S.C. Green's Blog, page 18

Post-scriptum: Black Milk, Eastwick Witches, and Cthulhu for President

My halloween costume: Cthulhu’s presidential campaign manager. Skirt and crop top from Black Milk Clothing, leggings from Sophireaptress. Octopus hair clip from Steampunk Couture.

In my ears: The new Draconian album, Sovran. They’ve gone in a really doom direction, instead of the more symphonic aspects of their last couple of releases, and I think it’s a welcome change.

Reading: Rebecca, by Daphne De Maurier. And, of course, still plugging away on House of Leaves. I am on a huge gothic novel kick at the moment, so I think I’ll write up a list of some of my favourites. Would you like that?

Writing: I am sort of, kind of, a little bit attempting NaNo – 50k words this month, to get a solid draft of Coven finished. But it’s difficult because I need to edit both Man in Black and Thorn for release in December. So far I’m nearly at 20k words for the month. Boy am I going to be glad when these three projects are done and I can start to focus on ONE BOOK AT A TIME.

Watching: Just saw The Witches of Eastwick movie for the first time. My, but that was different from the book! A really cool movie, though. I liked everyone’s hair.

On the farm: As soon as I finish writing this, I have to go down to the paddock to give the sheep a haircut. They’re getting pretty hot in the sun, so they’re going to be so grateful!

I made some campaign flyers as part of my costume to hand out at the party.

Loving: \m/ halloween shenanigans – first, performing an awesome halloween wedding for a rad couple, then going to a party, then back to a friend’s house for drinks and fire rituals by the bonfire. \m/ my new Black Milk Clothing threads – I am now officially a fangirl. No more clothes shopping for me for the rest of the year. \m/ The floor being done on our house! Walls come next :) \m/ Hitting the town with good friends tonight, including dinner at one of my fave restaurants and an absinthe cocktail called Hemingway, that appeals to me on many different levels. \m/ ALESTORM NEXT WEEKEND \m/ Epica show being announced in March. \m/ My work possibly sending me to the US for an exciting conference. \m/ Going to see all the things at the Pop-Up Globe next year, including Titus Andronicus in a Lord’s Box (we splurged) \m/ Husband making me laugh so hard I couldn’t breathe. \m/ Cat silliness. \m/ Caramel milkshakes and dates by myself with a good book \m/ Making silly Facebook events that make people happy \m/ Going to see my amazing BFF Andy on the ferry and getting free drinks on board and seeing two ORCAS \m/ Teaching writing classes and hanging with cool folk \m/ Giant sausage roll. \m/ making a perfect omelette.

So that’s my life. How is yours?

Grab your copy of my latest dark fantasy, The Gauge War now! You can also sign up for the mailing list to get all the details of my book releases and other cool stuff.

Metal History: Corsets and Roller Skates [guest post]

I don’t often post articles written by other authors on the blog, but Felicity Banks is an exception. Felicity and I met at a writer’s conference in Wellington, NZ, 9 years ago, when we were both pitching books to a publisher. We’ve been corresponding and beta-reading for each other ever since. Felicity wrote about pirates for me before, and now she’s here to talk about some of the more interesting Victorian inventions … and tell you about her amazing interactive novel, Attack of the Clockwork Army, that’s just come out from Choice of Games. I’m going to be reviewing the novel next week, but in the meantime, enjoy:

***

Yep, the Victorians were insane… but not in the way you might think.

My interactive novel Attack of the Clockwork Army is steampunk, and features a family of mad scientists. They don’t think of themselves as mad, and by real-life 1850s standards they barely count as eccentric.

As you may have guessed by the title of this blog entry, it was the Victorians who invented roller skates. Casting an eye over patents of the era feels like reading a particularly ludicrous sci-fi novel. The Victorians invented an enormous and noisy device that (allegedly) automatically brushed down your horse. It featured long, spider-like iron arms and an array of cogs, wheels, belts, and counterweights. Any horse worth its meat would have taken one look and kicked it to pieces.

The Victorians also invented the moustache protector, the steam-powered lawnmower (which weighed over a ton and was remarkably difficult to either steer or brake), and (a personal favourite) the anti-garrotte cravat.

I’m fond of the cravat because it’s linked to my particular area of interest: Australia. When Australian residents managed to put a stop to the convict transports to Australia, Londoners feared that all their home-made criminals would be stuck on their own island, and could attack their own people at any moment.

Perhaps now is a good time to admit that I am, in fact, Australian.

I researched 1800s Australia in preparation for inventing my own steampunk version of that history, and to this day the more I read about the era the more incredulous I become.

