Steampunk story to finally be published!

This has to be the longest time period I've ever experienced to see one of my short stories published. May 10,2010 submitted a 6,700 short story called , The Foxglove Broadsides to a steampunk anthology title Clockwork Chaos which I found on Duotrope.  Granted it was a long short story, but that's what the guidelines asked for from the Library Of The Living Dead Press. a small press which publishes novels and anthologies and the cover art was above the level and highly creative and professional in comparison to many other horror publishers.
 Now maybe I should have noticed that this press published mostly horror, even though they have a Library of Science Fiction imprint under their overall banner. But they seemed to be branching out. I took the chance. It was a long short story even for some anthologies.

On October 25, 2010, (148 days) I heard from Neal Levin, the editor, that my story had been accepted for publication if I was okay with his edits and that a contract would be forthcoming from the publisher.  I was very excited, since this would be my first published steampunk story to add to my collection of steampunk items, which included a number of items I had made (and sold or given as gifts or prizes or auction fund-raisers) which included steampunk journals, beeswax collages, mini albums and that's not counting my steampunk costumes and gear which I wear to cons and local steampunk events.
This was maybe a little longer than the average of acceptance times I experienced from magazines, but pretty much within the range of time period for acceptances from anthologies. (For example, Ocean Stories Anthology took over a year to reject one of my stories, although it had been selected after the first cut to go further through a committee of editors.)
But then I didn't hear anything for months from the Library Of The Living Dead Press .
All the posts and notices on the Library Of The Living Dead Press site's forum, in a section devoted  to the Clockwork Chaos anthology, had stopped. There were no responses to those who submitted stories and were accepted for inclusion in the steampunk anthology.  Needless to say, this was disheartening to me, but I  imagine how crushed a new author would be, who might have had their first short story accepted.

I finally contacted Neal in March of 2011 to see if he'd heard anything from the publisher.  But unfortunately he hadn't,  but he'd been trying to contact them. As an editor for Fissure Magazine, (which featured a special steampunk issue,) I knew how much time Neal, (who is a game designer and author in NJ)  had already spent in reading the many submissions an anthology receives, in editing the acceptances, and then the time spent in emailing all authors as well as the publisher.  I felt for him at this point, because he was stuck in the middle, most likely not to get paid for his efforts and time, and may have had a number of authors ticked off at him.  I wasn't because I knew the precarious situation he had been placed in, having to act as liaison when the publisher was AWOL. 
Neil wrote me back immediately to inform me that he had not heard anything from the publisher either but since he was attending the Steampunk World's Fair, he was going to see if he could find another indie publisher, or perhaps even publish the work under his own press, Dark Quest Books.
On April  24, 2012, nearly two years after submission, I received a very nice email form Neal asking if I wanted my story to still be included in the Clockwork Chaos anthology.  I was delighted.  He had gone to all the trouble to find another indie press to publish the anthology.  Now that's a dedicated editor to work on a project for nearly two years.
Since I've been quite slack in submitting short stories as I work a highly demanding full time job as a rehab support specialist for individuals who have suffered severe brain and spinal chord injuries, I have little spare time, So I  focus on my uncompleted novels, or those which need an edit, I haven't submitted much in the past 12 months.  So, my short story,  Foxglove Broadsides, still hung around in the unpublished pile. I had given up on the anthology and gone on to other projects.Neil didn't mention the name of the press or a publication date.  I imagine he is now having to contact all the authors who received acceptances to see if their stories are still unpublished and available.
If I had the ability to give an award to Neal for Most Dedicated Editor, I would.  This is service beyond the normal duties of an editor who also has a demanding full time job.

