Steampunk Artist Michael Treat

previously published in Steamed -September 19, 2012

The airship just landed in Minnesota at the twin cities. I’ve loved Minneapolis and St. Paul ever since the Mary Tyler Moore show and today we’re here to welcome aboard Steampunk Artist Michael Treat. “This way, “ I say and we are soon in the parlor and he’s sits on the hand carved, chenille upholstered settee. I slide down into the matching cushioned side chair and offer him some freshly brewed coffee rather than tea. “ I notice you’re known as a coffee snob and you created a fabulous collection of wine and coffee art. Since most writers are heavy coffee drinkers and people love to go to coffee shops to read, the literary world also considers coffee to be pretty important, so I have to ask, what is your favorite coffee or coffee shop?” Holding the porcelain coffee cup, he takes a sip. “My favorite coffee is most definitely light roast. Ideally, I prefer something above a New England roast and a tad under a Full City roast. I usually prefer beans from Latin America; Guatemalan, Bolivian and Peruvian beans are some of my favorites. Lately I’ve been brewing coffee from the Dominican Republic. I also enjoy coffee with African origins. Rwandan coffee is fabulous. I’ll only drink dark roast if I roast the beans myself. I produce a really nice Italian roast all my dark roast friends love. Whenever I can get them, there are beans from the Yemeni Republic that are limited to a few harvest weeks in the summer months that are THE BEST I’ve ever tasted. The soil and altitude they grow at are unique and the quantity is extremely limited. I like to sit and watch the beans change colors inside the glass roasting chamber with a new, brilliant color about every fifteen seconds or so. Now that I made my previous artistic hobbies into my job, home roasting coffee has become a hobby of mine that I truly enjoy. As for going out for coffee, Minneapolis is full of great coffee shops. My neighborhood has a few that I frequent including Fire Roast Mountain, The Riverview Café and the Blue Moon. There is also a wonderful biker themed coffee shop in Uptown Minneapolis that is open late called Bob’s Java Hut. One of my new favorite haunts is in St Paul called Quixotic where they handcraft each cup you order.” “How yummy. Apparently coffee goes as well with art as it does with reading and writing.” The coffee cups rattle slightly as the airship lifts off. “I’ve been wondering, what inspired you to take your art in a Steampunk direction?” He set his cup down on the mahogany coffee table and leaned back against the deep red cushioned seetee. “For me, I think it all started when I began working with materials that are dominant in the Steampunk genre including leather, unbleached fabrics, lace, grommets, eyelets, tack and wood. Oh–and of course all of those metals! I very much enjoy working with brass, copper, wrought iron and rusty steel with all of their tarnish and patinas. I enjoy working with each material individually, and combining them in new and different ways. As I learned more and more about the genre, and researched what it was about, I realized I had found a place to incorporate those elements and the styles into just about anything I could imagine. I love the Steampunk genre because of the modification process that Steampunk allows, and often even demands! I also really feel a sort of kinship with the American Old West. I admire the optimism that came along with all the hardships and uncertainties of that time period. I also enjoy how that unique creativity, optimism and sense of possibilities and vision is reflected in those who live the Steampunk lifestyle today.” We both set our cups down and I refilled each with the steamy dark brew. “It’s wonderful you were drawn to Steampunk with your art for the same reasons most writers are drawn to the genre. In fact you are a writer yourself as you write comics, what similarities and differences do you find in the creative process between literate and visual art?” “Drawing is a skill that is incorporated into just about everything I do. Whether it’s technical or totally expressive, being able to draw has served my creative process well. I’m a fan of graphic novels because they challenge writers to present the fundamental elements of a story to the artist to then fill in the visual needs of the piece. I still enjoy text based novels as I like to create my own images in my mind to complement the story. It’s also fun to see someone else’s interpretation of a writer’s ideas or to be the person who gets to share your images with others and help create the story for that new audience. I took a class with Allyson McGhee (NY Times best seller and Pulitzer Prize Nominee for Shadow Baby) in 2004 and completed an alternative assignment: a comic page with two or more characters discussing a pair of broken glasses. I chose that assignment over an essay about my job; at that time I was a corrections officer in a maximum security prison. The next day I showed it to the class and Allyson and my fellow writers received it with unexpected praise and enthusiasm. At the end of the course, she told me, “I know you want to write novels, but you should really consider doing something with your cartooning and your ability to draw well.” That advice stuck with me and I began to seriously study cartooning and comics. In 2005, I even ended up creating a comic strip versions of the chronicles of Gary “The Walkingman” Hause on his website. Walkingman Cartoons. He showed me The Adventures of The Walkingman. “This is better than my favorite Penney Dreadful. Indeed, you ar quite a talented writer as well as an artist. Keep it up and you can’t go wrong with advice from award winning, best seller author Allyson McGhee.” We both set our cups down on the coffee table and I brimmed them full of more strong coffee. “You work in all these different artistic areas comics, jewelry, sculptures, collages and paintings. What is your favorite?” “While I enjoy each artistic area in it’s own right, I think I enjoy comics the most. I get to make one thing and technology does the rest – thank you Mr. Guttenberg and your printing press. I also like that it’s the first art form that I’ve had the opportunity to collaborate with other artists/writers and not do all the work on my own. I also enjoy working on projects that defy one clear category.” “Your comics are soo good, I can certainly see why you enjoy that medium but all your art is fabulous. I especially find your Bonzo sculpture intriguing. Tell me about it?” “Bonzo was a 1/6 scale scratch figure I started without any clear picture in mind. At that point, I was just learning how to work together the brass, copper, and wood bits you see in the piece. His creation covered two projects for me: making a from-scratch steampunk-themed robot figure and creating a vehicle in the same scale/size. He has a driver/partner whose a cyborg that has some fun accessories I made totally from scratch as well.