Take cross-dressing, for example. Australia’s early law enforcement was horrifically corrupt, and that corruption was especially blatant on the goldfields. People flocked to Australia from all over the world, and some became fabulously wealthy. Others were so unsuccessful that they couldn’t even afford to pay for a gold-digging licence. The licences were severely overpriced, and the fees for lack of a licence were even worse.

And that, dear reader, is why scores of tough colonial men would greet the local lawmen dressed in full female regalia, and claim that their “brother” or “husband” was elsewhere – “and he has the licence of course, officer.” It is frankly unbelievable that this worked, but it did.

And then we come to the Bentley family. Mr. Bentley owned the Eureka Hotel on the Ballarat goldfields. He was good friends with powerful British men (including the magistrate), and was wealthy. One night when a drunken digger yelled to be let into the hotel for a few more drinks, Bentley refused.

From there the story gets murky, and the true events are still being argued over today. One thing is clear: the digger was dead by morning.

According to the small amount of evidence available, Bentley either did the murder or knew who did, but he was not convicted by his powerful friend. It looked like he’d get away with it. Some eyewitnesses said he followed the digger that night and killed him. One eyewitness report actually implies that his pregnant wife did the deed. (Never, ever mess with a pregnant woman.)

The simmering anger on the goldfields soon exploded, and Bentley’s hotel was burned down. For reasons that have never been fully explained, Bentley fled the scene alone on a borrowed horse … wearing a dress.

So if you think steampunk cross-dressing is unlikely, think again. And next time someone on roller skates nearly knocks you over, just be glad they’re not insisting you wear a corset and crinolines every day.

***

My interactive steampunk novel, Attack of the Clockwork Army is set in Australia. You can choose to be male or female, gay or straight, black or white. You can even choose to fight for the British, or not to fight at all.

The book is available as a Choose Your Own Adventure-style app for your device on Amazon, Apple, Android, and Chrome. You can also buy it directly from the publisher (an easy way to buy and read it on your computer). The app stores list it as “free, with in-app purchases”. What this actually means is that the beginning is free, and then you pay $5 (once!) to read the rest.

You can also check out Felicity’s blog, and her Facebook page.

Steff Reviews: Draconian, Sovran

Oh, look, another album review! It’s almost as if this was once a metal blog \m/

If you haven’t heard of Draconian (because you’ve been living under a rock or in a cave or in a top-secret military bunker somewhere), they formed in Säffle, Sweden in 1994. Their style fuses the “beauty and the beast” vocal style of female/male vocals with synphonic and doom metal elements, creating a dark, beautiful gothic sound. Often compared to Anathema or My Dying Bride, Draconian definitely share the same . If you’re into the genre, this sextet are one of the more beloved underground bands, with some incredible albums in their discography (Arcane Rain Fell and Turning Seasons Within particularly float my sorrowful boat). They’ve just released Sovran, their first new album since 2011, and it’s looking likely to eclipse all others as the top album for the year in this genre.

Before I start talking about the music, can I just be the 1000th person to say how awesome the artwork is? It was done by Chioreanu Constin (Arcturus, Primordial, At the Gates, Arch Enemy).

Sovran is the band’s first album with vocalist Heike Langhans, who replaced Lisa Johansson after her departure in 2011. For this album, the band have departed with many of the stronger symphonic elements they’d incorporated into 2011’s A Rose for the Apocalypse, leaving the raw, brooding doominess to reign supreme. Some fans may not enjoy this change, but personally, it’s my favourite Draconian album to date. The band sounds fresh, rejuvenated, ready to issue forth a renewed ocean of despair.

The album’s opener, “Heavy Lies the Crown” is a monolith of gloom – all forlorn, doom-laden riffs and heartsick vocal harmonies between Langhan’s rich beauty and Jacobson’s grim death growl. The two are perfectly matched vocally, playing off each other to both soften and ugly up the music exactly when it needs it. I would say Langhan’s vocals aren’t as “operatic” as Jacobsson’s, but I think that’s a plus, rather than a negative. She brings much more emotion into the songs, pulling the listener into that beautiful and sorrowful world. Her performance on “Rivers between Us” is particularly evocative.

“Pale Tortured Blue” is another stunning track, with some of the most exquisitely sad and majestic music I’ve heard in a long time. I loved the heavy, grandiose WEIGHT of the arrangement on “The Marriage of Attaris”, and the sweeping chorus in the more goth “Dishearten.” This album is particularly driven by the guitar sound and the guitar/keyboard melodies, and it is a stunning example of songwriting.

If you want something cheery to listen to on a night of drunken shenanigans, this is not the album. But if – like me – you are spending far too much time reading old gothic novels, stargazing, and writing about doomed lovers, then Sovran is the perfect soundtrack for your sorrow.

Grab your copy of Sovran now, or keep up with Draconian news on their official Facebook page.

