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 devices as the Kindle and the Nook, but no pictures of it in paper. If you have any send them to pip at pjballantine dot com- she’s collecting them in some madcap fashion.
On the right hand side of this page you will find links to the online purveyors of our book, and also a link to the aetherweb sites where you can read the first seventy pages of the book.
If you local bookstore does not have it in, then please to enquire at the counter. The more people know about the book the better-especially those that sell books.
It may seem strange, but in your time period this covert organisation needs to be widely known. The Director has made an exception in this instance, so please tweet, Facebook, tell your friends, bring it up over dinner with you family, and generally let the world know the Ministry is out there.
We appreciate your support and kind words.
Just saw a copy of Phoenix Rising at our local Fred Meyer store in Beaverton, Oregon (part of the Kroger chains). It looks very cool. Then went to inquire about same book at the local Barnes and Noble, but they are being held back for a time to set up a proper display.
I own a copy of Phoenix Rising since yesterday (April 29th). I did not buy it in a local bookstore because the ones in my surrounding do not sell many English books ………. I live in Germany. But it was no problem to get the book via Amazon.de
Now I look forward to read it.
Dear Pip & Tee,
I bought your book on impulse at Barnes & Noble on March 7th as none of my favorite authors had anything new available in paperback. I have always enjoyed the concept of Steampunk but had not gotten around to buying one of the books available since most are printed in England and are somewhat overpriced.
That said, I find myself Exceedingly Pleased with your book! I found myself laughing out loud by page 10 where they were being lifted into the airship. I was the recipient of a few rather…odd looks from the others in the laundromat where I had started reading the book. Having known a couple poms I could readily visualize that scene with the look on his face & the grin on hers. I have yet to finish the book, I have just finished reading the scene within the scene upon the stage of the London opera. I found myself with the need to immediately let you know of my enjoyment of your efforts on the behalf of your readers. I have no fear that the remainder of your book will fail to keep me entertained.
Given the constraints of the Steampunk universal constants, your plotline & characterizations are completely believable & understandable. Books & Braun have the feel of both the old Avengers series & the more recent movie with a touch of Will Smiths Wild Wild West movie. Those should help with the American market. I’ve always enjoyed the concept of what I call low-tech/high-tech with modern inventions built in a earlier time where they could have been built if those then had only had the idea that it was possible. Steampunk fits that bill admirably with the runaway Victorian technology, I have a friend in Texas that is into building Steampunk props for several groups & is working on a vehicle. He could be considered a male version of Ms Braun with his interests & skills in the real world.
I will be touting your book to all of my friends that would enjoy this type of novel & will be bookmarking this website to enable myself to keep an eager eye out for the next novel within your universe. I sincerely hope that the next one is not too long in appearing!
Thank you for a VERY Enjoyable read!!
OOPS! Make that I bought it on May 7th!