Later this year, 2025, I will publish my 100th book. Thirteen years ago, my first book, a steampunk novella called Winter of the Passion Flower was published. Why did I choose to write a steampunk novella as my first publication? Back then, I had no idea what Steampunk was, and when I saw a competition for a Steampunk novella, I decided to write my first book. Not only did I start researching the craft of fiction writing, but I also researched Steampunk.
Wikipedia tells us that Steampunk is a subgenre of science fiction that incorporates retro-futuristic technology and is inspired by, but not limited to, 19th-century industrial steam-powered machinery. Steampunk works are often set in an alternative history of the Victorian era or the American frontier, where steam power remains in mainstream use, or in a fantasy world that similarly employs steam power.
Never in my wildest dreams did I know how detailed and intricate Steampunk is, but oh, did I have fun writing my retro-futuristic story! Steampunk elevators, computers and perambulators, not to mention submarines!
Winter of the Passion Flower
Sexy heroine seeks captain for time-travelling submarine. Indigo de Vargas is determined to exhibit her products at the Great Exhibition in Crystal Palace. Her opponents have thwarted her preparation at every turn. Her only hope is the brooding captain who appears on her doorstep amid a fierce snowstorm, offering to navigate her submarine to the Amazon so she can collect the passionflowers for her pharmacologicals and cosmecuticals. Steam powers more than the submarine on this voyage. Sparks flying between Indigo and her captain may ignite a passion neither can avoid. Ably assisted by quirky servants, brass goggles and inappropriate accoutrements, they must fight those out to foil her mission.
I had an absolute ball writing the story, and I’m pleased to say that that book is still selling well fourteen years later. It was followed up by a sequel, Summer of the Moon Flower, and I have promised two more books in the series to my readers, but haven’t found the time to write them yet.
Summer of the Moon Flower
Sofia de Vargas’ research into the Alpine Moon flower and its elixir of immortality will threaten the very existence of an ancient Scottish order. Dougal, the Earl of Rothmore must prove his loyalty to his masters, the Knights Templar, and bring her body back to Kilmarnock.
Sofia is kidnapped and imprisoned on the isolated Isle of Rothmore. Is Dougal her sworn enemy...or her saviour?
Earlier this year, I took three weeks off writing and we went on a holiday to New Zealand. We turned off the highway to visit a small town on the South Island called Oamaru for morning tea and to look at the historic whitestone buildingss. Imagine my delight when we stumbled on an old grain warehouse that has been converted into Steampunk HQ.
The imagination involved in putting the displays together and the text that accompanied all of their crazy inventions was an absolute delight to a Steampunk writer. As I wandered through the portal, and viewed Dr Gatling’s Lunar Dismembulator Cannon, and Dr Blackheart’s Aether Tractor, I was in a writer’s seventh heaven! I felt as though I was living in my heroine Indigo de Vargas’ story.
If you ever get to Oamaru, make sure you visit Steampunk HQ.
In the meantime, you can find my Steampunk novellas in a two-book set called Adventures in Time, as well as the individual titles.
Thank you for having me :)
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