The second book in my dark steampunk series, The Gauge War, is out now! Grab yours today!

Alternatively, sign up for the mailing list to get all the details of my book releases and other cool stuff.

Metal Mixtape: The Gauge War Playlist

When I write, I often listen to music. For each book I’ve written there are certain albums and songs that I listen to on constant repeat. There’s something in the mood of the artist that resonates with the story. Last year I shared my playlist for the Sunken, and it included a lot of the classic steampunk bands like Abney Park and Vernon Process.

Today, you can have a look at some of the music I’ve been listening to when I was working on The Gauge War.

Carrion flowers – Chelsea Wolfe

This album has had such a profound impact on me it’s creeping into every piece of work I’ve created since it came out. It is magic.

Pinnacle and the Pit –  Ghost

I love the tone and depth and vision of Ghost’s latest album. This song makes me think of Brunel’s lair beneath the Chimney. Also, the video is awesome.

Death Rides a Horse – Russian Circles

I’ve been thrashing the hell out of Russian Circles’ album Enter, which this song is from. Their songs get this moody, sooty darkness that I’m trying to capture in the Engine Ward.

Rivermen – Beastwars

Much of The Gauge War is set in the swamps with the Stokers. I needed some good, swampy music. This band, and this song, have done very nicely.

Work Song – Hozier

Another song for the Stokers, and particularly Aaron and Chloe. This song brings me to tears.

London – Jordan Reyne

I could not have written these books without Jordan Reyne. She captures in music the mood I hope to emulate in words. Everything I do is but a pale shade of music like this.

Theme from Sharpes – John Tams

There’s something innate to the English spirit that comes across in this folk song, sung perfectly by John Tams, I think of this song when I think of what England was in danger of losing when the Stokers and Navvies went to war.

Parliament of Fools – Skyclad

One of my favourite English bands, ever. Skyclad resonate with the Stokers to me.

Mr. Ste(v)phenson – The Men Who Will Not Be Blamed for Nothing

You can’t write steampunk and leave The Men Who Will Not Be Blamed for Nothing off your playlist. I love this ridiculousness of this song about the four famous Stephensons of the Victorian era.

This Corrosion – Sisters of Mercy

I have been THRASHING Sisters of Mercy for the last three months. If there is ever a day that couldn’t be improved by the Sisters, I don’t want to live it.

Monster – The Automatic

This song was in Cockneys vs Zombies, one of the greatest films ever made. And there are plenty of monsters in Engine Ward, trust me.

Red Right Hand – Nick Cave

There’s something about this song that always makes me think of Brunel.

So there you have it. There are a few of the songs and albums that have a profound influence over this book. Of course, if you want to read The Gauge War, you can buy an ebook copy from Amazon right now, or read it for free in Kindle Unlimited.

Grab your copy of The Gauge War now! You can also sign up for the mailing list to get all the details of my book releases and other cool stuff.

Another Excerpt from The Gauge War

Did you hear the news? Well, in case you didn’t, here it is – The Gauge War, the second novel in my Engine Ward series, is now available in ebook. Print is a week or two away. To celebrate, I’m doing a few Gauge War themed posts. I already posted a major teaser excerpt from the book back in May, and today I’m giving you the second little snippet of what you’ll find inside its pages.

This section concerns Charles Babbage, the surly mathematician Brunel has hired to conduct some rather interesting work. Babbage was a real historical figure, responsible for conceiving of a programmable computer and attempting to create the Analytical Engine, which likely would’ve been the first computer had he actually completed it. He’s a fascinating character who, like many polymaths, demonstrated an array of interesting quirks. Many, including his hatred or organ grinders and his letters to famous poets, I’ve included in The Gauge War.

Read on, and let me know what you think! I’d be delighted if you picked up a copy of The Gauge War, and left a review on Amazon so others could see if it interested them, too!

This material is copyright Stephanie Green, 2015. Do not republish without permission.

***

Although nothing was really wrong with him, Brigitte refused to let Nicholas leave his bed for three weeks. When he finally pulled on his travelling coat and stepped out into the biting rain, he was grateful to be returning to work at the Ward, even if there was little to occupy him there. All he’d been able to do was lie in bed and think about all the hellish things that might be causing the voices, and how Isambard could possibly be mixed up in it all. One thought in particular kept running over and over in his mind.

Aaron must have known something … and that is why he grew to hate Isambard so. But why didn’t he tell me?

Or did he try to tell me, and I didn’t want to listen?

As his carriage rolled under the huge iron gates of Engine Ward, and the air grew thick with dust, apprehension bubbled in Nicholas’ stomach. Somewhere in the Ward was a terrible atrocity, and if he didn’t hunt it out and stop it, then he would never be able to rest again.

