The Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences » Podcast

Tales from the Archives, Volume 2 — Three

Eliza D Braun — Tue, 08 May 2012 05:12:07 +0000

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.

In this episode:

Women of the Empire— written and read by JR Blackwell

Wellington Thornhill Books and Doctor Josepha Raven Blackwell share ‘an encounter’ after-hours at the Ministry, all part of Dr. Blackwell’s research into hysteria.

Brief as the encounter, one of them will not come out quite the same from it.

About the Author:

J.R. Blackwell is a writer and photographer. Her essay “Evidence of a Baker” was published in the Gospel of the Flying Spaghetti Monster in March 2006. Her stories have been published by Escape Pod Magazine, Aoife’s Kiss, Kaleidotrope, Bewildering Stories, Static Movement Magazine, EMG Magazine, HeavyGlow Magazine and in the first Podiobook anthology “Voices: New Media Fiction”. She is one of the founding members of 365tomorrows.com which produces a new piece of science fiction daily.

J.R. has produced the covers to the Anthology “Voices: New Media Fiction” and the novels “Playing for Keeps”, “The Case of the Singing Sword” and “The Case of the Pitchers Pendant”. Her photography has been featured in SubLit Magazine and Flames Rising Magazine. J.R. is the Creative Director at Galileo Games and holds a Masters of Liberal Arts from the University of Pennsylvania. She lives in Philadelphia with her husband, artist Jared Axelrod.

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

Pre-order your copy of The Janus Affair: A Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences Novel from your favorite brick-and-mortar or online bookstore. Order Phoenix Rising: A Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences Novel, now available from online and bricks and mortar stores everywhere.

Thanks for listening!
Feel free to leave us a review on iTunes
and share our work with a friend.

Tales from the Archives: Volume 2 — The Promo

Wellington Thornhill Books Esq. — Thu, 03 May 2012 14:16:47 +0000

It dawned on us at the Ministry we were so excited in getting out to the world these exciting stories of adventure, mystery, and derring-do, that we forgot to produce a promo for the second season of the award-nominated Tales from the Archives.

Submitted for your listening pleasure and for distribution to æthercasts worldwide. Thank you for your support in the Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences.

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

Tales from the Archives, Volume 2 — Two

Wellington Thornhill Books Esq. — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 06:35:26 +0000

In this episode:

A Swan in Siam— written and read by P.J. Schnyder

Fall, 1863

Phailin is not your typical personal guard to the King of Siam. This royal protector of secrets finds herself intrigued by a guest of the British Ambassador’s, the enigmatic John M. Alvey of the Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences, and his quest for a swan possessing mythical powers…

About the Author:

PJ Schnyder is an author of paranormal and sci-fi romance, urban fantasy and steampunk.

Born and raised in the North East, PJ spent her childhood pretending to study for the SATs by reading every fantasy and sci-fi novel she could borrow from the local and school libraries. She scored fairly high in the verbal portion.

She was introduced to the wonderful world of romance a decade later by her best friend at an anime convention in Seattle.

P.J. now watches the seasons go by with her big dogs and super stealthy ninja kitty, writing her stories and is very happy to have been able to share her Thai heritage with the Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences. Find out more about the author and her books at pjschnyder.com.

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

Thanks for listening!
Feel free to leave us a review on iTunes
and share our work with a friend.

Tales from the Archives, Volume 2 — One

Wellington Thornhill Books Esq. — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 06:35:32 +0000

In this episode:

Sins of the Father— written and narrated by Tee Morris

Summer, 1888

Arthur Books welcomes home his son, Wellington, from the jungles and deserts of Africa. In his own manner, the invalid father bestows upon his heir all the pride and respect due to actions in the field. The returning war hero, though, has returned more than a decorated soldier in Her Majesty’s Army; and Arthur collects on an investment spanning across decades.