Dragon Con 2011 Debriefing/Postmortem Part 3

I made a saecond eventful trip to the vendors room where I saw many items I could barely live without but must due to finances, such as this Gears corset. I
'd have to say one of the highlights of my  Dragon Con 2011 experience was meeting Kimberly Richardson, editor of Kerlak Enterprises, a small active publishing house.  It was my second trip to the vendors room.  The first two times were very crowded, first time Brian and I left after a few steps due to claustrophobia and the 2nd time we toured around with John, who kept prompting me to talk to the editor at Pyr about my steampunk novel, Orchiderlium, but I was too nervous.  It was only my first time at the con and I hadn't prepared anything to say, just had some cards to publicity cards to hand out about the book.  So I didn't speak then, just handed one of the cards to one of the writers.
But as I looked around for myself, I saw the book Drams of Steam on a table covered in books and had to go over since I knew one of my favorite authors and a great all around guy had a story in the anthology.  I'd wanted to get it for a while so I asked the woman at the table if Nick would be there since I wanted another autographed copy, like with Thomas Riley.  She told me he wasn't and then we just jumped into a conversation about Nick, writing and small presses and I asked if she was a writer.  She then introduced herself as the editor for Kerlak Enterprises Inc..  Wow, that was cool and instead of being nervous I just told her how I knew how much work she did because I was an editor too.  We talked about how we loved reading new submissions of steampunk stories and how the quality was so high and how different they all were and went on to speak about other aspects of the field and I suddenly remembered my cards and handed one to her.  She stopped and took the time to read the blurb and then commented on how beautiful the card was.  Wow, that was cool.  And instead of being a needy author, I just went on talking to her about books and steampunk.  It was so easy.  She then grabbed her business card, wrote her personal email on the back and told me that next time they opened up to steampunk submissions to send her a story.  Wow!  That was unexpected.  And she was so nice and knowledgeable and appreciative of the authors she works with. She's an author of The Goth Librarian, so knows the business from both sides like I do.  So it was great to walk way with signed copies of Dreams of Steam and The Goth Librarian as well as with an editor at a publishing house which loves steampunk like I do!
I met a number of authors, editors and attended a number of author's panels.  I can see there will be a future dilemma as to whether I consider Dragon Con as a business trip and focus on networking with authors and editors or whether it's a vacation and I attend the Brit and Dark Fantasy tracks.  There is only so much time in a four day weekend.  Brian and I attended the Neil Gaiman panel. This was on the Brit Track since Neil wrote a script for Dr. Who which aired this past year. First off Neil was not there - it was a track about Neil.  This was the only panel I felt lacking since it didn't go into as much depth as I'd hoped. Brian informed it was a fan panel which is different from an academic panel.  I know a good bit more about a number of Neil's books then some of the panelists, and the panelists didn't quite know how to engage the audience, but once the audience jumped in a lot more.  And after I spoke about the awesome button key marketing for Coraline where amazing boxes of memorabilia were won by people all over the world, I was surprised in a room of 200 or 300 that I was the only person to take a child to see the Movie (my granddaughter, Kendall and she loves Neil as much as I do).
I also attend the Pyr Books panel as John suggested and it was well worth it with a number of the authors and a highly invested editor/publisher who knew the complex plots of over twenty of his releases in the dark fantasy and steampunk genres. It was a fascinating talk with a number of the authors present and the editor gave out lots of sneak preview info on upcoming releases, even cover art sans titles. I was even more impressed when the editor explained how Pyr uses only original art, no Photoshop on their covers, and hires models if a figure is part of the artwork - and the artwork is gorgeous.  As a small press publisher with Shadow Archer Press, I always used original art too and believe it makes for more collectible books. 

Nickel Children released on DVD

I've been waiting for this one for a long time.  The Weird Wild West indie steampunk film, Nickel Children, seen at cons and indie film  screenings everywhere is finally available in limited edition copies on DVD!  I've only seen the previews since this little write up is not a proper review, but gleaned from the previews and press reviews.  Full review to come after I receive my copy!

Synopsis from the film company: "In an alternate 19th Century, dust bowl Kansas, a young boy witnesses his parent’s murder, and is forced to survive in an underground child fighting ring. Only the wealthiest are invited to attend these secret communities to bet on the children for their own amusement. However, one among them, is determined to find her abducted son ... whatever the cost. Nickel Children is an award winning international sci-fi steampunk adventure! Scary, innovative, with great costumes and strong female lead."

The previews are amazing - great costumes, set design, location shooting and direction by Kevin Eslinger.  But what really gets you are the performances both of the adults and children.  

Amanda Bailey who plays Anastasia, airship captain and mom turned vigilante is brilliant, While Jules Charlemagne plays the ringleader for the underground child slavery ring, is an incredibly visual and visceral character, in a Rob Zombie style and he really creeped me out, especially when interjecting a sort of Amanda F. Palmer style with of his the young girls victims. And to top it all off, Easton Lee McCuiston puts in a strong yet touching performance of the young boy, Jack.

