Having a book published is a very exciting time for an author. It's great to see all those hours of work finally come together into something others can read. So I'm very excited to be able to say that at last The Locksmith's Secret (the second in the Prunella Smith Series) has a publication date (8th of April). AND you can pre-order it NOW and get USD$1 off. Though it's the second in a series, it can also be read first. If you're a Prunella Smith fan, you'll want to snap this up while it's cheap and if you haven't met Prunella yet, then this is a good place to start. It has the same elements that impressed all those reviewers of Worlds Within Worlds. This book is more than just a steampunk murder mystery or a contemporary romantic mystery, it's also a transrealist and metaphysical work of literary fiction. I sum it all up by calling it magical realism, and that's what it is really because it blends fantasy and reality, and uses extended metaphors that become a world of their … [Read more...]
Steampunk Murder Mystery: Cafe Scene
Every week in Friday Free Web Fiction I post a first draft scene from my work in progress (WIP), or a short story, or an excerpt from one of my books. Today’s offering is from my Prunella Smith WIP, The Lock Smith's Secret. This is from the steampunk thread, the story within the story, which is turning into a murder mystery. Nell opened the door and stepped into the cafe. Beth followed her into the dim interior, and they stood scanning the room for Richard. They spotted him at one of the tables at the far end. Gregory, a friend he’d known since school sat beside him. They chuckled together over some shared tit bit. ‘He’s very handsome, you know,’ Beth said as they walked across the café. ‘Richard, that is.’ ‘And you look gorgeous; the perfect lady,’ Nell replied, glancing at Beth’s pink waist corset over a sweet cream dress with tiny roses embroidered on it. It looked like several months’ worth of wages. Her friend had exchanged her work books for elegant little brown … [Read more...]