Featuring Pip Ballantine as Lillian Books and House Liaison

About the Author:

Tee Morris began his writing career with his 2002 historical epic fantasy, MOREVI The Chronicles of Rafe & Askana. In 2005 Tee took MOREVI into the then-unknown podosphere, making his novel the first book podcast in its entirety. That experience led to the founding of Podiobooks.com and collaborating with Evo Terra and Chuck Tomasi on Podcasting for Dummies and its follow-up, Expert Podcasting Practices for Dummies. He won acclaim and accolades for his cross-genre fantasy-detective Billibub Baddings Mysteries, the podcast of The Case of the Singing Sword winning him the 2008 Parsec Award for Best Audio Drama. Phoenix Rising: A Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences Novel marked Tee’s return to fiction, and earned him the 2011 Airship Award for Best Steampunk Literature and honors on Goodreads’ 2011 Choice Award for Best Science Fiction. Tee can be heard on Tales from the Archives, Fit 2 Write, and The Shared Desk.

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

Thanks for listening!
Feel free to leave us a review on iTunes
and share our work with a friend.

Submitted for #SteamTuesday: The Steampunk Chronicle’s 2012 Reader’s Choice Awards

Wellington Thornhill Books Esq. — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 13:48:04 +0000

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:

…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…

We have WINNERS!

Eliza D Braun — Sun, 01 Apr 2012 16:28:22 +0000

It was a very hard decision…yes, we know everyone always says that…but this is very much the truth. The entries to the competition were all done wonderfully, but we had to chose a story that fitted with the Ministry Universe, captured New Zealand-ness and was full of adventure.

Unfortunately, the competition pulled out two entries that we just had to have. Yes, among the embarrassment of riches, there were TWO stories we couldn’t walk away from.

The First place story was written by Lewis Hoban. ‘The Taniwha of Ana Cove’. It was not only delightfully steampunk, but also wove Maori legend and life seamlessly into the tale. Lewis will be getting US$50 from the Ministry, $25 from SpecFicNZ, and publication as part of the anthology.

The second story we just had to have was written by Catherine Ford. ‘The Wrong Camera’ was so wonderfully written, and also packed full of beautiful New Zealand moments. She gets Honourable Mention and $50 from the Ministry and publication as part of the anthology.

We could not be happier at these results, and cannot wait to bring you these tales so they can delight you as much as they have us!

Coming Soon…

Wellington Thornhill Books Esq. — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 15:50:31 +0000

10 April 2012

Featuring original works from P.J. Schnyder, J.R. Blackwell, J.R. Murdock, Shaun Farrell,
and many others.

Descend into the Archives again
for the untold stories of the Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences.

Tales from the Archives – Twelve

Eliza D Braun — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 22:32:14 +0000

In this episode:

The Precarious Child — written and narrated by Pip Ballantine and Tee Morris

The street urchins that will one day be called the Ministry Seven, have a task from Agent Harrison Thorne. It seems simple enough, however their leader Miss Verity Fitzroy discovers that a surprise from her past is tangled up with this mysterious man which leads to a very precarious situation.

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!
Stay tuned for a final missive from the Archives, and the beginning of Volume 2 in early 2012.
Feel free to leave us a review on iTunes and share our work with a friend.

Tales from the Archives — A 2011 Christmas Special

Wellington Thornhill Books Esq. — Sat, 24 Dec 2011 08:12:28 +0000

Today, however, we offer this gift to you all. Thank you for your good tidings and wondrous support for our world of steam, gears, and cog. We hope you enjoy this holiday steampunk special.

In this episode:

In the Spirit of Christmas— written and narrated by Tee Morris
(with additional characters and dialog written by Charles Dickens)

It’s Christmas Eve, and Wellington and Eliza investigate an incredible haunting in the heart of London. What looks to be a job well done in the end quickly becomes a lump of coal in their stockings when their client takes some offense…

Featuring Pip Ballantine as Eliza D. Braun
and Tee Morris as Wellington Thornhill Books and Ebenezer Scrooge

About the Author:

Tee Morris began his writing career with his 2002 historical epic fantasy, MOREVI The Chronicles of Rafe & Askana. In 2005 Tee took MOREVI into the then-unknown podosphere, making his novel the first book podcast in its entirety. That experience led to the founding of Podiobooks.com and collaborating with Evo Terra and Chuck Tomasi on Podcasting for Dummies and its follow-up, Expert Podcasting Practices for Dummies. He won acclaim and accolades for his cross-genre fantasy-detective Billibub Baddings Mysteries, the podcast of The Case of the Singing Sword winning him the 2008 Parsec Award for Best Audio Drama. Phoenix Rising: A Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences Novel marks Tee’s return to fiction, and can be heard on both Tales from the Archives and his latest podcast project, The Shared Desk.

