Steampunk Fashion

One of the things that makes steampunk different from other genres of fiction is the diversity of arts people use to explore steampunk. Yes, some people dress as Gandalf or Darth Vader, but those are not the norm and they are merely copying images which have been given to them. In fact, steampunk is not really a genre, in a sense it is an art movement that crosses boundaries, unlike anything I can think of which came before.

Steampunk fashion is all about finding your own path. The variety of styles is as varied as the people who enjoy steampunk.

There is the punk-rock steampunk look.



To the more demure and traditional Victorian era garb.



To the decidedly more, "out there" retro-science fiction looks.





There is a look to suit anyone. And, unlike your Darth Vader helmet, much of it can be worn outside of a convention setting without attracting undue attention. Well, undue negative attention anyhow, it's hard to imagine anyone failing to notice that first one.

I have added a link to the links bar where you can find all the above pictures and more, take a trip over to steampunk fashion and have a look for yourself!

Working

"People just don't think of writing seriously. If I had been going off to teach all day, it would have been different. They wouldn't interrupt your work if you were employed at a grocery store. That's considered serious business. It's because you work at home. People think they can interrupt writing." -Jessamyn West


I have been working up a storm lately. Today I wrote over 3,300 words, breezing through what I thought would be one of the toughest parts of the book from an artistic standpoint without difficulty in the process. I feel that I am in the groove, so to speak.

But that comes at a price. There is a psychological term, 'flow', which is what they use to describe a state where the participant is completely absorbed in their work. Outside stimuli dim and the worker develops a kind of tunnel vision. I get that a lot these days and it's great from a writing standpoint, but I'm completely useless at the end of the day. My brain is on a different plane of existence.

The upshot of which is, I forgot my son's after-school class today. I was fully aware and conscious that it was happening, I made plans, and I was ready. I even looked at the clock to be sure I wasn't late but somehow the numbers didn't register properly. By the time I realized my mistake it was far too late.

Hopefully the book sells well and makes up for my absent-mindedness.

Oh, and the quote that I led in with. I'm going to have that inscribed on a brass plaque to place on my writing room door. When I have the money for brass plaques and doors and a writing room. In the meantime I'll just think it really hard at anyone who interrupts me.

The Cast, Part I

Each Monday I'd like to share a few of the characters I have created for my book. I will work my way from the more peripheral characters to the protagonist and antagonist, starting with, Grover and Tinibu:

Grover is the first friend Konrad makes on the airship Noviy Kharkov. He is a pilot, assistant mechanic, fabricator and scrounger for Wing Three.
Short in stature, but long on mouth, Grover is friendly, outgoing and quick with a joke. He has a near total disrespect for all authority except for Zylphia's. Grover has the face of a weasel and the heart of a lion. Always the first to jump into (or instigate) a brawl, he is what we might call an adrenalin junkie in modern parlance.

Tinibu and Grover are best friends, in spite of the fact that they seemingly have nothing in common. Tinibu is a dedicated family man, carefully hoarding his pay to bring home to his wife and kids in the Azores. He is African, and one of the biggest and brawniest men on the Kharkov.
Where Grover is talkative, Tinibu rarely says anything unless it is necessary. He has a calm and steady presence which soothes the irrepressible Grover.
Tinibu is the Wing mechanic, and when Konrad joins the team the second best pilot (after Zylphia).

Both men think of themselves as Zylphia's older brothers and wouldn't hesitate to protect her, if she ever needed protecting.