A Short Vacation into the Long Past

Nearly a decade ago, this profile of me was published in True West Magazine. I recently came across it when moving my office files from my farm outside Kansas City to my present, now full-time, home in Colorado. The interview reflects my writing life as I viewed it in early 2003.

I read it over and was mildly surprised that I would probably answer many of the reviewer's questions exactly the same way today. I still love historical research, it is still one of the main reasons I love to write, and I still believe that America's ideas about the West--whether true or myth or something in-between--define much of our national character.

By the way, the novel referred to in the article as "The Eye Dazzler" was re-titled before its publication to become, The Second Glass of Absinthe. And my first horse, Solomon Spring, also mentioned below, is still in the family. He is now cared for  by my daughter-in-law, who is studying to become a veterinarian. Final declaimer: My hair is no longer brunette!

Steamcon II--Personal Reflections

Shamelessly showing off my new leather corset

The best part about attending Steamcon II, in Seattle last weekend, was learning that at least 2,000 others share my madness. This affliction, however, is so euphoric, we don't seek a cure. 


For three days, the halls of the Seatac Airport Hilton and Marriott were thronging with airship pirates, mad scientists, time travelers, intrepid adventurers, and countless other exceedingly well-dressed individuals with affiliations unknown.

Kevin Steil, Airship Ambassador

Among the best dressed was Kevin Steil, the Airship Ambassador, who conducted an hour-long interview with myself (and many others throughout the weekend) for his excellent Steampunk blog. also called Airship Ambassador.

On Friday, I moderated a panel on "Becoming a Writer" with authors Caitlin Kittredge and Jay Lake. We tried to give budding writers as much encouragement and reference points as possible. Jay was nominated for a Steamcon Airship Award this year, celebrating extraordinary achievement and contribution to the Steampunk community. 


Caitlin, at the tender age of 26, is already a publishing veteran with several paranormal series to her credit, and a new Steampunk YA series called The Iron Codex debuting in February from Random House with the first title, "The Iron Thorn."

Gail Carriger, David Malki! and me

Saturday included a panel on "Researching the Victorian Era" with bestselling Parasol Protectorate author Gail Carriger and Wondermark comic artist David Malki! (and, yes, he spells his name with an exclamation point.) 


Gail Carriger's academic background as an archeologist gave her research tips an added ring of authenticity. Her witty novels, Soulless, Changeless, and Blameless, are a Steampunk series not to be missed, and her livejournal blog is among the most amusing on the 'Net.


Davis Malki!'s Wondermark comic is a true original. He shared with us the intensive research he puts into his art. Please visit Wondermark --an entertaining foray into a Victorian world you won't soon forget.

Everyday Steampunk

"Everyday Steampunk" was my final panel of the day. My fellow panelists were Clockworks webcomic artist Shawn Gaston and artist Anthony Jon Hicks of Tinplate Studios.

Me with Shawn Gaston and Tony Hicks

In addition to drawing the unique and entertaining Clockworks, Shawn also DJs a Steampunk night at an absinthe bar in his home city of St. Louis.


Tony Hicks sells wildly original art on Etsy.com. Please stop by his shop to view his fascinating "Anomalies." They are disturbing and irresistible. 


And then the Green Hour,  L'heure Verte, arrived...

At six o'clock in the evening, a group began to assemble to hear your humble author hold forth on her favorite topic: Absinthe. 


I expected an audience of around 25-30 and was overwhelmed to see in excess of 150 onlookers fill our little "salon". 


Had I imagined a crowd this size, I would have placed the absinthe-inspired art of Manet, Degas, Picasso, and Van Gogh up on the big screen. 

Signing copies of THE SECOND GLASS OF ABSINTHE

After describing the cultural history of Absinthe and its place in Belle Epoch cafe society, I demonstrated the time-honored method preparing Absinthe. I worry that the audience members sitting farther back could not see the lovely louching process first hand.  (Note to self: MUST add a big screen to all future presentations.)


The many fans of the notorious Green Fairy asked interesting questions and shared their own experiences. A drawing was held to give away door prizes: Three absinthe spoons, each accompanied with a copy of my own: "The Second Glass of Absinthe."


In my next post, I will detail my general experiences as a Steamcon attendee as opposed to a presenter, with many more photos to come. Stay tuned...

Preparing for Steamcon...or where is my steamer trunk when I need it?

So much to do!