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. Take advantage of our holiday special as Phoenix Rising is now available in digital form for 99¢. Find your preferred format from these links:

Thanks for listening!
Feel free to leave us a review on iTunes
and share our work with a friend.

MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM ALL OF US
AT THE MINISTRY OF PECULIAR OCCURRENCES!

Tales from the Archives — Eleven

Wellington Thornhill Books Esq. — Tue, 13 Sep 2011 16:26:12 +0000

In this episode:

From Paris, With Regret — written and narrated by Starla Huchton

On assignment in the City of Light, Ministry agents Eliza D. Braun and Harrison Thorne chase down a murderer condemning descendants of a royal bloodline to a horrific death.

Featuring Pip Ballantine as Eliza D. Braun
and Tee Morris as Harrison Thorne and Gaston Migeon

Read the post on the history surrounding this story by Starla Huchton

About the Author:

Starla Huchton, one of the new voices of podcasting, released her first novel, The Dreamer’s Thread, as a full cast production beginning in August 2009. Her first foray into podcasting went on to become a finalist for the 2010 Parsec Awards. Since her debut, Starla’s voice has happened in other podcasts including Weiner Blut, Gypsy Audio’s Stargazers, Tales of the Scorned Lady, and Erotica a la Carte. Her writing has also appeared in Erotica a la Carte podcast and the Farrago Anthology. Starla’s artistic endeavors continue into music as her dulcet tones have provided sweet crooning for various podcasts produced by Alex White, Koru Studios, and Imagine That Studios, as well as Second Life under her stage name, Phoebe Ann Theas. From beautiful Monterey, California, Starla pursues a degree in Graphic Design while gearing up for her next podcast project, Antigone’s Wrath.

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!
Feel free to leave us a review on iTunes
and share our work with a friend.

The 99-Penny Dreadfuls Promo

Wellington Thornhill Books Esq. — Sun, 11 Sep 2011 22:48:37 +0000

Gentle readers hosting æthercasts within and beyond the Empire, we at the Archives are appealing to you to to consider our humble promo for placement in your production. We are doing what we can to spread the word of the Ministry’s movement into the digital press arena. Therefore, offered to you for your approval and syndication across the ætherwebs, the Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences present the 99-Penny Dreadfuls promotional.

If you do not recognize what the 99-Penny Dreadfuls are, they are our recent Tales from the Archives from authors you may have heard from our podcast. Miss Braun and I are now making these stories available for electronic readers at the cost of 99¢. “Cheap as chips,” as Miss Braun would say. In the future, our journalists will be releasing original and exclusive short stories set in the Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences universe. Some tales will delve into the history of the Ministry, or even the agents themselves. Some — like “Darkest before the Darkwater” —may reveal hints of adventures yet to come.

Whether it is an adventure featuring the Ministry Seven, a case file from our award-nominated podcast, or an exploit of the House of Usher, expect new stories from the Ministry for the mere tuppence of 99¢ a yarn! Please feel free to take this offered promotional and feature it on your own ætherblog or æthercast.

And from all of us here at the Ministry, our eternal thanks.

(There, Miss Braun, I have composed the blogpost as requested. Now, if you please, unchain my ankle from the Archives’ analytical engine.)

Tales from the Archives — Ten

Wellington Thornhill Books Esq. — Tue, 30 Aug 2011 05:30:32 +0000

In this episode:

Darkest before the Darkwater, written and narrated by Tee Morris

A group of survivors from the airship Guy Fawkes find themselves washed ashore on an uncharted island. In their search for survival they uncover one mystery after another.

Featuring Alyson Grauer as the voice of Althea Galway
and “The Starting Grid” from The Gearheart, composed and performed by Alex White

If you enjoyed this original short story, download it for your Kindle as one of the Ministry’s 99-Penny Dreadfuls!

