A to Z Blog Challenge 2019 Theme Reveal!

by Lillian Csernica on March 21, 2019

 

Hi there. Yes, I’m a trifle behind schedule on this. Tomorrow I run off to Clockwork Alchemy for the weekend. Con prep is such an adventure!

 

How I Learned To Be A Writer

This year I’m going to share with you 26 separate moments from my writing life, moments that taught me something worth remembering. Moments that helped shape my writing style. Moments that taught me how to endure the bad days and celebrate the triumphs.

Being a writer is not just about mastering the techniques of fiction. Nobody understands writers the way other writers do. That’s because you have to live inside a creative mind that constantly notices odd details and can’t stop thinking about certain exciting problems. Writers are not like everybody else.

Join me and take a look at a level of living that goes so much farther than just “behind the scenes.” You’ll get a glimpse into my creative process. More than that, you might help me figure out some of the mysteries about how my mind works!

Clockwork Alchemy 2019

by Lillian Csernica on March 13, 2019

 

Yes, it’s time once again for top hats and goggles, airships and submarines, international intrigue and more! Join me and the rest of my multi-talented colleagues as we celebrate all things steampunk!

Here’s where you can find me on each day of the con. I do hope you will stop by and say hello. It’s always a pleasure to hear what people think of Dr. Harrington’s adventures in Kyoto.

Friday, March 22

1 p.m. in the  Harbour Room

DIALOGUE IN HISTORICAL FICTION: Nuts and bolts technique for layering characterization into dialogue.

Find it on Amazon!

Saturday, March 23

11 a.m. in the Sandpebble Room

MAGIC IN STEAMPUNK: Practical tips for working magic into a storyline where period technology is the hallmark of the genre.

Sunday, March 24

1 p.m. in Authors’ Alley

Stop by my table and pick up your copy of Next Stop On The #13, which includes The Badger Epidemic. Dr. Harrington is forced to take a train to Osaka, where a cholera epidemic is killing the railway workers. Something is waiting for him en route that could prove even more dangerous than cholera itself!

See you there!

 

 

An All-New Kyoto Steampunk Story!

by Lillian Csernica on January 25, 2019

www.amazon.com

I am delighted to announce the release of Next Stop on the #13, the fourth steampunk anthology featuring stories by the authors of Clockwork Alchemy.

MoonBase Prints

In The Badger Epidemic, Dr. Harrington is forced to ride a train bound for Osaka through a region afflicted by a cholera epidemic. The Japanese workers needed for building the railways and telegraph lines believe the cholera is spread by the new technology from the West. The British officials insist Dr. Harrington ride the train and prove the superstition is nonsense.

What awaits Dr. Harrington out in the darkness on those lonely train tracks is a danger even greater than the threat of cholera itself.

Join us for Clockwork Alchemy 2019. Get your copy of Next Stop on the #13 and have it autographed by the authors of each story, including the master of alternate history, Harry Turtledove!

 

How To Edit My NaNoWriMo Roughdraft?

by Lillian Csernica on January 16, 2019

It’s time to clean up the NaNoWriMo novel. I have several intense scenes, some good action, and two or three potential plotlines. How do I clean this up? Where do I start?

First, I have to finish typing in all the handwritten material created during my coffeehouse marathons. That allows me a certain amount of editing, but mostly I just want to get all of the manuscript on disk. It’s comforting, really. I hadn’t realized just how much I did write and from so many different characters’ points of view.

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com

Second, I need to figure out who the hero of my story is. Since this is meant to be a Kyoto Steampunk novel, the obvious choice would be Dr. William Harrington, main character of all but two of the seven short stories in the series. Who changes the most over the course of the story? Is it Dr. Harrington, or is it his daughter Madelaine?

(Yes, I did say seven. The latest Kyoto Steampunk short story, The Badger Epidemic, will appear in Next Stop on the #13, available at Clockwork Alchemy 2019!)

