Launch the cupcake cannons, CHARMED VENGEANCE is here!
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I’m very excited that CHARMED VENGEANCE, book 2 in my Aether Chronicles series is finally out in the world. I say finally because I wrote the book in 2011 before INNOCENT DARKNESS even released. (Publishing can be a little slow, book 3 is already written). So, where I’ve known what happens in the further adventures of Noli, Kevighn, Steven, and James, for some time, now YOU get to see what happens—and I get to see your reactions.
I love this book. I love it even more than INNOCENT DARKNESS. CHARMED VENGEANCE takes place mostly in the mortal realm, so it’s more steampunky by nature. Noli spends most of the book on an airship, with air pirates (okay, so one of them is her brother, but they’re still air pirates). There are cannons and automatons and robberies and shoot outs and cake.
Lots of cake. No cake was harmed in the writing of this book. However, many, many sour patch kids sacrificed their lives in order to make this book great.
I do love writing the scenes in the Otherworld (faerie), but I was excited that I really got to steampunk it up in this book. The steampunk burlesque hall James and V visit was one of my favorite scenes to write.
We meet some new and interesting characters including Noli’s older brother Jeff and his girlfriend Captain Vix. The sassy airship captain was very fun to write. I also enjoyed writing the scene with the cannons (if I say more it will be spoiler-y).
One of the things I love most about writing steampunk is how creative you can be. You can put hoverboards in 1901 Los Angeles, steampunk the Mormon battalion, and create a world where Hawaii defeats U.S. invasion with the help of air pirates. You can explore the what-ifs and never-wases to weave exciting and different tales.
You can also add faeries.
The Aether Chronicles series is what I call “Fairytale Steampunk.” There are faeries, fairytale elements, and steampunk all in one story. The mortal world is steampunk and the Otherworld is, well, Faerie. I combined all these elements because I wanted to write a book I’d like to read, so I mixed up all my favorite things in one story (I am a huge folklore nerd.) Also, faeries are actually a logical choice to combine with steampunk. The Victorians LOVED faeries.
The problem with the world I built was that I actually had to create two worlds – Faerie and the mortal realm. The Otherworld has its own rules, government, and population, just like the mortal realm. But, considering I like world building, that wasn’t that much of a problem for me.
I hope you enjoy CHARMED VENGEANCE as much as I do. Visit www.aetherchronicles.com to learn more about the series.
What’s your favorite thing about steampunk?
~Suzanne
PRIZE ALERT: One lucky commenter will win a mini top hat and a couple of swag packs!
Check out Suzanne’s author page to find other information about her books
0 COMMENTS
kimmyl
11 years agoI love the whole grit of it. My favorite thing about steampunk romance is everything! I love the wonderful characters, the fantastic inventions, the inventive worlds, and of course, the romance. And love to see capabilities that ‘modern’ times have set in ‘old west’ or pioneer or Victorian era. It’s just cool to see how possible it is to change our entire world for better or worse with technology.
kac_030 at yahoo dot com
Cara King
11 years agoAir pirates? Cake? Count me in!
My favorite thing about steampunk is that it takes things I love from times past and mixes them with modern elements and imaginary creations, in the perfect proportions to make a great story in an alluring (or frightening) world… In other words, all the cool stuff, without the polyester!
Cara
Jessica M
11 years agoI love the combination of intriguing technologies and historical detail. It’s such a great blend when it’s well done and in Suzanne’s books, I love the addition of fairies!!!
Anne
11 years agoThe historical aspect as well as the unique and inventive ideas. The Victorian era which lends itself to the atmosphere and the characters that inhabit the worlds.
Terri M
11 years agoI love the inventions and quirks of steampunk novels.
Natasha
11 years agoMy favorite thing about steampunk is the fashion and all the different inventions.
Thanks for the chance to win!
Dina S
11 years agoI also love the fashions and inventions faeries 🙂
Raonaid Luckwell
11 years agoReally hard to pick just one thing about steampunk I like. Between the fashions, the gadgetry (that make it so much easier to follow than sci-fi), the touches of history.
