Posts Tagged ‘lilith saintcrow’

Happy Birthday Arthur Conan Doyle!

With THE RED PLAGUE AFFAIR (UK|US|ANZ) released so close to the birthdate of Arthur Conan Doyle (that’s today!), and its two Victorian sleuths owing much to Sherlock Holmes (after all, which fictional detectives do not?) we asked the author, Lilith Saintcrow, to tell us a bit about Doyle’s influence on her work.

THE RED PLAGUE AFFAIR is the second of Bannon and Clare’s adventures and the follow up to THE IRON WYRM AFFAIR. Listen to the audiobooks here.

the cover of steampunk novel The Red Plague Affair, showing Bannon and Clare
Bannon and Clare – ready for action.

For a long time, I didn’t even know Sherlock Holmes existed. Instead, I loved another boy.

His name was Leroy “Encyclopedia” Brown.

I had two battered, ancient Encyclopedia Brown collections when I was a kid, probably from some garage sale or another. Most of the stories have receded into the mist that is my bad memory for everything before I was 20, but I remember a particular story where Leroy figured out an ambulance was the getaway vehicle because the stupid criminals put someone in it feet-first.

I was completely enchanted by the idea that a regular kid could, just by observation, change the course of events. This seemed a superpower anyone was capable of acquiring, with enough stubborn persistence and attention to detail. I mean, flight and superstrength are pretty badass, but I think most kids start suspecting neither are truly available outside their imaginations pretty early on.

I am not sure when I first began to suspect that my dear Leroy was an homage to someone else. It was probably at the point that Young Sherlock Holmes blazed into my consciousness, and I immediately marched into the library and started looking for “based on the stories of.”

Imagine my surprise upon meeting Holmes and Watson, two middle-aged men decidedly less attractive to the twelve-year-old girl I was. Arthur Conan Doyle’s prose style gave me a little difficulty, but much less than Shakespeare and only a little more than Louisa May Alcott. Plus, there were murders. Chases. A network of street kids bringing information. Cocaine. Music. Horses.

Irene Adler. (more…)

The Damnation Affair — out now!

Other people hoard things. I hoard books. It is probably the best part of an editor’s job, the new acquisition.  The new author, the new book, the new everything…

There are some novels that I buy because I want to.  And some because I think they’re great. Some because I know that they tell us about ourselves, but in a new way..and the list goes on. But there are some novels that I buy Because.

And it stops there as I can’t imagine a world where this book isn’t MY book. (Yes, yes, it’s also the author’s…) But it’s MINE.   Mine to read, mine to tinker with, figure out the cover, and then pet it when its all done.

Sigh. Yes. I sound unhinged, don’t I? But that is the world of the editor. We basically exist to buy books. Oh. And drink. But that’s for another post.

The newest book that I bought is called THE DAMNATION AFFAIR (UK | US).  It is the newest novel by Lilith Saintcrow and it is the 16th book that I will have worked on with Lili. 16!!!! Whoa! I got this as a ms from Evil Agent who knows my weaknesses and sent me a manuscript that basically said it’s a zombie love story! From Lili! Reader, I bought it.

If you’ve read IRON WYRM AFFAIR (UK | US | AUS), you’ll know about Bannon & Clare (if not, click here!).  DAMNATION AFFAIR is set in the same world, but instead of Victorian England, we move out West. To the old West. Where somethings just don’t stay dead….

The West is a wild place, where the poison wind blows and the dead walk. But there is gold, and whiskey, and enough room for a man to forget what he once was–until he no longer can.

Jack Gabriel’s been the sheriff in Damnation almost since the town grew out of the dust and the mud. He keeps the peace–sort of–and rides the circuit every dawn and dusk with the chartermage, making sure the wilderness doesn’t seep into their fragile attempt at civilization. Away from the cities clinging to the New World’s eastern rim, he doesn’t remember what he was. At least, not much.

But Damnation is growing, and along comes a schoolmarm. Catherine Barrowe is a right proper Boston miss, and it’s a mystery why she would choose this town where everything scandalous and dangerous is probably too much for a quality lady like her. Sometimes the sheriff wonders why she came out West–because everyone who does is running from something. He doesn’t realize Cat may be prickly, delicate, and proper, but she is also determined. She’s in Damnation to find her wayward older brother Robbie, whose letters were full of dark hints about gold, trouble…and something about a claim.

In a West where charm and charter live alongside clockwork and cold steel, where hot lead kills your enemy but it takes a blessing to make his corpse stay down, Cat will keep digging until she finds her brother. If Jack knew what she was after, he could solve the mystery–because he was the one who killed Robbie.

The thing is, Cat’s brother just won’t stay dead, and the undead are rising with him…

And seriously? If zombies clashing with cowboys don’t make you want to read this, I don’t know what will.

To find out more about THE DAMNATION AFFAIR and Lilith Saintcrow’s other novels, become a fan on Facebook. 

The Iron Wyrm Affair: Can you Deduce like a Detective?