At the Night of Writing Dangerously, we all received tote bags which included a copy of Save The Cat! Writes A Novel by Jessica Brody. This book is God’s gift to the novel writer, thanks to Ms. Brody’s skill at breaking down and explaining in detail the fifteen story beats that are essential to a strong, successful story. Given what Ms. Brody demonstrates, I know I face crucial questions in sifting through my roughdraft to find the moments that match some or all of those fifteen story beats.

Having done a bit of flailing around while I did my best to achieve my daily word quota, I’ve written a lot of material that could take the story in at least half a dozen directions. Lining up the scenes I’ve written in something approximating chronological order should point the way toward further complications and rising action. While I often work from plot outlines, this time I’ve been extrapolating from the events occurring in the Kyoto steampunk short stories. The consequences of some of those events are now catching up with Dr. Harrington, Madelaine, Constance, and Nurse Danforth.

http://www.decorativestyle.org

The novel length has allowed me to introduce new characters, three human and three non-human. The humans are members of the British expatriate society in Kyoto, all of whom have some degree of power to affect the course of Dr. Harrington’s stay. Of the three non-human characters, two are earthly gods while the third is a monster of uncertain provenance. There are few things I enjoy more than squeezing poor Dr. Harrington between the pressures of Victorian social etiquette and the unfamiliar rules that govern the gods and monsters of Japan.

Third? I don’t know what will happen next. I’m just as excited to find out as I hope my readers will be!

#atozchallenge: M is for Madelaine

by Lillian Csernica on April 14, 2018

http://www.vintag.es

Madelaine Victoria Harrington is Dr. Harrington‘s nine year old daughter. She is his only child and his first priority in life. The fever that renders her critically ill is the crisis that sets in motion the first story, In the Midnight Hour (Twelve Hours Later).

Madelaine is a genius. She gets on well with everyone, making friends quickly among the Japanese staff at Dr. Harrington’s Kyoto residence. Madelaine is keen to understand the mechanics of everything, including the social etiquette so important to Victorian England. Her open mind and intense curiosity serve her well in learning about Japan.

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She picks up languages quickly, which is essential when she begins studying the mythology and folklore of Japan. Her studies go a long way toward helping Dr. Harrington deal with the challenges he faces in each story.

Madelaine does a number of things that just happen while I’m writing. I had no idea she and the Abbot would develop such a close friendship. The Abbot loves children and Madelaine loves intelligent conversation, so they suit each other. There’s more to it, though. They both have a unique understanding of the supernatural. The respect goes both ways.

amazon.com

Then there’s the clockwork dragon in Blown Sky High (Thirty Days Later). I knew Madelaine was up to something, but I didn’t find out until her mother Constance discovered the secret project. I did have to work out the interior mechanics of the dragon. Fortunately, my husband is an engineer.

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Experience the Wonders of Clockwork Alchemy!

by Lillian Csernica on March 23, 2018

 

Join us at the Hyatt Burlingame for a weekend of science, fiction, science fiction, cosplay, music, airship races and more!

Here’s the list of Programming events where you can find me:

Friday, 3 to 4 p.m. Creating Magic Systems for Fantasy

Saturday, 5 to 6 p.m. Steam-y Storytelling: Five Pros Improvise!

Sunday, 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. How Steam Changed Japan

Sunday, 2 p.m. Reading “The Wheel of Misfortune”

You can also find me at my table in Author’s Alley where I will have copies of the Clockwork Alchemy anthologies for sale.

My dear son John is coming along, outfitted in his steampunk best. If you see us out there in the halls or event rooms, be sure to say hello!

Where You Should Be This Weekend

by Lillian Csernica on May 26, 2017

It’s that time again! Convention season is well underway, and Memorial Day Weekend is a high point. This weekend you can find me at two, count ’em, TWO conventions!

Clockwork Alchemy:

Saturday in particular promises to be a blast.