Toni Whitmire
11 years agoI loved everything about it especially the fairies and the air ship bibbiesparks@yahoo.com
Amanda
11 years agoWell, for one thing, I didn’t know that Victorians loved faeries. That was a really new fact to me. ;D
The Aether Chronicles was the book which really introduced me to the idea of steampunk and faeries. Before reading Innocent Darkness, the only silver of knowledge I had of steampunk was that it was a combination of the new and old. It sounded really cola dn looked that way too but there were so limited examples of nice ones on the web (images that is). As for faeries, I only knew the term fairies and I have to admit that faeries sound better just like marionettes does over dolls. I always associated faeries with childishness and a representation of mythical goodness. It was quite an interesting twist to see faeries on the evil side in the book.
I really loved the combination and I have yet to find any of the like actually. Can’t wait to know more about the third book. 🙂
Amanda
11 years agoMy bad.
‘Cool and’ not ‘cola nd’.
Darlene Rose
11 years agoYea found the right link to join in. Loving my steampunk!
suzanne lazear
11 years agoThanks everyone!!! ~passes out cupcakes~
Catherine
11 years agoA cupcake cannon? I’d like to be on the receiving end of that!
I like the juxtaposition in Steampunk–the Victorian mores coupled with the cool technology.
Carol
11 years agoI like the juxtaposition of technology with Victorian dress and manners.
Regina
11 years agoI love the whole sort of anything goes attitude of steampunk. Anything is possible, you can mix faeries, elves, futuristic gadgets with a sort of old world flavor, just anything. Steampunk is without a doubt one of my favorite genres.
Nikki
11 years agoI love the creation of a variation of our world as we know it in the past with the cool devices that are thought about. It is an amazing mesh of imagination, that tests the limits of just how much you can re-create the past. I love reading steampuck…it totally rocks!!
viajeradelmar@aol.com
bn100
11 years agothe interesting technology
bn100candg at hotmail dot com
Kai W.
11 years agoTechnology and inventions are what drive human history. With them, we will still exist but civilization wouldn’t be what it is today.
Wilma Frana
11 years agoIt is all interesting, different from other sites.
Heather - Not Everyone's Mama
11 years agoWhile I haven’t read any steampunk books yet, I do LOVE steampunk jewelry and fashion. I have a slight obsession with it. 😀 Next books. 🙂
Liz S
11 years agoI love the variety. Each setting is just a little different given twist on history. Of course, the clothes and the inventions just make it so much more fun. Congrats on your new release!
miki
11 years agoI have this series on my wishlist and i do hope to get it soon because reading this just make it sound even more fantastic ( oki i admit i’m a little into pirate trend at the moment so air pirate is something i want to read)
now just need to get book 1 to start!
thank you for the giveaway too
isabelle(dot)frisch(at)gmail(dot)com
Mina Gerhart
11 years agoWhat’s NOT to love about Steampunk?
I love the HAWT romance, clothes, gadgets, alternative history, the kickass heros & heroines and the whole world of Steampunk. I got my hot automaton hands on a copy of Charmed Vengance (LOVE Jeff and Captain Vix, they rock!)
Mindy 🙂
Birdsooong@comcast.net
Polly
11 years agoI must admit that I’ve not read a steampunk novel but after reading this, I think I just might have to! I admire any writer who can write “other worlds”. I’ve tried doing that and never like what I produce. Guess my brain is too hard-wired to being grounded in this world! Congratulations on the new release Suzanne – and advanced congrats for book #3!
Suzanne Lazear
11 years agoThank you so much everyone for all your well-wishes and thank you so much for having me on!
Sarah J
11 years agoI love the science of it. I usually dislike science and mechanics, but if the story is done right the descriptions just suck me in. I love the feel and atmosphere of steampunk. I’ve only read a few, but they are usually really dark. The dark undertones fit the stories well and I love learning about new contraptions!