Feel better with Feelgood's

Remember that particular tag line from Evolution Expects, my fourth Ulysses Quicksilver Pax Britannia novel? Or perhaps you remember this?

Well, if you're coming along to the Litarium at Steampunk Doncaster this weekend, you could pick up some of Dr Feelgood's Tonic Stout Fudge!

Yes, you read that right - fudge! That you can eat! (And that doesn't do this to you.) It's been made especially for me for this event by Empire Edibles, so make sure you grab some early before it all sells out!

Steampunk Doncaster

There are less than five day to go before the UK's newest steampunk convention, Steampunk Doncaster, gets under way.

I shall be there, selling my wares and conducting a Q and A session on the Saturday, concerning my Pax Britannia books. So if you're planning on coming along, do stop by and say hello.

To find out more about Steampunk Doncaster, follow this link.

Lego Goes Steampunk!

It's official - Lego is going to release its first official Steampunk set.

Lego has dabbled with Steampunk before - my son still refers to one of the Monster Fighters as Ulysses Quicksilver - but now the company is going legit.

Here's the official news 'leak' that has appeared on the Lego Club website.

The line will be part of the Lego Master Builder Academy, specifically Level 4, titled Invention Designer. (It's just a shame the official literature has fallen foul of the incorrect use of apostrophes in dates that is so prevalent now.)

TRAVEL TO THE PAST… AND DESIGN THE FUTURE!

Launch your Invention Designer adventure! LEGO Master Builders merge the futuristic idea of time-travel with the clockwork gears and puffing steam-engines of the Victorian 1800′s – Steampunk! Steampunk is a science-fiction art-form that imagines the future as people might have in the past. Let it inspire all kinds of new ideas, and pick up some tips from professional LEGO designers on how to make your creations look futuristic, industrial or just plain cool!

As followers of this blog will probably already know, I've been encouraging people to create their own Pax Britannia kits for years. Now it looks like we'll actually have some bespoke Steampunk pieces to use in such creations in the future. :-)

Steampunk Doncaster

A month today, I will be enjoying the second day of the UK's newest steampunk convention, Steampunk Doncaster.

The current plan is that I shall be undertaking a reading, and taking part in a Q and A session concerning my Pax Britannia books, on the Saturday, so on Sunday 16 June (other than selling my wares) I'll be able to enjoy the rest of what the Litarium has to offer.

To find out more about Steampunk Doncaster, follow this link.

What was the best novel of 2013?

Voting for the SFX Awards 2013 is now open. One of the categories you can vote for is Best Novel.

50 titles are suggested, including a couple of Steampunk novels (Lavie Tidhar's The Great Game and Cherie Priest's Boneshaker), but any title published in 2013 is eligible.

Pax Britannia: Time's Arrow was published in 2013. Just saying.

Pax Britannia: A New Review from Across the Sea

How cool is this?

I received an email yesterday from a fan of my Pax Britannia books. It started like this:

"I wanted to drop you a quick line to say how much I am enjoying your Pax Britannia books."

Which was very pleasing. It then continued thus:

"My ship is currently deployed on operations in [REDACTED] and the rollicking adventures of that dandy adventurer [Ulysses Quicksilver] are keeping me most amused in my limited time off. I had deliberately not read them before and saved them up to enjoy on this extended foray. Aside from the intrigue and action, I particularly enjoy all the cross references you have to period literature, such as the Challenger Enclosure filled with dinosaurs at the London Zoo. Wonderful stuff!"

I've received missives from those in the Armed Forces before, but this one was a little different...

"I thought it might tickle you to know that the bookshelf in this Captain's Cabin is not filled with dusty, boring regulations but Quicksilver. Not quite as many difference engines and brass instruments as I would like, but I suppose one can't have everything! Thank you again for the wonderful stories and chuckles, just when I need them most."

Yes, you read that right. It turns out that this particular review came from the commanding officer of an honest to goodness battleship, currently deployed on operations.

So, like I say, how cool is that? :-)

Signed

One Happy Author

Rusty

I came across this on my hard drive today, having not seen it for a looong time. Anyone who's read Pax Britannia: Dark Side should recognise who - or perhaps, what - it is.