Isambard greeted him outside the Chimney, and helped him down from the carriage. “Welcome back, friend. I am so pleased to see you on your feet again.”

“Not as pleased as I,” replied Nicholas. He met his friend’s gaze, keeping his expression impassive. He wasn’t yet ready to confront Isambard with his suspicions. Perhaps now I’m back in the Engine Ward, I might be able to discover the source of the pain on my own.

“I have something to show you.” Isambard led Nicholas around the back of the church. Nicholas braced himself for the onslaught of voices, but they never came. Whatever had been causing them, they were well away by now.

Nicholas was astonished to see the work had mostly been completed. In less than a month the Boilers had completely demolished the old Stoker slum, cleared the area of debris and erected a line of long, peak-roofed factories. The back wall of the Chimney had also been demolished and extended to create offices and workshops for the engineering team. Now only a handful of the machines trundled around the site, riveting the final exterior cladding on the workshops.

“We still have to fit the windows by hand,” explained Brunel as he gestured to a small team of workmen lifting a high frame into place. “The Boilers lack the dexterity to set them in place.”

“I’m amazed, Isambard. It’s practically a miracle.”

“A miracle will be if I ever get the Wall completed.” Brunel sighed. “I still do not have the Council’s approval to build the railway on top.”

“I’m confident you will get your permission. Too much of the Royal Purse has been spent on the project now for the Council to abandon it. Besides, whatever its intended nefarious purpose, it will now be useful in monitoring trade and preventing dragons from entering the city.”

“You’re correct, of course. I just hope those old men see it that way. In the meantime, I’ve sent my newest batch of Boilers out to another job, which I’m hoping you might be able to assist with. These that remain here in the Ward are my older models. They will suffice for the needs of my engineers and my locomotives while the Wall can be completed—”

“Nicholas, old chap!”

A hand clamped on his shoulder. Already on edge, the touch made Nicholas jump. Isambard reached out to steady him, frowning at the man who’d startled him.

“He’s been ill,” Brunel scolded Buckland. “You should not be so careless.”

Buckland didn’t seem to notice the reproach. “Isn’t this fantastic?” He exclaimed. “A month – it all went up in a month! Just imagine what you chaps can do with this kind of technology! I’ve got two Boilers of my own down in my office right now. They’re currently at work polishing my rock collection. Can you imagine?”

“Who else is working here?” Nicholas scanned the bank of workshops for a familiar face.

“Every man who wants to make a name for himself.” Buckland smiled. “They’re deserting the other churches in droves to come work for our Messiah. Every clever man in England has an office here now. And Babbage, too, of course. That quack thinks he’s Lord High Engineer the way he struts around the place.”

“You leave Babbage alone,” said Isambard, and Nicholas was surprised at the harshness in his tone. “His work is vital to me, as vital as yours. He commands a quiet, undisturbed space, and I’ll not have him interrupted under any pretence. Now, Mr. Buckland. I believe we had some matters to discuss in my workshop. Nicholas, your new office is on the second level, beside Babbage. I’ve left a Boiler at your disposal, and some paperwork to go over.”

Once inside the Chimney, Nicholas found the new platform and pulley Brunel had installed, and rode it up to the second floor. He peeked inside the door to his office, a plain, sparsely furnished room equipped with a desk, chair, drafting table, bookshelf, and a Boiler unit in the corner. He glanced over the files on his desk; Brunel had made notes on one of his station designs, and Nicholas would need to make several changes. Not quite ready to get to work, he thought it appropriate to introduce himself to his neighbour. He’d never met Charles Babbage before, but he knew all about him; the infamous mathematician had been ousted from the Royal Society and excommunicated from the Metic church on the eve of Nicholas’ secret return to London. Working for Isambard would be the only way Babbage could afford to finish his immense calculating engine.

The mathematician’s office was enormous, larger even than Isambard’s underground cavern. Along one wall, huge glass windows looked down into the nave of the church below. In the centre of the room stood a great steel frame, nearly eight feet in height and over thirty feet in length, upon which was suspended a highly complex section of pegs and barrels, the purpose of which Nicholas vaguely understood to be the carrying out of mathematic equations. Two Boilers flanked the frame, as still and silent as stone, the empty windows in their furnace bellies signalling their inactivity. He could see no sign of Charles Babbage.

“Er … hello?” he called.

There was no reply. The two Boilers seemed to stare back at him. He took a step into the office, then another. Still he could hear nothing.

Nicholas peered over the desk, over sheaves of typewritten pages – page after page of number sequences with no apparent pattern. As he shifted through the papers, a glint caught his eye – something metallic hidden between the papers. Nicholas reached out and picked up a metal rectangle, holding it up to the light of the windows.