 So far, Nickel Children doesn't look like a low budget indie film, thanks to the fact Eslinger surrounds himself with talented and passionate crew and cast, inlcuding his brother, Justin who handles the Visual FX.  Kevin used a number of companies from the Maker community to create the feel - including: gear and props by Justin Stanley (Red Fork Empire) and Hans Meier (PH Factor), amazing state of the art costumes and accessories in wild west, steampunk, and saloon girl burlesque styles by Kaitlyn McClain (KMK Designs), including her Etsy page  as  by Jill Osborn, and Christian Matzke at Silver Leaf Costumes not to mention Aria Durso, for  production design, with Keith Stacey and Ian Quinn handling stunt coordination (which had to be tough). .

  Be warned - even from the previews, I can see it's a strong film with a message about the sex slavery of children.

Doctor Fantastique's Show of Wonders in Print

Mathew Delman, previous contributor, to the steampunk issue of Fissure and presenter at last year's Upstate Steampunk Con has announced the first print release of the Doctor Fantastique's Show of Wonder, 
This joint effort has previously only been available online.
Issue 1: Volume 1, Issue 1
Come Join the Show! Doctor Fantastique's Show of Wonders is a steampunk magazine chock-full of features on movies, comic books, conventions, and stellar short fiction. This month theh serialize two novels for the first time.

Round Two - The Velo Fellow

This was my second time at the Velo Fellow publick house and as with the first, it was a great night of literary, musical and artistic conversation. I don't think I've ever been in such a group as our local Upstate Steampunk folks, where the conversations are so knowledgeable on so many fronts. I table hopped  a number of times (in between mouthfuls of delicious French Onion Soup)  to chat with co-workers, recent friends, people I've never met and a co-writer, David Windhorst, who I worked with on Edge magazine twenty years ago. I haven't seen David in many years and had no idea that he and his wife, Kat were into steampunk.  She has very good reason to like steampunk, as she formerly owned one of the premiere costume companies in Greenville before moving to Califronia to work on costumes in the movie business. The conversations from Josh Smith, fire eater, cleaver juggler, electro-mechnic inventor and his highly entertaining girlfriend, Kristen, diesel mechanic and great story teller to Braxton of the steampunk macabre duo Valentine Wolfe, and his plans for a trek to Connecticut to score the ultimate bass, Charlotte who spoke about Victorian literature and steampunk, and Rachel who spoke about fantasy, science fiction and graphic novel art.  How many conversations can bring up Edgar Allen Poe,  the movie, The Crow, Tesla, navy steamships, Emily Austin, Bruce Sterling, fairy tales, comic book art, Ellen Datlow, dwarfs walking on beds of glass - all in one evening? Talk about fodder for fiction - I must call a gathering at the Velo anytime I encounter the white page syndrome!
In fact, I only called this gathering two days before on the Upstate Steampunk facebook page after Ben, musician, artist (of IFB fame) and I decided to get together. He was working during the last meeting so missed the incredible experience. And we had more than 25 people show up! I would hesitate to say that we literally "invaded" the sublime pub with the incredible ambiance and varied menu, but I think we may have inundated them to some degree.
It was fun to see a good number of my co-workers from the head injury program show up, as well.  I'm not quite sure what they all might think.  The experience can be overwhelming when delving into the lively and often tangential conversations of steampunkers and their varied backgrounds, even when we are not all in our steampunk gear. Josh did wear the goggles he won (expertly crafted by Gypsy Teague, herself) at last year's con but the rest of us, having come straight from work were in current day garments.

Dances with the subconscious

While more copies of Steampunk Fissure magazine are printing, I'm creating new mixed media collages using beeswax en caustic to replace those I sold at the art show and on Etsy.  This appears to be evolving into two series. The first is  something akin to the seven deadly sins, but not quite.  So far the titles have included "Secret," "Temptation," "Twist of Heart and Soul," "Seek", "Seduction," "Mystery", "The Crow," "The Passion to Exist".
The Steampunk series so far includes "Steampunk: Into the Aether" and "Alchemy."

