*used with permission from the owner/creator of the page

Traipsing through the Amazon, or lazing on the beaches in the Sandwich Islands… what would happen if in a moment of dire need, stepping over the roughly hewn threshold of some ancient ruin, a body might lift (ever so slightly, mind you) the hem of one’s skirts.

Should the perturbingly deft proboscis of a winged vampire attempt to forcibly remove your life’s blood… a swift SWAT with a hand or other appropriate device would do quite nicely.

But alas, what would be left behind? The sting and itch of the wretched violation!

What to do… what to do… Ah, yes! Onion!

Slicing one onion into pieces, rub a cut piece of onion over the bite to sooth the irritation.*

*Note: we do NOT recommend using this idea. This post is for historical/research purposes ONLY.

Hope you’ll enjoy getting to know her as much as I did

Q: What was your introduction to Steampunk, your ‘awakening moment’?

A: Honestly, I never had an “ah-ha!” moment. I’m a second generation SF fan, which means I’ve been going to conventions since I was in junior high. Cosplay trends are cyclical. For example, SCA/Ren Faires were all the rage in the 90′s. Pirates became super popular in the early 2000′s (in part because you could re-use some of your existing medieval pieces). Now, Pirates are more of your dad (or granddad’s) cosplay. Bits of the steampunk aesthetic have crept in here and there for years. Around six or seven years ago, matte white and shiny silver gradually gave way to earth tones and bronze. It felt natural, cyclical, like a response to all that white plastic and shiny metal. Now it was time to whip out your old “The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr” DVD’s and dress up as something from a whole new era. I’d say the steampunk trifecta of goggles, tentacles, and the color brown hit a critical mass about five or six years ago.  It quickly became one of my favorite forms of cosplay. Even if you’re dressed as a grease monkey or a thug, there’s something elegant about it. I love the fact that, unlike comic or anime cosplay, people of any size can look really impressive in a Steampunk costume.

Q:You’ve a number a of books for purchase on Amazon.com in different genres.
Where did you start your publishing career?

A: Believe it or not, writing is my day job. I’m currently the Technology and Geek Life reporter for The Austin Post. Let me tell you, that’s a rare and coveted position, and I feel incredibly lucky and grateful. Before joining The Austin Post I wrote for a good assortment of websites and ghost writing clients. I’ve paid the bills as a professional writer since 2009.

When I got into indie publishing, I waffled a lot on whether or not to set up a bunch of different pen names for specific markets. After all, I have everything from cookbooks to dating books to short stories. Now, I also have my first illustrated children’s picture book, “Counting With Tesla.” I decided to go ahead and keep them all under one name because they’re united by my overwhelming geekery. I don’t think it’s much of a stretch to see how SteamDrunks and Where to Find Geek Girls are related.

Q: What drew you to the concept of writing a drink mixing book for Steampunk?

A: You can blame Absinthe.

I know it has a sexy reputation, and everyone loves the color, but the stuff tastes like ouzo strained through a homeless guy’s socks. Not only was it vile, but for a good long while, it was everywhere. If you wanted to prove your Steampunk drinking cred, you brought a bottle of absinthe to a party, melted some sugar in a spoon, and make a big production out of serving it. So I did a little research into what else people were drinking. That led to a lot of research into Victorian drinking habits. It was one heck of a fascinating rabbit hole. I had to share what I’d learned.

Q: Beyond the recipes for the drinks you have included a lot of history for the different drinks and customs. Have you always enjoyed research?

A: I love it. My MA is in History, which is really just an excuse for obsessive reading and research, at the end of which you have a captive audience who has to read your paper on the subject. The fun thing about SteamDrunks was getting to be snarky and opinionated.

Early on, I listened to a few people who told me to cut all the damn history and just give them a recipe. No one wants to read all that crap, I was told. So for my second cocktail book, Bad Girl’s Boba, I stripped the recipes down to the absolute basics. Here’s a list of ingredients and how to mix them. I waffled a lot on editing SteamDrunks, but eventually let it slide in favor of working on new books. It’s a good thing. A year later, the Amazon reviewers positively gush about the snark and history in SteamDrunks. That seems to be half the reason people buy the book. Meanwhile, the anime themed Bad Girls Boba sells maybe two copies a month. I love the fact that people really get into the history portion of the recipes.

As a Special Favor, Chris-Rachael has given me permission to post one of her receipts along with her answers -

Believer’s Rum Tea

4 shots cold, Black Tea
1 1/2 shots Dark Rum
1/2 shot Dark Creme de Cacao
2 tsp Sugar
Juice of 1/2 Lemon

Sugar is not a friend to cold drinks. Classy people with a bit of free time resort to simple syrups. Lazy people with a bit of muscle just put everything in a cocktail shaker and attempt to beat an invisible leviathan to death.

If you want to take the simple syrup route, mix the tea, lemon juice, and sugar in a small saucepan and bring it to a boil. Stir well. Continue stirring until the sugar has entirely melted and the mix has lost all graininess. Now let it cool, add your rum and Creme de Cacao, and serve in a highball glass full of ice.