Steamcon II is just two weeks from tomorrow. Yikes, time to start packing. And packing for a Steampunk convention is a no small undertaking. Still, the cares and labors, not to mention the excess baggage fees, will all be worth it, of that much I am certain.


Your author will be appearing on the program this year. Last year, I was but a humble neophyte and dazzled rubber-necker, nearly overwhelmed by the the sights and sounds of this delightful and innovative subculture that has enchanted me from the first moment I beheld a picture of a Jake Von Slatt steampunked computer.

I don't remember where I saw it.  It must have been featured on Boingboing, but I have since become a regular visitor to Mr. Von Slatt's amazing website, The Steampunk Workshop. He will be a guest of honor at the forthcoming Steamcon, along with numerous other artists, makers and modders.  I will have the privilege of moderating a panel entitled, "Everyday Steampunk" with artists Shawn Gaston and Anthony Jon Hicks.


I am glad to be the moderator because I have many more questions than answers and am relying on my fellow panelists to expound on the Steampunk philosphy of living.  How are people bringing it into their everyday lives and what can Steampunk culture teach mainstream culture? I spoke to this topic briefly in an early post on this site called "Living Steampunk,"  in which I shared a picture of my beloved Steampunk house near Boulder, Colorado.

Kevin Steil, aka Airship Ambassador

I will be interviewed by Kevin Steil, whose website and blog, The Airship Ambassador is a fabulous resource for anyone wanting up-to-date information on all things Steampunk.


Kevin will be busy that weekend interviewing a vast array of authors and artists, united in their love of Steampunk. Cherie Priest, Gail Carriger, Paul Guinan, Mike Pershon, Caitlin Kittredge, and many, many more.


In addition to speaking on Everyday Steampunk, I have also been asked to hold forth on "Becoming a Writer," (a topic I still wish I knew something about) and "Researching the Victorian Era," (an activity I have spent countless hours engaged in over the last two decades, but about which I still wish I knew more).


The presentation I am most excited about will be--regular followers of this blog can already guess this--sharing my obsession with Absinthe:  Its history, its mystique, its ritual, not to mention all the artists and poets inspired by it. Which leads me back to my original topic:  How to pack for a Steampunk adventure?

My first challenge is packing the absinthe fountain.  It is huge and weights nearly a ton.  Okay, I am exaggerating, but it is breakable and awkward to pack.


Of course, I own a smaller absinthe fountain (what self-respecting absinthteur doesn't own more than one?) and though it is lighter and easier to find a space for, it is much more breakable and not nearly as pretty.  And pretty is IMPORTANT. I would even hazard to say, pretty is crucial to the world of Steampunk aesthetic.

At least the absinthe spoons are easy to pack.  I plan to give them away as door prizes along with free copies of The Second Glass of Absinthe.


Not to suggest that The Second Glass of Absinthe is a Steampunk novel (though I would be proud to bestow that designation). I like to think of my two most recent Victorian West novels as Steampunk-adjacent. Both Second Glass  and Séance in Sepia are mystery novels set in Victorian-era America and both deal with the world of the Victorian occult.  The supernatural is hinted at in both books but makes itself known in ways too subtle for either novel to jump the aisles between mystery and fantasy.


Alas, I am reaching the end of this post and have not yet begun to address the crucial topic of fashion.  Stay tuned...

Free Books and Absinthe Spoons--A Halloween Drawing!

Halloween is my favorite time of year.  To celebrate, I am giving away three copies of THE SECOND GLASS OF ABSINTHE, each accompanied by its own absinthe spoon! (If you don't drink absinthe, you can always use the spoon as a bookmark.)

Entering the drawing is simple:  Just send me a message here on my blog, or through my website:
www.michelleblack.com
between now and October 31, 2010. (Contest restricted to U.S. addresses only.)

If you would like to know more about THE SECOND GLASS OF ABSINTHE or the Absinthe ritual, check out my earlier post: The Second Glass of Absinthe Returns.

   All the entries will be placed in my absinthe fountain--which will be dry and empty for the occasion--and three winners' names will be pulled out. Once the fountain has performed its contest duties, it will resume the dispensing of ice water for my post-Halloween sip of absinthe.

I will contact the three winners on November 1 to obtain their mailing addresses.
(Rest assured, your email addresses will not be shared or used for any other purpose.)

Good Luck!

A beautiful bookstore; a day spent among friends...plus Absinthe!

