Steampunk adventures and espionage with Her Majesty's Agents
Category: Ministry News
Saying “Goodbye” Is Never Easy
When I think of exceptional endings, there are a few that spring to mind… Captain Jean-Luc Picard dealing out a new hand to his officers. “Sam Beckett never went home.†The final scene in Black Adder Goes Forth. Saying goodbye is always hard, and I
Operation: Endgame Preorder LIVE!
We have delightful news, Operation: Endgame the final book in Eliza and Wellington’s adventures now has a general release date. Those of you who backed the Kickstarter for this book will get their book before this, but for those who missed out, Boxing Day you’ll
New Anthology: Clockwork Cairo
Diversity is steampunk is one of our main goals. We have worked to offer a place for voices from around the world, to dive into our world. So it was wonderful to be approached to be part of this anthology but the editor Mathew Bright.
Tales from the Archives: A 2016 Christmas Special
A Very Happy Christmas from the Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences 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
A Jolly Bundle for the Holidays
We here at the Ministry love a good deal. We buy our tea in bulk, and head to the shops on Boxing Day for the sales. Our journalists also love a good deal, and apparently being part of one. Last week they were part of
New Fairytales from our journalists
As you may be aware our journalists have as a little aside, dabbled in steampunk novelette fairytales. Pip Ballantine produced Mechanical Wings based on Wild Swans, and The Little Clockwork Mermaid. Tee Morris produced Aladdin and His Wonderfully Infernal Device. Finally Mr Morris released the
Verena and Eliza
When Verena Vorsatz visited to pose for our covers, Michael Ward of Go ForWard Photography also took some candid shots. The first one is powerful, and really does capture the spirit of Eliza D Braun The second…well let’s just say character and author have a
Book Cover Shoot – an author report
Our journalist, Pip Ballantine takes over the blog today, to share the experience of a book cover photoshoot made possible by our readers and listeners. So after our hugely successful Kickstarter campaign to fund The Ghost Rebellion, we were excited to be ordering up our
Tally Ho! A New Year with the Ministry
Well last year was a gallop for us here at the Ministry. We launched book four from our journalists, Tee Morris and Pip Ballantine, The Diamond Conspiracy. We picked up best steampunk from the RT Convention in Dallas for Dawn’s Early Light. We started and
More Canadian Steampunk
When PC Haring and KT Bryski got together to write an epic story for Agent Brandon Hill, we knew it would be something special. You’ve listened to the podcast, now you can purchase the ebook. Taking pity on the plucky intern in the Archives of
The Ministry’s Fifth Book
We know since the arrival of book four, our readers and listeners have been anxious for news on the next. However, we have been reluctant to talk about it, since so much was up in the air. You see, we always considered the adventures of
Happy Birthday, Verena Vorstaz!
Oh I say! Today, the Ministry celebrates a very special birthday! Verena Vorstaz (also known as V for Cosplay) surprised our journalists with a series of photographs and moving picture clips of an uncanny Eliza D Braun cosplay. Verena is a talented cosplayer, runway model,
New Collections
Our journalists are finally catching up with their work, and putting out the Tales from the Archives in ebook form. And now here come the collections, since you, our dear readers seem to like them so much. Can you believe we are already up to
Two new ebook Short Stories
We have two new ebooks available for you this month, from Katarina Bordet and Michael Ventrella. One takes in the grandeur of the Austrian Empire…the other let’s loose a Mummy in Barnsley! The Mummy of Barnsley by Michael Ventrella Northern England, 1894 Agent Ernest Throckmorton
Steampunk Book Trailer The Diamond Conspiracy: A Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences Novel
After an extremely cold night in Virginia’s capital city and weeks of production, Imagine That! Studios and Ace Books present the official book trailer for The Diamond Conspiracy, the fourth volume in The Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences series from Ace Books, written by Pip Ballantine &
Christmas with Sophia
Our authors had a lot of fun writing this story for Christmas…perhaps too much fun… But it is now available on all ebook platforms or you can buy directly from us. After all…who wouldn’t want to go home for a very del Morte Christmas? Just
A New Year’s Gift for our readers
Happy New Year! One of our fine readers asked, and we thought it was a fine idea—so here is our very own reading guide for all the fiction currently in the Ministry files. You will find all the Tales from the Archives, Ministry Protocol stories,
Into the Future!