They are dances with the subconscious.  While there are various steps in my process, very few are planned.  I start out with a panel of art or mat board and then choose a vintage photograph.  The photograph elicits emotions which cause the free association of other images, some relate to botany, to nature, others to writing or love.  It's usually only half way through a piece that I notice a them.  By the time I reach thee stage of adding the 3-D ephemera, I have a direction, a guide, but still no set rules.  It's only after I've completed every step except for the title, quotes and gold leaf that I really know where I was going.  It's a gamer, perhaps a dangerous one because it leads to exposure of the hidden, vulnerability in what I share, but the process is so powerful, I can't stop making them.  I could edit myself, do the more socially acceptable styles of art, but that would water down the experience - and the experience is what I'm after, the art which results is gravy.  
These are the various steps. I often stop mid point, work on other pieces, go to bed in that halfway place additional concepts pop into my head, mini aha experiences and I jump up to search for items in my stash.
I start with laying down the vintage photographs on colored art board or mat board, adding vintage ephemera and postage stamps in addition to contemporary Graphic 45 papers, making the embossed papers using Tim Holtz embossing folders and a Cuttlebug, lathering on the beeswax, adding the metal and paper embellishments (Tim Holtz, K & Co., 7 Gypsies)  and found objects, (many I find in gutters as I walk or in the parking lot at work), researching and hunting down the quotes to go along with the main word or title, painting on the pigments, brushing on the Perfect Pearls, complimenting the piece with paper flowers adding the gold leaf (the most tricky process) and adding the frame of ribbon for hanging.  I really like the ribbons hanging the best since it harkens back to the Victorian method of hanging art.

Steampunk Fissure magazine

We're coming down to the wire and completing the final edits and layouts on Fissure #8, the special Steampunk Fissure issue. This issue will be released at the Upstate Steampunk Con on November 19th and 20th to be held at the Pelham Rd. Marriott in Greenville,SC.
I'm also trying to keep up with the Shadow Archer Press website and emails but it's a complex process, especially now that I work a full time job as a Rehab Support Specialist for a head injury and spinal cord program and take care of my granddaughter on the weeknights and every other weekend - so please bear with me.  I have very limited free time and lots going on.
Jim Cross of Anderson, SC did the artwork for the gorgeous cover and we're thrilled to have him onboard.
I'm excited to announce the contributors chosen so far. This is a working list of contributors to this issue subject to change as we complete the final edits and layout.

Short stories by Tom Brennan, Kimberley Collier, Maxwell Cyn, Matthew Delman, Gillian Daniels,  K.G. McAbee,  Shane McElveen,  Brian K. Ladd, Gypsey Teague, William Wood

 Poetry by George Anderson, Jack Frey, Paul Handley, Kim Keith David S. Pointer,  Charles F. Thielman

 Nonfiction by Gypsey Teague

Art by Brandon Cassidy, Jim Cross, and Shane McElveen.  Some of you who have submitted may have not received emails yet.  Those will go out in a few days.   

Poetry by George Anderson, Jack Frey, Paul Handley, Kim Keith David S. Pointer,  Charles F. Thielman

Nonfiction by Gypsey Teague

Art by Brandon Cassidy, Jim Cross, Shane McElveen

oh! the delights of a wicked garden!

As I sip a glass of Duplin Scuppernog wine bottled in North Carolina, I work on my art journals for deadly and wicked gardens.  I love growing poisonous plants - they truly amaze me, their beauty,  their disguise, their quiet powers.  Even plants I didn't grow on purpose in my garden are poisonous, such as azaleas, daffodil and hyacinth bulbs.  There are many more than you would believe.
So to coordinate with my steampunk stories involving dangerous plants, The Orchid Collector, Marquette de Fleur and The Foxglove Broadsides,()a novel)  I listen to the languorous and atmospheric goth/steampunk band, Life's Decay,  from France, (how appropriate!) as I create Deadly Garden journals... a smattering of botanical prints, a bit of explanation, various embellishments and handmade papers, a warning here and there, with plenty of room for wicked gardeners to write of their own fascinations and experiments.

