In early 2011, I made a life changing decision. Even though I wasn’t retirement age, the attraction of the world of full time work and a career in education had lost its appeal and I decided to spend some quality time at home doing the things I wanted to do!
I have always had stories in my head, but had only written a little novella when I was eleven years old and a short story when I joined a local writer’s group about twenty years ago. I had been an avid reader across many genres, including romance, as well as spending many years creating dry and dusty submissions for school funding.
Last Easter, I decided to enter the Romance Writers Australia Valerie Parv Award competition and excitedly wrote the first three chapters of my virgin foray into the world of romance.
I was delighted when I received some wonderful feedback, however those first three chapters sat on my desk until the 50k in 30 days sprint a couple of months later, while I wrote a little Steampunk novella which was my first submission to a publisher. I had seen a competition call and until that time I had never heard of steampunk.
So I did some research and discovered the wonderful world of Steampunk. Oh what bliss…my love of history and my vivid imagination allowed to combine in writing stories about sassy heroines and sexy heros! What more could a writer ask for?
So I entered the competition, but alas to no avail.
However I did then submit the story to five publishers and …wait for it… was offered four contracts within a week!
Winter of the Passion Flower was published in March 2012. The sequel – Summer of the Moon Flower -21st December 2012 and two further steampunk stories are planned for release in2013.
Annie’s Interview:
What does Steampunk mean to you?
Steampunk is warm, sassy and larger than life. The new direction of steampunk + romance and a historical setting allows a steampunk author to play with familiar settings and time periods. Steampunk romance has the potential to offer something familiar, yet different. Authors can stretch their creative wings. Sassy heroines can stretch the Victorian dress codes and sexual limitations…
What is your favorite thing about steampunk or writing about steampunk?
The creative license it gives me and my sassy heroines!
What is your favorite steampunk accessory?
My directional perambulator!
What turned you on to steampunk
My love of history and research and I just stumbled upon it one day
Do you have any upcoming Steampunk stories you can tell us about?
Summer of the Moon Flower will be released on 21 December
Viennese couturier versus the Knights Templar in a quest for immortality…
Sofia de Vargas continues the quest of the the de Vargas family to find botanicals to improve the human condition. Her research into the properties of the alpine moon flower to produce an elixir of immortality results in a fight for her life.
Is Dougal, Earl of Cumbrae who imprisons her on his isolated Scottish island, her sworn enemy…or her saviour?
Who is your favorite character of all from one of your Steampunk stories?
Dougal, Earl of Cumbrae is a good and righteous man…and extremely sexy!
What’s the hardest thing about creating a Steampunk universe?
Nothing… I love it all. Perhaps the time to undertake the research. I keep my historical facts as accurate as I can…and many more
What’s the easiest thing about creating a Steampunk universe?
I love dreaming up alternate devices.. directional perambulators, Astrolaberors for time travel
What does steampunk allow you to do as a writer that no other genres can?
Freedom.. no formulaic writing!
What are the challenges and advantages to writing a steampunk story?
Challenges are to keep it fresh and new. Advantages-being able to create my own new worlds.
How much research does it take and how much imagination.
80 percent imagination, 20 percent research!
Then back to my contemporary romance I madly wrote at night in the sprint room of the Australian Romance Writers’ Association, and we raced together against the whip. I made some wonderful friends in the process and was delighted to meet them all at the conference in Melbourne in August, 2011.
Best of all I finished my whole romance novel!
Fast forward to Easter 2012. That contemporary romance Holiday Affair has culminated in the realization of a dream come true. Picked up by the amazing Entangled Publishing where I have my very own personal publicist, and then…
No 1 in the Amazon Kindle store for Hot New Releases and six months in best seller lists!
Follow your dreams… persevere… and your dreams will come true if you believe in yourself!
Check out Annie’s Steampunk books:
- Winter of the Passion Flower –out now
- Summer of the Moon Flower (Dec 21 2012)
Watch for these books in the future:
- Inventions, Alchemy and other Wicked Adventures –Book 3 of the de Vargas series (July 2013)
- Smugglers, Spring Blossoms and other Brass Things -Book 4 of the de Vargas series (December 2013)
PRIZE ALERT: I will give away an e-copy of my new release Summer of the Moon Flower
Just post a comment to be entered to win!
I love the sound of alternate worlds within historical fact, and delightfully quirky gadgets. And I always love a man in a kilt. I hope Dougal wears one?
I loved Passion flower and look forward to the new stories in your series.
This sounds very interesting. Thanks for the blog!!
Wow! I’m uber impressed that you had the guts to quit your full-time job and go for the dream! I would love to win a copy of your book. It sounds fantastic!! Congradulations and wishing you continued success!
