The South Sea Bubble

The fourth and final book in the Crown Phoenix series is now available on Kindle. Many thanks to the readers who have followed Miriam, Simon, Lizzie, and Mana thus far!

It was very difficult to say goodbye to these little people. I do hope you enjoy this last volume.

Cover Reveal : The South Sea Bubble

For the last volume of the Crown Phoenix series, Lisa Daly was kind enough to design another cover for me. The book is The South Sea Bubble, and here is the blurb:

An Edwardian hospital hides many secrets:

A mysterious patient lurks in the cellar...

A secret passage leads to danger...

Coded messages reveal new riddles...

Visions of danger haunt the people of Grimstead Manor…

Lizzie and Miriam find horror, adventure, and romance surrounding the strange vessel known as The South Sea Bubble.

“Compulsive reading!”

“Addictive steampunk.”

And here is an excerpt:

“Oh, stop the dramatics,” Simon groaned. “What on earth are you talking about? Of course I’m not leaving until we sort all of this out and you tell me what - is - going - on!” His voice rose in volume on each successive word.

Miriam looked at him. Her eyes were dark and very direct. “No, Simon.” Her lower lip trembled, but she took a deep breath and seemed to recover. “I will not.”

“Oh, is that so?” His voice dripped with sarcasm. “And I suppose you think I’m just going to waltz off and forget all about you, Lampala, and last summer.” He raised one finger and stabbed the air in her direction. “I’m not going to, my girl, and don’t you forget it. I will not give up on you, although apparently you have given up on me.”

Finally, here is the lovely cover, courtesy of my friend and constant artist, Lisa:

Alien Perfumes

Image courtesy of thesoslab.com

I've been thinking a lot about the sense of smell for the past few months. It's important to the plot in The South Sea Bubble, as the main character discovers a new dimension through scent and smell.

Perfumes can be very evocative. When I go to the candle aisle in Bed, Bath and Beyond I sniff the Birthday Cake, the Fresh Linens, the Pomegranate and Sage pillars, and I wish there were others available. 

How about Artist's Studio? There's a certain combination of cigarette smoke, patchouli, coffee, and paint that sends me right back to college days, when I used to visit my friend downtown at her apartment near PCA.

Or Irish Chemist - how about that? I'm talking about those old-fashioned chemists (aka pharmacies in the US) that always smelled of iodine and tube makeup, as well as very strong peppermint toothpaste. The huge Boots just doesn't have that smell; I'm afraid it's dying out. There's also Spanish Farmacia, which is spicier and evokes the image of the chemist tying up the tooth floss I went in to buy on our last trip. No silly little plastic bag for him - he packaged my floss in brown paper and strings, just like a most precious gift.

from crowbooks.com

And then there's Used Book Shop, which smells like old leather, wrinkled pages, and one large black cat lazing in the bow window. I'd love to have a candle to make my house smell like that.

I haven't even begun on kitchen smells: Gaga's Sunday Lunch, comprised of roast chicken and gravy, fresh peas, new spuds with butter, and Queen of Puddings. And tea, always a pot of tea.

And Arizona Desert - a combo of brush, hummingbird nectar, and cottonwood trees.

Smell is an important sense, although also a neglected one - perhaps because there are so many stinks out there that make us curl up our noses just remembering them (I'm looking at you, Elizabeth, NJ.) The very word smell is hardly poetic, and yet someone wrote a song about it - Oo oo, that smell... No, it's not poetic at all; it's a funny word. Smelly - NOT a description to put in a sonnet.

Yet I love when writers describe smells so I can fall into their worlds. It's hard enough to make a reader see or hear something - but scent is so fleeting, so immediate, that it's more subtle, harder to grasp and pin down with words.

My one final thought on the sense of smell: I've been longing for a natural perfume for a while, one that is made from organic oils and not petroleum products. A Facebook reference turned me onto Black Phoenix Alchemy Labs, a company that produces hundreds of natural scents. There are entire lines of products for steampunk lovers, for Lovecraft readers (I'm dying to try Cthulhu) and even for Neil Gaiman's Coraline. 

If you're interested, check out the site at this link and click on the graphic. It's a fun place to go.

Sproing! - Random Thoughts of the Season

Spring Pigs

At last, I see signs of encroaching spring outside. After a winter that followed us to England where it snowed on us for three days straight, I'm actually ready for budding trees, lily of the valley, and hummingbird feeders.

When I say "actually ready," I have to admit Winter is my favorite season. I enjoy the fireside, howling winds, driving rain, and heaps of snow - they're all great excuses to stay in and write, you do see. However, when you have to go outside in that wind and snow, so bitter and extreme that it's driven sideways into your face, it does get a bit old. Plus, those three days in England were an exercise in bad hair.