For the faster muscle bound route, add all your ingredients to a cocktail shaker full of ice. Shake with a worrisome power and vigor, then strain into a highball glass full of ice. Your drink will be grainier than the simple syrup version, so you might as well drink two to make up for it. You won’t notice as much difference when quaffing the second drink.

So I tend to find visual images to represent things.

Along with the Corkulous app that I use… I put together smaller graphics to keep things in my head…

so here is the town of Escondido in a short story called “The Hand That Feeds”

It has come to this humble reporter’s attention that a rash of attacks perpetrated on women touring seaside locales has not given rise to widespread panic. The reason? A simple cure created by the world renowned chemist, Dr. Oh!

“I truly had no idea why such a thing was even needed,” heiress Wilhemina Chatsworth informed us as she lounged in the sitting room of her rented flat. Her feet pillowed on a richly brocaded ottoman, Miss Chatsworth made some mention of her injury. “I am able to move about on my own,” she assured me, “most likely I would have suffered a much greater injury had my most able companion not leapt to my defense.”

At such time, she did indicate the woman standing a few feet away. Dressed in a sensible day dress of woolens, the woman of indeterminate age and unremarkable looks stepped forward.

When asked for her name, the woman demurred, insisting that her actions were nothing out of the normal. That any other person, armed with Dr. Oh’s Octopodiform Deterrent, would be able to protect someone in their acquaintance from such an attack.

The atomizer, she explained, was one that contained an ample supply of the deterrent. Displaying the conveniently sized bottle, one that we are assured fits easily into a moderately sized reticule, she demonstrated how easy it was to use.

London Weekly Record
21 June, 18–

The shores of Lyme are known for their dark beauty and wild waves. Many flock to the town to experience the majesty of the ocean, but a sinister shadow now lies beneath the waves. A shadow with eight appendages has terrorized both visitors and denizens alike.

While many pressed for an increase of police at the water’s edge, the local constabulary asked that any visits to the Cobb be postponed until the danger had abated. On any given day, nearly a score of visitors could be found treading the slick stones beside the water.

One such visitor, a young woman by the name of Philomena Prentiss, was nearly dragged into the sea by the fearsome shadow.

As a few visitors raised the alarm and called for assistance, Miss Prentiss watched in horror as a second tentacle snaked out of the waves and wrapped around her wrist.

A gentleman nearby, who asked to remain nameless, gave the young woman great praise for her quick thinking and quicker hands.

“Even with the unwelcome attention of the mysterious beast, the young lady was able to loosen the strings of her purse and from its dainty confines withdraw a smart-looking bottle. One spritz and the creature rushed out to sea before the tides!”

When Miss Prentiss divulged where she had purchased the bottle of Dr. Oh’s Octopodiform Deterrent, the shopkeeper was soon sold out of the miraculous product and planning on ordering a number of cases for his stock.

Julia Lichty’s Etsy Page

When I saw the artwork created by Miss Lichty, it included the words ‘Pamphlet with testimonials available upon request.’ So I inquired with Miss Lichty if she would be alright for me to play with the idea of testimonials… she agreed…

Please take a minute to look through her page on Etsy… you’ll love what you find there.

My story, ‘Fire in the Sky,’ is a part of the anthology!

Congrats to my fellow authors and our amazing editors…

I am truly honored to be a part of this amazing anthology!!!

2013 Aurora Award Nominations

- London Labour and the London Poor by: Henry Mayhew (page 3)

— Of a Union Woman in the South

Homeopathic College of Pennsylvania (est. 1848)
Woman’s Medical College of Pennsylvania (1867-1970)

In a Victorian mechanical and eldritch London, a black arts surgeon is ripping out the bones and organs of healthy poor folk to transplant into the afflicted bodies of the wealthy. Anti-vivisectionists battle with medical doctors, medical doctors condemn supernatural practitioners, and amidst it all the Bone Stealer hunts for his most elusive prize yet: the skeleton of a woman over six feet tall. Secret Commission agents Art, the artificial ghost, and Jim Dastard, the animated skull, rush to stop him before another woman dies. And Art, only six days living after being resurrected to serve the Secret Commission, might be that woman.

BONES – The Second Time is Even More Charming…

Once again, the unique (in any century) duo of Jim Dastard and Artifice find themselves at the center of danger and crime! More than able to handle the challenges with the skills and talents bestowed upon them by the Secret Commission.

I was so very pleased to read the second novel in Elizabeth Watasin’s Dark Victorian series. A delightful present at the time of my birthday.

One of the best parts of the book is the visual images that her words painted in my head. Ms. Watasin’s descriptive style is full of rich details and where other authors struggle to bring alive the world of their story, Bones is set in a world of rich imagery. A fitting setting for two fascinating characters.

The storyline of Bones gives us a deeper knowledge of both Jim’s life and Artifice’s past. Artifice, who was resurrected with little memory of her past, begins to find clues to her former life that in turn enrich her current one in the service of her country.

Besides the main characters in this book, the rest of the canvas is populated by a rich palate of secondary characters that take the settings and situations of the book and add their own lives to the mix.

Ms. Watasin’s hasn’t let down on the excitement of the plot or the rich tapestry of her world where the cold mechanical technology of Victorian England meets the glow of eldritch light. Pick this one up and give yourself a present… and here’s hoping that book 3 will be out soon.