It’s still about an hour before we are officially underway but I popped in to be sure everything is working and thought I’d go ahead and open the gate. Please, no stampede –LOL. We are not rationing fun so there is plenty for all.

A few months ago I had only the most vague notion of what “Steam Punk” was all about. But once I began to get educated I was hooked. I loved the Victorian flavored  adventure novels such as those by Jules Verne and H. Rider Haggard so it was only the tiniest step to be in the steam punk fandom.  I mean if you mix the romance of the Victorian era with a flavor of fantasy and science fiction and a generous dash of wild imagination, you have to have a winner! I know you are all gonna have a blast today!

Labor Day is traditionally the last gasp of summer even though the season change comes to us some three weeks later. I hope you have all had a terrific summer and are now recuperating with the kids back in school and the steamy heat of August ‘dog days’ fading into memory. I enjoyed my two month vacation but it’s great to be back. I’ve missed some of our regulars and chit-chatting here so much.

NM had a very wet July which did ease the southwest drought a little but though August was humid, not much rain in many parts of the state again. And too much a few places–flash floods and some scary storms. There is a chance for a bit more monsoon type weather for the first week or two of this month but it does not look real promising. Anyway I am ready for fall which has always been my favorite season.

In my writer hat,  I had one new Deirdre O’Dare story come out in July and just turned one in that will be out in October. I’ve had a bit of a slump but am beginning to gather steam (no pun intended!) again now. As for steam punk, I only have one that is kinda there–cross steam punk with star trek and a big dash of silliness and you have Tom Fleet’s Incredible Machine. I’ll only post an excerpt if it gets real slow today as it is not a new release.

Anyway welcome to our anniversary bash and steam punk extravaganza and be sure to comment a lot for chances to win the usual $25 CTR Bookstore gift certificate or our really cool steam punk themed quilt. Photo below! (I should not brag but I think it is about the best one we have had for a prize!)

Steam Punk lap robe/wall hanging prize