Bonzo and his driver, B Scott Quigley, are a delivery and conveyance team. Basically, they’re like a Victorian era version of FedEx and your local cab company combined into one. I learned a lot from creating these two including metal and wood working, leather craft, basic mechanics, and image reduction, a technique which I used for making tiny gages on the instrument panels. People who see Bonzo are most impressed with his head sculpt but it was actually the easiest part of the piece to complete. The hardest part was his core. Putting that together was tough! And his hands. They’re totally functional. But a whole other story.” After another sip of the rich, smooth coffee, I set my cup down. “A Victorian era FedEx, I love that. You mentioned you began Bonzo without any clear picture in mind. Do you usually sketch your art out before beginning your sculptures, jewelry, and paintings? What is your creative process?” “I do a lot more of that now. I like to have as clear of a plan of what it is I’m trying to accomplish before I execute the creation process. However, there are times when I just have to pick my material and my tools, and just allow a piece to manifest.” I grabbed my fan off the table and with a flick of my wrist I spread it, fluttering it in front of my face. It gets a little stuffy in the airship. “You are so talented. I was wondering how young you were when you first became involved in art?” “My talent was first noticed in third grade when I got a drawing published in a school paper . I drew an armored car that I used to see driving by the school yard daily. Drawing for me was just something that happened, until I decided to take art seriously and pursuit it professionally, most of the art I created just sort of happened. Now, I work in such a way that I regularly create a space for my creative process to happen on a daily basis.” I shut my fan and placed it in my lap. “You put that so beautifully. It’s the same process for writers, at first we write when in the mood but to write professionally you have to make your own mood. It’s hard to explain that sometimes to non-writers or beginner writers but you said it so well. Apparently that’s another way in which visual art and literary art are similar. Speaking of your art, your wonderful creations, what are your personal favorites and why?” “Generally, I don’t get too attached to my own work. While I’m proud of what I produce, for me it’s sort of like being a chef who prefers to cook for the enjoyment of others and have someone else prepare a dish for him or her at the end of the day. I do have one specific coffee collage that I created that I do really like. It has an old west/Victorian/Steampunk feel to it.

