Philippa Ballantine's Blog

As the days fly by and the arrival of the Janus Affair: A Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences novel becomes very, very imminent, I am contemplating how I got here, and just how damn lucky I am.

All this pondering could also have something to do with marrying my co-writer (again) in front of our parents and loved ones, or even getting confirmation this week that my greencard is winging its way towards me. All of these things are collaborations with Tee, and ones I never really saw coming.

But that is true of the best and the worst things in life.

The whole Ministry series was—if you haven’t heard the story yet—a complete set of staggering coincidences and good fortune. The series was originally going to be a podcast for pay. It then evolved into a novel, and got turned into a podcast anthology. Yep, that original podcast never actually happened, but we did eventually get it out to the podcast world in some form.

Even stranger was, the Ministry won a steampunk award, got into the top 10 science fiction books of 2011, was turned into an audio book, and got translated into Russian and German. Through all this, I can’t help but marvel at how the smallest, inconsequential conversation with Tee on a plane trip from Las Vegas to Washington DC became this thing.

I am proud of the Ministry books. I think they are fun, and Eliza and Wellington make me laugh and smile. Tee and I genuinely enjoy writing them, and it has been a joy to have someone to hold my hand, bounce ideas off and relish the successes of the ride. I could never have done this without Tee Morris, and I am forever grateful he took the leap into the creative soup with me.

So, I hope you’ll check out the Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences website, download the podcast anthology or the digital editions of the short stories, and of course…naturally…pre-order the book. I have no idea where the series might evolve to next, but that’s fine. I am content to hold onto Eliza’s petticoats and see where the mad adventure takes us.

 

Oh and it you are curious, yes…this is a picture of how Tee and I collaborate together. We’ve never revealed this to anyone before, but I thought it was about time….

(photo shot by JR Blackwell when the Ministry was still not even a gleam in the Muse’s eye)

 

This weekend Tee and I will be heading to the Steampunk Worlds Fair, in Piscataway, New Jersey.

Here’s where you can find us;

 

9.10pm Friday; Signing at Boardroom B in the Radisson

7.40pm Saturday; Reading from the Janus Affair at Boardroom B in the Radisson

1.00pm Sunday; Light or Dark, How Do You Take Your Steampunk? at Boardroom B in the Radisson

 

We’ll also be wandering around enjoying the spectacle of the event, so hope to see some of you there!

 

Also, added another appearance where you can catch me, and get me to sign something BlogWorld in New York City, June 5-7th.

Balticon is our home con—the place where most podiobook authors meet up (there were twenty-nine there last year). It’s held in Hunt Valley, Maryland every Memorial Day weekend.

Tee Morris and I are excited to be there again, meet up with old friends, and hopefully make some new ones. Here’s my schedule if you’re going to be there. Please stop by and say hi, even if we’ve never met—I promise I love to meet new folk.

Steam-powered: — Rage of the New Victorians
Friday at 5:00 pm in Parlor 1041

From werewolves of property to anti-zombie airship pilots, the Empire has struck back. Meet the writers of this Brave Old World.
Moderator: Georgiana Lee
Speakers: Tee Morris; Doc Coleman; Philippa “Pip” Ballantine

Autographing: Phillipa (Pip) Ballantine, Val Griswold-Ford sand Tee Morris
Saturday at 12:00 am in Maryland Foyer

Phillipa (Pip) Ballantine, Val Griswold-Ford sand Tee Morris signing at the Autograph Table in the Maryland foyer.
Speakers: Val Griswold-Ford; Tee Morris; Philippa “Pip” Ballantine

NM-42. Second Annual Erotica A La Carte: Iron Chef — Iron Chef
Saturday at 9:00 pm in Chesapeake

Three authors. One ingredient. Thirty minutes to write five hundred words, and YOU get to watch the thrilling action. Well, not THE action, that’s just in the story. But you get to watch the stories UNFOLD AS THEY ARE WRITTEN! Who will win the title?
Moderator: Alessia Brio
Speakers: Nobilis Reed; Cynical Woman; Jhada R. Addams