Great post, and you are the envy of me who is also disillusioned with both teaching and healthcare. My New Years resolution is to get my writing up and to get over the fears of rejection to get work submitted out their. Nothing better than working at what you love from home.
Good Luck Terri… Follow those dreams. We often talk about it and life passes by. Write and submit!
That is my new goal…not work this 9-5. It kinda kills a piece of your soul doesn’t it!! Congratulations on livin’ your dream!
It sure does, Annie. But when you are home you have to be structured and pretend you are in a workplace.
I love Steampunk and im always looking for new authors, adding you to my TBR pile
Thank you Hollie, Michelle K, Sue and Sandie. I love hearing my book is being added to TBR piles!
Congratulations! What a great story! I love steampunk (have written some myself!) It is uber fun to read and write!
It is Pauline. I love the freedom!
I’m always looking for new Steampunk books. Can’t wait to read this one!
Enjoy, S.J.!
Love the new Steampunk site.
Annie, I love the sound of this series. I’ve not really read Steampunk yet but I’m going to put your books on my TRL. I so LOVE a Scot in and out of a Kilt,. lol Congrats on following your dreams. 🙂
Carol L.
I’m sorry, I didn’t realize it was an e-copy. Since I can’t read e-books on this computer I’d ask not to be entered in the contest. Hopefully it will be in Print and I can buy it. Thanks again. 🙂
Carol L.
Love stamping! This one sounds fantastic!!!!!
Lol! Dang auto correct! That should say steampunk!
Hi Tiffany. Hope you enjoy my books. I think I had better get a move on with Book 3!
Thanks Carol… my steampunk series is a very gentle introduction to the genre. I love the romance!
Steampunk totally took me by surprise. I’ve been wanting to give it a try when it came to my attention. Then I was introduced to a steampunk band called Abney Park. Along with reading Meljean Brook’s Iron Seas series. Which I got hooked.
I also retired from my normal work, only to pursue farming. 🙂 So glad you made the leap into writing full time, because I need more steampunk to read. Fire up that steam press and crank those babies out. Woo-Hooo!
Cant wait to check this out!! Looks like something i could get into!!!
I can’t wait to get and read your books. I took a writing class for Steampunk and have been fascinated by it ever since. I’m currently working on a Contemporary Western romance, but I keep my historical fiction research nearby. My next planned project is a Steampunk Western.
Keep writing and I’ll be on the lookout for your name in the future.
Thank you, everyone for visiting.
Pamela, Amanda and Ronald…steampunk is getting more popular by the day!
Kathy. you can find all my books at
http://www.amazon.com/Annie-Seaton/e/B007M3YNFQ/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1
Aiming to have another 5-6 out there this year!
I always enjoy a good steampunk story, so I’m excited about this new site. I think your stories sound fantastic and I’m looking forward to reading them.
Thank you, Barbara. I love writing them and sharing my imagination out there!
I just read Winter of the Passion Flower last week and found it full of the fun steampunk elements. Congratulations on the many offers for your first novella!
Thank you, Carol. I hope you will enjoy Summer of the Moon Flower too!
I am a new Steampunk reader and am looking for new authors. Thanks for the great site and introduction to Annie Seaton. Also letting us know it is never to late to follow your dreams.
A pleasure to meet you, AnnWitch. I hope you follow your dreams as well!
You are definitely moved to the top of my TBR list. I found steampunk a year or so ago and I am hooked. Hubby thinks I’m nuts. He may be right but I know what I love to read.
Thanks Angee. Hope you like them!
Absolutely love steampunk! So glad you were able to “retire” and write your stories. Thanks for the contest.
“retire” is right, Liz. Never been so busy as now!
Well, what great fun that was! A big thank you to all the readers who bought my books today and visited my website. I have had many more visitors than usual today. Thanks for a great blog day!
thanks for the great interview…ive never read steampunk but now i am highly intrigued by this new style.
Hi Gail.. Try it.. you will be hooked!
I am always happy to hear about new steampunk books.
Nice interview.
bn100candg(at)hotmail(dot)com
I very much enjoy reading steampunk and am looking forward to checking these out! Best of luck to you!
This is a relatively new genre for me and I am currently dipping my toes into the pond. What I have read so far has been really good. I like the historical events with that touch of other, makes the imagination go free on what the future will be like. Thank you for sharing with us.
dz59001[at]gmail[dot]com
Thanks, Denise. I love writing them!
And the winner is TIffany!
Tiffany please email me- annieseaton26@gmail.com to collect your copy of Summer of the Moon Flower!