Want to take a vacation? How about a trip to an untamed wilderness that’s home to skittish sprites and ancient monsters? Visit a dark, decadent palace where lavish balls and hidden assassinations are weekly occurrences. Take a stroll by the misty seashore, and stay on the lookout for scaly creatures from the depths. I’m planningContinue reading “Bookish Travel Guide: Poison and Honey”
Category Archives: Book Stuff
Bookish Travel Guide: Hero Status
We’re going into Week Three of social distancing, and I hope everybody who’s reading this is staying safe. I want to send my thanks to the nurses, doctors, grocery store workers, delivery drivers, and everybody else going out there to help others. I also want to send my thoughts to everyone who’s been affected byContinue reading “Bookish Travel Guide: Hero Status”
The Netflix Book Tag
I came across The Netflix Book Tag on Blair Leftly’s Feed the Crime, which is a great book review blog for those of you who like mysteries, thrillers, and crime fiction. The tag was created by A Darker Shade of Whitney, and it just seems like a good chance to talk about books, so I’mContinue reading “The Netflix Book Tag”
5 Things I’m Excited About for The Witch’s March
One reason I love having a sister who’s an author is that we beta-read each other’s work. She catches my typos and gives me feedback about the overall story, and I do the same for her. The hard part is that I end up finishing an awesome book and having no one to geek outContinue reading “5 Things I’m Excited About for The Witch’s March”
Why Steampunk is the Little Black Dress of Speculative Fiction
Steampunk is a weird, niche little genre, when you think about it. Merriam-Webster defines it as “science fiction dealing with 19th-century societies dominated by historical or imagined steam-powered technology.” That’s pretty darn specific. It’s not like the post-apocalyptic subgenre restricts its stories to the 23rd century, or space opera specifies the power source that spaceshipsContinue reading “Why Steampunk is the Little Black Dress of Speculative Fiction”
Summer Getaway: A White Knight & Black Valentine Series Short Story
Dave set their suitcases on the dresser and stretched, still stiff from the flight. He surveyed the cozy bedroom, taking a moment to appreciate the view of the mountains out the window. “This is nice,” he said to Val. “I need to have it redecorated,” she called back from the bathroom, where she was touchingContinue reading “Summer Getaway: A White Knight & Black Valentine Series Short Story”
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 inContinue reading “8 Steampunk Heroines with Fabulous Fashion on their Book Covers”
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 skewsContinue reading “Older Characters in Superhero Media”
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 itsContinue reading “Shocked by The Ghost Machine Kickstarter”
Upcoming Read-Along of The White Knight & Black Valentine Series
Heads up, everybody! Book review blog One Book Two is hosting a read-along of The White Knight and Black Valentine Series next month! What’s a read-along? You can find a detailed explanation on One Book Two‘s website here, but basically, you read the books at the same time as the other people who’ve joined theContinue reading “Upcoming Read-Along of The White Knight & Black Valentine Series”
Kristen Brand 