker Punch: They didn’t see this coming. But isn’t that the title right there? I was waiting for this movie to jump the rails. Pip was, too. It’s the morning after and I’m still waiting! Sucker Punch was not even close to what I was expecting, and I loved experiencing it on the IMAX big screen.

And concerning Sucker Punch’s soundtrack, I rank it right up there with the music from Scott Pilgrim Versus The World. Sweet crapbuckets, did this soundtrack ever rock! Props to Snyder, Tyler Bates, and producers for coming up with some fantastic covers and a Queen mash-up that gave me goosebumps!

In the age of reboots, remakes, and comic book movies, Sucker Punch is a breath of fresh air and originality, along the same lines as Inception and Black Swan. Dismiss the critics on this one, and go see it. If you can catch it on IMAX, do so as the bigger screen just makes Snyder’s composition — even the ones based in reality — breathtaking. You may be pleasantly surprised. You might walk out wondering what the hell you’ve seen, but you will be talking about it. Consider the tagline: “You will be unprepared.”

I was. Delightfully so.

Hey, everyone!

Just in case you missed the big launch last week, Pip and I premiered Tales from the Archives,  a collection of short stories from the Victorian England of The Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences. With original theme music composed and created by Alex White, we are featuring original steampunk short stories from…

• P.C. Haring of Cybrosis
• Starla Huchton of The Dreamer’s Thread
• Helen H. Madden of Heat Flash
• Phil Rossi of Eden and Harvey
• Chooch Schubert of Chronicles of the Order:“The Destruction of Station One”
• Jack Mangan author of Spherical Tomi
• Nathan Lowell of Trader’s Tales: The Golden Age of the Solar Clipper
• Valerie Griswold-Ford of The Apocalypse Cycle
• Grant Stone, Sir Julius Vogel winner for numerous short stories

Last week, Pip kicked things off with “The Evil that Befell Samson” and this week we present the supernatural steampunk “Dust on the Davenport” by author O.M. Grey.

Agent Simon R. Boswell, still considered the green agent of the Ministry, takes on his own a supposed haunting in Islington. Hauntings tend to be nothing too serious for agents specializing in the unexplained; but for Simon, this case supplies surprises of all kinds, around every corner…

About the Author:

O. M. Grey is rather camera shy and is a complete novice when it comes to modern technology. She prefers to live in the cobwebbed corners of her dark mind writing paranormal romance with a Steampunk twist. When she’s not writing, she’s reading or tending the garden or drinking a hot cup of tea. (Just two drops, please.)

O.M. Grey’s Avalon Revisited is released by Blue Moose Press and available from Amazon.com (print and Kindle), Barnes and Noble (print and Nook ), and the iBook Store. Find out more about the author at omgrey.wordpress.com.

Featured Voice Talent (in order of appearance):

• Paul E. Cooley
• Tee Morris
• Philippa Ballantine

Theme music for the Ministry composed and created by Alex White.

You can subscribe to Tales from the Archives on iTunes (and leave us a review there), or with your podcatcher of choice at the Ministry website. If you hear a short story you particularly like, go on and feel free to syndicate it on your own blog or podcast. Thanks for listening!