I am a huge fan of Edgar Allan Poe, and except for The Raven, The Tell-Tale Heart is probably his most famous work. You probably know the story. A man is haunted by the sound of a beating heart beneath … Continue reading Guilty by Gaslamp: The Real Crime that Inspired Poe’s “Telltale Heart”
At TeslaCon 2019, I had the opportunity to do a presentation called “Guilty by Gaslamp: Criminals and Detectives of the Steam Era.” It was chock-full of history when it came to the first highly reported on court cases and info … Continue reading Crime or No Crime?
What is The Frankenstein Chronicles About? As the name suggests, this show borrows from Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein for inspiration. In execution, it’s more like a Regency era crime procedural. Sean Bean plays a copper on the hunt for a serial … Continue reading Frankenstein Chronicles Season 1 Review
Addleton Heights Chapter One With a name like Thorogood Kipsey, you might be inclined to think that I got into a lot of fights as a boy. You’d be right. Dustin’ my knuckles across the pimply face of some plump … Continue reading Chapter One of Addleton Heights by George Wright Padgett
What is Jacq of Spades About? Yes, you read it correctly; the title is Jacq of Spades with a “q.” The fearless heroin in this first installment of the Red Dog Conspiracy is named Jacqueline Spadros. She married into one of the four crime families who run the city with an iron grip. Her position should keep her safe, but Jacqueline can’t leave her past, nor the people who still live in her old neighborhood behind. As a detective, she’s been able to solve every case so far. But she soon finds herself embroiled in a mystery that centers on the symbol of a red dog … Continue reading Jacq of Spades is a Fabulous Mash-up of Noir and Steampunk
Steampunk Fact Sheet Jack the Ripper is the world’s most famous serial killer, both because of the brutality of the murders and the fact that the crimes are still unsolved. I have seen many Steampunk works make reference to the Whitechapel … Continue reading Steampunk Fact Sheet: Jack the Ripper
Have you ever thought about living forever? Sounds pretty good, but what would it take? The Eterna Files, Book 1 of the Eterna Files series, explores just that question. After the deaths of Abraham Lincoln and Prince Albert, the governments of the UK and the US have assembled teams to try to unlock the key to eternal life. The US team depends on Clara, a woman who is sensitive to the supernatural and remembers all of her past lives. But when the story begins, her team has just been killed in a terrible accident, including Clara’s secret lover Louis. She mourns his death in secret and … Continue reading The Eterna Files by Leanna Renee Hieber Review
The Man Behind the Darkness Edgar Allan Poe (1809-1849) and his acolytes had a big presence at the Steampunk Worlds Fair. At the Fair in 2016, you could visit a mini Poe museum and attend a few lectures on one … Continue reading The Role of Madness in the Work of Edgar Allan Poe
You may remember The Enlightenment interrupting some well-deserved naptime during high school… But when it comes to understanding the changes that occur during the “steam era” this social and cultural movement is vital. This is not to say that everything … Continue reading Breaking the Law Before the Enlightenment was a Risky Venture
