Busy Busy Busy!

Life has suddenly gotten... busy. Not that I mind! It's fun in a strange kind of way.

Recently I've gotten involved in an event which is running next June. Held aboard the HMS Trincomalee, it's a Steampunk event which will be confined to this nearly 200 year old frigate. I'm currently looking for authors who want to take part doing readings in the captain's cabin. So far there are 4 of us and there's room for 12. It's going to be pretty fab I think!

Then, in the past couple of days, a friend got in touch and has asked me to write the back story to a table top game they're working on. I've never really been all that involved in table top games, but I've always been fascinated by them. So it's a good opportunity to branch out and give something else a go. And who knows, I might just turn out to be a gamer!

On top of that, there's still the day job as well as editing Book 2 and working on Book 3. The inspiration for Book 3 comes and goes. At the moment I'm working on a bridge scene, tying two parts of the story together. To me, it feels as though nothing is happening plot wise. But I keep forgetting that I know where the story is going and, while it may be boring to me, it's probably a lot of fun for those who are reading it with a fresh pair of eyes.

And how I love those fresh pairs of eyes! They've been such a help over the last few months, picking up plot points in Mars on the Rise which need correcting in Selling Mars. Hopefully Selling Mars will be the book they were looking for in Mars on the Rise and they'll enjoy it. Can't wait!

Anyway, it's time for a cup of tea. If you want one, the kettle's on!

Asylum Seekers

A year ago, when I discovered Mars on the Rise was going to be published, I started making plans for places I wanted to go and visit. One of them is the world famous Asylum. Held over a weekend in September (at an old asylum, which is where the event takes its name from), it welcomes Steampunks from across the world to take part in a series of events ranging from concerts, fashion shows, wacky races and, of course, wacky races. For one weekend, the historic city of Lincoln feels like a film set as people, dressed from head to foot in some of the wildest Steampunk outfits you'll ever see, wander the streets, take up residence in hotels and sit in cafes. It's not unusual to be stopped and asked what's going on. And, a lot of the people who wonder if they've stepped into an alternative reality, go on to some of the events.

I was lucky enough to get a trade table and it was an amazing experience! While the room was hot and stuffy (was most certainly not corset weather!), it was counteracted by the amount of people who stopped and chatted, picked up postcards or brought the book. People asked about the rainbow flag on the stall and one person was over the moon to find out that someone wrote LGBT Steampunk (that made my day!). One thing you'll see is people pulling together. I met many people who helped make my weekend go a lot smoother. And, in the spirit of the event, I helped others. It's about being splendid, treating each other right and passing on the love and happiness. The Asylum wouldn't happen without the dedication of the volunteers, staff and organisers. It's an amazing event and 2013 is already eagerly anticipated!

If you want to find out more about the Asylum, and see some of the wonderful photos, please go to: Welcome to the Asylum

** If you're visiting this blog thanks to the Asylum, feel free to leave a comment or your Facebook link. Feel free to link us in to your photos and experiences. You don't have to log in or sign up; the blog accepts anonymous comments. Thank you for making the Asylum an amazing event! **

A Couple of Things...

Firstly, if you own a Kindle, you can get a personalised and signed Mars on the Rise fly page courtesy of Kindlegraph (Yes, I have imported my own signature rather than use their default one!). As far as I can gather, it's free to use. Just click the link below.

Mars on the Rise Kindlegraph page

Also, to mark the final countdown to this year's UK Steampunk extravaganza, the Asylum, we're holding a Steampunk Share-a-thon over on my page. It's really easy. Just pick your favourite Steampunk book, grab a link from Amazon (or wherever it's being sold) and post it on the Rae Gee Facebook page. If you've never really heard the term and would like to know more, it's a great time to pick up some tips and new books to read. Most of all, have fun!

 Rae Gee Facebook page