Bannon and Clare stand ready to solve another mystery!THE IRON WYRM AFFAIR (UK | US | ANZ) is a steampunk fantasy about what happens when all the geniuses of Londinium are targeted by a vicious killer. The sorceress Emma Bannon and one of the last remaining such geniuses, Archibald Clare, must struggle to solve the mystery and stay alive!

Archie’s unnatural deductive faculties are why he’s in danger – and of course Emma’s not too bad at solving mysteries herself! Can you deduce like a Victorian detective? Read on to try your skills . . .

Question: Although those on a mission for the crown have little time for frivolous parlour games, there’s no harm in keeping one’s deductive faculties sharp. Bannon and Clare have decided to test each other over the dessert course . . . Emma tells Archibald about an American gentleman and his son who were involved in an industrial accident in one of Londinium’s clockhorse factories. The man was killed, but the son lived and was rushed to St. Thomas’s Hospital. The head surgeon glanced at the boy and confessed, “I cannot operate upon this patient – he is my son!” How could this be?

Highlight the space below to reveal the answer:
Archie tells Emma that the doctor was the young gentleman’s mother.

Question: Archibald tells Emma about a Grecquean island where those from the North side of the island always lie, and those from the South always tell the truth.  Archie was sampling the cuisine at a local restaurant when three men approached him. The first man told Archie that himself and his compatriots were from the North. The second man said ‘only one of us is from the South’. The third man said nothing at all. Archibald asks Emma which of the men were from the North.

Highlight the space below to reveal the answer:
Emma knows that only the second man was from the South, but scolds Archie for the frankly preposterous nature of his riddle.

Question: Emma regales Archibald with the details of her visit to a charming country estate while investigating its owner for crimes against Queen Victrix. Although the owner was not at home, as Emma was returning to her carriage a vicious guard dog lunged at her. Although it could not reach her as its chain was attached to a tree, it followed her every move, growling horribly, and had access to both of her carriage doors. Although her bodyguard Mikal was keen to shoot it for threatening his mistress, Emma sternly told him to put away his pistol as she could see a way back to her carriage without the use of force or magic. What did she do?

Highlight the space below to reveal the answer:
Archibald guessed correctly that Emma led the dog around its tree until the chain had been shortened enough that she could reach her carriage.

Question: Inspired by Emma’s canine riddle, Archie tells her about the time a hired hansom was conveying him through the streets of Londinium. The hansom came to a street painted entirely black. The gas lamps were broken, no doubt by flashboys, and neither Archie nor the coachman were carrying lanterns. Nevertheless, the coachman managed to swerve in time to avoid the entirely black dog that ran out on the road in front of them. How could he have seen the dog in time?

Highlight the space below to reveal the answer:
Happily for the dog, Emma concludes, it was daylight.

 How did you do? Share some of your favourite riddles with us in the comments . . .

Gail Carriger interviews Lilith Saintcrow

Lilith Saintcrow launches  a new steampunk series this August with THE IRON WYRM AFFAIR (US | UK | AUS).  Adventure and intrigue lie in wait for detective duo Bannon and Clare as they try to unravel the mystery behind a string of murders targeting London’s geniuses. You can read the first chapter here and get a sense of  Emma Bannon’s sharp wit.   This novel is a ton of fun so we thought: what could be more fun than bringing two charming ladies like Gail Carriger and Lilith Saintcrow together to introduce this new novel?

Read on to find out several fun and interesting facts about Lilith and THE IRON WYRM AFFAIR and find out which character(s) Lilith would most like to slap.

About you, the Author!

Gail: Tea or coffee and how do you take it?

Lilith: Yes to both. Coffee I take as espresso with a little heavy cream, tea I take mostly with gingersnaps. But there’s nothing like a cuppa when the day’s going dreadfully.

Gail: Describe your personal style for author appearances.

Lilith: You mean other than the perfume of complete terror? I have dreadful social anxiety. Normally I’m in jeans, a T-shirt with no holes, boots, and eyeliner. I agonize over appearances, they’re nerve-wracking. I have to wear something I can run in if the zombie apocalypse occurs.

Gail: If I were to observe the writer beast in its native environment, what surprising thing might I see? What does the environment look like?

Lilith: A tall glass of water with a squirt of Key Lime juice in it. That’s my preferred drink while writing. Also, a statue of Ganesh the Remover of Obstacles as writer right next to my computer, and on the other side a bonsai tree. It used to be the Saddest Little Bonsai In All The World, because the cat wanted to chew on it, and on my desk is the one place the cat can’t get to it. So the bonsai is recovering now. Also, there are a bunch of 3×5 notecards with different notes and page numbers on them, and a Keep Calm and Carry On paperweight.

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The game is afoot! Read an excerpt from THE IRON WYRM AFFAIR.

Deduction and magic combine in a new Steampunk series by Lilith Saintcrow that debuts next month. It’s the first book that features detective duo Emma Bannon and Archibald Clare.

