Jonathan Fesmire's Blog, page 2

Bodacious Creed and the Frisco Syndicate - Kickstarter Launch

I was going to wait until April 15 to launch my new Kickstarter, but it was approved and ready to go. I even added a new type of reward, and was excited to get it out into the world.So, here's the early launch to fund Bodacious Creed and the Frisco Syndicate!This is the sequel to my popular novel, Bodacious Creed: a Steampunk Zombie Western.I'm so excited about this one. I worked hard on the video, which came out to just two minutes, long enough to explain the basics and share some cool images. In fact, I'll share a few of those within this post.I also gave a lot of thought to the rewards. Everyone gets something, even $1 backers. There book itself will have Kindle (or ePub), trade paperback, and hardcover editions for backers, and other rewards include a deck of Bodacious Creed and the Frisco Syndicate playing cards, and a book cover poster.I'd say more, but all the information you need is on the Kickstarter page. And, if you have any questions, feel free to contact me.Back Bodacious Creed and the Frisco Syndicate and get yourself some cool rewards!

Book Review: Writing Deep Point of View by Rayne Hall

I've been writing seriously since my teens, in the 1980s, and of course learned the different types of point of view (POV) authors can use in fiction. Back then, no one was talking about deep POV. In most of the books I read, characters' thoughts were expressed in italics, with the "he thought" attribute.To my perception, sometime around the turn of the century, professional authors started to experiment with deep POV. Instead of saying "he thought," followed by the literal words the character was thinking in italics, they began simply putting that thought right into the text. Here's a comparison.Third person POV:"The chateau loomed less than a half a mile ahead, and though sunlight glossed the grasslands rising to it, a rolling nimbus cast the stone building in gloom. Holy crap, I have to go there? he thought."Third person deep POV:"The chateau loomed less than a half a mile ahead, and though sunlight glossed the grasslands rising to it, a rolling nimbus cast the stone building in gloom. Justin's throat felt parched. He put his hand to his neck as he tried to swallow and failed. Holy crap. How could he go there?"That shows the very basics of deep POV, but there's a lot more to this technique. Rayne Hall covers it expertly in Writing Deep Point of View. Whether you've begun to catch on to the technique in your reading or not, this book will help you close the distance between your characters and your readers, making your fiction more compelling.Hall's Writer's Craft series continues to deliver when it comes to helping authors learn advanced writing techniques.

Radio Retrofuture - Steampunk on YouTube

Radio Retrufuture is a YouTube channel run by one of my friends in the steampunk community, Bonsart Bokel. Bonsart is a talented crafter, video maker, and has a stunning level of knowledge about steampunk.Bonsart has featured me on his channel, and I've featured him on mine. Radio Retrofuture recently reached 1,000 subscribers. To help celebrate, I'm sharing it with you.The channel has many video categories and playlists. I'm going to focus on four here, but I encourage you to check out his channel to see what else you'll discover.Let's start with the Steampunk Beginner's Guide video series, where topics have included Steampunk and Anachronism, Costumes and Characters, and What is Steampunk Music?People new to our subculture will find them all helpful, especially, perhaps, the Costumes and Characters video, which covers how to come up with your own cosplay character and how to create your costume.Next, there's Steampunkish!, a series about various steampunk games. Bonsart (and his alter-ego, Dankaert Lexicon, presents various types of steampunk-related, or steampunkish, games you may enjoy. His reviews are honest, covering the good and bad aspects of each game, a bit of its history, and why it saw success, or not. Some of those include Iron Group Warlords, a retro third-person shooter from the early 2000s, Leviathan, a strategy, miniatures board game, and They are Billions!, a real-time strategy (RTG) fantasy steampunkish wargame, with zombies.The video game series Fallout allows you to play related radio broadcasts in-game. So, Bonsart created a series of videos called Steampunk Music for Fallout. With a plugin, linked at the bottom of each related video, you can have the audio of those videos going while you play.This series features some excellent steampunkish music. Why do I say steampunkish? Well, there's no one steampunk genre of music. Bands have taken a variety of styles and added what they consider steampunk elements to them, be that certain instruments, mechanical sounds, or lyrics about airships and automatons. Listen while you play Fallout, or just put it on in the background while you work.Finally, Bonsart interviews many people in the steampunk community, including me! You can see that interview right here, or check out his channel for many others. (I know, this smacks of self-promotion, but do check out the others!)Bonsart has done some great work for the steampunk community, and I hope you enjoy it. I know I do.