The end of the year is nigh, and we here at the Ministry have had a grand year. It was full of fun and achievement. Dawn’s Early Light was released into the wild in paperback, ebook and audiobook. Ministry Protocol, the Fate Core based roleplaying
New ebook short stories
Some people don’t like audio…strange but true. For the last few years we have been offering 99c Penny Dreadfuls on all the various e-platforms. As Season Three of Tales from the Archives draws to a close, we are happy to offer, Foothold by Paul Ellis,
The 2014 RT Reviewers’ Choice Awards
The Ministry is pleased as punch to be nominated in the 2014 RT Reviewers’ Choice Awards nominees. We’re nominated in the best steampunk category along with some other wonderful books and authors. Congratulations to Delilah D Dawson, Karina Cooper, Lynn Viehl and Meljean Brook as
Remembering the Fallen, Welcoming Others Home
Our brothers and sisters of investigating the strange and unusual, the Office of the Supernatural and Metaphysical, are celebrating Veteran’s Day today in the Americas, and we tip our bowlers and bonnets to them all. Today, across the Empire, we pay different honours. We remember
Report on S4: Steampunk Saturday at Shaharazade’s in Shepherdstown
Back on September 13th, the Ministry had the joy of hosting a steampunk tea at Shaharazade’s Restaurant & Tea Room in Shepherdstown, West Virginia. Our journalists Pip Ballantine and Tee Morris were joined by Tiffany Trent, author of the Unnaturalists, and one of the authors
COVER REVEAL- The Diamond Conspiracy
Apparently it has been leaked onto the Aetherwebs, and we here at the Ministry have admitted defeat…but in a good way. The cover for the Diamond Conspiracy is here for all to see! Miss Braun is once again wearing trouser and Mr Books is…what is
Begging Your Forgiveness
Unfortunately, we here at the Ministry are once again short-staffed. (Terrible thing, cut-backs don’t you know). While our journalists have their noses pressed to the grindstone getting the first round of edits out for the Diamond Conspiracy (due in March next year), they have rather
Dispatches from the Ministry
We here at the Ministry are always looking for ways to maintain contact with our agents. However recently, it was pointed out to us that we are missing a beat. Though we have a Ministry Facebook, Twitter, Google+, tumblr and pinterest account…we were missing out
Happy Birthday, Nikola Tesla!
Our favourite mad science consultant for the Ministry, Nikola Tesla, celebrates a birthday today. We came across this picture in the Archives, circa 1894-95, where we see Nikola on his travels across America, enjoying a relaxing afternoon on the beach. Wait. Hold on a
The Secret of the Diamond Conspiracy is out: 31-3-2015
We have managed to declassify information on the fourth Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences books. We have a publication date which is the 31st of March 2015…and we even have information on the contents of the book. Your support with pre-orders of said book makes a
Something new…
We here at the Ministry are all about choices and options. Our podcasts, our audio books, and our digital books are available in as many platforms as possible, and now we bring you the ability to buy from us directly. We are often asked which
Ministry Protocol Wins!
Another piece of wonderful news from the Ministry, our anthology Ministry Protocol has won the Steampunk Chronicle Readers Choice, Best Fiction 2014. If you want to watch the award ceremony, then you absolutely can! Thanks to all our wonderful authors that helped make this project
Reader Guide
Happy New Year! One of our fine readers asked, and we thought it was a fine idea—so here is our very own reading guide for all the fiction currently in the Ministry files. You will find all the Tales from the Archives, Ministry Protocol stories,
Reading Guide
Happy New Year! One of our fine readers asked, and we thought it was a good idea—a reading guide for the Ministry stories. This pdf lists chronologically by year the stories are set. You will find all of the Ministry Protocol, Tales from the Archives,
Ministry Protocol now available
So all the backers have had their books shipped, and so the Ministry can now open up sales of the paper copies to the general public. This is the anthology that was part of the 152% funded Kickstarter we ran, along with Galileo Games back
The Protocol lands
After a really amazing, and successful Kickstarter campaign, one of the projects funded was the Ministry Protocol: Thrilling Tales from the Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences. This anthology of short stories expand the world of the Ministry beyond the novels alone, and provide glimpses of the
Happy Birthday and Happy Delivery Day
Today just happens to be the birthday of HG Wells, one of the grandfathers of steampunk…. and it also happens to be the day we have delivered the aether version of Ministry Protocol. What a wonderful coincidence. So if you were one of
An Unexpected Victory
The Parsecs celebrate the best in speculative fiction podcasting each year, and are presented at DragonCon in Atlanta, GA. Last year our journalists attended the Parsec Awards, and Tales from the Archives won two wonderful trophies for best short story (large cast) and best short
Signed from the Ministry
Our journalists travel far and wide to many conventions, booksignings, and even the odd railway event. Usually they are their own travelling shop, thanks to the aether magic that is the Square. However, the sad truth is that they cannot be in all places all
Cover reveal— Dawn’s Early Light
Covers are curious creations. Writers write, and then send their stories into publishing companies. They are the ones that arrange the covers, and it is always a nerve wracking event. When they arrive, authors hold their breath. Ace Books has, as the Americans would say,
Steampunk Chronicle Reader’s Choice Award
The winners were announced, and the Ministry was absolutely chuffed to find out that the Janus Affair has won the fiction category! It was an honour to be in company of such people as John C White, Ben Hamby, and Major Jack Union. Other
Steampunk Style
This is what happens when steampunks decide to make a music video. Look out for the Ministry novels at 2:15 with our journalists behind them… We have reports they had a wonderful time with so many talented folk, and Mr Morris was able to revisit
For Your Consideration: The Janus Affair for SPC’s 2013 Readers’ Choice Awards
Our journalists get quite tickled when the steampunk community gives the Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences a nod. They still take a great deal of pride in both the 2011 Airship Award and their 2012 Parsec wins. This year, the Ministry is in the spotlight on The
Thanks for all the LIKES
The Ministry Facebook page has reached a 1,000 Likes, and to celebrate we are running another competition. Yes, this time we are giving away a signed set of the Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences hardbacks (the Science Fiction Book Club edition) as well as a signed
Best wishes of the season
It has been a bumper year for the Ministry, and we are certainly entering Christmas on a high note. Our Facebook page reached 1,000 Likes! So we will be announcing a fun new competition on Boxing Day, as well as the winner of the Box
Finalists!