More recently, I’ve been doing some cityscape work, for the LoLa Art Crawl, an event by a group to which I belong called the League of Longfellow Artists, I created two cityscapes. I was inspired by Checo Diego’s “You Are Here I” and “You Are Here II” drawings. With that inspiration, as well as being inspired by the skylines of the Twin Cities, I created a pen and pencil sketch of each skyline and transferred those drawings to 40″ x 60″ canvases. I find that I can look at those two pieces and feel happy with how they turned out. I also very much enjoyed talking with people about those pieces, and I really enjoyed going through each skyline with natives to the area and picking out points of interest that I incorporated into the drawings.” LoLa Art Crawl, Site 14: Merlin’s Rest: Mike Treat, Smirking Tiger, with St Paul Cityscape and 2 wine paintings. The cups began to rattle again. “We are landing. Let me ask just one more question. It’s about your Etsy gallery, I love the name Smirking Tiger and your logo is so simple yet stunning, what inspired you to come up with that name and logo?” “The name of my Etsy shop, and my business, is a good example of how my artistic skills can benefit others, but not necessarily my own immediate needs. My wife, Brenda Peterson, and I brainstormed to come up with a name for my business. After deciding on Smirking Tiger, it was definitely a challenge to determine how to draw a relatively simple representation of a smirking tiger for the logo. It was tough! I probably sketched two full pads of ideas out with hundreds of rough images and ideas, eventually getting to the point of doing some decent finished works of tigers, but it still didn’t seem quite right. I was missing the mark on my goal of creating a simple, eye catching image that evoked curiosity and piqued people’s interest in what this whole “Smirking Tiger” thing was all about. That’s when my wife showed me the Chinese symbol for king, and a description that said the following: “Facial markings on the tiger’s forehead resemble the Chinese character for King (and interestingly enough, the Korean character for Queen), therefore, the Chinese see the tiger as the King of Beasts.” Here is the picture that she originally showed me. Since my astrological sign is also the tiger, my wife then suggested I modify this symbol to incorporate the smirk where the straight lines originally were. I was approaching a deadline when I needed to finalize my new logo. I put aside my perfectionism and went with her idea. I worked in the smirking expression form and a couple of physical characteristics of what a smirking tiger might look like. From there, my new logo was born. What I originally considered my “temporary” logo, I’ve now adopted as my personal brand and avatar.”

He grasped onto his settee and I onto my chair as the ship rocked slightly. “What a wonderful story, it makes the logo even more interesting. I hate to say it but we have landed. I must bid you farewell so you can return to your studio and create more stunning Steampunk art.

But I and all the Steamed readers can always visit you at Smirking Tiger on Etsy, Smirking Tiger on Pinterest and your Smirking Tiger Steampunk Figures on Pinterest as well as Smirking Tiger Steampunk Jewelry on Pinterest plus Smirking Tiger on Facebook & Smirking Tiger on Twitter ~ Maeve Alpin http://Maevealpin.com

New Release - As Timeless As Magic

Hi everyone,

I have a new Steampunk/Time Travel romance - As Timeless As Magic
It's the second in the series: (Unparallel Adventures of Time Traveling Egyptians)As Timeless As Stone is the first

Blurb:
With her bell skirt and layers of petticoats knotted, Felicity straddles her motorized steam bicycle and rumbles down the streets of London. When her attention is captured by a dark, handsome and half naked bystander, she crashes into a brick wall.
After tinkering with a time machine, Heru, an ancient Egyptian, is swept through the ages to nineteenth century London. He rushes to the aid of a woman in ridiculous, conservative clothing, riding a noisy brass-horse. Once he lifts her into his arms he doesn’t want to ever let her go.

She invites him to her home where he invokes an ancient curse to stop her father from violating an Egyptian corpse at a mummy unwrapping. Her father, used to getting what he wants, will stop at nothing to keep Heru from his daughter and steel the time machine.
Can Heru keep the time machine out of Felicity’s father’s hands and keep her safe from the man’s black hearted machinations? And when Heru is transported back to his era, will his love be lost forever or will Felicity step back in time with him?

From As Timeless As Magic:
Felicity and her father, now the center of attention, hovered about a large, upright, stone sarcophagus crafted in the image of the body within. The head consisted of a painted yellow and green striped nemes and a handsome face painted brown with almond-shaped, kohl-lined eyes, a straight nose, and full red lips. From torso to feet, gorgeous symbols and hieroglyphs in bright paint decorated it. Heru hung his head. Such care had been paid to the inhabitant’s afterlife, and now the poor soul would be cast from it. There must be something he could do.

Felicity’s father addressed the assembly in English, then she whispered something in his ear and he switched languages, speaking in French, probably repeating what he’d just said. “Friends, welcome. Tonight as we unwrap this ancient Egyptian pharaoh, many of you will take home party favors of beautiful amulets embedded in the wrappings.”
Everyone clapped their hands loudly and Mister Mugrage continued. “Look around the room, there are other treasures here from the desert sands as well, exquisite vases, shabits, and statues.”