It was a simple metal plate, embossed with a series of raised dots and lines spaced evenly along the surface.

It’s our code, Nicholas realised. The code Aaron and I created. But why does Babbage have it?

Back before the Vampire King, before Brunel had sent the Stokers back to the swamps, Nicholas and Aaron had devised an embossed code so that the minutes of the Blasphemous Men’s Supper Club might be kept secret from prying eyes. The code was embossed so that James Holman could read it with his fingers – each symbol was small enough that he could discern it with one swipe of his finger. Later, Nicholas had taught Brunel the code also, and so he guessed Brunel must’ve taught it to Babbage.

Nicholas glanced down at the desk, at the spot where he’d found the plate. He shifted aside a stack of papers and saw something interesting – a wooden box, stuffed with identical metal plates, stacked evenly in five neat rows. He lifted out another plate – the symbols were the same, but placed in a different order.

There was something odd about Babbage’s plates. Nicholas scanned the two he held, but could discern no message, just rows of numbers and letters, completely random and unpredictable.

Perhaps it’s a second layer of code – the true message is written in the embossed code and then hidden in a cipher. But why Babbage would have a use for such a thing …

“Get out,” a voice snarled.

Nicholas whirled around. Charles Babbage was standing in the doorway, a long fire-stoker clenched in his fist and a nasty scowl on his face. He raised the fork in a threatening manner.

“Who said you could be in here? This equipment is extremely sensitive. I can’t have just anyone—”

“I’m Nicholas Thorne, sir.” He dropped the plate on Babbage’s desk and extended his hand. “I am a great admirer of your work. I just wanted to offer my congratulations on your post—”

“I said, get out!” Babbage screamed, hurling the metal fork across the room.

Nicholas ducked as the stoker sailed over his head and crashed into the window behind him. Glass tinkered everywhere, falling like snow into the nave of the church below. He leapt back from the desk.

“By Great Conductor, man.” he cried. “You could’ve hurt someone.”

“And you could hurt my machine with your clumsy hands. Who are you? What is the meaning of this intrusion? Wait—” he held up his hand, cutting Nicholas off. “I don’t even care to know. Leave now, before I am forced to remove you forcibly.”

Nicholas met the man’s gaze, and what he saw there sent a shiver down his spine. Brilliant mathematician or not, Charles Babbage’s eyes burned with rage, with madness.

As quickly as he could, Nicholas backed from the room, slamming the door shut behind him. Not a second later, he heard something smash as it crashed against the doorframe. Wiping the sweat on his palms against his trousers, Nicholas took off toward his own office, his heart thumping and the worrying encounter replaying in his mind.

Why was Babbage so angry? What machine could be so sensitive that the very presence of another man could upset the whole endeavour? What did the mysterious frame with the banks of numbered wheels actually do? And why did Babbage have all those plates? What did he need with an embossed code designed to be read by blind men? It was a mystery, and a perplexing one at that.

***

Babbage slumped down in his chair, ignoring the glass shards stuck to the legs of his trousers. He rested his hands on his desk, trying to stop them from shaking. He counted off the golden ratio to a hundred decimal places, in order to calm his racing heart.

How dare he? How dare that jumped-up young architect enter my quarters without permission and rifle through my things? It is disrespectful. It is criminal. If he’s knocked even so much as a peg out of place—

Babbage lifted up the papers on his desk and stared into the box. Had he seen the plates? That was the only thing that mattered. Has he seen the plates?

Isambard had been very clear. Nicholas Thorne was never to know how the Analytical Engine worked. He could never understand what the code was used for. If the Metal Messiah found out that Babbage had compromised his one condition—

What does it matter? He’s an architect. Even if he did see the plates, he can’t possibly understand what they mean, what they’re for. You saw how he looked when he left – the little scamp was terrified. He won’t be telling Brunel about his little visit, which means Brunel won’t find out.

“Right,” he muttered, slamming the box shut again and placing the stack of papers back on top. “Right. Back to work, then.”

***

Grab your copy of The Gauge War now! You can also  sign up for the mailing list to get all the details of my book releases and other cool stuff.

The Gauge War is here! And grab The Sunken ebook for just $0.99

A new iron curse threatens London

Now that the Sunken have been defeated, Isambard Kingdom Brunel can begin the task of making the British Empire great once more. All that stands in his way are the French forces closing in on the country, and rival engineer Robert Stephenson, who seeks to undermine Brunel’s power by disobeying his orders at every turn.

Nicholas Thorne once again finds himself caught in the middle of a war he does not believe in. Only now, Nicholas is assailed every waking hour by terrible voices – animals in excruciating pain pound against his skull, begging for release. Can Nicholas fight through the pain and retain control of his mind to protect the people he loves?

