This week — April 5, 2012 — is the last day supporters of the Ministry can vote for the SPC 2012 Reader’s Choice Awards. This honour, courtesy of The Steampunk Chronicle, is an opportunity for supporters of Steampunk to vote for outstanding talent in media, fashion, mechanics, and art. The Ministry is pleased as punch to be featured alongside such talented friends as:

• Lady Clankington
• Lord Montague Jacques Fromage
• Olivia M. Grey
• Thomas Wileford
• The League of S.T.E.A.M.
• Doctor Fantastique
• The Airship Ambassador
• Veronique Chevalier

…and there are so many more artisans — Datamancer, Abney Park, Professor Elemental — who are in the running for a variety of categories. So if you have not already, vote  today (or tomorrow) for your favorite steampunk artists!

You can finds the Ministry nominated in the following categories:

• Best Podcast: Tales from the Archives
  
• Best Short Story: “Dust on the Davenport” by O. M. Grey (Episode #2 of TftA)
  

Please register and sign in (a completely free process) to show your support for the Ministry.

We thank The Steampunk Chronicle for bestowing upon us the honours, and hope to bring you all good news from the SPC 2012 Reader’s Choice Awards.

And remember to watch this spot next week for the premiere of…

COMMUNIQUE FROM THE MINISTRY:

The Archives just received word from the Director that The Steampunk Chronicle has announced their 2012 Readers Choice Awards. This is your opportunity to vote for outstanding talent in the steampunk community and we are pleased as punch to be featured alongside such talented friends as:

• Lady Clankington
• Lord Montague Jacques Fromage
• Olivia M. Grey
• Thomas Wileford
• The League of S.T.E.A.M.
• Doctor Fantastique
• The Airship Ambassador

…and there are so many more artisans — Veronique Chevalier, Abney Park, Professor Elemental — who are in the running for a variety of categories. Between the present day at which you are reading this communique and April 5th, you can vote for your favorite steampunk artists…

…unless, of course, if you are reading this on April 5th. If that is the case, do keep us in your hearts.

You can finds the Ministry nominated in the following categories:

• Best Podcast: Tales from the Archives
  
• Best Short Story: “Dust on the Davenport” by O. M. Grey (Episode #2 of TftA)
  

Please register and sign in (a completely free process) to show your support for the Ministry.

We are so pleased to be featured with such wonderful people and thank The Steampunk Chronicle for bestowing upon us the honours. Grant us your vote between now and April 5th, and we will endeavour to bring you more news on this.

It has been made official; our journalists will be present at the Steampunk Worlds Fair.

They were there last year, but unfortunately picked up some kind of chill beforehand and were indisposed for several days. They have promised this year to take better care of themsevles, but they do hope to host a tea party as they did last year.

If you can make this event, we highly recommend it. It’s quite a delightful gathering of steampunk afficiados presenting music, art, literature and fun for three days in Piscataway New Jersey.

We’ll keep you posted as to times and dates where they will be able to be found presenting the newest story from the Ministry.

Good Heavens! As if it is not enough that our illustrious publishers at Harper Voyager have decided to offer our award-winning adventure at a mere pittance of 99¢ for your reading pleasure (and for a limited time) but our dear friend and ally from Europe, the lovely Katharina Maimer, pointed out to Miss Braun and I the cover of Phoenix Rising… from our German publisher! This is quite a delightful surprise as we had not heard of its release date in Europe and this is our second glimpse of Phoenix Rising overseas.

We did see the Australian-New Zealand printing of our book first. It had been translated to…English.

Right then…

This German cover is an interesting take on the story (although I don’t think they got my profile quite right), but one thing I do find rather interesting is the publisher’s choice to call the series “Books & Braun” and not “The Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences.” Still, we in the Archives are quite chuffed about this — our first European cover!

What are your thoughts on the German cover? Please, share them here!

Esteemed agents and faithful readers, Miss Braun and I come to you upon bended knee…which, if you are working your way across a large room — I assure you — is neither a simple nor comfortable feat.