Readings: Philippa Ballantine, Tad Daley and Tee Morris
Saturday at 10:00 pm in Chase

Philippa Ballantine, Tad Daley and Tee Morris reading from their works. Please note that the authors are listed in alphabetical order, NOT in reading order. They’ll determine reading order amongst themselves.
Speakers: Philippa “Pip” Ballantine,; Tad from Trantor; Tee Morris

NM-60. The Shared Desk Podcast Live! — With Steampunk Tea
Sunday at 4:00 pm in Chesapeake

The Shared Desk Podcast recorded live with steampunk tea.
Speakers: Tee Morris; Philippa “Pip” Ballantine

W-11.  Making The Jump — From Indie House to Corporate Publisher
Sunday at 5:00 pm in Salon B

With the rise of ePublishing, Smashwords, and the independent publishing movement, there is commentary on blogs and in publications that the mainstream publishers are in trouble, and could very well be on the way out. However, some authors who have made a name for themselves in independent venues are making their first steps with houses such as Ace, Tor, and Orbit. Find out a different side of the debate, and why working with larger houses is still a goal for up and coming authors.
Moderator: Tee Morris
Speakers: Brian Koscienski; Philippa “Pip” Ballantine,; Michael Sullivan; Joshua Bilmes

NM-66. Just What The Frak is Steampunk Anyway?
Sunday at 11:00 pm in Derby

Learn the genre’s quirks and requirements and avoid angry emails from steampunk fans. Or why BattleStar Galactica is not Steampunk.
Moderator: Brand Gamblin
Speakers: Tee Morris; Philippa “Pip” Ballantine

I have been a very, very bad blogger, but honestly I have been writing everything but blogposts.

Tee and I have been working on filming a book trailer for the next book in the firing position, the Janus Affair. We spent two weekends at Brute Force Studios, with the charming and delightful Sarah Hunter and Thomas Willeford. They opened up their home to us, let us play with their wonderful creations, and starred in our trailer. We were joined by PJ Schnyder, Jett Michael, Linc Williams and Karina Brow, who all preformed for the camera and just made the project awesome. Now Linc and Tee will begin editing—and I can hardly wait to share this wonderful trailer with you.

I’ve been working harder on the final book of the Order series, Harbinger. It is pulling all the threads together of the past three books. It is strange and a bit sad to consider leaving Sorcha, Merrick and Raed. They’ve been a part of my life for the last five years, and I want to make sure their send off is a good one.

And then Tee and I are puttering along on book three for the Ministry. By Dawn’s Early Light is the working title (since these things seem to change often in the Ministry), and it bring Wellington and Eliza to America, which is plenty of fun.

We’ve also dropped two episodes in the second season for Tales from the Archives, as well as the accompanying ebook versions. Once again, working on this series is a surprise and a delight. Each new author brings something new and interesting to the table.

Finally, we are gearing up for the con season. In the coming months we will be at the Steampunk World’s Fair and Balticon. We are also confirmed guests at DragonCon this year, where we will be on the Alternate History Track as well as the Podcasting track. It’s been awhile since I’ve been to Atlanta, and I’m looking forward to it.

Phew…so there was April. Hang on for May…it’s going to be even madder.

This is the time of year when I have to start pedaling really fast on the writing career. I have three books coming out in the next six months, and May has two conventions back to back.

But it kicks off next weekend at Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, and I am really looking forward to this event!

I am heading there to be one of the keynote speakers. This is a great event, that started of small, but is now a buzzing one-day event.

Here's the pitch

CREATE South is a meeting for those interested in art, blogging, podcasting, video, social networking or any other form of self-expression. Serving the residents of the Grand Strand and beyond, it is a venue to bring together like minded people to network, teach, and learn. If you would like to get involved in these arenas but don't know how to start, this is the place to be. With introductory presentations and hands-on detailed demos, the beginners and the experts alike will have plenty to learn.

This year there are discussions on things like brewing your own beer, to metallurgy. My husband, Tee Morris is presenting on safety and social media. My keynote is at 9.30am and is about reckless optimism, and being a creative. In short, my journey.

