Armored Hearts Blog Tour: Sample Chapter

Steampunk.com is happy to be part of the blog tour to launch Armored Hearts by Pauline Creeden and Melissa Turner Lee.

Here’s the official description:

When a crippled young lord rescues a girl falling from a tree, it reveals a secret about himself and his mother’s side of the family that could put him at the center of a war with beings he thought only existed in fairy tales.Tristan Gareth Smyth lived his entire life stuck at home at Waverly Park, left behind while his Grandfather makes trips to London, all because of his blasted wheelchair. Then an American heiress falls in his lap, literally, and he must find a way to keep her at a distance to protect not only his secret, but everyone around him from an assassin sent to kill him.

If that isn’t enough to whet your appetite, you can read Chapter 4 below, in which the girls go to a meeting of an inventor’s club. And don’t forget to read to scroll down, where there is an entry form for a paperback copy of Armored Hearts and other cool swag!

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Steampunk Books Coming Out in June 2013

At the start of each calendar month, the Hugo award winner Fanzine SF Signal compiles a mammoth list of science fiction, fantasy, and horror (and related) books coming out in the next month. It’s a wonderful resource. And here I’ve pulled out the Steampunk books from their list for June. And, of course, please visit SF Signal’s full list for some good reading when you feel the need for a momentary break from Steampunk.

Clockwork Fairy Talesedited by Stephen L. Antczak and James C. Bassett, Roc Trade, June 4

His Clockwork Canary: The Glorious Victorious Darcys by Beth Ciotta, Signet, June 4

The Miss Education of Dr. Exeter by Steven Harper, Kensington, June 25

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Warehouse 13 Cancelled, Alas

On Friday, Syfy announced that Warehouse 13 will be endings its run after a 6-episode fifth season to air in 2014. The show is centered on the eponymous warehouse in which the government stores all manner of mystical, mysterious, or supernatural object they’ve come across. The agents charged with finding and collecting these objects encounter myriad challenges along the way, whether from the objects themselves, others who want to possess them, or even local law enforcement. Helping them are a number of technological gizmos, many of which have a distinctly retrofuturistic, if not entirely Steampunk, design (which is why we here at Steampunk.com are mourning the loss of this show).

A statement from Mark Sten, Syfy’s President, Original Content read: “Warehouse 13 has been an incredible signature series for us. We are grateful to the loyal and passionate fan base and know that Jack Kenny, his gifted creative team, and outstanding ensemble cast will give them an amazing finale season.”

If you haven’t seen it, you really should give it a chance. The first three seasons are available on Netflix or Amazon.com streaming video (free if you’re a prime member). Or if you’re into owning plastic circles, you can buy them on DVD or Blu-ray.

Below are a few of the more Steampunk elements the agents encountered in their first four seasons. For a longer list of artifacts in the warehouse, see the Warehouse 13 wikia.

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Lego Officially Goes Steampunk! (At Last!)

A strong element in the Steampunk aesthetic is the idea of doing things yourself. Handcrafted and one-off items feel more authentic than something churned out by the thousands by injection molding. It is hard to give something the feel of a custom built mad science creation when you can buy it off the shelf at WalMart.

Lego is also all about inventing your own creations, with the Master Builder Academy being the pinacle of that. Of course, Lego also has a lot of sets designed to build a specific starship or police station or ninja turtle scene, but I grew up with Lego long before the themed kits. Not to be the grumpy old man, but in my day, Lego mostly just made brick-shaped bricks and finding a way to turn these plastic chunks into pyramids or dinosaurs or haunted houses was where the fun was. Master Builder Academy is Lego’s high end line that emphasizes creation over following directions and the new releases coming this July are all about Steampunk.

Here’s a taste to whet your appetite:

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Steampunk Books Coming Out in May 2013

At the start of each calendar month, the Hugo award winner Fanzine SF Signal compiles a giant list of science fiction, fantasy, and horror (and thereabouts) books coming out in the next month. It’s a great resource. And from that I’ve sniffed out the Steampunk (and related) books from their list for May (alas only a few this month). And, of course, please visit SF Signal’s full list for some fine reading when you feel the need for an oh-so-brief break from Steampunk.

Steampunk Magazine #9 edited by Margaret Killjoy, Combustion Books, May 20

The Daedalus Incident by Michael J. Martinez, Night Shade Books, May 7

The The Havoc Machine: A Novel of the Clockwork Empire by Steven Harper, Roc, May 7

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