Heru recalled watching his mother, a lector priest, painting magic spells on shabits. In the afterlife, these small servants transformed to full size and came alive to work in the field of reeds for the deceased. He wondered why Mister Mugrage called the mummy a pharaoh, the sarcophagus clearly contained only a noble, and from his own time period, the middle kingdom. Heru’s stomach turned. The mummy could be someone he knew. After all, he had only left this morning, though it seemed long ago. He clasped his belly, fighting the queasiness. It suddenly seemed a bad idea to have eaten so much at the restaurant.

Felicity’s father gestured to him to come up. Mister Mugrage actually wanted his help in disturbing this dead soul. Heru felt the heat of everyone’s gaze upon him, including Felicity’s. It would embarrass her if he made a scene, so he took a deep breath and walked to them.

Along with Mister Mugrage and one other man, he seized the stone lid and struggled with it until it budged. Under his straining arms and shoulders, with the help of the other two men, the slab slid aside with a grating noise of stone grinding against stone. All the men in black suits and women in floor-length fancy dresses cramming the parlor, released a sigh of awe and applauded.

Heru peered within the sarcophagus, at a coffin shaped like a human figure, in a green headdress with a single yellow stripe and a jewel painted in the middle. His gaze lingered on the beautiful hieroglyphics in orange and blue, thinking of the power they held and the magic his mother created with them in her spells.

“Now, what we have all waited for.” Mister Mugrage opened the coffin. A gilded mask lay over a linen sheet wrapped around a human corpse.

Heru rubbed his brow, then fisted his hand, aching to punch Felicity’s father in the teeth.

Mister Mugrage removed the mask in the likeness of the mummy inside and held it up. “This mask is a wonderful treasure for the evening and I will do you all the favor of parting with it for the highest offer made.”

For more on my Steampunk Romances please visit my website - MaeveAlpin.com

Steampunk Book Reviews:

Steampunk is Victorian Sc-fi, I’ve also heard it described as historical Sci-fi. As Steampunk was inspired by great writers like Jules Verne and H. G. Wells, literature is a big part of the culture. Here are reviews of the latest three Steampunk books I’ve read.





Empire of Ruins (The Hunchback Assignment, #3) by Arthur Slade - http://tinyurl.com/brdj9yw
This is a fun Steampunk read. A total adventure, great hooks, you'll read it fast. It's the third in the series but the first I've read. It does work as a stand alone but I probably will try to read the first two as well. There are two secret societies - one of good guys one of bad guys. They are all looking for something called the God's Face which is a legend about an ancient Egyptian temple in the Australian rainforest. I feel it's suitable for ages 10 on up. Adults will like it also. The bad guys are quite evil, in the good guys camp, I love the characters Modo and Octavia. Not that crazy about Mr. Socrates. Octavia is a former pick pocket and Modo has very special qualities, he' s the main character of this book.
It also a Steampunk novel set outside of the usual Victorian London setting. Though it's about an ancient Egyptian temple and relic, the book does not touch on the Egyptian culture, however it does include that of the aborigines. Modo is taken in and taken care of by a rain forest tribe, so it is a multicultural Steampunk book which is a big plus.

Dead Iron (Age of Steam #1) by Devon Monk - http://tinyurl.com/d2rc8zx
I just finished Dead Iron one of the Age of Steam series by Devon Monk. It's a western steampunk set in a small town in Oregon shortly after the Civil War. It’s mixed with the paranormal of evil fey, witches, and werewolves in a unique way with ties to Native American and Welsh legends. The paranormal is written in a realistic way (the author has a realistic voice) and directly connected with Steampunk machinery. It also includes a multicultural relationship, the witch of the story is married to black man and he and she and all the characters are well developed, real and strong. I feel this is one that should not be missed. I will think about these characters for a long time to come, I highly recommend it.

The Greyfriar (Vampire Empire #1) by Clay Griffith - http://tinyurl.com/cdbybs4
A tale of Steampunk and vampires with a strong, human heroine and the hero, well not to give away a spoiler, but he's not human. It a fast paced romance adventure with a lot of mysterious secrets. Interesting, well written, highly intriguing with strong fleshed out characters. Another plus is it's multicultural aspect, The heroine, Addele is princess of Equatoria, a remnant of the old tropical British Empire and also her mother is Persian. I highly recommend it.

