Kristen Brand

Welcome!

Hi. I’m speculative fiction author Kristen Brand. If you’re looking for a good book in the sci-fi/fantasy genre, then you’re in the right place. My novels all have fast-paced action, witty banter, and at least a hint of romance. I’m a huge nerd, which comes through in my writing, and I love reading and talking about books, comics, and short stories.

Check out my books page for a full list of all my novels. Or look at my web fiction for links to free stories you can read online.

Thanks for stopping by!

8 Steampunk Heroines with Fabulous Fashion on their Book Covers

Fashion is part of the appeal of steampunk for me. I love seeing cosplayers at conventions and am fascinated by the styles of the Victorian Era. Not gonna lie–the main reason I set The Ghost Machine in the 1880s is because I like the style of the dresses in that era with the bustle in the back.

There are lots of different types of steampunk fashion, but this article isn’t a costuming guide. I want to spotlight some steampunk book covers that have their heroines looking particularly fierce and fabulous. So let’s take a look at the leading ladies of steampunk and what they wear on their adventures. Continue reading 8 Steampunk Heroines with Fabulous Fashion on their Book Covers

The Ghost Machine is live! (Again)

Haven’t felt a chill run up your spine in a while? Missing the ghostly whispers in your ear? Is there a lack of menacing metal automatons in your life?

The Ghost Machine hasn’t been for sale over the past few months as Silver Empire Publishing prepared it for a grand re-release, and release day is today, my friends! The Ghost Machine is back online, ready to give you haunted castles, airship battles, and a heroine solving mysteries while wearing a frilly Victorian nightgown (as gothic heroines do).

If you’ve already read it, this new release doesn’t have any changes to the actual content. But if you’re curious or are one of the readers who’ve emailed me about why it’s not available for purchase, now’s your chance to download a copy for your Kindle or Kindle App. Continue reading The Ghost Machine is live! (Again)

Older Characters in Superhero Media

Readers of The White Knight & Black Valentine Series sometimes ask me why I chose to make my heroes “older.” The superhero genre doesn’t have an age limit: it includes heroes from children to seniors. Just look at the Power Pack or the Justice Society of America. Like most media, though, I’d say it skews young, and the genre has its roots in teen heroes and superpowers as a metaphor for puberty.

With the explosion of live-action superhero films and television starring actors who are human rather than ink on page and therefore age, we’re seeing a few more characters on the older half of the spectrum. Except when CGI makes them look younger. Oh, and those aging actors are rarely women.

But we’re all growing older (unless you’re reading this from a Lazarus Pit), so let’s take a look at those awesome elders of superhero media who don’t let age stop them from saving (or destroying) the world. Continue reading Older Characters in Superhero Media

Turn Back the Pages: Gotham Academy

Turn Back the Pages is a feature where I spotlight a comic that is not fresh and new. It may have come out a few months ago or even a few years ago. Maybe it was hyped and popular, or maybe it was an underappreciated gem. Whatever the case, it’ll be a great comic that’s well worth a read.

I love gothic mysteries. I love Batman. I really should have read Gotham Academy sooner.

This book is full of gothic tropes. Gotham Academy is old, mysterious, and has a dark history. One building is even boarded up and abandoned for secret reasons. The girls’ dorm is possibly haunted. A group dressed in cloaks and masks conducts arcane rituals on campus in the dead of night. There’s even a vampire! (Okay, so he’s a bat-mutant made by science, but he looks super vampiry.) It’s seriously the best. Continue reading Turn Back the Pages: Gotham Academy

How to Write a Series of Superhero Fiction

I’ve made some mistakes.

I’ve also written some pretty good stuff, in my totally-not-biased opinion.

If nothing else, now that I’ve finished The White Knight & Black Valentine Series and am the author of five superhero novels, I’ve learned a lot. And, like the veteran superhero imparting her knowledge to her young sidekick, I’m here to pass on what I’ve learned so you can do better than me. Continue reading How to Write a Series of Superhero Fiction

New Superhero Fiction for 2019

Hey, super readers. It’s already April somehow, and I haven’t done a roundup of new superhero fiction yet this year. Yikes! Not sure if I’ll be returning to the monthly schedule for these posts, or if I’ll do quarterly roundups like this going forward to save time. Either way, I know I’m missing a lot of great books, so leave a comment about any other superhero novels you’ve read and enjoyed lately.

As usual, I haven’t read all of these books personally, so check out the samples and reviews before buying.

Heroes Fall: A Heroes Unleashed Novel (Serenity City Book 1)

by Morgan Newquist

He wanted to be a good man. Instead he became a hero.

Twenty years ago, Serenity City’s great Triumvirate of heroes – Achilles, the Banshee, and Pendragon – maintained a golden age of peace and prosperity. Then, in an instant, it all went wrong. The city’s mightiest champion, Achilles, lost his mind during a showdown with the enigmatic supervillain Thanatos and went on a rampage across the city, leaving the Banshee dead and a swath of destruction in his wake before Pendragon could stop him.

Today, as Achilles rots in solitary confinement, Victoria Westerdale investigates a new mystery. Why are young and forgotten heroes disappearing off the streets? Why doesn’t anybody else care? And how is it tied in to those infamous events that brought the city’s greatest heroes to ruin?

And what’s going to happen to them all after Achilles escapes? Continue reading New Superhero Fiction for 2019

Shocked by The Ghost Machine Kickstarter

So my publisher set up a Kickstarter to fund the relaunch of The Ghost Machine and Clockmaker earlier this week. I was originally intending to write this post to ask everyone to consider helping it reach its goal of five hundred dollars, which I was worried it would never manage, but… well…

It met its goal 24 hours after launching.

It’s currently marching towards the $750 dollar stretch goal, which gives all backers a copy of my short story, The Strange Stairs at the Aldebourne Estate. Head over to Kickstarter to see the full range of rewards, which include ebook copies if you don’t already have them, along with signed paperbacks and hardcovers. (Have I mentioned how excited I am to have print editions of my books? I’m pretty excited.)

A big thank you to all the backers, and to everyone who supported these books the first time around. You guys are the best!