Not content to lay idle while his empire is attacked and civil war looms, Brunel has one last great innovation to unveil. This new machine could be the salvation of England, or the destruction of them all. 



The Gauge War is the second book in my Engine Ward series, exploring the clash of science and religion in an alternatee history London where dinosaurs still survive. I am so excited that this book is finally live, as it represents more than two years of hard slog! It’s been pretty touch-and-go to get it done over the last month, and as it is I had to upload to book twice just so everyone got the updated ending that I changed at the last possible minute. (It was my husband’s fault. He said, the night before release, “this ending doesn’t work with this character”, and I realised he was right. Cue a day’s worth of work for me. Sigh. But I think it’s much better for this change).

To celebrate the launch, The Gauge War is on sale for $2.99 (usually $3,99) AND, if you haven’t read the first book in the series, you can grab The Sunken for just $0,99! You’d better hurry on that, though, because it’s only priced that low today.

And if you’re in Kindle Unlimited, you can read both books for free!

If you enjoy either of these books, I’d love for you to leave a review and let other people know what you think! Also, there IS a paperback version coming, it’s just going to take me a few days to get the files formatted and ready to go.

Thank you so much for your support. This is my eighth published novel, and I have been absolutely floored by the support of you awesome people who read my books and my blog and follow my little crazy adventures. I couldn’t do it without you!

 The Gauge War is on sale for $2.99 (usually $3,99). AND, for a limited time, you can grab The Sunken for just $0,99!

Post-scriptum: Radio NZ, Vaenir, and Crimson Peak

Here I am, talking on Radio NZ Nights about indie publishing.

In my ears: A friend of mine recommended Monolord’s Vaenir to me, and I’ve been thrashing that. It’s goooooood. Also, the soundtrack to Cats. I am aware those two albums are not necessarily great together …

Reading: I just finished Willing, by Michaela Wright, and Bossy, by Kim Linwood. Both were fun and well-written romances. Bossy in particular was hilarious. I am also still working my way through House of Leaves.

Writing: SO MANY THINGS. I’m dong some final edits on The Gauge War to get that ready for release on Halloween. I’m also working on the final 10k words of my gothic romance novel. This seems to be dragging on and on, but I’m hoping to have it done and to an editor in the next two weeks. I’ve started edits on Thorn – the 3rd Engine Ward book – and I’ve done a bit of planning for the short Christmas novella I’m hoping to write.

Watching: Crimson Peak. Holy shit. I loved it SO MUCH. Visually, it’s just stunning. I love the fact that the ghosts are so terrifying. The story, while predictable, is a really typical gothic plot, which was exactly what I was hoping for. The whole thing appeals to me on many, many levels. The husband and I went to see it at the theatre, which we rarely do, and did the whole Gold Class ticket thing – comfy laz-E-boys right in the front row, food and wine brought to our table … it was a very fun date.

On the Farm: I made some organic fertiliser which smells delightful (*sarcasm*) but has helped the grass in our fields bounce back. Currently, the sheep are running wild around our house while we wait for the grass to recover before we put them back in the paddocks. So I have to go outside every 20 minutes or so and check that they aren’t eating my vegetable garden or nibbling on my trees (both are roped off with electric fences but the sheep have thick coats right now so they barely feel the sting).

But the most exciting news is that WE ARE BUILDING OUR HOUSE. Well, the second half of it. This weekend we are preparing steel and poly and boxing ready to pour the porches. Next weekend the steel for the floor in the great hall goes down, and then after that we pour the floor and THEN WE WILL HAVE A FLOOR. Capital letters for the excitement.

Loving: Cats being silly \m/ Being on the Radio NZ the other night. It was so much fun. I got so nervous at the beginning that I forgot the presenter’s name, my name, how to say ‘hello’ the whole thing … that was a bit mortifying. But then I got the hang of it and it was really fun. I could’ve kept talking all night. You can listen to the interview online if you want. \m/ There’s also an interview with me about my eyesight on the Yes & Yes blog – I actually did the interview a couple of years ago, so some of the things I’ve said are a bit out of date, but people have been saying it’s a fascinating read. \m/ Excited about halloween plans next weekend – I’m performing a wedding ceremony dressed as Jack the Ripper, and then heading out to a metal party with a different costume … it’s uber geeky and silly, so hopefully people at the party will find it amusing and not simply weird. \m/ MEAD \m/ My friends from Peru are coming to visit in a couple of weeks. \m/ The Pop-Up Globe in Auckland. We are going to three of the plays, and have even scored ourselves a “Lord’s Box” for the occasion. Now I just need to find the perfect outfit to wear … \m/ house things are moving along and it’s all very exciting and scary. This time next year I’ll be cooking from my new kitchen and sleeping in my new tower bedroom. \m/ Family, friends, and all the good things that they bring to my life.