Also check out these Steampunk reads:

As Timeless As Stone by Maeve Alpin - http://tinyurl.com/c9nco4s
Though society stands in their way, can love transcend time with the aid of robotics and ritual?
In peril for her life, the Priestess Seshat turns herself to stone in ancient Egypt. Centuries later, Ricard, a dashing nineteenth century Frenchman, repairs a broken statue and reads its incantation--unprepared for the gorgeous flesh and blood woman who steps forth.
Seshat is drawn to the brass robots Ricard creates and the glamour of the Victorian age, and most of all to Ricard himself. But the society of his day cannot accept a woman like her. How far will Ricard go to secure her happiness? Is their love strong enough to transcend time itself?

To Love A London Ghost by Maeve Alpin - http://tinyurl.com/c9qeg3x
Walk on the wild side of Victorian London with the ghost and the ghost hunter.
When Queen Victoria orders Sexton Dukenfield, premiere phantom hunter, to track down England’s missing ghost he stumbles into Ceridwen, a phantom warrior woman of an ancient Celtic tribe. Not only does he find her intriguing as a piece of the puzzle of the missing spirits, but he’s also haunted by her sultry sensuality. Though they both burn with desire, it’s difficult to quench their fiery passion since Ceridwen is so translucent. Every time Sexton touches her, his hands pass through her misty body. On a mission through the bustling narrow streets of London, to a dreary match factory, and even to the Otherworld and back, to stop a genius scientist and his phantasm debilitater machine, the ghost and the ghost hunter also seek the secret to freeing the boundaries of life and death.

Blogging Contest: Now, until 12/5/11 – leave a comment to win a free PDF EBook of the Steampunk/Romance novel, To Love A London Ghost - include your email so I can send your prize to you.
Check out my Steampunk/Romances at http://MaeveAlpin.com

Ghost In Victorian London - Steampunk Style

Engrossed in spiritualism and Gothic novels, many Victorians, haunted by ghost, held table rapping seances. They also told ghost stores in grand style by candle and gas light as a cold wind howled outside. Among the Victorian authors who crafted classic ghost stores were M. R. James, Sheridan Le Fanu, Violet Hunt, and Henry James. The most popular ghost story from the Victorian age is A Christmas Carol with the chain rattling Jacob Marley and the spirits of Christmas past, present, and future. Most people are familiar with Oscar Wilde’s The Canterville Ghost, if not the short story itself then one of the film versions it’s been made into that are usually shown on TV around Halloween, I always loved the one with Jodi Foster. Since ghost were such an important part of the Victorian era a steam machine that captures them seemed the perfect premise for a Steampunk/romance. Walk on the wild side of Victorian London with the ghost and the ghost hunter from my new Steampunk/Romance To Love A London Ghost.

Here is the Blurb:
When Queen Victoria orders Sexton Dukenfield, premiere phantom hunter, to track down England’s missing ghost he stumbles into Ceridwen, a phantom warrior woman of an ancient Celtic tribe. Not only does he find her intriguing as a piece of the puzzle of the missing spirits, but he’s also haunted by her sultry sensuality. Though they both burn with desire, it’s difficult to quench their fiery passion since Ceridwen is so translucent. Every time Sexton touches her, his hands pass through her misty body. On a mission through the bustling narrow streets of London, to a dreary match factory, and even to the Otherworld and back, to stop a genius scientist and his phantasm debilitater machine, the ghost and the ghost hunter seek the secret to freeing the boundaries of life and death.

Excerpt:
Sexton mimicked what he’d often seen others do, he bent his waist and went down on one knee. “Your Majesty.”

Queen Victoria nodded in acknowledgment, and as she glided forward, the hem of her skirt rustled on the floor of the small cigar-shaped airship.

“Nice rug. Persian, I’m sure. Gives a whole new meaning to a flying carpet.”

“We find it adequate.” The queen drew in a short breath. “We wanted to speak with you off the ground, so no one can eavesdrop at the door and overhear us.”
“It seems a bit drastic, but surely Your Majesty is wiser than a mere subject, such as myself.”

“Once we are in the air and out of earshot, we will tell you why you have been summoned.”

“I eagerly await your pleasure. Not that it should concern Your Majesty, but I was taken by your guards just as I was about to eat my dinner.”

“You were needed at that time, but would you care for tea?”

“No, I don’t drink anything made from water, I hear it’s quite addictive.”

“We always put a nip of Scotch in our tea.” The Queen picked up her cup and took a generous swallow.

“In that case, I will partake of a cup.” He poured the tea from the silver teapot into one of the dainty porcelain cups, tilted it to his dry lips, and tossed it down his throat. “The whiskey is a remarkable improvement.”