A much cuter version of what I looked like in the UK - courtesy of sodahead.com

I'm ready for salads and the spring fruits: berries, new peaches, grapes, and melons. I see I have two winter melons in the fruit bowl over there, sulking at me and spoiling away. I know I should cut them up and save what I can, but is it really worth it for tasteless, pulpy flesh? Bring on the honeydews that burst forth with flavor and melt at the first bite. 

It's time for dragging out the barbecue again, too. Nothing like the smell of burgers n dogs, but we also like to roast fish and pizzas on the grill. (Fresh pizza dough on a stone, turn down the heat all the way. Add topping and cook a bit more - serve up with more salad and frosty beverages.)

Did I mention Lily of the Valley? They are my favorite flowers, and I'm completely smug that I managed to get them to grow in my side flower beds. I always think of Cicely Mary Barker when I see them. 

Time to wheel the fig out and pray that it survived another winter in the garage. Last year the figs were as tasteless as those sulky melons, so I'm hoping for great stuff this year. 

My friend sent me Brown Eyed Susan seeds. I'll plant them back by the woods, where the deer can crop them, probably, just as they snacked on my blueberry and raspberry canes in the woods. How pleasant of me, to give them such a convenient snack. 

Throughout all of this I will continue writing. Edits on The South Sea Bubble continue apace, and I foresee a cover reveal soon. I can't wait to show you what my cover artist Lisa Daly (the same friend who sent me the Brown Eyed Susans) did - it's something new that fits in with the ongoing Crown Phoenix theme. 

As well, I've been writing on Wattpad. A short story somehow morphed into an ongoing book, so if you like horror and fantasy you can read Voices in the Wall for free here.

The Gramophone Society is being painfully rewritten as well, for the THIRD time. I can see now the many mistakes I made in rounds one and two, and I've started from scratch to erase them. I can't wait to get back to it, once my South Sea edits are complete.

If you want to try my pizza dough, here is the very easy recipe. It makes enough for two pizzas, and you can freeze one for later.

Easy Pizza Dough

2 cups warm water (test on your wrist)
1 packet yeast
2 Tbls sugar

Mix and let stand five minutes. Add:

6 cups flour
2 tsps olive oil
2 tsps salt
Any other flavorings you like : cheese, fresh basil, etc.

Let stand 45 minutes in warm place. Punch down and roll out.

The Next Big Thing

I was tagged to do The Next Thing by Coral Russell, the lovely author and blogger at Alchemy of Scrawl. We are doing The Next Best Thing, which is ten question about a WIP.

What is the working title of your book?

The last book in the Crown Phoenix series is called The South Sea Bubble.

Where did the idea come from for the book?

I already had my story in place from the previous book, but I started to obsess about bathyspheres and postboxes. I played around with those ideas and came up with the framework for the book.

What genre does your book fall under?

Steampunk, but my books are set in the Edwardian era, not the Victorian age. My stories have loads of adventure and a little bit of romance.

Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?

My beautiful, magical governess, Mana, becomes the Queen of Lampala. Zoe Saldana would be perfect for that role. As for the rest of the cast, I'd love for some unknown young actors to pick up the roles of Miriam, Simon, Lizzie, and Ninna.

What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?

Lizzie and Ninna learn how to be nurses in a hospital where mysterious things happen at night.

Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?

My book is published through Myrddin Publishing, an author collective.

What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?

I suppose it's a bit like Hugo. My real influence, however, was Enid Blyton. She's dated, especially in her world views, but my goodness that woman could create great adventure stories.

Who or What inspired you to write this book?

Enid, as I said. I was also inspired by the music of Angelique Kidjo, a wonderful singer from the country of Benin. In fact, I based the language in the book on some of her lyrics.

What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?

Hmmm... if you like antique machines mixed with quantum physics, as well as adventure and Edwardian characters, you might give my series a try. It should be ready to purchase in September.

Now I'm tagging these excellent authors:

Shaun Allan

Joan Hazel
Ross Kitson
Kate Barker
Krista Hatch

Cool Steampunk Stuff

A list of some of my favorite steampunk stuff out there, as well as some things that could become quite steamy:

1. This gal. I love her.

2. Art like this:

3. Great  books, especially:

Super  original story

and 

Grabbed my attention and wouldn't let go.

4. Any bathysphere

5. Cephalopods:

6. Postboxes:

I know some of these things don't have brass, gears, nor cogs. But they could have them, with a bit of steamy imagination.

Watch this space for teasers using some of the above objects in a new steampunk novel, The South Sea Bubble...