One of the most enjoyable aspects of writing steampunk is the opportunity to use real historical people as characters. Among those featured in my novel Fidelio’s Automata are Antoine and Medora Vallambrosa, a.k.a. the Marquis and Marquise de Mores. They were a “power couple” of the 19th Century, notable figures in the history of my […]
The great American writer and humorist Samuel Clemens was born today in 1835. Though the classics as written by “dead white males” have fallen into disfavor in academic circles, he remains one of our nation’s outstanding talents. He’s definitely a favorite of mine, because he was irreverent and cynical but also somewhat idealistic. That’s […]
The Crystal Palace was one of the signature landmarks of Victorian London. It was built to house the Great Exhibition of 1851, which showcased many of the wonders of the Industrial Revolution. After the Exhibition ended it was moved to a park on Sydenham Hill and remained there until it was destroyed by fire in […]
The hat pin has gone down in history as one of the most surprising, yet practical weapons at a Victorian woman’s disposal. As the amazing lovely hats of the period grew bigger, so did the hat pin, which could be artfully concealed among their ornate decorations. Some were up to thirteen inches long and resembled […]
Good day to you, my dear readers. My excursions have landed me back safely in New York. My travel by dirigible from Cuba was a strategic decision, as I wanted to meet the elusive Arietta Trodella, whom I heard had accepted a position aboard the Suwanee Maiden. She is one of the most sought-after confectioners […]
Over the years Thanksgiving has become associated with many traditions, including turkey, football, parades and of course Black Friday. Today I’m going to talk about the history of two of these. Last fall I was listening to NPR when I heard an interesting bit of trivia on “America’s Test Kitchen.” I don’t normally listen to […]
At Nakota Publishing, we’re having a 99 cent sale on all e-books by Arlys and me from Black Friday through Cyber Monday. In the days counting down to the event, we’ll be taking a look at each of our literary works. Fidelio’s Automata is my second novel and my first foray into the steampunk genre. […]