The Queen took a sip, and then set her cup on the gold-rimmed saucer. “We hear you have developed new scientific procedures for exorcising phantasms.”

“Those of the noble class say many things about me, but I did not know they referred to me as man of science. How complimentary.”

“Though we understand there may be some question as to how reliable you are.”

“What am I being accused of, Your Majesty?”

“We do not accuse, we are interested in your services. Do you really know how to deal with spiritual apparitions in ways others cannot? We are told you have more knowledge than the royal psychic.”

“I am no psychic, Your Majesty, I have built some equipment that serves me well on phantasm hunts.”

“They say you charge people to get rid of apparitions, but the specters remain. We are told you seek payment for work you do not provide.”

Sexton had invented equipment to detect an increase in energy, as well as a machine that detected changes in room temperature. Both phenomena indicated the possible presence of specters. This equipment helped him make a handsome living by ridding the gentry of their phantasms. He really wasn’t dishonest in his business dealings. What could he do when he found that a supposedly haunted house was in truth free of phantasms? He rid pasty-faced aristocrats of specters even when none existed. Hallucinations of the gently bred were not his problem, who was he to argue with the ghost-seeing gentry? If he didn’t make a living off of their unreasonable fears, someone else would.

“Often, Your Majesty, people say they have phantasms when it appears it’s other causes and not spirits at all. I cannot get rid of entities when there are none; still, I must be paid for my time and trouble, like any hardworking man. It is hardly my fault people are prone to see or hear things which truly are not there.”

“This may be true.” The Queen opened her fan, flapping it like a bird’s wing in front of her dour, hawk-nosed face. “We certainly believe in ghosts and have been trying to contact my Albert, but the spirits we are seeking have not responded to Mister Lee’s séances, or those of another famed paranormal expert who is new to me, John Brown.” Victoria paused and looked Sexton straight in the eyes. “Others may be very alarmed with what we have to say. It is why we would only talk to you and why we must meet in the sky. When the walls are in the clouds, people on the ground cannot listen at the doors.” With A flick of her wrist, she shut the fan. “Mister Dukenfield, the reason we called you here today is because there are reports that several of the kingdom’s most respected specters have gone missing.”

“Your majesty?” Sexton wondered if she’d put a bit too much whiskey in her tea.

“We need our ghosts. We have come to enjoy them. Theater Royal has lost the spirit in the tri-corner hat. His sightings during rehearsals always bode well. Now all the plays are failures. The Whelan estate is up in arms. Margaret Whelan, burned long ago for witchcraft, perhaps because she had great healing skills, is said to haunt her old home and none of the family has ever fallen ill since her death. She keeps them all well. Now her spirit is gone and all the Whelans are sick.” She lifted the dainty tea cup and took a sip of tea. “A Scottish clan has even approached me. They have held the family castle since the 16th century, and ever since a famous laird died in the 17th century, the clan has sought advice from his ghost, who remained there. Now with their ancestor gone, they are at a loss as to how to make important decisions for the family.” She set the teacup down with a soft clang. “Also, there is a spirit who, for over a hundred years, watched the shore and by his gestures warned fishermen and sailors of coming storms and was attributed with saving many lives. He’s gone, and that whole village fears many will be caught in sudden tempests at sea now and die. Specters are missing from my own castle. King George the third is absent from Windsor. It has been days since anyone has seen him puttering about, muttering, ‘What, what?’ We are told the staff is concerned at his sudden disappearance after all these years. It appears not seeing ghosts you often saw is more unsettling than seeing them. Mister Dukenfield, we charge you to find who has taken our specters and return these good British spirits to us.”

“It wasn’t me.” Sexton poured another cup of tea and scotch. “Why would anyone want to take the phantasms?”

“With the disappearance of King George the third, it has been put forth by my advisers, the Americans may be involved.” She took another gulp of tea. “It needs more whiskey.”

Sexton leaned back in the armchair. “If I recall, the Americans did not want George when he was alive. I believe they waged a war against him, which they won. Why would they want George now?"

“That is neither here nor there. We have called you to find out why the ghosts have vanished. The answer is in your hands now.”