Cosplay by McCall's: Calista Knight II & Stirling Regent

Brief UpdateI know, I know! It's been more than two months since I wrote a post. That's unusual for me, but I've been especially busy. Here are a few of thing thing I've been doing, besides writing and parenting.I'm ramping up to write the first draft of Bodacious Creed and the Frisco Syndicate, the sequel to my well-loved novel, Bodacious Creed: a Steampunk Zombie Western. I'm doing a lot of research into San Francisco in 1876. While I realize I can make changes, large and small, since this is my own alternate reality, I want to start with a solid understanding of the city at that time, and let me tell you, it was nuts. San Francisco is going to make a great setting for this novel.In addition, just like I did for the first novel in this series, I plan to run a Kickstarter for Bodacious Creed and the Frisco Syndicate. I've been working on the video and script. I will let you all know when that's live! That'll probably be in about a month.On April 15, I'm going to be a guest on a popular sci-fi podcast. I'll let everyone know when that happens. While on it I plan to mention the Kickstarter, and the audio book version of Bodacious Creed, now on Audible.As you can see, it's been all about research and business. But yes, this blog is part of that business, too! I get to share so many cool things with you here. So, let's get to it.The PatternsThis week, I have two new Cosplay by McCall's patterns to share, with ideas for how to throw on that steampunk flare.Calista Knight IICalista Knight I contains the no sew design for an Amazonian breastplate and circlet, but that's just the start of a complete cosplay. This addition, Calista Knight II, adds a left-shoulder pauldron (and you can reverse the pattern to make one for the right shoulder) and a horned headpiece. As with Calista Knight I, you'll need some Worbla to craft these pieces, as well as a marking pen, sharp scissors or a craft knife, a heat gun, heat resistant gloves, and several more items. The package gives a comprehensive list.Goggles, a leather-bound watch, metallic tubing or wires, and a brass highlights would give this a nice hint of steampunk. The Calista Knight II pattern sells on the Cosplay by McCall's site for just $9.95, and was designed by Becka Noel.Stirling RegentThis gorgeous dress looks like it came straight out of Alice and Wonderland. I can easily see the Red Queen wearing this. Few fictional places are more suited to the steampunk aesthetic than Wonderland.Stirling Regent includes patterns for the top, skirt, and detachable collar. Keep in mind, this is an advanced level pattern, so if you're new to cosplay creation, you may want to get some assistance. Suggested fabrics include sequin, brocade, twill, novelty lace and fabrics, and tulle. It also calls for a variety of notions, including polyester boning, beaded trim, and more.Adding some Victorian-style gadgets would ease this toward steampunk, but to start, you could look for flowers, beads, sequens, and jewels that say "retro-future." Miniture gears, or anything brass, will give it that feel.Stirling Regent sells on the Cosplay by McCall's site for $15.95.