I've been cultivating poisonous plants for over 29 years, ever since I had a tiny garden in Dracut, Mass. near the shores of Lake Massacuppic and was curiously surprised when a rogue plant sprouted and grew to about 3 feet.  Research led to discover it was Deadly Nightshade and I've been hooked on deadly plants since. I've only been able to have gardens off and on, but Foxglove is my mainstay. (If we ever meet, ask me about my own Digitalis Purpura rush to the emergency room).
I'd already been inspired to make a  poison or deadly garden journal when the Widow Kate Next of Steampunk Empire told me about Amy Stewart's amazing book, Wicked Plants.  I still don't own a copy but will after reading portions and hearing Amy's delightful talk on her book. Like me, she takes a wicked pleasure in the macabre.  Amy has a wildly humorous side but is also a highly knowledgeable horticulturist with many books for the care of normal plants and  flowers under her belt. 
As I write this,  a frightful dark and threatening storm is blowing in, thrashing the trees, darkening the sky to dusk, even though it's only 5:00 pm, as if nature would chastise me for exploiting her decadent darlings.

Steampunk Fissure still seeking art

Submissions for poetry and fiction have closed for the Steampunk Fissure but I'm extending the deadline for art. This special issue will be released at the Upstate Steampunk Con
http://www.upstatesteampunk.com/
on Nov. 19 & 20th.  I'm reading at the moment.  We've had some great subs both in fiction and poetry - a wide variety, however, we could still use some artwork so if you know any steampunk artists out there, send them my way. 

http://www.shadowarcherpress.com/submissionguidelines.htm

A listing of the acceptances so far will be announced soon.   Although I'll still be reading for a couple more weeks.

Gail

Steampunk Resources part 1

Here's a start!  Okay folks as you get ready for Upstate Steampunk Con or to submit art, fiction, poetry or nonfiction to the special steampunk issue of my magazine Fisssure, published by Shadow Archer Press: check out all these resources to get you motivated to:
 write a story

make a costume
build a contraption
and more...

And be sure to register with the local upstate
Steampunk Meetup Group.  It's FREE!
http://www.meetup.com/UpState-Steampunk/

Steampunk Magazine - a free PDF downloadable magazine or a $5.00 print magazine with color cover.  Lots of great articles including how to pieces. They're on issue #7.
http://www.steampunkmagazine.com/

The Gatehouse Gazette - free downloadable and printable magazine in business since 2006 for steampunk and diesel punk. Now on issue #12 - a feat in itself.  Polished looking newspaper style mag with art, nofiction and fiction.  A must for all steampunk and desiel punk fans.  Plus it's FREE!! 
http://www.ottens.co.uk/gatehouse/website.php

Aether Emporium - the end all and be all in all things steampunk, including the greated collection of steampunk photos I can find.  If you need ideas for your oufits and wearable mechanical wonders - this is the place to go.  Music, fashion, art, books, comics, movies, technology, inventions and science, kits, how to instructions, discussions of all kinds. Be prepared to spend hours and hours here in absolute bliss. 
http://etheremporium.pbworks.com/Wiki

The Steampunk Travels, part 1

As a newcomer to the steampunk world, I was led on a quite diverse course to discover everything about the genre.  For those of you planning on writing something for steampunk issue of Fissure, or for those of you new to the genre, I invite you on the first stage of my travels to this exciting, terrifying, amazing, offbeat, colorful road. 
First I was introduced through the music of Vernian Process by fellow writes group member Brian K. Ladd. But then as synchronicity does, I was exposed to various angles of the steampunk world all at once, photos of Gypsey and Marla in steampunk costumes and also what they had been working on as steampunk influenced decorating at their home, I met Nick Valentino, author of Thomas Riley, a steampunk novel, at a writer's conference and read his book and then, as a long time fan of all things Victorian checked out photos of the garb and costumes and I was smitten!

Three weeks ago I walked into a thrift store and found a designer skirt and jacket for under $20.00.  It's over the top Victorian influences, could only be worn as evening wear by contemporary folks and it fit!  So I snapped it up having no idea Gypsey Teague was planning to host the Upstate Steampunk Con in my town, Greenville, SC.  Wow.  What luck.
Then I read Matthew Delman's brilliant, well-researched and highly informative four-part series on The Roots of Steampunk on his blog, Free the Princess and whew, things really took off.
I have now written two steampunk stories, Marquette de Fleur, a rather steamy steampunk story (in the romantic way) which involves an odd take on horticulture in the steampunk world - a twisted kind of horticulture.  It is now in the submission circulation mill.  And this weekend I finished a second story, The Foxglove Broadsheets. This is a story about steam-driven printing, poison and political intrigue.