11:30 to 1 p.m. — Steampunk DIY! This year we’ll be making earrings. Get it it gear (ho ho ho) and join us!

4 p.m. to 5 p.m. — Steampunk, Satire, and Society

BayCon:

Sunday is my busy day!

1:40 p.m. (Connect 5)  My reading! Come listen to an exciting excerpt from my newest Kyoto Steampunk story, “The Wheel of Misfortune.”

4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. (Synergy 1) Historical Writing

5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. (Connect 1) The Truth About Stuff!

I’ve come up with some rather unique items in the way of promo swag. Find me and see what heights of creative memorabilia could be yours!

How We Survived a Three Convention Weekend

by Lillian Csernica on June 4, 2016

Hi, gang. I made it through all four days of Clockwork Alchemy, BayCon, and Fanime.I would have written this post sooner, but the sudden discovery of John being WAY behind on preparing his Final presentation/exam in one of his classes caused me to devote what energies I had to making sure he met today’s deadline. I love that boy dearly, but some days he makes me crazy.

The weekend was packed with memorable moments.  This was John’s first time really participating in conventions.  (He did make a brief appearance at the Meet the Guest Reception of one BayCon about ten or twelve years ago. We had to keep him away from the buffet and out from under everybody else’s tables.) It was a spectacular weekend!  John even won a Hall Costume Award for his steampunk attire.

Technolo-John meets Mega Man!

John had quite a few adventures, including playing the communications officer aboard the Starship Artemis. He made a light saber in one of the DIY workshops, and he discovered the joys of hanging out in the Hospitality Suite having munchies and watching “Wheel of Fortune” on a big plasma screen.  That might sound silly, but I was pleased to see John guessing the solutions with everybody else.

At Fanime, all the people in costume blew John’s mind. He’d been hoping to meet some of his favorite superheroes. Sure enough, one man was dressed as Nightwing, and one young lady wore a Raven costume. Raven told John how much she liked his steampunk outfit. That had him walking on air!

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Business was good. I sold all but one of the anthology copies I brought with me.  Gave away all the beaded space-theme bookmarks and the Japanese art print bookmarks, all of which had this here blog’s URL on the back.  Shameless Self-Promotion! John got to see people asking me for my autograph as I signed their copies.  This is my idea of Take Your Kid To Work Day. Now John knows that I really am (kinda) famous.

Courtesy of Leigh Flynn

At Clockwork Alchemy on Sunday morning I had a good time teaching the Victorian Yarn Doll DIY.  Yarn colors included forest green, wine red, and navy blue, as well as what I like to call the “steampunk rainbow.” This is a yarn made up of several jewel tone colors suitable for the steampunk era. Traditional Victorian yarn dolls are either boys or girls.  Out of respect for the gender fluid community, I wanted to provide materials that were both inclusive and diverse. If you’re interested in making yarn dolls, Pinterest is a gold mine of methods, styles, and materials.

This is the Mixy Award, created by Steve Mix in honor of those people who he feels deserve recognition for their ongoing contributions to fandom and the convention community.  At this year’s BayCon, Steve granted me the honor of presenting the Mixy to none other than my best friend and co-conspirator, Pat MacEwen.  Convincing her to bring the spiffy clothes and dress up on Saturday night was a bit of a challenge, because of course I couldn’t tell her why.

Steve Mix was also responsible for the D20 challenge.  Several of us who are gamers past or present brought our best D20s to the con.  Whenever some of us would cross paths, we’d roll against each other. Best of five was the general rule.  Whoever won got to keep all the dice involved in that particular round.  I brought five D20s with me, and I left with five D20s, so I broke even.

In the bar of the San Mateo Marriott, the tables are glass.  That meant that in the evening when we had anywhere from three to seven people rolling at once, we made a glorious racket!  (I have to give the staff of the hotel credit.  They embraced the weirdness that is fandom like good sports.  The valets were having a great time collecting badge ribbons.) Steve has the best D20.  It’s made of some kind of metal, and it rolls high and hard.  I told him he should name it the “Deathstar D20”!