Review: 11/22/63 by Stephen King

The ReviewI love good time travel, and good alternate history, stories. 11/22/63 is both, but it's so much more. It will take you to the late 1950s and early 1960s with vivid clarity, where you'll meet well-rounded characters you'll come to love.What would you do if you had access to a time tunnel, that always opens to a specific place, at a specific moment? Jake Epping, a 35-year-old high school English teacher, has to decide that for himself when asked to fulfill a mission: go back to 1958, live in the past for five years, and stop Lee Harvey Oswald from killing President Kennedy.What ensues is an odyssey into an era when nearly everyone smoked, segregation ruled in the American South, and the Cold War was at its height. It was also a simpler time in a much more trusting and friendly U.S. While planning to stop Oswald, Jake makes friends, falls in love, and learns that the past doesn't want to be changed, and will fight against him.I had a tough time predicting where the story would go. As an author myself, I kept thinking about what I would write. There were so many turns the tale could have taken, but I think that King's plot was near perfect. You'll learn a lot about love with this book, but I think the most important lesson is this: Accept the past, and learn to move forward.NextAs I sometimes do after reading Stephen King novels, I'm going to watch the mini-series (sometimes it's a movie!) based on it.One thing I've noticed recently with King adaptations is that the details often diverge, sometimes greatly, from the source novels. This was the case both with Mr. Mercedes and It. Those were done well and stuck to the spirit of the stories, hitting the most important points. (Don't get me started on the "adaptation" of The Dark Tower. The books are among my favorite of all time. The movie was a mess.)Anyway, I suspect the mini-series version of 11/22/63 will also be excellent.On An Unrelated NoteI'm giving away another limited edition hardcover copy of my novel, Bodacious Creed: a Steampunk Zombie Western!Enter for free, and you'll also get subscribed to my newsletter, and you'll be able to download a prequel story to the novel, as well as a large PDF version of the map contained on the first pages.That's it! What else is there to say, but... read on!

On Producing an Audiobook - My Experience with Bodacious Creed

Bodacious Creed - AudiobookI'm happy to announce that my novel, Bodacious Creed: a Steampunk Zombie Western, is now available on Audible. It's 14 hours and 14 minutes of entertainment, read by my friend and professional narrator, d golden.She does a wonderful job with the various character voices and personalities. There were even some places where she pleasantly surprised me with her interpretation of peoples' accents and reactions.The Audible version is $24.95 on the Audible site, though it looks like it's at a discount on Amazon, so here's that link:Bodacious Creed: a Steampunk Zombie Western - Audible EditionYou can also get a one-month Audible trial and listen to it for free!Making the AudiobookIf you're an author, you may be wondering right now how I got Bodacious Creed on Audible.Believe it or not, it wasn't as tough as you might think.Amazon/Audible has a site called Audiobook Creation Exchange. Go there and sign in with your Amazon account. I won't give full details on how to do this, as you can learn from the site itself, but I will share the basics.Once you've logged in, you'll create a new project. It will allow you to search for your book on Amazon. You'll select it, and set up the project.Next, you'll make sure readers can audition to be your narrator. That involves choosing a few pages of your book, and uploading them for readers to audition with. I picked part of Bodacious Creed that has a few of the main characters talking, so that I could not only hear narration style, but how each potential producer read the voices.You'll also need to specify terms, and there are two choices: pay the narrator up-front, or split royalties 50/50.Yes, it's possible to get the audiobook finished and live with no upfront cost to you! That's what I went with, and I got three auditions in just two days. The narrator I picked was a friend of mine already, but I still wanted to make sure I got the right reader for the book. After hearing the three auditions I received, I knew I wanted to offer her the job.Once you've selected the narrator you want, make them an offer and set further terms. The most important thing to decide at this point is how long it should take for them produce the audiobook. Talk to the narrator about this so that you can come to an agreeable time frame.As they produce each section or chapter, they'll share them on the ACX site with you. You can then listen. Let them know if you need any changes. Bodacious Creed needed about 20 audio corrections at all, excellent, when you consider the book is 120,000 words and 59 chapters long, 14 hours and 14 minutes recorded! We used a Google Sheets spreadsheet. Following is a list of the columns, and what each one is for.Date: The date of the requested change.Pickup #: The number identifying the change to be made. Down the sheet, this should go 1, 2, 3, 4, etc.Chapter: The chapter of the book with the pickup. (We use the term "pickup" instead of "mistake.")Time: The time in the audio file for the chapter where the pickup occurs.Page: My narrator read the book on her Kindle, so we left this blank, but if yours is reading from a print copy, you can put the page number here for his convenience.Error: What the narrator said, how she pronounced a word incorrectly, or whatever else needs to be fixed.Correction: How to read the pickup correctly.Once they have read the entire book and all pickups have been corrected, you're almost good to go.At that point, make sure to upload your cover. The site will tell you the specifics there. Also, pick a five minute section of the book for use as the audio sample. This is very important, so choose well, and get your narrator's input. (d golden picked the one we went with, and to get people interested in the book, it's better than what I had chosen.)One more thing: In the sample, don't include the book title, copyright information, or even the chapter heading. ACX will send the book back and ask you to correct it if you do.Then, you and the narrator will approve it, and it will go to the ACX team. In 10 to 14 days, so long as they're happy with the quality, the book will go live on Audible and on Amazon, linked to the print and Kindle versions! You'll get an email explaining further steps, such as making sure it's in the right categories, how to get your 25 promo codes for reviewers, plus some marketing suggestions.In ClosingTo keep up with my posts, including my many cosplay reviews, writer tips, interviews, and more, sign up below for The Wild Steampunk Newsletter.

