Tag Archives: To Rule the Skies

The Anteprologue to “To Rule the Skies”–Redux

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Anteprologue cover

Back in September 2014, when I was preparing to launch my first book To Rule the Skies, I posted on this blog, an Anteprologue to the novel, that is, a prologue that comes before the actual prologue that begins the book.  At the time, I likened it to the short between-seasons webisodes that Doctor Who was presenting, or the Marvel One-Shots that served to connect the various Marvel Cinema movies.

I’ve continued to putter on this piece and have now re-written it a bit and fixed what I thought were some inconsistencies.  So, in celebration of 2016 Clockwork Alchemy, San Jose’s steampunk con that’s taking place this weekend, I’ve now published it as a free download on Smashwords. Take a look at it and let me know what you think.  If you like it, you might be interested in the novel that it’s an anteprologue of, also available on Smashwords as an ebook for everything but Kindle, and on Amazon for Kindle and in paperback.

And if you’re at Clockwork Alchemy this weekend, stop by Author’s Alley and say Hi to me and all the other talented authors that will be there.

To Rule the Skies — Now available!

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I am happy to announce that my debut novel To Rule the Skies is now available.

140814 COVERgradient2Set in a Victorian world in which events happened slightly differently, To Rule the Skies is a story of airships and scientists, robber barons and airpirates. I plan this book to be only the first in the Airship Flamel Adventures series.

Professor Nicodemus Boffin, late of the University of Edinburgh and protégé of the great Michael Faraday, serves as the Scientist General of a semi-secret British institute to further scientific knowledge and technological advancement for Queen, Country, and Empire. Boffin and his crew travel the world aboard their advanced airship Flamel on a voyage of discovery. In desperate times, however, Flamel is called upon to perform “extraordinary duties”. Boffin is tasked to search for the cause of the sinking of HMS Bellerophon, the Royal Navy’s flagship which was secretly carrying a huge gold shipment from the Canadian gold fields to London. He must uncover who or what is behind the disaster before tensions between long-time transatlantic enemies, Britain and the United States, bring the two nations over the brink to all-out war.

To Rule the Skies is available at Amazon for the Kindle,  iTunes for iBook, and Smashwords in many ebook formats.

Paperback version coming soon!

Welcome!

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Welcome to the first post on my Airship Flamel Blog.

Why the name Airship Flamel? The Airship Flamel, or more accurately, Her Majesty’s Research Airship Flamel, is the conveyance of one Professor Nicodemus Boffin, Scientist General of what is called by default “The Endeavour”, as no better name could be agreed upon.

And who might this Boffin fellow be? Only the protagonist in my upcoming novel To Rule the Skies, a story of adventure, daring exploits, and Science! I discussed the genesis of this story in a guest blog post I did for T.E. MacArthur’s The Volcano Lady blog.  last November. In short, Professor Nicodemus Boffin is a British scientist tasked by Her Majesty’s Government to increase the scientific knowledge and technical might of the Empire. As it happens, the unique abilities of Boffin and the crew of the Airship Flamel are often utilized for other, more dangerous missions.

I will talk about Professor Boffin much more in the coming months as the book approaches publication. But I don’t expect this blog to be solely about my books (Yes, books (plural). There is one additional book in progress, a prequel to To Rule the Skies, and several more floating around in my head. It’s not a coincidence that the book is subtitled An Airship Flamel Adventure…) I hope this blog will also be a source of useful and enjoyable topics of interest to the readers of my books–science, history, steampunk, history of science, science of history, steampunk science, Victoriana, making…you get the idea.

I am pleased that you have found your way here. I promise many adventures to come.