Book Review - Wicked As They Come

I love reading! Reading transports you to new worlds, takes you on adventures, opens new possibilities. How much better if it's a Steampunk book? Not just a new adventure, new characters to meet, but steam-powered carriages, ladies in corsets, clockworks? Just thinking about it makes me want to pick up a book! Alone. With a glass of wine.

I've read fantastic Steampunk fiction by the likes of Cherie Priest and Ren Cummins, who never disappoint. So after meeting Delilah S. Dawson via twitter, and watching her go through plot points, edits, cover art, and the eventual release of her debut novel, Wicked As They Come, I was anxious to pick it up. She has a wit about her, a zest for Steampunk, that not only made her instantly likable, but made me want to see what she put on the page.

I had the chance to meet this darling in person at S.T.E.A.M.Fest 2012, in a sporting top hat made of playing cards and a lovely corset made to match. She was heading a panel on the authoring and publishing processes, which quickly turned to a discussion of WATC. The sheer passion in her eyes, the joy on her face, as she spoke of her characters and plot made the book all the more intriguing. How fortunate for me that not only could I procure a copy from her on the spot, but she was gracious enough to sign it!

From that night through several more, I couldn't put it down! Criminy Stain is a lovable rogue, and in Leticia Paisely I could see a lot of myself: a fierce longing for life lived on my terms, fear of oppression from any quarter, and a determination to enjoy the life I have with those that I love. The plot moves at the perfect pace; the characters are instantly engaging. The world of Sang that Dawson has crafted is at once fantastical and believable. I imagine it's how our world would look in a simpler time; a Steampunk time.

If you haven't encountered these characters, or are new to Steampunk fiction, I can't recommend this book enough! Pick up a kindle copy, or a paperback, and relax as Criminy takes you on a guided tour of Sang, and love!

Networking, the fun way

"Steampunk: My Coal-Dusty Heaven" is a guest blog post I wrote for a very cool steampunk blogger I met on twitter, @suzannelazear.

I've had another blog ask to interview me, not because I'm the steampunkiest out there (I can dream!) but because of networking.

I've been retweeted by steampunk authors, artists, and musicians. I've virtually met a lot of movers/shakers and shapers of our wondrously steampunk world, all very cool people.

I've subscribed to steampunk news, blogs, and tweets. While my fondest hope is that Professor Raven's Curiosity Emporium blows up with adoring fans and eager customers, the exposure isn't what I really love about all this "networking".

What I really love about it is being on the front lines, fighting the good fight, and the occasional Zeppelin battle, to craft the genre the way we, the true steampunkers, want it.

Sure, it's popular now, and will be for a couple more years. But after the masses "trend" something else, we will still be part of this mechanized world, still dreaming of rivets, steam, and land-walking Cephalopoda.

Did I tell you this to brag? Or to scare you? Gawd, no...other than government-controlled mechs tearing up our carefully-crafted towns, what could possibly scare a steampunker? And how could my occasional retweet of Lord Likely (who's likelypedia is hysterical), or quote of Airship Ambassador's, possibly engender any awe? Really, I don't want my 15 minutes of fame; I just want to be an eccentric who's heavily involved in steampunk, craft what I love, and have my passion pay for itself.

No, I tell you all this to encourage you to "network" with like-minded steamers, to get to know each other. Most of us have day jobs, and require the odd assistance in the mundane world; having an ally to point you in the right direction sure could help a lot. Banding together into a cohesive worldwide union or resistance force ensures the steampunk world we love will never truly disappear, fall by the wayside, or be left in the dust of obscurity. Getting to know artisans and journeymen can teach you a lot! Attend a con, tweet your heart out, go out there with coat tails flying and goggles secure! I can't wait to meet you!

Going a slightly different direction

I've spent the past couple of years on this blog just sort of drifting. Parenting, kids' needs, family life, product reviews... not really sure where I wanted to go, no specific destination or even route in mind. And how do you know you've arrived if you don't know where you're going?

Today, I was hit by Tesla! I've been fascinated by the steampunk world and genre for several years now. I'm not very active in the online steampunk community, only participate on one forum, and that's very sporadically. I work full time at a job that pays the bills but that I love. I spend my spare time creating steampunk goodies, playing with my kids, domestic drudgery, and now exercising. Doesn't leave a lot of time for online steampunk networking, but there ya have it.

Much like an author, I've had characters in my head for a while, the start of a story around them. Only recently have I been able to bring those characters to life, fleshing out their appearances and beginning to craft their back stories. So much I want to do!