Cosplay by McCall's: Calista Knight I & Carpathia

The PatternsThe year 2017 has come and is nearly gone! This is yet another one that both seems to have gone by quickly, and to have been incredibly long. On the world stage, this has not been the best year, and I hope 2018 is better. Personally, though, I've enjoyed sharing steampunk and writing related posts with you. I read a couple dozen books, and plan to read many more this year. My novel Bodacious Creed: a Steampunk Zombie Western came out in August and has been doing great. It now has 29 reviews on Amazon, all 4 and 5 star. I'm also doing research for the sequel.One thing I love doing is sharing the latest Cosplay by McCall's patterns, and here are the final two for 2017.Calista Knight IThis one surprised me as I read the package. Calista Knight I is a no-sew design. Made by becka noel for McCall's, you make it from a thermoplast material called Worbla's Finest Art. No-sew doesn't mean simple. This pattern will help you learn new cosplay-creation skills.To make this Valkyrie/Amazonian-style breastplate and circlet combination, you'll need the aforementioned Worbla plus black lacing detail, black ribbon ties, a pen or marker, sharp scissors or a craft knife, a heat gun, heat-resistant gloves, plastic wrap, waxed paper or a heat resistant surface, olive oil, wooden clay sculpting tools, a bead roller for the detail trims, a leather hole punch, 220-400 grit sandpaper, a primer like Mod Podge, acrylic paint brushes or sponges, and flexible spray varnish.To create a steampunk look, consider giving the pieces a brown, leather look rather than a metalic one, and add details like gears and connecting tubes. Goggles and leather gaultlets with gadgets embedded can complete the effect.The Calista Knight I pattern sells on the Cosplay by McCall's site for just $9.95.CarpathiaCarpathia, by Anachromism in Action, is also for neck and torso pieces. These would work well in a number of eras, though my mind quite naturally goes to Victorian times and the Wild West.As shown on the packaging, the fabric designs you choose will go a long way toward making your finished cosplay your own.For this waste cincher and neck corsets combination (yes, there are two neck corset styles), you'll want brocade, novelty fabrics, satin, twill or coutil lining, and sewn-in interfacint, plus a variety of notions, including corset lacing, grosgrain ribon, two-part eyelets, and more.To fit this into the steampunk aesthetic, you can always add various costume pieces. You may also want to choose fabric with flowering, Victorian paterns for the fabric.Carpathiasells for $15.95 and its difficulty level is listed as advanced.Coming SoonThe audio book version of Bodacious Creed: a Steampunk Zombie Western is finished, and will be available shortly! The narrator, d golden, did a fantastic job. I'll write a post about it here and share it with my newsletter. To keep up with my posts, including my many cosplay reviews, sign up below.