About the Author:

Tee Morris began his writing career with his 2002 historical epic fantasy, MOREVI The Chronicles of Rafe & Askana. In 2005 Tee took MOREVI into the then-unknown podosphere, making his novel the first book podcast in its entirety. That experience led to the founding of Podiobooks.com and collaborating with Evo Terra and Chuck Tomasi on Podcasting for Dummies and its follow-up, Expert Podcasting Practices for Dummies. He won acclaim and accolades for his cross-genre fantasy-detective Billibub Baddings Mysteries, the podcast of The Case of the Singing Sword winning him the 2008 Parsec Award for Best Audio Drama. Phoenix Rising: A Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences Novel marks Tee’s return to fiction, and can be heard on both Tales from the Archives and his latest podcast project, The Shared Desk.

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!
Feel free to leave us a review on iTunes
and share our work with a friend.

Tales from the Archives — Nine

Wellington Thornhill Books Esq. — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 05:10:17 +0000

DISPATCH FROM THE MINISTRY:

As the editors and writer of the original æthercast missed a rather important “detail in deities” we are releasing an amended audio file. To say we are sorry, we are releasing this episode with no break.

Enjoy — with our apologies for earlier inconveniences — this Tale from the Archives in its entirety. (Special thanks to Sallie Goetch for her assistance in keeping the Archives accurate.)

In this episode:

The Shadows of Calcutta, written and narrated by Phil Rossi

Agent Robert Smith, on return from a mission in Nepal, is diverted to India where he is charged to find a missing agent. Alex Tanner had been investigating a series of thefts and murders holding the Ministry’s attention, and now it falls on Agent Smith to find his missing comrade.

About the Author:

Phil Rossi—writer, a musician, and an embracer of new media—has a passion for story-telling matched only by the pleasure he derives from keeping his fans awake at night. Crescent, Rossi’s debut novel, was originally released as a podcast in 2007 and has since led listeners into dark, twisted nightmares under titles such as Eden, Harvey, and Notes from the Vault. When he’s not podcasting or writing, Phil is a professional singer-songwriter. His unique brand of Alternative Country and Rock and Roll is alive and well in the music stylings of Ditched by Kate, their debut album Stumble now available on iTunes.

Phil lives outside of Washington, DC in Virginia with his wife, daughters, and menagerie of rescued animals. He believes the need for sleep is a myth.

Steam train sound effects from Carr’s Locomotives.

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!

Our Journalists Join the League of S.T.E.A.M. (for an interview)

Wellington Thornhill Books Esq. — Fri, 01 Jul 2011 04:25:51 +0000

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.

Our Journalists Break Deadpan

Wellington Thornhill Books Esq. — Wed, 29 Jun 2011 05:15:27 +0000

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.

Tales from the Archives — Eight (Part 2)

Wellington Thornhill Books Esq. — Tue, 28 Jun 2011 05:20:18 +0000

In this episode:

Night’s Plutonian Shore, written and narrated by Jack Mangan

We rejoin our epic tale across the America’s as Agent Bruce Campbell remains on the trail of Usher assassin, Mikael Scharnusser, who has fellow Ministry agent Brandon Hill captive. With a narrow window of time granted by the enigmatic agent of the States’ OSM agency, Bruce must rescue Agent Hill from this madman’s locomotive lair…

About the Author:

Jack Mangan is known by us (and those in the Deadpan community) as The Iron Man of Podcasting. Since 2005, Jack has been podcasting Jack Mangan’s Deadpan Podcast, a variety show that is heavy on the variety. He was also part of the podiobook vanguard on Podiobooks.com with Spherical Tomi: A Novel of Despair, a cyberpunk samurai’s tale. Jack’s short fiction has appeared in audio and in print in collections like The Amityville House of Pancakes and Podthology: The Pod Complex.

This is Jack’s first steampunk work. [EDITOR'S NOTE: We sincerely hope it is not his last.]

Steam train sound effects from Carr’s Locomotives. and Sound Dogs.

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.

Please share your thoughts on Tales from the Archives
with a review on iTunes.
Thanks for listening!