Perhaps you have heard our intrepid journalists, Pip Ballantine and Tee Morris, discuss on their respective archives the recent development for Phoenix Rising. In case you have missed those missives, we have some ripping good news. We at the Ministry received word from the delightful ætherwebs’ network, Goodreads, that Phoenix Rising: A Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences Novel had been short listed for Best Science Fiction of 2011; and just this week we have continued on to the Semi-Final Round.

Miss Braun and I dared a look at those in our company and what an honour this is! Alongside our journalists are writers such as:

• Stephen King
• Charlie Stross
• Sharon Lee & Steve Miller
• Robert J. Sawyer
• China Miéville
• John Scalzi

On closer inspection, you should note that Phoenix Rising is the only steampunk in the running for Best Science Fiction. (We are, by no means, the only steampunk in the Goodreads Choice Awards though, as dear friend of the Ministry Gail Carriger and her latest in the Parasol Protectorate, Heartless, is in the running for Best Paranormal Fantasy.) It would be very easy to surrender to base emotions such as ambition and yes — lust — at a time like this, however I can speak plainly as a representative of the Ministry that we are within a delightful and talented score of adventures in this round, and most grateful for this accolade.

Our gratitude, however, does not mean we want to stop here.

Running alongside Hugo winners, Nebula winners, and New York Times bestsellers, our desire is simply to keep Phoenix Rising in the running. To do that, we need your help. At present the Goodreads Choice Awards has two voting sessions remaining:

• Semifinals: November 14 – November 20, 2011
  You can vote for one of the now 20 nominees in each category. (Happening presently.)
• Finals: November 21 – November 30, 2011
  The field narrows to the top 10 books in each category, and you have one last chance to vote.

The Ministry goal: Make it to the Finals.

If you haven’t voted yet, and you have an account with Goodreads, take a moment to vote. (There are other books too worth your attention in the other categories, as well!) We wish represent the steampunk genre in Goodreads’ Top Ten Science Fiction for 2011.

Rest assured that between now and the end of November, we have no intention of turning our ætherblog or æthertweets into mindless rhetoric concerning this award. But we will not allow this opportunity to go gently into the night. Expect to see:

2011 Goodreads Choice Awards: Best Best Science Fiction Vote now for your favorite books!

• Æthertweets from Miss Braun and myself asking for your vote
• Facebook posts from both our journalists, asking for your vote
• And perhaps, a quick blogpost reminding you of deadlines and where we stand

So please vote. If you have voted already, ask colleagues in your Goodreads network to voice their support for the Ministry. Together, we shall bring the boilers to full and keep our humble steampunk adventure in the running.

When our journalists set out to write their first novel together, they were optimistic Phoenix Rising would perform well.  What they did not expect is for their book, just six months after its release, to win the 2011 Airship Award for Best Steampunk Literature of the Year. The Airship Awards, honoring the finest in steampunk culture, was presented on October 14 in Seattle, Washington as part of SteamCon III.

The 2011 Airship Awards Finalists for Best in Literature were:

• Phoenix Rising: A Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences Novel by Pip Ballantine & Tee Morris
• The Strange Affair of Spring Heeled Jack by Mark Hodder (a winner of the P.K. Dick Award)
• Camera Obscura by Lavie Tidhar
• The Half Made World by Felix Gilman

And the attendees of Steamcon chose The Ministry.

Our journalists present to you this little vignette as a gesture of thanks and appreciation.

Today, our journalists enter a brave, new world.

For any Ministry agents and agents-in-training present at the Colonies’ extravaganza New York Comic Con, our intrepid journalists Pip Ballantine and Tee Morris will be arriving today, and once off the train they will not even have time for tea! (The Deuce I say? Afraid not.) Their foray into New York Comic con (#NYCC for anyone æthertweeting) begins tonight…

DATE: Friday, October 14
EVENT: Steampunk Signing

TIME: 6:00PM-7:00PM
LOCATION: Booth 944

Both our intrepid agents will be present and signing copies of Phoenix Rising: A Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences Novel, they will also be taking questions and comments on Tales from the Archives and even a few thoughts on the next installment currently under the moniker, Of Cogs & Corsets.