Review of The Bill Hodges Trilogy: Mr. Mercedes, Finders Keepers, and End of Watch

Early this morning I finished the final book of the Bill Hodges trilogy by Stephen King, which begins with Mr. Mercedes (you may have seen that it's also a TV show now!), continues in Finders Keepers, and comes to a brilliant conclusion with End of Watch. I found all three books engaging and, busy though I am, each took me only about a week to read.If you like detective stories in which the murderer is usually one step ahead of the detective, you'll love these. I even have a short tip for writers at the end. Read on.On SuicideThese novels deal with the heartbreaking subject of suicide. If you are suffering from suicidal ideation (the clinical term for suicidal thoughts), please call the suicide prevention hotline, 1-800-273-TALK. Stephen King even includes the number in the final book of the Bill Hodges Trilogy, which covers the subject in a sad and honest way.It's easy to sink into depressing thoughts, but they are just that: thoughts. Having someone to talk to can help!Mr. MercedesI waited until I read all three books in the Bill Hodges Trilogy before starting my reviews of the individual books, and I'm glad I did. Doing so allowed me to get a broader view of the story as a whole.The overarching theme of the series, first shown early in Mr. Mercedes, is suicide, both the tragedy of it and some people's fascination with it.In this thriller, Det. Ret. (Detective, Retired) K. William Hodges frequently has suicide on his mind. His life doesn't seem to have much purposes since his retirement, he doesn't often see his old friends, and is largely estranged from his daughter. On top of that, several cases, still open when he left the police force, still weigh on him, especially the case of a man who plowed a Mercedes into a job fair crowd, killing eight and wounding many more.Then, he receives a letter in the mail from the Mercedes Killer, bragging about the mass murder and taunting him. What ensues is as much a psychological battle as a mystery as Hodges pursues the killer, often breaking the law to do so.This story is filled with well-rounded characters, complex motivations, and action. It's a powerful start to a fantastic trilogy.Oh, and I also discovered after finishing the trilogy that there is a Mr. Mercedes television series I had no idea existed. With the first season out, I need to figure out where to see it, so I can binge watch it as soon as possible. The pictures of the cast even look close to how I imagined the characters.Finders KeepersIn this, the second book of the Bill Hodges Trilogy, Bill and co. take a back seat to young teen Pete Saubers and villain Morris Bellamy. Of course, Hodges and Holly Gibney, now running an agency called Finders Keepers, of course play a significant role once the story gets rolling.While suicide is still the primary theme of this series, Finders Keepers is also about literature and how stories can engross and shape minds. It starts with author John Rothstein, whose novels about a rebel named Jimmy Gold are hugely popular in the 50s and 60s. Rothstein then retires to a secluded home. He continues to write, but not to publish, neatly penning two new Jimmy Gold novels as well as poems and short stories in a series of Mokeskine notebooks.Many years after Rothstein's death in 1978, Tom Saubers, Pete's father, is one of the people badly wounded in the Mercedes attack at the job fair. With his family struggling through the recession in 2010, Pete wishes he could help. Then, he discovers a trunk buried behind their home. In the trunk: The notebooks, and the money.To say any more would be to go into too many spoilers. This is another gripping story and a worthy middle chapter to the Bill Hodges Trilogy.And while Mr. Mercedes isn't the threat in Finders Keepers, he's there, waiting in the wings.End of WatchIt just keeps coming back to that day at the job fair, and the Mercedes Massacre.Six years have passed since Brady Hartsfield drove a gray Mercedes into a crowd of desperate job seekers, killing eight and injuring many others. A year later, he ended up in a mental hospital, first in a coma, then awake, but with severe brain damage, enough to keep him from going to trial for that and the attempted murder of thousands.Now, in End of Watch, retired detective and co-owner of the investigative agency Finders Keepers learns about a murder suicide that tangentially points back to Hartsfield. As more clues come to light, it seems clear that Hartsfield is behind a series of suicides and attempted suicides, but how can that be possible, with him in a mental ward in a near-vegetative state? Thousands of lives could be on the line if Hodges, now deathly thin and ailing, can't figure it out, and stop the suicides in time.Enough summary. This final book in the Bill Hodges Trilogy drew me right in. We find familiar and new characters we love and hate, all well-rounded with strong motivations. End of Watch adds a new element, psychic powers, likely brought on by an experimental drug, and it makes the story all the more terrifying.The theme of suicide comes back strongly in this novel, and King includes a real suicide hotline number, 1-800-273-TALK.End of Watch is a satisfying conclusion to the Bill Hodges Trilogy.For WritersYou should always learn something about writing with each book you read. The big take-away I got from the Bill Hodges Trilogy that I'd like to share with you all is this:Keep your characters thinking.They should make the best decisions they can based on their state at the time of the decision, and their intelligence. That makes them more compelling and can really ratchet up the tension.In Mr. Mercedes, when you read Bill Hodges's first response to the Mercedes Killer via a website called Under Debbie's Blue Umbrella, you'll see what I mean.Coming Soon I have new Cosplay by McCall's patterns to review, so look for that post soon!If you'd like updates, and some free stories as well, subscribe to The Wild Steampunk Newsletter below.