Tales from the Archives — Eight (Part One)

Wellington Thornhill Books Esq. — Wed, 22 Jun 2011 04:30:08 +0000

In this episode:

Night’s Plutonian Shore, written and narrated by Jack Mangan

This epic tale opens in 1849 when a poet is murdered in the streets of Baltimore. The man behind the seemingly random murder manages to elude the law until — in 1889 — Agents Bruce Campbell and Brandon Hill track him down. The assassin, Mikael Scharnusser, gives the slip to the agents on revealing his “talent” and the madman’s intentions to bring down the House of Usher.

About the Author:

Jack Mangan is known by us (and those in the Deadpan community) as The Iron Man of Podcasting. Since 2005, Jack has been podcasting Jack Mangan’s Deadpan Podcast, a variety show that is heavy on the variety. He was also part of the podiobook vanguard on Podiobooks.com with Spherical Tomi: A Novel of Despair, a cyberpunk samurai’s tale. Jack’s short fiction has appeared in audio and in print in collections like The Amityville House of Pancakes and Podthology: The Pod Complex.

This is Jack’s first steampunk work. [EDITOR'S NOTE: We sincerely hope it is not his last.]

Steam train sound effects from Carr’s Locomotives.

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.

Part Two coming NEXT WEEK!
Thanks for listening!

Tales from the Archives – Seven (Part 2)

Eliza D Braun — Tue, 14 Jun 2011 15:09:38 +0000

In this episode:

Hanuman’s Gift part two, written and narrated by Helen E. H. Madden

After hearing Agent Harrison Thorne’s impossible tale of cursed monkeys and undead women Whitby must file away the physical evidence. However it just may be that Hanuman’s Gift was not totally left behind in India, and the Archives are not as boring and safe as he believes.

About the Author:

Helen E. H. Madden is a writer and graphic artist who quit her lucrative day job years ago to tell dirty stories for fun and profit. Her published works include Future Perfect: A Collection of Fantastic Erotica (published by Logical-Lust.com) and Demon By Day (published by Mojocastle Press). Her erotic stories have appeared in various anthologies, but lately Helen has been indulging her more sinister side with short stories like “Let Me Sleep” appearing in the “Chronicles of the Order” podcast.

Helen also draws The Adventures of Cynical Woman, a web comic about life as a stay-at-home mom and erotica writer.

When she’s not writing or drawing, Helen thinks about sex. A lot.

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!

Tales from the Archives – Seven

Eliza D Braun — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 23:16:38 +0000

In this episode:

Hanuman’s Gift, written and narrated by Helen E. H. Madden

Deep in the Archives, Augustus Whitby toils through his duties in the Archives, dreaming up romantic stories far more plausible than the supposed “investigations” of the field agents. A story from Agent Harrison Thorne and an unassuming artifact from his recent case, however, proves much to Whitby’s chagrin that there are some truths that are far stranger than fiction.

About the Author:

Helen E. H. Madden is a writer and graphic artist who quit her lucrative day job years ago to tell dirty stories for fun and profit. Her published works include Future Perfect: A Collection of Fantastic Erotica (published by Logical-Lust.com) and Demon By Day (published by Mojocastle Press). Her erotic stories have appeared in various anthologies, but lately Helen has been indulging her more sinister side with short stories like “Let Me Sleep” appearing in the “Chronicles of the Order” podcast.

Helen also draws The Adventures of Cynical Woman, a web comic about life as a stay-at-home mom and erotica writer.

When she’s not writing or drawing, Helen thinks about sex. A lot.

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!

Tales from the Archives — Six

Wellington Thornhill Books Esq. — Tue, 17 May 2011 05:15:25 +0000

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!

Tales from the Archives – Five

Eliza D Braun — Tue, 10 May 2011 19:58:44 +0000

In this episode:

The Seven, written and narrated by PC Haring.

Agent Brandon Hill is on assignment in South America, enjoying the local culture and women, when a mystery that could lead to El Dorado falls into his lap. Before the intrepid agent knows it, he is the jungle uncovering a plot but the devilish Illuminati. He will need all his monkey knife fighting skills to survive this one.