DATE: Friday, October 14
EVENT: Steampunk in Comics and Literature

TIME: 9:00PM-10:00PM
LOCATION: 1A01

Steampunk traces its origins back to the science fiction of the 19th century, and the term itself was coined to describe a genre of Victorian sci-fi being written by modern authors. At the same time,  steampunk and Victorian industrial age aesthetics have long held a  great fascination for comic and manga artists of various backgrounds.

This panel will discuss steampunk as a literary and artistic genre,  examining steampunk’s literary origins and early examples of steampunk  in comic book medium, as well as modern examples from both mediums  such as Jay Lake’s Mainspring, G. D. Falksen’s Blood In The Skies,  Alan Moore’s The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, and Girl Genius by Phil and Kaja Foglio. The panel will also feature first looks at upcoming titles and give aways from leading publishers such as  Wildside Press, Orbit Books, and Yen Press.

With great pride, joy, and pleasure, we at the Ministry are pleased as pickles to let you know that from R&D, Jared Axelrod, (one of the creative powerhouses behind Fables of the Flying City and Tales of Ink & Blood) is joining Tee on this panel.

And as for Miss Ballentine (Morris)…

DATE: Saturday, October 15
EVENT: Signing

TIME: 12PM-1PM
LOCATION: Penguin Booth — Booth 1145

 There will be copies of both Geist and Spectyr available, and Pip will be there to sign them!

DATE: Saturday, October 15
PANEL: Winter Is Here: Epic Fantasy Takes the Throne

TIME: 6:30PM-7:30PM
LOCATION: 1A15

Long a staple of the SF/F genre, epic fantasy is poised to take a coup over the bestseller lists, thanks in part to HBO’s fantastically popular series based upon George R.R. Martin’s Game of Thrones novel.  This summer saw signing lines hundreds of readers deep (luckily none with swords in hand) for #1 New York Times bestselling author Patrick Rothfuss’ American appearance.  Now, in a special spotlight session exclusive to New York Comic Con, we pair internationally bestselling author Brandon Sanderson, Peter Brett, Phillipa Ballantine and epic fantasy debut authors Rae Carson, David Chandler and Nils Johnson-Shelton talk about why swords and sorcerers, king-makers and kingslayers; dragons and high drama have renewed resonance in fiction.

Our sincerest thanks to Stephanie Kim, Assistant Publicist at Harper Collins who has made this happen along with the crew of New York ComicCon! We look forward to seeing you there.

Yes, yes, yes — we at the Ministry do apologise for the silence. We know that many of you are anxious to hear more Tales from the Archives, and rest assured, we are working to bring more lost stories from the Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences. Currently, our intrepid journalists are planning for their trip out west to Revovation: The 69th World Science Fiction Convention; but time will be set aside for the next installment. in the meantime, we have some lovely news to share from the past week, one matter concerning the very podcast you are anxiously awaiting to hear from.

ITEM: At the quaint little gathering called Dragon*Con is the event podcasters worldwide recognise as The Parsec Awards. Amongst the 2011 Finalists is the Ministry’s own Nathan Lowell. His short story “The Astonishing Amulet of Amenartas” has been short listed for the Best Short Story category. We wish Nathan all the best, and are pleased as punch that The Ministry is represented this year.

ITEM: Read by master thespian James Langton, Phoenix Rising: A Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences Novel is now available on Audible.com. Mister Langton does a ripping good job telling our story, and we do hope that you leave us a review of the audiobook. It helps to give our little adventure a bit of attention, and tells Harper Audio how much these aural presentations are appreciated.