That’s my week. What about yours?

Don’t forget, you’ve only got until the 31st to pre-order The Gauge War and pay only $2.99 for it. After that the price goes up. So if you want to grab a copy in ebook format, now is the time!

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Metal History: The Iron Maiden (No, not THAT Iron Maiden)

In my novel Witch Hunter, Ulrich uses the devices in his torture chamber for pleasure, not destruction. A couple of readers have written to me, asking why I never included an iron maiden – one of the most well-recognised and iconic devices of the torturer’s grisly art – in Ulrich’s little room. I thought rather than respond privately, I’d write something about the iron maiden here, because the answer is actually quite interesting.

What is an Iron Maiden?

For many people, this brutal device captures the dark spirit of criminal justic in the Middle Ages. The maiden looks like a large steel coffin, shaped roughly like a man. Inside the casket, sharpened spikes protruded from the walls. When the unfortunate accused was shoved inside and the door to the maiden shut, the spikes would impale his/her skin, killing the victim slowly and with excruciating pain.

Often, the head section will be rendered as a real human head, with eyes and nose and features. The maiden might have a single or double door, and they are usually 6-7 feet tall, in order to accommodate the full height of a man.

There are several iron maidens on display throughout the world, although the most famous one – a copy of the Iron Maiden of Nuremburg – sits in the reception area of das Kriminalmuseum) (Museum of Crime) in Rothenburg. I was lucky enough to actually see this Maiden on our last German adventure, and I can attest that it’s a pretty terrifying sight. I find it poetic that the maiden still has the same use today that it did in history – to entertain and frighten tourists.

Did the Iron Maiden really exist?

Yes, but not in the capacity you might assume.

The truth is, the iron maiden is not a medieval torture device at all. It was actually invented in the 19th century. The first recorded description of an iron maiden was from Johann Philipp Siebenkees – a philosopher and archaeologist – in 1793. Siebenkees describes an iron maiden being used to execute a coin forger, on August 14, 1515.

“… the very sharp points penetrated his arms, and his legs in several places, and his belly and chest, and his bladder and the root of his member, and his eyes, and his shoulders, and his buttocks, but not enough to kill him; and so he remained making great cry and lament for two days, after which he died.”

How cruel people of the past were!

It turns out, Siebenkees made up the story of the iron maiden. He likely got the idea from old European fairy tales, where evil stepmothers were often punished by being sealed in a coffin that then had nails driven through it.

Another man, Matthew Peacock, spent his lifetime collecting plates and imagery of torture devices (I know, he sounds like a real charmer). Peacock created an iron maiden as a way to demonstrate, in his own words, “the dark spirit of the Middle Ages in contrast to the progress of humanity.” Peacock gifted his maiden to a museum.

Soon, people all over Europe were cobbling together Iron Maidens out of any old scrap to put on show to delight and terrify. Historians suggest the Iron Maiden of Nuremburg likely used a cast-iron head of the Virgin Mary to create the maiden’s face. It’s impossible to know, since the Nuremburg Maiden was destroyed during World War II when Allied Forces bombed the city. The one that remains in Rothenburg ob der Tauber today is a 19th century copy.

Tourists visiting Nuremburg castle during the 19th century could also walk away with their own souvenir maiden – a 4-inch tall replica complete with swinging door and spikes. Perfect for the mantelpiece! (Although, in all seriousness, I’d probably buy one).

This little guy was recently auctioned off. Source

Although the iron maiden is most likely fake, a similar device – although with a very different purpose – did exist during the medieval period. The “coat of shame” (Schandmantel) was a barrel constructed of wood with holes for the head and legs. It was not lined with spikes. The accused would be forced to wear the Schandmantel in public, while other people from the village would yell insults and hurl stones and rotten vegetables at them. This was usually a punishment for poachers and prostitutes.

So no one was ever actually tortured with an iron maiden?

Journalist Bobby Ghosh standing with the iron maiden he discovered in Baghdad. Source.

Sadly, this isn’t true. Although iron maidens weren’t de rigour in medieval dungeons, an iron maiden was discovered in the Iraqi National Olympic Committee compound in Baghdad. Reportedly, Uday Hussein (the elder son of Iraq’s deposed dictator) watched Iraqi athletes tortured in the device because they had not performed to expectations. He also had the feet of soccer players scalded and their tonails ripped out if they had a bad day on the field.

It is a sobering thought that a device such as this is in use today. It is hard for many of us to imagine a world where torture is a part of life, and used not to extract information, but to instil fear and legitimise power.

And on that cheery note, I’ll leave you with an Iron Maiden that we can all agree is pretty awesome. Who else has got their tickets for the 2016 world tour?

