How I Learned To Love Steampunk by Michelle Brenton
[caption id="attachment_8647" align="alignleft" width="273" caption="Raven Dane being interviewed about her steampunk book Cyrus Darian and the Technomicron"]
[/caption]
This year I attended my first ever Steampunk event. Our publishing company Endaxi Presses Prosochi imprint is one under which we publish edgy adult oriented books and Raven Dane our lovely fantasy sci-fi horror author branched out into Steampunk this year and took us along for the ride.
First of all we had to learn what Steampunk was. In a nutshell we discovered a rich imaginative joyful world of Splendid Folk. Dressed in Victorian era costume from all over the globe but with a definite Raj flavour and tricked out in delightful little gizmos and gadgets featuring cogs and polished brass most strongly.
[caption id="attachment_8638" align="alignright" width="225" caption="Raven Dane fascinated by the Steampunk firearm."]
[/caption]
The writing tends to be a blend of the style of Arthur Conan Doyle, the fantasy of HG Wells or Jules Verne and a futuristic dystopian atmosphere like the film The Golden Compass where people fly about in steam-powered dirigibles.
Raven pulled out all the stops and turned up beautifully costumed in appropriate garb. My husband and I chickened out and wore our usual attire. But the wonderful thing was how welcome we felt. I would estimate 85% plus of the thousands of attendees were in costume but there was no looking down on the newbies. Instead we were enveloped into the fold and enthusiastically included as much as possible. Whole families could be seen - all dressed in victorian/steampunk clothing right down to babes in perambulators. It was heartening to be at an event where children were so welcome and so obviously thoroughly enjoying themselves.
[caption id="attachment_8639" align="alignleft" width="225" caption="Incredible steampunk costume at Lincoln Steampunk Event at The Asylum"]
[/caption]
The Steampunk Weekend at the Asylum has been held at Lincoln for the past three years and we were amazed at the organisation and happy atmosphere despite large numbers of attendees and very hot muggy weather.
Raven's book launch went swimmingly well with the help of some steampunk pals who turned up as characters from her book Cyrus Darian and the Technomicron and enacted a little drama for general entertainment.
All in all we had a wonderful time, made some lasting friendships and cannot wait to get to the next event and do it all again. :)
The organisers who go by the steampunk names of Major Thaddeus Tinker and Lady Elsie and their team of helpers did a brilliant job and obviously combined a huge amount of hard work with intelligent planning to arrive at such a streamlined experience.
[caption id="attachment_8644" align="aligncenter" width="400" caption="Raven Dane with Cyrus Darian and Lady Teknoligi"]
[/caption]
Here are a few of the wonders we found in our first venture into the world of steampunk: a steampunk witch with her broom, an example of steampunk gadgetry, and a mechanical bird in a gilded cage.
* * *
(Note: Thanks, Michelle for this great write-up! Raven Dane's book is available below.)
[/caption]This year I attended my first ever Steampunk event. Our publishing company Endaxi Presses Prosochi imprint is one under which we publish edgy adult oriented books and Raven Dane our lovely fantasy sci-fi horror author branched out into Steampunk this year and took us along for the ride.
First of all we had to learn what Steampunk was. In a nutshell we discovered a rich imaginative joyful world of Splendid Folk. Dressed in Victorian era costume from all over the globe but with a definite Raj flavour and tricked out in delightful little gizmos and gadgets featuring cogs and polished brass most strongly.
[caption id="attachment_8638" align="alignright" width="225" caption="Raven Dane fascinated by the Steampunk firearm."]
[/caption]The writing tends to be a blend of the style of Arthur Conan Doyle, the fantasy of HG Wells or Jules Verne and a futuristic dystopian atmosphere like the film The Golden Compass where people fly about in steam-powered dirigibles.
Raven pulled out all the stops and turned up beautifully costumed in appropriate garb. My husband and I chickened out and wore our usual attire. But the wonderful thing was how welcome we felt. I would estimate 85% plus of the thousands of attendees were in costume but there was no looking down on the newbies. Instead we were enveloped into the fold and enthusiastically included as much as possible. Whole families could be seen - all dressed in victorian/steampunk clothing right down to babes in perambulators. It was heartening to be at an event where children were so welcome and so obviously thoroughly enjoying themselves.
[caption id="attachment_8639" align="alignleft" width="225" caption="Incredible steampunk costume at Lincoln Steampunk Event at The Asylum"]
[/caption]The Steampunk Weekend at the Asylum has been held at Lincoln for the past three years and we were amazed at the organisation and happy atmosphere despite large numbers of attendees and very hot muggy weather.
Raven's book launch went swimmingly well with the help of some steampunk pals who turned up as characters from her book Cyrus Darian and the Technomicron and enacted a little drama for general entertainment.
All in all we had a wonderful time, made some lasting friendships and cannot wait to get to the next event and do it all again. :)
The organisers who go by the steampunk names of Major Thaddeus Tinker and Lady Elsie and their team of helpers did a brilliant job and obviously combined a huge amount of hard work with intelligent planning to arrive at such a streamlined experience.
[caption id="attachment_8644" align="aligncenter" width="400" caption="Raven Dane with Cyrus Darian and Lady Teknoligi"]
[/caption]
Here are a few of the wonders we found in our first venture into the world of steampunk: a steampunk witch with her broom, an example of steampunk gadgetry, and a mechanical bird in a gilded cage.
* * *
(Note: Thanks, Michelle for this great write-up! Raven Dane's book is available below.)