ITEM: Phoenix Rising: A Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences Novel has been nominated for Steamcon’s 2011 Airship Awards. At Steamcon, held every year in the lovely port city of Seattle, Washington, the event hosts the Airship Awards, an honour exclusive to this steampunk event. This year, the third holding of this event, patrons of steampunk have nominated our modest romp for “Best Written Work” for the year. For any of our readers attending Steamcon III, please cast your vote for us between now and September 30th. We are thrilled to be in the running, and we thank you, the gentle reader and patron, and Steamcon III for this honour.

It has been quite an amazing seven days, and we hope this close to our summer of steampunk is merely the beginning of new and exciting adventures. We have appearances on the books, edits for our next adventure coming soon, and more installments of Tales from the Archives in the works. We at the Ministry look forward to bringing you more stories of the fantastic.

Again, thank you for continuing to voice your opinions, critiques, and praise for Phoenix Rising. Until next time, we will keep the kettle warm.

Yes, after traveling from New Jersey to San Francisco, our journalists from the Ministry have finally settled down, long enough to have a get together near where they live.

Now is your chance to put on your steampunk finery and join them for a reading and signing this Saturday at 7pm.

Come to Barnes and Noble, Westgate Plaza, 8117 Sudley Road, Manassas, VA 20109

So strap on your corset, slap on your bowler and join us this coming Saturday. Afterward we shall find some dining establishment to continue the conversation and maybe have a spot of tea.

How exciting! Our intrepid journalists find themselves in a spirited round table discussion with The League of S.T.E.A.M. concerning steampunk around the world.

If you have never enjoyed the offerings of The League, you are doing yourself a disservice. These gentlemen and ladies are professional steampunks, producing light-hearted kinetoscopes for YouTube, making appearances at steampunk events far and wide, and even serving as artistic eyes for those eager to add a touch of Victorian technology into their own works. In this thirteenth episode of The STEAM Geeks Podcast, Pip and Tee sit down with members of The League…

…and have far too much fun with these rag-a-muffins. Enjoy, and do leave a comment for them concerning this episode on their website.

Gentle readers, now that you have enjoyed Night’s Plutonian Shore in its entirety, meet the writer behind this imaginative tale of deering-do as he hosts our intrepid journalists on a discussion on Phoenix Rising, steampunk, and what’s on the horizon for them both. Jack Mangan’s Deadpan is one of the longest-running podcasts, having produced content of variety and uncommon humour since the infancy of podcasting. Jack Mangan, along with being a writer extraordinaire, features music, interviews, and irreverent looks at the world stage. Our journalists are hardly strangers on the Deadpan, and evidently Mr. Mangan does find it exceedingly difficult to maintain deadpan when they are together.

Do leave Mr. Mangan a comment on his epic tale, Night’s Plutonian Shore; and have a listen as Tee and Pip enjoy a bit of fun within the æther.

Gentle Readers, if you missed our intrepid journalists at the Steampunk World’s Fair, consider yourself most fortunate as they were incapacitated with a touch of consumption. (I did warn Mr. Morris to stay clear of a giant rat, but he insisted his child wanted to attend that birthday party. Silly man…) If you miss them in Somerset or missed Book Launch the First, take heart. The Ministry has answered the call once again, this time at…

Concluding their  Ministry MAY-hem Tour (at least, this part of it) is an old favorite haunt of theirs — BALTICON. Along with this premiere of Phoenix Rising: A Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences Novel, Balticon 45 offers time traveling dances, rock-and-roll courtesy of Ditched by Kate, and panels-panels-panels!

Mark your calendars for SATURDAY, May 28, 3 o’clock in the Chesapeake Room for the The Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences’ Book Launch the Second! Our journalists will be serving tea and biscuits (homemade gingernuts in the most curious of shapes!) as well as giving live readings from Phoenix Rising. There will also be drawings for prize packages, including a Catherinette steampunk ring AND a Dr. Grordbort signet ring.

Constellation Books will be there to sell books, so come for the tea, biscuits, and books. Stay for the convention!

The Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences has many forgotten stories in its Archives. Stories of madcap adventures in all corners of the Empire, dark doings in hidden places, and mysterious devices and artifacts that the everyday citizen should never become aware of for fear it would quite undo their minds.

Archivist to the Ministry, Eliza D Braun (recently and unwillingly reassigned to the Archives) and Wellington Thornhill Books (recently and unwillingly assigned Eliza D. Braun) have selected some cases they feel the public is ready for. And with this episode, we are back on track with our podcast schedule, but do expect the unexpected podcast or two as we attend The Steampunk World’s Fair on May 20-22 and Balticon May 27-30! We hope to see you there!

In this episode:

A Ruby in Rain, written and narrated by Grant Stone

From the farthest edge of the Empire, New Zealand agents Lachlan King and Barry Ferguson are called to interview a recent arrival to Auckland’s prisons. An infamous gambler, according to the constable’s account, has turned himself into their custody, not for the safety of society but for his own. The Ministry steps in to uncover a man’s story of impressive luck, and more incredible vision.

About the Author:

Grant Stone’s fiction has appeared in Shimmer , Andromeda Spaceways Inflight Magazine and Semaphore and is forthcoming in Strange Horizons and The Thackery T. Lambshead Cabinet of Curiosities.

When not writing, he has been known to tinker in the engine room of the Hugo-winning podcast StarShipSofa and his fanzine, b0t .

He lives in Auckland, New Zealand even though most of the opium and gambling dens are long gone.

 

Theme music for the Ministry composed and created by Alex White.

Order Phoenix Rising: A Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences Novel, now available from online and bricks and mortar stores everywhere.

Thanks for listening!

This week, our intrepid scribes are bound for new and exciting flights of the imagination as they are attending The Steampunk World’s Fair in Somerset, New Jersey. Alongside our scribes, there will be other smashing artisans:

• Jared Axelrod, author of Fables of the Flying City
• J.R. Blackwell, photographer, model, and author
• O.M. Grey, author of Avalon Revisited and Guest of Tales from the Archives
• Lady Clankington of Lady Clankington’s Cabinet of Carnal Curiosities
• Thomas Willeford of Brute Force Studios

…and many, many more.

Come join our journalists on Saturday, 3:30 p.m. for tea, biscuits, and a reading from Phoenix Rising: A Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences Novel at the Steampunk World’s Fair. Their representing of The Ministry is just one of incredible events planned for the weekend. (And if you want to join us virtually, track us on Twitter through the #SPWF hashtag.)  We hope to see you there.

Our scribe, Tee Morris, has made many friends over his years of æthercasts; and one such place was The Dragon Page. It is hardly an exaggeration that this particular production was more than “just another media contact” but a relationship that would influence his writings and his life in many positive ways. Through The Dragon Page, Mr. Morris would discover æthercasts, set off in producing his own, help establish the foundation for the Podiobooks.com website, and even pen alongside Evo Terra and Chuck Tomasi the tome, Podcasting for Dummies, regarded by many as the definitive how-to book on the subject.

It has been some time since he has been on The Dragon Page, and now — thanks to our humble adventure — Mr. Morris returns to Draco Vista Studios.

This time, however, Miss Pip Ballantine is present. Just to him away from particular vices.

Have a listen, and remember that tomorrow our intrepid journalists will be apprearing at Bookworks, located on 101 West Beverley Street in beautiful downtown Staunton, Virginia, starting at 1pm. Come dressed in your steampunk best, and join them in a photo shoot immediately following the signing!

And stay close to your æthernet conductor for more Tales from the Archives, coming next week. Cheers!

Many times we at the Ministry are asked (well by those that know we exist) ‘what exactly is a peculiar occurrence?’

One of our scribes, Tee Morris deals with this in the RT Book Reviews

Meanwhile our other author Pip Ballantine talks about gadgets as a guest Lolita over on Steamed.