Three Very Cute Cosplay by McCall's Patterns: Romantique, Pixie Sprite, and Charm School

The PatternsIf there's one word that, to me, describes this week's Cosplay by McCall's patterns, it's "cute." I mean cute as in lovely, adorable, and at least a touch sexy. As with all my pattern reviews, I'll share a few ideas on how to give them a touch of steampunk.RomantiqueGoing for a 20s flapper look, or would you even like to own lingerie from that era? Romantique has you covered. The pattern is for the tops, including a bed jacket and cami top, which would also work well for a wild west soiled dove cosplay. It's cute, sexy, pretty, and puffy, and fun.Depending on the era you're going for, you could make it more steampunk, or create a dieselpunk look. For steampunk, consider goggles, bracers, and belt with a model Derringer, and low brown boots. For dieselpunk, you might want to add black or green flight goggles, a dark leather vest, suspenders, or dark boots.As for fabrics, Romantique calls for cotton or cotton blends, lightweight linen, sheers, novelty sheers, lace, and fusible interfacing, plus a variety of notions, including piping and lace trim. Rated easy, this is a great place costume pattern for new cosplayers.Romantique retails for $14.95 on the Cosplay by McCall's site.Pixie SpriteAs I mentioned in my last post, I love these fairy cosplay patterns! I think fairies are adorable, and I've enjoyed some great stories involving the fae folk. Pixie Sprite is another lovely fairy cosplay. I can see this as the basis for a courtesan to a fairy queen, or perhaps even the queen herself.I also love the idea of steampunk fairies in a magical Victorian setting, so add some gadgets, and you're set. Or, you could make a necklace or belt out of gears, something that, perhaps, your character made from the workings in a broken watch. Are you missing your wings? You can add those to this cosplay, thanks to the accessory pattern that I reviewed in my last blog post, Ala Glow.With all the overlays and ruffles in the dress, this pattern is rated intermediate difficulty. You'll use five contrasting fabrics. McCall's suggests cotton and cotton blends, damask, brocade, novelty fabrics, crinkle, pre-pleated novelty fabrics, novelty sheers, and lining fabrics. Notions include an invisible zipper and eyelets.Pixie Sprite was designed for McCall's by Ichigo Black, and sells for $15.95.Charm SchoolI told you, all these cosplays are really cute. This one recalls Eastern Europe. Charm School has a wintery look for when the weather isn't yet too cold, and includes patterns for the jacket, skirt with suspenders, and neck tie.The skill level for this is intermediate, and the lined jacket has a notched collar, gathers, cuffs, and more. Fabrics called for include gabardine, cotton, cotton sateen, lining fabric, fusible interfacing, lightweight linen, and lace. For notions, you'll need shoulder pads, two-part eyelets, zippers, broken jewelry or chains, and more. This looks like a fun and creative cosplay project for anyone who gets it.For the patterns, consider gears or Victorian stitching, which includes swirly flowers, and the like. A Google search for "Victorian patterns" will bring up hundreds of pictures. Likewise, for the chains and broken jewelry, consider using bits that have a steampunk or Victorian feel.Charm School retails for $15.95.Coming SoonJust as I was ready to write this blog post, two new patterns from McCall's came in the mail! I plan to review them shortly, probably next week.I also promised a review of Mr. Mercedes by Stephen King, and to discuss character-driven stories. I finished the novel a couple of days ago and loved it. In fact, I started reading the next book last night. So, look for that review and writing treatise.And finally, I'm excited to announce that the audio book version of Bodacious Creed: a Steampunk Zombie Western is coming soon! The narrator, d golden, has just three more chapters to read, and then we submit it to Audible. Meanwhile, you can get a print or Kindle copy of the book as well.To keep up with my posts, including my many cosplay reviews, sign up below.