About the Author:

P.C. Haring made his debut as a writer and podcast novelist on 01/01/10 with Cybrosis. This Cyberpunk adventure met with a strongly favorable response that propelled it to number four on the Podiobooks.com top ten list when it was re-launched there that October. His audio fiction can also be heard in Scott Sigler’s “The Crypt: Book 1 — The Crew” and in Philippa Ballantine’s “Chronicles of the Order” anthology. Currently he is marketing Cybrosis to the publishing industry, working through edits and re-writes to the first installment of his upcoming Slipspace Trilogy, and writing the draft to the next project on his desk, tentatively titled ‘Hunter’

When he’s not writing and podcasting, P.C. Haring puts his Degree in Accounting and his MBA to good use as a staff accountant for a private company in suburban Chicago. He also works as both the Accountant and Interim publisher for Escape Artists Incorporated. There he helps to oversee the publication of Escape Pod, as well as it’s sister magazines Pseudopod and Pod Castle.

You can find out more about P.C. Haring and his work at —

www.pcharing.net
www.cybrosisnovel.com
www.escapeartists.net

Voice talent in this episode

Narrator — P.C. Haring
Agent Brandon Hill — Brandon Hill
Maria — Anne O’Connor
The Courtier — Laura Post
Illuminati Prisoner — Jack Mangan
Illuminati Interrogator — P.G. Holyfield

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

Order the upcoming Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences novel, now available from all online and bricks and mortar stores.

The Return of Tee Morris (with Pip keeping him in check) on The Dragon Page

Wellington Thornhill Books Esq. — Fri, 06 May 2011 05:30:37 +0000

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!

Interview on GRD Sweekly — Episode #116: A Room with a Crew

Wellington Thornhill Books Esq. — Thu, 21 Apr 2011 14:04:27 +0000

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.

Tales from the Archives — Four

Wellington Thornhill Books Esq. — Tue, 19 Apr 2011 05:25:26 +0000

In this episode:

The Sun Never Sets, written and narrated by Val Griswold-Ford

Agent Isaac Martin receives a note, imploring him to investigate the nearly completed clock tower at the Palace at Westminster. He and his partner, Agent Andrew Kensington, start looking into the construction and uncover unanswered questions concerning this new landmark’s creators.

About the Author:

When she’s not busily plundering ships for cargo, Valerie Griswold-Ford is a dark fantasy writer who dabbles in all sorts of things, from epic fantasy to horror to paranormal romance. Her first novel, Not Your Father’s Horseman, released by Dragon Moon Press, made ForeWord Magazine’s finalist list for the Best Fantasy novel of 2005 and started her popular Apocalypse Cycle. She has also published several short stories in anthologies and podthologies. including Philippa Ballantine’s Chronicles of the Order.

Val is also an accomplished editor, having worked on two of Dragon Moon’s Complete Guide to Writing Fantasy series, the anthology Rum and Runestones, and currently working on Spells and Swashbucklers. Find out more about her works and her podcast of not Your Father’s Horseman at vg-ford.com.

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

Don’t forget to pre-order the upcoming Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences novel, coming April 26th from all online and bricks and mortar stores.

Our Sincerest Thanks!

Wellington Thornhill Books Esq. — Tue, 12 Apr 2011 14:15:57 +0000

As Miss Braun has said here, we are most excited about the pending release of our memoirs. (I say, the counter to the right seems to be moving faster and faster, day by day.) As we wait, with the release of our kinetoscope and the launch of our æthercast, the excitement seems to be mounting.

Also mounting is the appreciation you, associates and allies of the Ministry, are showing. Just yesterday, Miss Braun and I found on our analytical engines this lovely bit of news:

Yes, under “New and Noteworthy” our humble podcast Tales from the Archives tops the ranks of “New and Noteworthy.” This, coming on the heels of when we visited on the ætherwebs SpecFicMedia to find ourselves in quite the Rogues’ Gallery:

It is a delight to find one’s self in the company of skilled artisans and storytellers, but to find ourselves sharing company with Game of Thrones and Green Lantern? Even our eccentric superior, Doctor Basil Sound, was impressed. And if you were unaware of this site, SpecFicMedia is an up-and-coming hub of ætherweb media, covering the various offerings of Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror. Do give them a moment of your time as they did (and continue to do so) for the Ministry.

From the reviews of both Phoenix Rising and Tales from the Archives to the numerous æthertweets coming through our Twitter engine, we are deeply touched by the support you all are showing. We wanted to share the news with you all, gentle readers and listeners, and ask that you continue to spread the word. Leave a review on iTunes, share a link on Twitter or Facebook, and do let others know of what is in store on April 26, 2011.