You will notice the countdown clock is ticking (I rather dispise those things!) and we are only days away from the arrival of our tale at all bookstores real and virtual. If you want to support the Ministry, then please blog on the aetherwebs, tell your friends, and whisper to your family. We may be a covert organisation, but we do want people to know about us. Well…everyone except our Director, but we’re not telling him!

While at RavenCon 2011 in Richmond, Virginia, our journalists Tee Morris and Pip Ballantine sat down with the kind hosts of Geek Radio Daily. The Yanks over in the former Colonies also called this show “A Show of Many Tangents” as much giggling, moments of distraction, and lewd and lascivious beaviour ensured once master of the microphones, Billy Flynn, pressed the “Capture” button. Our scribes were also joined by the multi-talented Jett Micheyl of the Phoenix Rising book trailer who gave her own perspective on shooting our kinetorama in beautiful (and slightly snowy) Staunton, Virginia.

While often silly and vibrantly out-of-control, this æthercast we at the Ministry present to you for your listening pleasure.

Gentle readers and true believers in the fantastic and unknown, we at the Ministry have completed the official book trailer for Phoenix Rising, the first volume in The Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences series from Harper Voyager.

These are dark days indeed in Victoria’s England. Londoners are vanishing, then reappearing, washing up as corpses on the banks of the Thames, drained of blood and bone. Yet the Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences—the Crown’s clandestine organization whose bailiwick is the strange and unsettling—will not allow its agents to investigate. Fearless and exceedingly lovely Eliza D. Braun, however, with her bulletproof corset and a disturbing fondness for dynamite, refuses to let the matter rest . . . and she’s prepared to drag her timorous new partner, Wellington Books, along with her into the perilous fray.

Phoenix Rising from Harper Voyager, will be available in bookstores everywhere on April 26, 2011.

THE PLAYERS FEATURED
IN THIS KINETORAMA

Eliza D. Braun ………………………. Jett Micheyl
Wellington Thornhill Books  ….. Tee Morris
Voiceover …………………………….. Martyn Darkly

THE TALENTED SCIENTISTS OF KINETORAMATIC ARTS

Director of Photography ……….. Linc Williams
Line Producer and Set Scout …. Pat Jarrett
Set Assistant ………………………. Pip Ballantine
Set Assistant ………………………. Carmel Clavin
Costumes & Props ………………. Jared Axelrod
Mr. Morris’ Goggles ……………… Steampunkfunk Bizarre
Music  ………………………………… Alex White

Special Thanks to Jennifer Williams, Sonic Boom and Terminator, and Bookworks of Staunton, VA

Shot entirely on location in Staunton, Virginia

With less than fifty days remaining in the launch of our first adventure, Phoenix Rising, the excitement is reaching a fever-pitch here at the Ministry. Tales from the Archives readies itself for its launch and pre-launch reviews of the novel are coming in. From Germany, Marcus Rauchfuß (also known under the moniker, The Traveler) presents on The Daily Steampunk his own thoughts:

After the first pages I was under the impression of heading into a hilarious and almost slapsticky Steampunk adventure. Eliza Brown and Wellington Books were simply too much of a missmatch and their initial “conversations” too comical. I had several good laughs.

Gradually, the lightheartedness leaves the novel, though. Keeping pace with the developments, the comical nature of their relationship fades more and more into the background. The pair gets to know each other better, and while still not fully understanding the other, they develop a grudging respect for their respective partner.

The story itself very soon becomes fast-paced and action packed. There are quite a few instances, in particular the excellent, almost swashbuckling duel scene in the London Opera, when I felt like having to hold onto my armchair. Still, humor never leaves the pages. Within the very same duel there is one notable simultaneous question between the duelists:

“Who is your seamstress?”

That one had me chuckling for hours afterwards.

The review as well as his impressions of my partner from the Colonies was quite spot on. But, sir, I am compelled to add that Miss Braun is not only a vamp, she can be quite crass. Particularly after a few pints.

With many thanks to The Traveler for his time invested in our tale, we continue the countdown to our premiere. Cheers and salutations.