Without music I would never have explored this genre or written these stories. The music inspires me to delve into my love of Victorian cultures, interiors, history and now the inventions and how we can torque them with steampunk ingenuity. 

Here are some recommendations so you can be inspired too:

Vernian Process - British band - wow - the ultimate in steampunk atmosphere - you will be flying over London in an airship over the head of the likes of Jack the Ripper just listening to this.

Abney Park  - I heard about this band from author, Gypsey Teague. From Seattle, male and female members produce everything from dance music, to stunning melodic ballads complete with cello, violin and more, female singer- very very steampunk, lots of cool sound effects, some middle eastern influences.

Life's Decay - steampunk pair from France, awesome goth edge, bittersweet, obviously classically trained, amazing instrumentation often with acoustic and strange instruments.The dark edge of steampunk, the boudoir side of steampunk, awesome staccato military drums, cello steam train sounds blended with incredible melodies on piano, cello and more. The female high soprano voice sings and whispers in French - delectable, from romantic to poignant to haunting. 

Steampunk issue of Fissure seeks submissions

Dig out your goggles, cogs, gears and Victorian fashions! Fissure is going steampunk!
Shadow Archer Press seeks submissions for a special Steampunk issue from Fissure magazine


Fissure Magazine is now open to submissions for our special Steampunk issue.
Open to submissions from May 1, 2010 to July 30, 2010. This special issue print edition will be released in November at the Upstate Steampunk Con in Greenville, SC and will be available as a print edition online.

I haven't talked about my small press on this blog much because of so many other things going on and taking a brief hiatus from the press.  But we're gearing back up and with a clockwork's worth of gears for our special Steampunk Issue of Fissure magazine.
Here are the guidelines and be sure to check out the website for more info.  I especially need to start looking at cover art so if you have a steampunk illustration sitting on your drafting table, please send me a jpeg at gail_gray@bellsouth.net.

Magazine Submission guidelines for the Fissure magazine special Steampunk issue


Non-fiction: How to articles (we appreciate hands-on illustrations or photos) fashion, mechanics, alchemy, history, book, music, film and gear reviews.
 
Fiction: Short stories, flash fiction and even novel excerpts will be considered in the steampunk genre. Adventure, quirky, funny, romantic, surreal, literary, edgy - we'll look at them all. We're more interested in character-driven stories than stories over-powered by steampunk technology. Try to avoid the predictable and tease our imaginations with your own take on the genre. Please avoid overly gratuitous violence.
We prefer your manuscript in 12 point, double spaced Times New Roman, with your name, address, phone number and e-mail in upper left hand corner, word count in upper right hand corner of first page. Pages must be numbered and submitted in order. Only accepted in either an attached Word document. Be sure to put the title of your piece and your last name in the subject line.
Short stories, word limit 2,400 words. (Contact the editor ahead of time if you have a longer story that deserves a read). Flash fiction, 350-500 words.

Poetry: limited to three poems per submission, no more than 2 pages per poem, 12 point, single space. Please do not submit another batch until hearing back on your first batch.

Original, unpublished work only. Simultaneous submissions accepted but please notify us as soon as your work is accepted elsewhere. Except for poetry, we do not accept multiple submissions.
Be sure to put the title of your piece and your last name in the subject line.

We only accept email submissions at this time: gail_gray@bellsouth.net

Cover Art and Internal art: jpegs no larger than 400 pixels, may be sent to the above email or submitted via snail mail on disc. Submit or contact Gail, the editor at gail_gray@bellsouth.net for any questions.

How We Work: At this point we ask for one time rights on your material for the Steampunk Fissure, then it reverts back to you. But please acknowledge Fissure is we publish your work and it appears in another publication afterwards. Response will be by e-mail. May take up to 60 days for a response with this special issue.

http://www.upstatesteampunk.com/

Thanks to the Graphics Fairy for the vintage illustration!