Laundry, Mores, and Murder: Tales from Victorian London

    What better way to acquaint oneself with both the mundane and the extreme happenings of daily life in Victorian London, than by reading what actual Londoners wrote about it?

     I recently downloaded the free sample of Daily Life in Victorian London: An Extraordinary Anthology, compiled by Lee Jackson. As I began to read with a mostly open mind, I still found myself dismayed that I felt surprised at what shocked the people of that era. (Very conflicting emotions, there.)  Many of the sections are articles submitted to newspapers and other periodicals of the time period.  As the author comments, it is perhaps presumptuous to call this anthology "extraordinary," yet it certainly sheds light on the mores and idiosyncrasies of the day.

     Lee Jackson's truly informative web site, The Dictionary of Victorian London, led me to the book.  There you will also find sketches, photographs, and an encyclopedia of Victorian London divided by subject matter.  One could spend weeks reading through the material he has gathered there! Jackson has published many books on various topics regarding Victorian London.  Most can be had as a digital download for $2-3 apiece. His most recent book might possibly nod to the television show "Dirty Jobs": Dust, Mud, Soot and Soil: The Worst Jobs in Victorian London. Fascinating!  I recommend and will certainly read more by this preserver of Victorian history.

Choose Your Futureism - Pre-Order Your Hardcover Copy of Thrilling Tales of the Downright Unusual

Choose the path to the future in Retropolis, created by Bradley W. Schenck.

This author offers free online serialized and interactive stories, such as The Lair of the Clockwork Book and Trapped in the Tower of the Brain Thieves: The Toaster with Two Brains. Readers may bookmark their place and return at a future time.

About the free online stories, described by the author:

"Thrilling Tales of the Downright Unusual is a lot like an idea I had back in 1996 when I was first experimenting with web design: a site full of illustrated stories, written so that you could choose one character or another, and then make choices as they move through the tale. And the project's given me a chance to combine free web content - which, incredibly, people like - with a way to promote my work for sale - which, for some reason, I like. The advertising banners you see lead to other sites of mine where I hope I'll be able to shake all of the change out of your pockets. And if you like the Tales on the web site, I certainly hope that you'll consider buying them as books. They're nifty. They really are."

The illustrated hardcover of Bradley W. Schenck's The Lair of the Clockwork Book

On that subject, the beautiful hardcover of The Lair of the Clockwork Book is available for pre-order.

In fact, a certain number of copies must be paid for before the printing will even take place, so if you or someone you know would be interested in helping an author (and owning a copy of the book!), please order soon.  At the time of this writing, they have only received 37% of the total required, and there are only 14 days left.  Not enough pre-orders equals no hardcover book!

Mr. Schenck has created an incredible volume of retro-futuristic artwork for his books, and you may purchase said artwork on more items than the imagination can comprehend in the Retropoilis shop, here. There is truly something for everyone.

Have a story which needs a title, but it just will not name itself? Or just need a laugh? Try Cornelius Zappencackler's Derange-O-Tron Random Pulp Science Fiction Title Generator.  Or don't, and stare gloomily at your blank title page. Either way, enjoy!

If you feel up to blogging/Tweeting/otherwise sharing this post/plea for orders, that would be lovely, and I am sure Mr. Schenck would appreciate it. Thank you!

Celebrating Girl Genius Day, January 12th

Hip hip, hooray! January 12th has been declared Girl Genius Day, and it is also Kaja Foglio's birthday.  "We're hoping you'll do something suitably mad and/or steampunkalicious for the occasion," says Phil Foglio.

The date also heralds the release of their newest book, Agatha H. and the Airship City.  For more information on the book and how to obtain a copy (or copies!), venture over to girlgeniusbooks.com.  This title is currently available in hardcover, e-book, and audio book formats.  (The Kindle version costs only $7.99. Squee!)  The paperback version is slated for release in August, 2011.

Multiple events with the authors are planned for the 12th-14th in Seattle.  If you are fortunate enough to live nearby, you will find the Foglios at the following locations in Seattle on those dates.  [Click for maps to the locations (or click on and read the Event Schedule notes at the bottom of the girgeniusbooks.com page)]:

1/12 Ravenna Third Place Books, 7pm - book signing
1/13 The Night Kitchen, 8pm - "eat and greet"
1/14 University Book Store, 7pm - book reading and signing

Facebookers can mark that they are attending, tell the world your celebration plans, or just leave a nice note for the authors here.

Happy Girl Genius Day!

Trains, Time, and Terror: 3 New Steampunk Books I Would Like to Read

     Have you worn out your copy of Steampunk, or read the works of Jules Verne so many times that you see the Nautilus in your sleep? Then it is time to investigate some more steampunk literary offerings! Here are three books that sounded interesting and received good reviews.  I shall list the titles, authors, and brief comments, as you may click on the links to find full synopses.

Dreadnought by Cherie Priest, the author of the renowned novel Boneshaker, arrived on the scene in September 2010.  A dirigible carrying a nurse journeying to see her dying father is shot down during an alternate-reality Civil War. She boards a train to complete her journey, not knowing that Rebels have another plan for the train... and for her.  Available for Kindle on Amazon.com (but not for Nook).

The Return of the Dapper Men, by Janet Lee has been called a fairy tale and a graphic novel for adults; I think it sounds fun.   A reviewer for Banes & Noble summarizes it neatly, "Enter a world in between time, where children have played so long it's almost become work, machines have worked so long they have begun to play, and all the clocks have stopped at the same time. This is how this land has remained, until 314 dapper-looking gentlemen rain down from the sky and set off in different directions to start the world anew."  Who says adults cannot enjoy a good lighthearted yarn? (Not yet on Kindle or Nook.)

     On the flip side, Mark Hodder weaves a tale of darkness and fear in an alternate London in The Strange Affair of Spring Heeled Jack.  Werewolves and a ghostly version of Jack the Ripper terrorize the city; a poet follower of DeSade and a swordsman investigate these oddities while working under repressive laws designed to curb the "magic, drugs, and anarchy" and questionable ethics sweeping through their society. Published in September 2010, available for Kindle.

If you have read one or more of these books and would like to leave a comment on them, please do.  Happy reading!

Truly Amazing Handmade Books

handmade journals by Tim Baker

Yes, I am as obsessed with handmade books as much as I am with SP animals. The few leather-bound journals on my shelf remain empty because they are too pretty to write in!
I could not resist sharing these images; this person truly has a gift.
Click on the photo to go to Tim Baker's blog, or view these on DeviantArt.

A Tuppence For Your Thoughts...

Blank Journals
Clockwise, from upper left to lower left:

Steampunk Leather Journal , Steam Book , Custom Necro Book , The Train

It is human nature to pen our thoughts and dreams. In this day and age, journals made from anything but ones and zeroes are considered archaic; the art of bookmaking seems to be dying with that thought. Here are a few interesting finds of steampunk (or just plain dark!) blank books for jotting down secrets we don't want to put on the internet.