To Love A London Ghost is available in paperback and eBook from Amazon and Barnes and Nobles online and in most eBook formats at most online bookstores. For more information please drop by my Website
http://maevealpin.com

Multicultural Steampunk by Maeve Alpin

As the hub of the industrial revolution, Victorian Britain and its culture will continue to be one of the strongest settings for Steampunk fiction. That said, it is not the only legitimate setting. After all, even Jules Verne’s most memorial character, Captain Nemo, mentioned more than western European aristocrats in 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. "Do you think I'm unaware of the suffering people and oppressed races of this planet, the poor to be comforted, the victims to be avenged?" In our modern world most people share the Captain’s concerns and a trend toward multicultural Steampunk mirrors this.

One book that breaks out of the typical Steampunk mode is Cold Magic by Kate Elliot. The first book in her Spirit Walker trilogy focuses on Celtic and African Cultures. Another novel cultivating cultures other than those of Western Europe is The Burning Sky by Joseph Robert Lewis, the first book of the Halcyon Trilogy. This alternate history is set in exotic Morocco in the 16th century, a melting pot of the people of West Africa and the Mediterranean. It encompasses the Amazigh, Yoruba, Igbo, Mali, Spanish, and Persian cultures.

For Steampunk in an Irish setting try James White’s As Silent Stars Go By. In this alternative history, Ireland, the most powerful nation, launches a space flight to a new world, which includes their allies, the Redmen, the natives of north and South America. For more Steampunk exploration of ancient cultures, check out Maeve Alpin’s Steampunk/Romances. Though As Timeless As Stone is set in Paris, and the soon to be released As Timeless As Magic takes place in London, they both include an ancient Egyptian time traveler as a main character. Her brand new novel, To Love A London Ghost, coming October 7th features an unusual Steampunk heroine, a Celtic warrior ghost from the Iron Age, who died on the bank of the Thames fighting Julius Caesar.

Steampunk settings and ethnicities aren’t limited to Western Europe. After all, Steampunk is for everyone and the literature should emulate that. The popular trend toward Multicultural Steampunk is sure to grow.

VISIT MY WEBSITE

TO LOVE A LONDON GHOST

To Love A London Ghost, my second Steampunk/Romance book comes out October 7th. If you want a fun Steampunk read for Samhain or Halloween this is it.

Blurb:
When Queen Victoria orders Sexton Dukenfield, premiere phantom hunter, to track down England’s missing ghost he stumbles into Ceridwen, a phantom warrior woman of an ancient Celtic tribe. Not only does he find her intriguing as a piece of the puzzle of the missing spirits, but he’s also haunted by her sultry sensuality. Though they both burn with desire, it’s difficult to quench their fiery passion since Ceridwen is so translucent. Every time Sexton touches her, his hands pass through her misty body. On a mission through the bustling narrow streets of London, to a dreary match factory, and even to the Otherworld and back, to stop a genius scientist and his phantasm debilitater machine, the ghost and the ghost hunter also seek the secret to freeing the boundaries of life and death.

Excerpt:
Taken off guard, Sexton finally managed to catch his breath. “Do you see her?”
Katie bobbed her head, then raised her thin, trembling arm and pointed at the apparition. “Ghost.”
The specter spread her feet in a warrior stance with her back straight and her chin tilted up. “Keep your box and magic beam away from me.”
Even in these strange circumstances, Sexton couldn’t help but notice the ectoplasma outline of the lush bulge of her heavy breasts. He riveted his eyes on them, then his gaze roamed to her waist, which flared into curved hips and long, supple thighs.
“These?” He held up the device he clutched by the brass handle and grabbed the one strapped over his shoulder. “No magic, just boxes. They measure energy and heat, to tell me if phantasms are near. They can’t hurt you. Though I don’t need them now. I can see you, I know you’re near.” He turned his head toward the child peering at the specter from behind him.
“She really is a ghost,” Katie said.
“Indeed, and looking right at me.” Sexton looked back at the stunning spirit. He could tell her hair had been blonde and her eyes a sky blue. He felt warm being near her, rather than cold. Looking the phantasm in the eyes, he said, “I’m not going to hurt you and I was just going to ask you to not hurt me. I can help you go back to the light.”
“I’m not going to harm you, but I’m not going to the light or anywhere else until I free the others and bring vengeance on those men for capturing me.”
“Do you mean others are there, more phantasms are in the factory?” He nodded toward the building. “Captured by men, did you say?”
“Yes, about eight ghosts.”
Sexton took a deep breath. “Well, well, you are just the phantasm I was looking for.”

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