If you haven’t read it yet, you can pick up The Sunken, my dark fantasy novel, on Amazon now!

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A New Era of Author: I’m a guest on Radio NZ Nights!

radio sounddesk

Image via DJ Headlines.

A bit of an exciting start to the week for me. I’ve been invited to talk about indie-publishing on Radio NZ Nights, which is a weeknight show hosted by Bryan Crump that has a range of interesting guests including academics, authors, artists and scientists. Broadcasting 24 hours a day, Radio New Zealand National reaches almost every New Zealander. Its programme mix includes news and current affairs, documentaries and features, drama and music. At least 33% of the music it broadcasts is New Zealand in origin, and talk-orientated programmes make up 60% of air time.

Apart from when I was a kid and my school toured a radio station and I told a joke about dinosaurs on air, I’ve never actually been in a radio studio before, so I’m pretty excited (and more than a little nervous). Bryan Crump is the presenter, and he has a lovely voice and asks a lot of fascinating questions (I’ve been listening to previous shows all week to get a feel for what I should be talking about. We’re going to be talking about “a new era of author”, what it means to be a writer in this era of ebooks and easy indie publishing.

I’m going to be talking live in the studio from 9pm Monday 19 October (that’s tomorrow), but if that’s past your bedtime, you’ll be able to listen to the interview after the fact on the Radio NZ website. To find your local frequency, check out the ways to listen page.

Thanks so much to Radio NZ for giving me the opportunity, and to Sam Clemerson for arranging this awesome thing!

If you haven’t read it yet, you can pick up The Sunken, my dark fantasy novel, on Amazon now!

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Concert Review: Beastwars & Jakob, The Studio, Auckland, Oct 10

Let me start by saying that this is a bit of an unfair review, because I actually (sadly) missed 1/2 of Beastwars’ set because we had doubled booked ourselves for the evening. While NZ’s greatest alt. stoner metal band were tearing up the stage, CDH and I were tearing up with laughter at William Shatner’s one-man show at the Aotea Centre. Shatner was hilarious and quite inspiring, and I am SO glad we got to see him, but it did mean I am probably not an accurate judge of Beastwars set, and I completely missed the opening act, who I am told were quite decent. Normally, I wouldn’t even write a review if I hadn’t been there for the whole show, but I’ve been talking about this concert for months so I wanted to write something about it.

Over the weekend, two of NZ’s most highly-regarded metal/post-rock bands joined together for a show that almost defies classification. Jakob collected the Taite Prize this year for their majestic record Sines, and have been out on the road bringing their aural indulgence to the rest of the world on an European tour. Every album these guys put out gets more sophisticated, more pleasing, and more deeply ingrained in their own unique style. And when they’re joined by the inimitable Beastwars – arguably one of the best bands in the world producing soul-crushingly heavy stoner metal – you know you’re in for a good evening.

I arrived midway through their set. That deep bass hit me before I’d even walked through the door. I walked down to the front but couldn’t find my friends, so just hung out in the middle and enjoyed one of the heaviest bands I’ve ever seen. The band were occasionally visible behind a cloud of smoke, but that doom-laden cacophony they procduced was everywhere. Those riffs that thrill you so completely on their albums are even more intense and visceral live. It was primal, like the cracking open of the earth in a great cataclysmic event. It was also fucking fun.

I got a new shirt, yay!

They weren’t as tight as I was expecting, a bit loose and casual – a good fit for this show in front of a local crowd of long-time fans. I felt a couple of the guitar solos in particular came off a little messy, but much is forgiven of a band that’s this good. Beastwars are heading back into the studio soon to record their third album. This news makes me very happy.

Jakob were the closing act. I listen to Jakob a lot while I’m writing, because they are primarily instrumental, so there are no lyrics about slaying dragons or siring 1000 sons to distract me. I love the way their songs start off faint and then grow and grow into these aching, ponderous moods, before falling away again.

Live … they aren’t much to watch. I’m serious. If you want to see a lot of action, this is not the show to be at. They’re just standing there, playing the songs. There’s some pretty lights and things, but no frontman to really draw you in to the stage. But Jakob live isn’t about seeing, it’s about closing your eyes and losing yourself in that intense, deep music. It can be a bit strange as a metalhead seeing shows in other genres, because you can feel a bit lost as to what to do when there’s nothing to headbang to, but it is worth stepping outside the tried and true to experience something like this.

I thoroughly enjoyed this show, and definitely recommend anyone go along and see either of these bands if they happen to be near you. I definitely would again.

If you haven’t read it yet, you can pick up The Sunken, my dark fantasy novel, on Amazon now!

Be the first to grab a copy of my new book, The Gauge War, when it comes out in October – Sign up for the mailing list.