Here's the tentative schedule.

Hope to see some of you there, and please, if you are there, come up and say hi!

 

Once again Jason Chan has delivered. Behold the cover of Wrayth! Coming August 28th from Ace Books.

I love how Jason has captured the trio looking towards the future. Merrick (YAY he's on the cover!) looks concerned…as well he should. Sorcha is concentrating on the power in her hand (perhaps she is blinded by that). The Rossin is letting forth a challenging roar (are we going to see more trouble from him?)

What does that mean…. well, Wrayth reveals more about Sorcha's past, and the Order faces new challenges from both geist and human forces.

Pre-order now from Amazon and Barnes and Noble

I've been silent awhile, dear reader. Personal life, including my husband getting laid off from his job right after the holidays have drawn my attention away from the blog. While he continues to run the gambit of interviews, we've turned our attention to providing for the family with our writing. (Yeah saying that is pretty scarey)

So we've set out on a new venture of digital publishing with Tee's company ImagineThat! Studios. It means there will be a lot of short stories and novellas coming out of ITS, and I'm doing the business side of it, while Tee does beautiful covers.

You'll find ITS covering in the next few months romance, horror, thriller and Young Adult. We're pretty excited to bring these new stories to you.

Right now, my story Magic by Gaslight is new out. This is a story that I wrote as a novella, and pitched to an erotica market. Their terms weren't quite to my liking, and I tucked the story away. Now, thanks to digital publishing I can bring it out. I have reworked it slightly to be more of a paranormal steampunk, rather than erotica, but the story still sings to me.

If Magic by Gaslight sells well enough, I may find time in the later half of this year to return. I can see more short stories, novellas, and maybe a novel in this world. It's available from Kindle, Nook, and with Smashwords all for the princely sum of $1.99

That time of the year again!

Nominations are now open for the Sir Julius Vogel awards back in New Zealand (think our version of the Hugos).

They are open to any writer of fiction who is a resident or a citizen—but anyone can nominate.

Looking at the list of writers eligible, I am delighted to see the field is bigger and brighter every year.

For myself, I have several works eligible. Including, Spectyr, Phoenix Rising, and the Tales from the Ministry series. So if there are some you think worthy, then please do take the time to email the committee sjv_awards@sffanz.sf.org.nz

 

It's been a time for cover revelations, and here's another one.

The adventures of Eliza and Wellington continue in the Janus Affair, coming in late May this year.

Evildoers beware! Retribution is at hand, thanks to Britain's Best-kept secret agents!

Certainly no strangers to peculiar occurrences, agents Wellington Books and Eliza Braun are nonetheless stunned to observe a fellow passenger aboard Britain's latest hyper steam train suddenly vanish in a dazzling bolt of lightning. They soon discover this is not the only such disappearance…with each case going inexplicably unexamined by the Crown.

The fate of England is once again in the hands of an ingenious archivist paired with a beautiful, fearless lady of adventure. And though their foe be fiendishly clever, so then is Mr. Books…and Miss Braun still has a number of useful and unusual devices hidden beneath her petticoats.

I love this cover because it conveys the adventure and energy of the book. Eliza looks hell bent for leather on adventure, while the joke of Wellington's face remaining concealed continues.

It is a beautiful moment when an author sees that covers that will wrap around their words, and in the last two days I have seen one new and been able to reveal the other.

One is the cover of the German edition of Phoenix Rising—which being from a foreign publisher I didn't get to see in advance. The second, for Hunter and Fox from Pyr Books, I have seen evolve as Lou Anders editor and art director extrodinaire, kept me in the loop. Now I am able to reveal it.

The artwork is by Cynthia Sheppard who has a wonderful talent for making the bizarre truly beautiful. You can preorder Hunter and Fox on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

And here is the cover for the German version of Phoenix Rising. The Germans have gone with the series title Books and Braun. Unfortunately I have no idea who the artist is, but I love the different take on Eliza and Wellington.