So I bid a very fond farewell to the "I'm a mommy" blog, and now my charming, handsome, debonaire alter-ego Professor Raven will be taking over. Fair warning: he's rambunctious, elitist, and eclectic at times!

Christmas in the bag, it's Sesame Street FTW

My daughter, all 23 pounds and 27 inches of her, loves Elmo. Not like most little kids love a character. She obsesses over Elmo, can spot the tiniest Elmo image from across the store, sings the Elmo song, begs for an Elmo show after school, wears Elmo clothes, and on and on. Did I mention she's not quite two?

Her older brother, on the other hand, is four going on 16, loves anything battle related or superhero related, loves to enact battle scenes, and only puts up with his sister's Elmo obsession because, well, he loves his sister. And, let's face it, they are awfully sweet when they play nice together.

If you're a mom like me, you'd give anything to let your toddler test out toys before you shell out the cash to keep them. Luckily, I had just the opportunity. While doing some pre-Christmas scouting in the store the other day, I spied some cool new building blocks, and of course they're Sesame Street-themed, which is why they caught my eye to begin with. But I took them off my mental list after seeing the recommended age of 2-5 years. Imagine my delight when I received a reviewable kit of Sesame Street K'NEX in the mail from Team Mom!

Sadie was overjoyed at seeing her favorite friend, Elmo, and his trusty pal Cookie Monster, in cute, lovable, changeable block form! But the biggest surprise was seeing Jacob chomping at the bit to have a go! We put the 1-2-3 Brownstone together, and she laughed at Bert in an upstairs window. She danced Elmo around the building, singing Elmo's song. She took his head off and learned how to put it back on. Then Jacob took it apart and made an Elmo robot to prowl around. The best part? Jacob has been playing with the set, rebuilding, playing Elmo and Cookie Monster hide and seek, the better part of the day.

All of the sets are designed to work stand-alone, or together, which means I can buy as few or as many as I want. Plus, the pieces are big enough for Sadie's tiny hands, big enough not to get lost in the carpet like other blocks, yet not so big that Jacob would call them "baby blocks". Even better, the sets are what I consider to be reasonably priced! Which is great, since this is going to be an Elmo Christmas, followed a month later by an Elmo birthday...

Below you'll find info on a great video contest sponsored by K'NEX. I won't be entering, but after watching mu Elmo-girl and my big tough boy play with these all morning, I think I know what Santa's bringing us!

Want to get in on the fun, and have a shot at winning $1,000? Create a 30-second to 3-minute video of your child playing with any K'NEX 400 pc tub or K'NEX Sesame Street set. Do not include last name, city, street, or other personally identifiable info on the video itself, beyond state and first name of your child. Post the video on your blog or website, and send the link to knexvideocontest@knex.com. Don't have a blog or website? Send the video to Make a K'NEX Video Contest, K'NEX Brand, L.P., P.O.Box 700, Hatfield, PA 19440. You'll need to include an official entry form (which I will gladly email upon request) so that you get credit, and can get notified if you win. Entries must be received by K'NEX by 7 December. 10 finalists will be posted on knex.com and the K'NEX Facebook fan page, where fans can vote for their favorite. Must be a US resident, not a resident of Florida and over 18 to enter. Complete official rules can be found on www.knex.com. Good luck!

The contents of this product review are strictly the work of the author, and do not reflect the opinions or any policies of the product in question, or the review's sponsor. Author has received no monetary compensation in exchange for this review, beyond a product sample that is author's to keep or distribute as she pleases.

The Freedom To Write

I have a regular post on BabyCenter.com called Mommy Wore Combat Boots. I get to chronicle my change from active-duty military to full-time mom. And it's fun, it really is. I re-discovered my love of writing. I discovered that I'm pretty good at BS. And I also discovered that as wonderful as BabyCenter is, it's not enough for me.

BabyCenter reaches a wide audience of moms and women. The regular commenters are nice enough, they never flame me for my lapses in parental judgment. But there are those that vehemently flog me with their verbal whip, and that's pretty demoralizing. I mean, I'm putting it all out there for the public, in order to help other moms feel like they're not alone, and I get slammed for it!

So I started this blog, to help myself improve my writing; to give myself another outlet, where I can play around a little more. A place where I don't have to watch what I say quite as closely. And where I can be a little more personal, a little more me. Hopefully I'll have interesting things to write, and learn things along the way!