“I loved The Brass Queen.” —Genevieve Cogman, author of the Invisible Library series “Lush, exciting, and endlessly inventive . . .” —Cherie Priest, award-winning author of Boneshaker, on The Brass Queen The grass was always greener in another dimension. In a fantastical steam-powered world, eccentric aristocrat and secret arms dealer, Miss Constance Haltwhistle, has been blackmailed into stealing alien artifacts from the crown heads of Europe. Only the shady but annoyingly handsome US spy, “Liberty” Trusdale, can help her execute her perfect palace heists. As Constance creates chaos and mayhem across the Continent, monstrous creatures are plotting an interdimensional invasion of Earth. Will Constance and Trusdale stop bickering long enough to end the war of the worlds before it starts? If you enjoy stories inspired by HG Wells’s War of the Worlds, you’ll love this gaslamp romp across an alternate 1890s Europe where our bickering heroes may just be the bad guys.

She knows a liar when she sees one. He knows a fraud when he meets one. In a steam-powered world, Miss Constance Haltwhistle is the last in a line of blue-blooded rogues. Selling firearms under her alias, the “Brass Queen,” she has kept her baronial estate’s coffers full. But when US spy J. F. Trusdale saves her from assassins, she’s pulled into a search for a scientist with an invisibility serum. As royal foes create an invisible army to start a global war, Constance and Trusdale must learn to trust each other. If they don’t, the world as they know it will disappear before their eyes. If you like the Parasol Protectorate or the Invisible Library series, you’ll love this gaslamp fantasy—a rambunctious romantic romp that will have you both laughing out loud and wishing you owned all of Miss Haltwhistle's armaments.

LTE

The Sci-Fi and Fantasy of Tomorrow Selected by Masters of Today 28 Award-winning Authors and Illustrators Get ready to get carried away . . . to places no one has ever gone before. Turn the page . . . from dark fantasy to dystopian nightmare, from magical realism to military science, from paranormal urban fantasy to post-apocalyptic power trips . . . and beyond. Take flight on a starship powered by a godlike being, willing to go to any length to know what it is to be human. Delve into the psyche of a scientist who must choose between ambition and compassion while compelled to participate in a secret and sadistic government project. Get lost in the chilling Museum of Modern Warfare, where one woman is about to discover life-changing secrets. Experience the stories that challenge our sense of self—and our sense of the world. And that’s just the beginning of your journey. . . . Discover the mesmerizing power of these new stories, thought-provoking new ideas, brilliant new horizons, and astounding new writers and illustrators—the chosen ones, selected by today’s bestselling science fiction and fantasy authors and artists. ___________________________ 3 Bonus Short Stories by L. Ron Hubbard • Jody Lynn Nye • Kristine Kathryn Rusch “The Dangerous Dimension” by L. Ron Hubbard: Meek Dr. Henry Mudge has a dramatic personality change after discovering a mathematical equation that transports him to any place in the universe he can think of. . . . “The Phoenixes’ War” by Jody Lynn Nye: When a lover’s gift to her king turns out to be a perilous trap, the Phoenixes and their priestess face a test that will decide the fate of two realms. . . . “Museum of Modern Warfare” by Kristine Kathryn Rusch: When an ambassador is asked to inspect the controversial Museum of Modern Warfare, she discovers life-changing secrets. . . . ___________________________ Art and Writing Tips by L. Ron Hubbard • Orson Scott Card • Craig Elliott “Magic Out of a Hat” by L. Ron Hubbard: From a challenge to write a story inspired by a completely uninspiring wastebasket, Ron provides timeless insight on generating a solid story idea and also reveals a bit of the effusive spirit that he brought to the magic of writing. “On Magic Out of a Hat” by Orson Scott Card: Card discusses and expands upon Hubbard’s article breaking down the techniques Ron used to create a story from a simple object. Card also explores the history of memorable speculative fiction and what makes it great. “The Rewards of Imagination” by Craig Elliott: In addition to his fine-art work, Craig has had a hand in designing many of today’s most popular animated films. Here Craig expounds on the value and need for creative artists and their impact on our society.

In a fantastical steam-powered world, eccentric aristocrat and secret arms dealer, Miss Constance Haltwhistle, has been blackmailed into stealing alien artifacts from the crown heads of Europe. Only the shady but annoyingly handsome US spy, 'Liberty' Trusdale, can help her execute her perfect palace heists. As Constance creates chaos and mayhem across the Continent, monstrous creatures are plotting an interdimensional invasion of Earth.

A Victorian spinster-scientist and a Viking shield-maiden find passion and danger in dark-age Ireland. 1896: Forty-three-year-old scientist Miss Minerva Minett is determined to become the first female member of an exclusive inventor's club. To win their annual membership competition, she invents a time-traveling submersible, and launches her vessel into the Irish sea for a quick trip to the dark ages. But when she sinks a Viking longship, accidentally joins a monastery raid, and falls into the arms of a grizzled shield-maiden, she discovers that time may not be on her side.

The Fairfield Scribes worked with WestportWRITES to release an anthology of short stories written by authors local to Fairfield County, Connecticut. These pieces are in celebration of the 200th anniversary of Mary Shelley's classic novel. The original challenge to the authors for this collection was to follow in Shelley's legendary footsteps, when Lord Byron told his guests in the summer of 1816 to "each write a ghost story." Authors include Edward Ahern, Elizabeth Chatsworth, Gabi Coatsworth, Cody Daigle-Orians, Dave D'Alessio, Alex Giannini, Roman Godzich, Sheryl Kayne, P.C. Keeler, Alison McBain, V.P. Morris, Marc Sirkin, Corrine "Mitzy Sky" Taylor, and D.J. Whitney. The stories range in theme from literary reimaginings of Mary Shelley's life, to a horror story about a woman transforming herself into a termite queen, and everything else in between. These stories are truly haunting! So crank up your alchemical machines and look out for the next thunderstorm...