The Snow Jedi

I’m going to break one of my own rules here and post a photo of myself in my jammies. That is indeed the very light saber John made.  This goes to show how much fun I was having. I actually asked Pat to take a photo of me looking like this. This had to be my best Clockwork/Fanime/BayCon ever!

A Thousand Thanks

by Lillian Csernica on May 26, 2015

Hi there.  I have recovered to the point where I stand a good chance of writing a coherent post here.  The Memorial Day Weekend was spectacular.  Sorry I didn’t manage to blog from the cons as I’d hoped to.  A few items were added to my schedule.  I spent the weekend either speaking before an audience, reading my work aloud, enjoying the company of some truly outstanding people, or trying to scrape together a few hours of sleep.

Sharon Cathcart, Thena MacArthur, and the other folks responsible for Clockwork Alchemy.  What a blast.  When I showed up for the release party for Twelve Hours Later, I had no idea I would be reading my work in front of Harry Turtledove himself.

Jeffrey Cathcart, a gentleman of many talents who is endlessly entertaining.

The team at Artistic Solutions, Inc., responsible for all the marvelous parts of BayCon.  I saw many of my favorite people from the Bay Area con scene, and scored several highly entertaining ribbons for my badge.

Steven Mix saw fit to honor me with a “Mixy,” this gorgeous trophy that consists of three golden stars rising up from the marble base.  When I asked what the award was for, he told me “general awesomeness.”

Justin and Bethany from Dreadfully Punk were kind enough to express their enjoyment of my story “In the Midnight Hour” by giving me a pair of their absolutely marvelous earrings.  Go see what else they have to offer!

Emerian Rich and all the Horror Addicts contributors who turned up for the Horror Addicts BoF.  We had such a good time!

The World’s Tallest Leprechaun.  It’s a good thing I don’t drink, or I would not believe I actually saw him.

The delightful young lady who thanked me in glowing terms for the talk I gave on “Steampunk Alchemy.”  I’m always happy to see the younger generation at cons, and I’m even happier to know the information I provide in my talks is useful to them.

The person who told me he’d heard about The Writer’s Spellbook on another panel about writing techniques.  It gladdens my heart to know all my shameless self-promotion is having an effect!

A big thank you to all the folks who attended the panels, readings, room parties and other events where I appeared or participated.  As far as convention experiences go, this weekend was a personal best for me.  I really think I broke the Fun Barrier!

The Adventure Begins!

by Lillian Csernica on May 22, 2015

Soon I shall be loading my con gear for a wild weekend of gladsome geekery.  Last year at Clockwork Alchemy I managed to blog every day’s events.  Not quite “live,” but I can’t be everywhere at once, right?

This year will be a flying trapeze act between Clockwork Alchemy and BayCon.  It’s going to be a bit of a marathon, but I will do my best to give you the highlights of each day.

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Today my official programming starts at Clockwork Alchemy at 5 p.m. in the San Juan Room.  “Nemo’s Realm: Steampunk Underwater.”  I even have a Powerpoint presentation!  Woo hoo!

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From 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. I will be talking about “Steampunk Alchemy” in the San Juan room.  This will be fun.  I hadn’t realized just how many famous inventors were also into alchemy.

http://www.fotosearch.com

7 p.m. to 8 p.m. will find me at the 12 Hours Later release party!  Show up, buy a copy, and get autographs from the contributing authors you meet there.  Extra bonus:  I’ll have my autographed copy stickers with me.

http://www.clipartpal.com

8:30 p.m. BayCon!  I shall be joining some delightful Women of Wonder at the Horror Addicts BoF.  Join us as we celebrate the release of the Horror Addicts Guide to Life.  There will be trivia games!  Door prizes!  More cool stuff!

SEE YOU THERE!