Cheers, and many kind regards on this #SteamTuesday on Twitter.

Tales from the Archives — Three

Eliza D Braun — Tue, 05 Apr 2011 15:41:34 +0000

In this episode:

The Astonishing Amulet of Amenartas, written and narrated by Nathan Lowell

Agent Heathcliff Durham finds himself crisscrossing Africa, looking for an Amulet that could spell disaster for any who come near it. Battling blistering heat, starvation, wild animals, and despair, he is not comforted by the company of a rough and ready sort named Morrison. Soon Durham begins to suspect he may never return home—and to top it all off the tea has almost run out.

About the Author:

Nathan Lowell has been a writer for more than forty years, and first entered the literary world by podcasting his novels. His sci-fi series, Trader’s Tales from The Golden Age of the Solar Clipper, grew from his long time fascination with space opera and his own experiences shipboard in the United States Coast Guard.

Dr. Nathan Lowell holds a Ph.D. in Educational Technology with specializations in Distance Education and Instructional Design. He also holds an M.A. in Educational Technology and a BS in Business Administration. He grew up on the south coast of Maine and is strongly rooted in the maritime heritage of the sea-farer. He served in the USCG from 1970 to 1975, seeing duty aboard a cutter on hurricane patrol in the North Atlantic and at a communications station in Kodiak, Alaska. He currently lives in the plains east of the Rocky Mountains with his wife and two daughters. He can be found online at nathanlowell.org

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

Don’t forget to pre-order the upcoming Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences novel, coming April 26th from all good online and bricks and mortar stores.

Tales from the Archives — Two

Wellington Thornhill Books Esq. — Tue, 22 Mar 2011 01:30:24 +0000

In this episode:

Dust on the Davenport, written and narrated by O.M. Grey

Agent Simon R. Boswell, still considered the green agent of the Ministry, takes on his own a supposed haunting in Islington. Hauntings tend to be nothing too serious for agents specializing in the unexplained; but for Simon, this case supplies surprises of all kinds, around every corner…

About the Author:

O. M. Grey is rather camera shy and is a complete novice when it comes to modern technology. She prefers to live in the cobwebbed corners of her dark mind writing paranormal romance with a Steampunk twist. When she’s not writing, she’s reading or tending the garden or drinking a hot cup of tea. (Just two drops, please.)

O.M. Grey’s Avalon Revisited is released by Blue Moose Press and available from Amazon.com (print and Kindle), Barnes and Noble (print and Nook), and the iBook Store. Find out more about the author at omgrey.wordpress.com.

Featured Voice Talent (in order of appearance):

Paul E. Cooley
Tee Morris
Philippa Ballantine

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

Don’t forget to pre-order the upcoming Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences novel, coming April 26th from all good online and bricks and mortar stores.

Tales from the Archives – One

Eliza D Braun — Tue, 08 Mar 2011 17:45:14 +0000

Archivist to the Ministry, Wellington Thornhill Books and Eliza D Braun (recently and unwillingly reassigned to the Archives) have selected some cases they feel the public is ready for.

In this episode:

The Evil that befell Sampson…

It is revealed just how Miss Braun ended up being exiled from her native country, New Zealand, and working for the Ministry in its London Offices. It’s a tale of nefarious doings, stalwart ladies, and the sound of clockwork.

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

Don’t forget to pre-order the upcoming Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences novel, coming April 26th from all good online and bricks and mortar stores.

Tales from the Archives: The Promos

Wellington Thornhill Books Esq. — Sun, 27 Feb 2011 04:10:43 +0000

With the announcement of the podcast, we present the promos for Tales from the Archives. We offer here a full version (running time — 1:42) and an edited version (running time — 1:02) for your own use and syndication pleasure. Feel free to download, share, and place in your own podcasts!

Episode 1 is currently in production, and we will endeavour to deliver this exciting adventure to you at all speed.

Coming Soon…

Wellington Thornhill Books Esq. — Sat, 26 Feb 2011 16:14:48 +0000

Watch this blog for episodes, writers’ bios, and subscription details.