So Very Cute Cosplay by McCall's Patterns: Romantique, Pixie Sprite, and Charm School

The PatternsIf there's one word that, to me, describes this week's Cosplay by McCall's patterns, it's "cute." I mean cute as in lovely, adorable, and at least a touch sexy. As with all my pattern reviews, I'll share a few ideas on how to give them a touch of steampunk.RomantiqueGoing for a 20s flapper look, or would you even like to own lingerie from that era? Romantique has you covered. The pattern is for the tops, including a bed jacket and cami top, which would also work well for a wild west soiled dove cosplay. It's cute, sexy, pretty, and puffy, and fun.Depending on the era you're going for, you could make it more steampunk, or create a dieselpunk look. For steampunk, consider goggles, bracers, and belt with a model Derringer, and low brown boots. For dieselpunk, you might want to add black or green flight goggles, a dark leather vest, suspenders, or dark boots.As for fabrics, Romantique calls for cotton or cotton blends, lightweight linen, sheers, novelty sheers, lace, and fusible interfacing, plus a variety of notions, including piping and lace trim. Rated easy, this is a great place costume pattern for new cosplayers.Romantique retails for $14.95 on the Cosplay by McCall's site.Pixie SpriteAs I mentioned in my last post, I love these fairy cosplay patterns! I think fairies are adorable, and I've enjoyed some great stories involving the fae folk. Pixie Sprite is another lovely fairy cosplay. I can see this as the basis for a courtesan to a fairy queen, or perhaps even the queen herself.I also love the idea of steampunk fairies in a magical Victorian setting, so add some gadgets, and you're set. Or, you could make a necklace or belt out of gears, something that, perhaps, your character made from the workings in a broken watch. Are you missing your wings? You can add those to this cosplay, thanks to the accessory pattern that I reviewed in my last blog post, Ala Glow.With all the overlays and ruffles in the dress, this pattern is rated intermediate difficulty. You'll use five contrasting fabrics. McCall's suggests cotton and cotton blends, damask, brocade, novelty fabrics, crinkle, pre-pleated novelty fabrics, novelty sheers, and lining fabrics. Notions include an invisible zipper and eyelets.Pixie Sprite was designed for McCall's by Ichigo Black, and sells for $15.95.Charm SchoolI told you, all these cosplays are really cute. This one recalls Eastern Europe. Charm School has a wintery look for when the weather isn't yet too cold, and includes patterns for the jacket, skirt with suspenders, and neck tie.The skill level for this is intermediate, and the lined jacket has a notched collar, gathers, cuffs, and more. Fabrics called for include gabardine, cotton, cotton sateen, lining fabric, fusible interfacing, lightweight linen, and lace. For notions, you'll need shoulder pads, two-part eyelets, zippers, broken jewelry or chains, and more. This looks like a fun and creative cosplay project for anyone who gets it.For the patterns, consider gears or Victorian stitching, which includes swirly flowers, and the like. A Google search for "Victorian patterns" will bring up hundreds of pictures. Likewise, for the chains and broken jewelry, consider using bits that have a steampunk or Victorian feel.Charm School retails for $15.95.Coming SoonJust as I was ready to write this blog post, two new patterns from McCall's came in the mail! I plan to review them shortly, probably next week.I also promised a review of Mr. Mercedes by Stephen King, and to discuss character-driven stories. I finished the novel a couple of days ago and loved it. In fact, I started reading the next book last night. So, look for that review and writing treatise.And finally, I'm excited to announce that the audio book version of Bodacious Creed: a Steampunk Zombie Western is coming soon! The narrator, d golden, has just three more chapters to read, and then we submit it to Audible. Meanwhile, you can get a print or Kindle copy of the book as well.To keep up with my posts, including my many cosplay reviews, sign up below.