On Saturday, September 4th, the Kansas City chapter of Sisters in Crime and the I Love A Mystery Bookstore hosted an Absinthe Party to celebrate the paperback release of The Second Glass of Absinthe.

I hope all in attendance had as much fun as I did. In addition to showing some of the absinthe-inspired works of art created by Manet, Van Gogh, Degas, and Picasso, I demonstrated the absinthe ritual and handed out little samples of the Green Muse to anyone curious about whether the fabled libation might enhance their creativity (as those 19th Century artists and poets claimed).

We're Going to Party Like It's 1899!

A date has just been set for an Absinthe Party to celebrate the paperback release of THE SECOND GLASS OF ABSINTHE.


The setting will be the beautiful I LOVE A MYSTERY BOOKSTORE in Mission, Kansas.  If you are a book lover, no visit to Kansas City would be complete without a stop--nay, a pilgrimage--to this wonderful store.  Styled like a Victorian library "with a twist," this shop reminds us all how delightful and special an independent bookstore can be.  Biblio-heaven!


On September 4, 2010, at 11:00am, the local chapter of Sisters in Crime will allow your humble author to hold forth on the mystical history of absinthe and demonstrate the absinthe drinking ritual.  Everyone (over 21, that is) will be given the opportunity to sample the fabled libation.  Now some might suggest that 11a.m. is a tad early in the day to be imbibing this highly alcoholic beverage, but in the immortal words of Jimmy Buffett, "It's five o'clock somewhere," right?


And just what is involved in the Absinthe Ritual?  My character, Kit Randall, describes his version in the opening pages of "SECOND GLASS":

"His thoughts returned to that bizarre absinthe dream. Why did it refuse to leave him? What had really happened here last night? In his only solid memory he had "watched the clouds come out." That was his euphemism for gazing at the slow, tantalizing process by which one prepares to drink the liqueur the French called la fée verte, the Green Fairy.

The light emerald liquid was dripped through sugar cubes that sat perched atop a slotted spoon. Icy water was then added which rendered a spectacular transformation. The clear green absinthe blossomed into a milky opalescence and was ready to sip.

He recalled settling back deep into the sea of sofa cushions in Lucinda's bohemian-inspired second parlor and staring up at the famous Eye Dazzler rug hanging on the wall. He loved to watch the bright zig-zagging pattern come alive. A thousand triangles danced before his eyes in a carefully terraced lockstep, vibrating red black white, red white black, hypnotizing him as it always did."


Absinthe spoons will be given as door prizes, so come indulge in delicious decadence and mysterious camraderie! We're going to party like it's 1899!

Tale of Two Covers

This coming August, my publisher, Macmillan, will release my historical mystery novel, THE SECOND GLASS OF ABSINTHE, in paperback. The cover design is markedly different between the original hardcover and the new, mass market paperback. In different ways, I like them both.

The older version, shown at left, is special in that it incorporated important elements of the novel. The painting of the woman holding the parrot is a real painting described in the book, only incorporated into the story in a fictional way. The painting is supposed to represent a portrait of the widowed heiress, Lucinda Ridenour, owner of the Eye Dazzler mine.

The absinthe bottle is colored too darkly emerald green to be “real” absinthe, which is a lighter, almost peridot, but, in the cover designer’s defense, absinthe was still illegal in the United States when the first cover was designed, so perhaps the artist did not know what real absinthe looked like. A forgivable mistake.

The “label” on the bottle shows a contemporary illustration of the town of Leadville, Colorado, the setting of the novel. This picture first appeared in Frank Leslie‘s Illustrated News in 1879, the year before the time of the novel, but clearly showing the “city in the clouds” at its busy, raucous best, which the novels details in some length.

The new cover also highlights the absinthe theme, but this time using an absinthe glass with a spoon and lump of sugar as its centerpiece. The color of the absinthe filling the glass is more accurately represented this time around, but absinthe has since been legalized and available at most larger liquor stores in the U.S..

The background again highlights a beautiful, sexy woman, who looks like trouble (that is, I am assuming the artist intended this woman to be Lucinda, rather than the novel’s amateur sleuth, Eden Murdoch, who has an exotic past of her own--detailed in the two prior novels, AN UNCOMMON ENEMY and ABSINTHE’s prequel, SOLOMON SPRING--but has never aspired to become a femme fatale.)

Which is my favorite? I love them both. The cover art is considered to be a major element in the marketing of the book, so I guess the most successful cover is one that entices the most potential readers to try the book. Only time will tell...