Once again you did it, fine supporters of the Ministry. The Janus Affair, our second book, has made it to the finals of the Goodreads.com Best Science Fiction of 2012. To be in the company of the other 9 finalists is quite the honour, but
Once More Unto the Breach: The Goodreads 2012 Choice Awards
Esteemed agents, faithful readers, and those of you who have cheered for our honours and awards, Miss Braun and I come to you once more as we did a year ago from this time. We are thrilled to announce that, yes, there are times where
You Liked Us Competition
Well the news is out, and now we can make the official announcement… We just signed a contract with Ace books for the next two books of the Ministry, and we delivered the first draft of the third book Dawn’s Early Light to our editor
The Ministry is everywhere…
We have news on several fronts today. It has come to our attention that not everyone visits webpages anymore. Apparently there is also something called Facebook. The Ministry has overlooked the rise of this behemoth while distracted by mad scientists and such. This failure has
Brute Force and tool abuse
Thomas Willeford of Brute Force has begun posting irregular (at this stage) videos of how he makes some of his creations. Brute Force is behind most of the beautiful creations seen in our Janus Affair trailer. He is both incredibly smart and charming, but now
A Steampunk Book Trailer from Imagine That! / Baldgroove / Brute Force Studios
Currently on TeeMorris.com, our journalist is busy revealing a behind-the-scenes look at his project within a project. As many of you know, our intrepid journalist collaborated with Baldgroove studios in the previous year to produce a right bit of fun — the Phoenix Rising book
Jammy Dodgers, tea, and a book trailer
We’ve received word from our intrepid journalists, that they have arrived safely at Balticon, and have procured the necessities of life. Apparently Jammy Dodgers and tea are among them. So if you are attending Balticon please do take the time to pop over to their
Two Weeks and counting…
Two weeks from today the Janus Affair hits…according to Amazon that is. Though the official release date is a few days later, Amazon will start shipping that day. The reviews are starting to come in. You can check them out here…but here are some of
Ministry merchandise
Yes, the Ministry store is finally open. Bags, mugs and even teapots. Please let us know if there is anything else you would like to see—we aim to please.
What Is Steampunk? A Definitive Answer from the Ministry
Agents of the Ministry, as you may have discerned from the chatter within the Aether, there has been spirited discussion bandying about on what exactly constitutes steampunk. We have our own definition, of course, but even that has been brought into question. Perhaps it is
Behold the crest
Finally funds freed up in the Ministry (well, actually we just cut back on biscuits for dunking for a couple of months) and we were able to hire the frighteningly talented (seriously we are investigating him!) Alex White of the Gearheart to design a crest
A call to arms…or at least words
As you are most likely aware, the Janus Affair, the second book in the Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences series, is coming in late May. What you may not be aware of is that if you are a reviewer or a book blogger you can get
Submitted for #SteamTuesday: The Steampunk Chronicle’s 2012 Reader’s Choice Awards
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,
Tales from the Archives (and friends) Chosen for Honours
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
New Steampunk for #SteamTuesday
Happy #SteamTuesday, friends from the æthertweets! We at the Ministry are quite excited about what we bring to you all today. Following a quite successful Tales from the Archives (Volume the First), our intrepid journalist Tee Morris has been hard at work finishing up development
Some Librarian Love
It is always nice to get appreciative comments on the Ministry’s work, but when Wellington ran across this mention he had to have a sit down an a cuppa. You see, there are three pillars in our dear archivist’s world; the British Library (you can
A Taste of the Ministry
In addition to Phoenix Rising ebook being currently 99c, we now have a free taste of the Archives available for your ereader. Get a free copy of Dust on the Davenport by the delightful O.M. Grey Amazon – Nook – Smashwords Agent Simon R. Boswell, still considered
The Kaiser Calls: A Look at Phoenix Rising’s German Cover
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,
Cheap as Chips
Stuck for steampunk presents to give? Or perhaps already blown the Christmas budget but still have people to buy for? Or maybe you’d just like to curl up in front of the Yule log with a jolly good romp? Then the Ministry has excellent news.
