What's New?
Aéros & Héroes
Can the Mistress of the Forge
best the Mistress of the Night?
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Strength is forged in the moment when you dare to be vulnerable. Despite this inherent knowledge, Jacqueline Duval struggles with feelings of weakness and failure when a private celebration for her twin sister’s marriage turns fraught with peril.
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Beset by vampires and insurrectionists and rogue monarchs, how is Jacqueline to keep her invited—and uninvited—guests safe, and the King of the French on the right side of the grave?
"Jacqueline and Angélique Duval are back for another non-stop funhouse ride through a steam-powered French countryside, this time made vicious and cruel through the actions of a dark and lusting vampire. Full of references to classical vampire literature from Bram Stoker to Sheridan Le Fanu to John Polidori (with even a tilt of the cap to penny dreadfuls and Varney the Vampire). It’s a thrill ride you won’t be able to climb off until the last page. Highly recommended." ~ Gregory Frost, author of Shadowbridge, Rhymer, and Rhymer: Hood
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“AÉROS & HÉROES is a witty, sexy, weird, and wild tale that twists the vampire legend into terrifying new shapes! Not for the faint of heart!” —Jonathan Maberry, NY Times bestselling author of V-Wars and NecroTek
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“An exquisitely detailed world! This epic story blends intrigue, romance, and camaraderie for a steampunk adventure with flavors of Anne Rice and Alexandre Dumas. —KC Grifant, author of the Melinda West series and Shrouded Horror: Tales of the Uncanny
See below for a sneak peek!
A Few Updates!
Jack and I will be attending the C3 (Creatures, Crimes, and Creativity) Con September 13 ~ 15. Will we see you there?
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A Cry of Hounds
A peek at my story in eSpec Books' upcoming anthology!
In the news ~
Coming Soon!
Fitcher's Chick
In a Grimm retelling, Grethel confronts a very real monster.
Buk buk buk buk.
Uchronia
"Hail, hail Uchronia!
Land of the freed from...
Preorder now!
Now available!
Esprit de Corpse
Esprit de Corpse
from eSpec Books is the first of a series featuring the brilliant 19th-century sisters, the Twins of Bellesfées,
Jacqueline and Angélique.
Hard science blends with the paranormal as they challenge the supernatural invasion of France
in 1843.
Available at Amazon and eSpecBooks !
Aéros & Héroes
Book Two of The Twins of Bellesfées series coming this fall from eSpec Books
Jacqueline followed the drive past the Benets’ cottage down into the woods, gas lamp posts illuminating the path to the workshop. Seated at the third table along, Monsieur Claque raised his head as she entered and lit the phosphorus lucifer lantern beside him, bathing the workshop in blinding white light that reflected and refracted off every polished metal in the shop, creating a dazzling fairyland of sparkles. She breathed in the magical scents she loved: sawdust, hardwood, machine oils, burnt metals. If only she could spend these hours here rather than among tout Paris.
“Sorry to keep you,” she told Monsieur Claque, patting his arm.
She went to the fuel storage cabinet and removed a canister of a liquid fuel she had developed from coal extracts. She brought it to the worktable next to Monsieur Claque, then went back for two other canisters. When she opened his breastplate and removed his fuel tank, the autonomaton’s head dropped and the lights of his indicators went dark.
“I never meant for you to get so low,” Jacqueline said, “but if it’s any consolation, I’m operating on zero myself.” Then she hiccoughed and chuckled. “Unless you count alcohol. I have some of that for you too.”
She measured out portions of the three liquid fuels and poured them into Monsieur Claque’s tank, then returned the canisters to storage. She closed the cabinet, but as she shut the lock, the workshop went dark. The utter blackness after the brilliant phosphorus blinded her. Instinctively, Jacqueline seized a claw hammer from its hooks beside the cabinet. She whirled.
“Who’s there?”
She heard nothing, saw nothing but the faint glow of gaslight from the forest walk. The pond frogs barked and quacked, and cicadas buzzed, unalarmed. As her eyes adjusted, she sidled toward Monsieur Claque.
Something large, soft, and furry tripped her. She landed hard, slamming her brow into the claws of the hammer. Her vision exploded in fireworks. Futter that damned cat! She couldn’t breathe. Her pulse pounded against her skull, and blood streamed into her left eye. Groaning, she managed to get up to her elbows to flip over and sit, brandishing the hammer in one hand. Jacqueline snatched the hem of her dress to mop blood from her face. Pressing the fabric to the gash on her brow, she waved the hammer around wildly. Her head throbbed, pain and blood blinding her. As terror mounted, her thoughts raced.
Angélique. Angélique will smell fear. Angélique will smell the blood. Llewellyn will—
Talons seized her shoulders from behind. Sharp teeth pierced her flesh. Jacqueline choked on a strangled cry. Then…