Whether you are a current fan of Lilith’s novels or someone who loves a good mystery with a Steampunk twist– THE IRON WYRM AFFAIR (US | UK | AUS) is a book you’ll want to investigate further. Publishers Weekly gave this book a starred review saying, “sensual writing, intricate plotting, and sympathetically quirky, satisfyingly competent characters make this series one to watch.”

Here is the first chapter. Enjoy!

Chapter One: A Pleasant Evening Ride

Emma Bannon, Sorceress Prime and servant to Britannia’s current incarnation, mentally ran through every foul word that would never cross the lips of a lady. She timed them to the clockhorse’s steady jogtrot, and her awareness dilated. The simmering cauldron of the streets was just as it always was; there was no breath of ill intent.

Of course, there had not been earlier, either, when she had been a quarter-hour too late to save the other unregistered mentath. It was only one of the many things about this situation seemingly designed to try her often considerable patience.

Mikal would be taking the rooftop road, running while she sat at ease in a hired carriage. It was the knowledge that while he did  so he could forget some things that eased her conscience, though not completely.

Click to read more.

The Bandit King – New Historical Fantasy Released Today!

the cover of The Bandit King a new historical fantasy by Lilith Saintcrow

THE BANDIT KING  is the eagerly-awaited sequel to Lilith Saintcrow’s ebook-exclusive historical fantasy THE HEDGEWITCH QUEEN, and it’s released today!

If you’re in the US you can purchase it from these retailers.

In the UK you can buy the ebook for one month only at a special price, meaning that should you fancy getting a bit closer to royalty after the Jubilee festivities, you can get both THE HEDGEWITCH QUEEN and THE BANDIT KING  at a great price.

Tristan d’Arcenne killed his King. Now he is faced with betrayal, war, and the mistrust of his Queen. She should mistrust him, for there is nothing d’Arcenne will not do.

The Bandit King approaches . . .

You can find a sample chapter of THE BANDIT KING here.

Orbit at Book Expo America!

Come by the Orbit booth (#3633) at BEA for giveaways, free books, and exclusive signings!

Wednesday, June 6
1 PM: N.K. Jemisin signing The Killing Moon (while supplies last)
4 PM: Kate Locke signing God Save the Queen (while supplies last)

THE KILLING MOON cover GOD SAVE THE QUEEN cover

We’ll also have a limited quantity of galleys for Lilith Saintcrow’s The Iron Wyrm Affair and Amanda Carlson’s urban fantasy debut, Full Blooded. We hope to see you there!

The Hedgewitch Queen is out!

Finally! I’m very excited to announce the release of THE HEDGEWITCH QUEEN by Lilith Saintcrow at ebook retailers in the US and the UK. This is Orbit’s first ebook only publication, and if you are curious to read a bit before hitting buy–you can read an excerpt here.

Lili also has a short fiction piece, Unfallen, that is available now in the US and to come in the UK.

 

Jill Kismet comes to a close…

There is nothing that makes me sadder than finishing a series. In some ways, it’s yeah, finally — a conclusion! And in others,  its harder because you’ve grown up with that character for so many years.  I’ve published Lili for almost a decade and I have to say, that editing Hell and Back (her Dante Valentine series) was hard because I kept tearing up — but that was nothing compared to Angel Town.

For those of you who read the books — you’ll know that Heaven’s Spite finished with a bang. (SPOILER AHEAD! GO OVER WITH MOUSE TO READ!)

<Beginning of Spoiler>Lili doesn’t just kill her  heroine — she throws her into HELL!! Angel Town opens at the gates of Hell and you can read the first chapter here.  <End of Spoiler>

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Orbit’s First E-Book Only Launch!

We’re thrilled to announce our first ebook only publication from New York Times Bestselling author Lilith Saintcrow! We’ll be publishing The Hedgewitch Queen in December 2011, and the sequel, The Bandit King, in July 2012 in both the US and the UK.  The series will be available across all digital reader platforms.

The story centers around a young woman who must advance to the throne amidst court intrigue, conspiracies, and magic.

Vianne di Rocancheil is a lady waiting at the Court of Arquitaine, where she studies her books, watches for intrigue, and shepherds her foolhardy Princesse through the glittering whirl. Court is a sometimes-unpleasant waltz, especially for the unwary, but Vianne treads its measured steps well.

Unfortunately, the dance has changed. Treachery is afoot in gilded and velvet halls. A sorcerous conspiracy is unleashed, with blood, death, and warfare close behind. Vianne must flee, carrying the Great Seal of Arquitaine with her. This is the one thing the conspirators need to rule, and they won’t rest until they have it. A life of dances, intrigues, and fashion has not prepared Vianne for this. Nor has it prepared her for Tristan d’Arcenne, Captain of the King’s Guard and player in the most dangerous games conspiracy can devise. Yet to save her country and avenge her Princesse, Vianne will become what she must and do whatever is required.

A Queen can do no less.

Lili is a class act and with such an exciting story – that’s so different from anything she’s done before—we felt we couldn’t pass up this opportunity to try something new.