Calling all Citizens and residents of New Zealand
The Ministry is delighted to announce a competition which they are running in conjunction with the charming folks of SpecFicNZ. One of our journalists is a proud card carrying member of this organisation whose mission is to promote and encourage the speculative fiction genre in
Submitted for Steam Tuesday: Steampunk in Goodreads’ 2011 Choice Awards
Faithful readers, an update from the Ministry’s wireless! As you have been notified from our intrepid journalists on their Twitter, Facebook, and podcast ætherfeeds, Goodreads — a jolly nice salon where purveyours of fine literature gather to discuss what is recent off the printing press and which favourite classics
An Appeal from the Ministry: The 2011 Goodreads Choice Awards
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
On titles and teasers
The Ministry has confirmed it, and now we can reveal it. The name of the second Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences is… The Janus Affair: A Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences Novel Intriguing isn’t is? Janus, for those without a classical education, is the Roman
Concerning Airships and Awards…
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
Our Intrepid Journalists Head to New York….TODAY!
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
Tales from the Archives — Eleven
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
The 99-Penny Dreadfuls Promo
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.
A New Avenue for the Ministry: The 99-Penny Dreadful
Gentle readers, there are amazing things afoot in the Archives, and Miss Braun and I are teeming with excitement at the possibilities of this new ætherweb movement — the digital press. Of course, the released case files of the Archives are already available in a
An All-Around Amazing Week for the Ministry!
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.
A note of thanks from the Archives…
This morning, Miss Braun and I present a short note of appreciation to you, the dedicated bibliophiles, who not only invested the time in our modest adventure across Her Majesty’s realm but also spared the additional moment to share your thoughts on various platforms. The
Ginger fun
We here at the Ministry have a serious job- investigating the strange and unusual- but we also are civilised folk. So we have tea. Now while Wellington prefers and assam, and I enjoy an Earl Grey, both of us indulge in a spot of dunking.
BALTICON 45: Book Launch the Second!
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
The Bay and the Ministry
It has been just under two weeks since Phoenix Rising: A Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences Novel was released. Everyone in the office has been on full alert with signings, podcasts, blogging and appearances all coming at us like rockets from a fifty-foot tall automaton. However
Release day
It’s been quite a busy day here at the Ministry, and our authors are bursting with delight. Yes, dear reader, the first of the Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences novels, Phoenix Rising is out in the wild. We have reports of it on such aetherweb delivery
The end result of hard work and vivid imagination…
Oh how clever our Ministry scribes are! With their portable kinetorama device, authors Pip Ballantine and Tee Morris shared (in a most candid fashion) their unboxing of the first four copies of Phoenix Rising: A Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences Novel. We know there will be
Our Sincerest Thanks!
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
The power of review
Everyone here at the Ministry, all agents, archivists and even the Director, undergo reviews. It helps someone know how they are doing. The same is true of our authors. We are starting to get reports on Phoenix Rising. Below are a sample of reviews we
Steampunk Book Trailer — The Official “Phoenix Rising” Teaser
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
Ministry review
It’s always very pleasant when people enjoy what you do. Personally, very few people have up until now learned about what we do here in the Ministry. So Wellington and I are a little on tender hooks to see how tales of our derry doing
A grand announcement
The ducks have all been placed in a row, and I am able to reveal what we have been working on here in the Ministry. A selection of fine tales about the secret and dangerous goings on within our organisation. We are most fortunate to
Dispatch from our man in Moscow
Ministry agents have reached deep into foreign territory. Queen Victoria’s grand-daughter Alexandra Feodorovna Romanova may be the new Tsarina in Russia, but we never expected the Ministry to make an impact there. Phoenix Rising; a Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences novel will be translated and available
Vundabar!
The news has filtered through the pneumatic tubes- Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences novels will be available in Germany, Australia and New Zealand. Eliza is wondering about what the covers will be, while Wellington begins working on the translation. The American edition will be out in
Photos in the Archives
Yesterday one of the boffins from upstairs ventured down into the Archives and said that Doctor Sound was insisting we all pose for new photographs. I am sure my Mum back home in New Zealand would like one–but if look all stuffy she won’t recognize
Welcome to the Ministry
The Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences is the clandestine English service, which protects citizens of the Empire from the strange and terrifying. We specialize in dealing with secret societies and neferious ner-do-wells. Our Agents span the globe and include the following heroes Agent Brandon Hill from