tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-39568444433619570432012-03-05T10:30:39.665-05:00Frank Chadwick's News and Reflections on the World of Space: 1889Frank Chadwickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07925901055702288584noreply@blogger.comBlogger821100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3956844443361957043.post-32729384047094977292012-03-04T10:36:00.000-05:002012-03-04T10:36:31.158-05:00

I recently discovered this Steampunk modeler and bloger's work and thought I'd share it with you. Colonel O'Truth's Miniature Issues is the blog of a New Zealand hobbyist who recently complete the above model, adding it to an already impressive collection of beautifully-rendered Victorian science fiction gizmos. Here is a link to the specific blog entry describing the above monster, along with

Frank Chadwickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07925901055702288584noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3956844443361957043.post-50442919743277774182012-02-27T18:20:00.001-05:002012-02-27T18:21:16.877-05:00

A Prince of Mars is live at last! Those of you who have pre-purchased the series should already have your downloads. The rest of you can pick it up from any of these online sites: The Untreed Reads Store (http://bit.ly/xOVH8R) Amazon Scribd OmniLit.com Barnes and Noble Lightning Source Here is the publisher's description: Barely making it to Mars in their crippled aether cutter,

Frank Chadwickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07925901055702288584noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3956844443361957043.post-16441062866307961132012-02-24T11:47:00.000-05:002012-02-24T11:47:25.451-05:00

The Savage troll has a free download available -- an Excel ship design spreadsheet for Space: 1889 cloudships, gunboats, and aether ships for the Savage Worlds/Red Sands rule system. Here's the link.

Frank Chadwickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07925901055702288584noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3956844443361957043.post-16178831674788892162012-02-23T09:36:00.000-05:002012-02-23T09:36:22.156-05:00

Here is the final book cover for A Prince of Mars. I think it may be the best of the covers so far in the Space 1889 And Beyond series. The book should be live very shortly -- hopefully in a day or so. I have a nearly overpowerful urge to write more about the book right now, but I am resisting that urge. The book needs to speak for itself, and soon enough it will.

Frank Chadwickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07925901055702288584noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3956844443361957043.post-15885869685312531712012-02-20T21:41:00.002-05:002012-02-21T17:27:51.912-05:00

I've added the link for the Shastapsh Chronicles, a Space 1889 miniature wargaming blog. Kevin, the site owner, only does a half dozen or so blog entries a year, but they are mostly reports on Space 1889 miniatures games or articles on painting and building Victorian game miniatures with lots of photos (including the cool Steam Elephant shown above). If you love toy soldiers (and who doesn't?)

Frank Chadwickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07925901055702288584noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3956844443361957043.post-66958970854224870592012-02-20T12:31:00.001-05:002012-02-20T12:32:14.851-05:00

As A Prince of Mars will be released any day now, the Traveller Steampunk Blog just released an interview I did a little while ago. It touches on a lot of stuff, but almost all of it is related to Space: 1889. Here's the link.

Frank Chadwickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07925901055702288584noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3956844443361957043.post-33242618828191064332012-02-19T21:17:00.004-05:002012-02-21T17:32:28.233-05:00

I mentioned we ran Mars Needs Steam! at Winter War in Champaign last month. No pictures from the game, I'm afraid. But I've been finishing up work on some models for the games we'll be running this spring at Cold Wars in March and Little Wars in April. While I was doing it, it struck me that it is highly appropriate to do all these one-off conversions and models for a steampunk game. The thread

Frank Chadwickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07925901055702288584noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3956844443361957043.post-20186076128704146052012-02-17T20:34:00.000-05:002012-02-17T20:34:31.174-05:00

I am a big fan of suspense in writing and I’ve noticed something about both films and writing – if you know there are boundaries across which the author (or director) will not cross, the work loses an important element of suspense. I like it when those invisible boundaries get crossed. This struck me when I watched, of all things, the 1988 version of The Blob – a monster movie I liked more than

Frank Chadwickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07925901055702288584noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3956844443361957043.post-86559494598791223482012-02-17T19:48:00.000-05:002012-02-17T19:48:16.146-05:00

Andy Frankham-Allen, the series editor for Space 1889 And Beyond, was recently interviewed by The Comic Guru for his web series Under The Covers. Andy tells me it's his YouTube debut! Here's the link. Enjoy.

Frank Chadwickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07925901055702288584noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3956844443361957043.post-58539109030921132142012-02-05T10:31:00.000-05:002012-02-05T10:31:20.966-05:00

In all the Christmas fun I forgot to mention thos earlier, but Savage Troll has a nice Space: 1889 player aid packet available to let you play Tales from the Aether using Pinaccle's Red Sands of Mars Space: 1889 game. It's got maps, vehicle deck plans, tokens for player characters and NPCs, lots of cool stuff. Check it out; here's the link. Tales from the Savage Troll is a good blog in any

Frank Chadwickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07925901055702288584noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3956844443361957043.post-69650298391727858702012-02-01T22:53:00.000-05:002012-02-01T22:53:59.541-05:00

Well, the January bestsellers from the Untreed Reads online store are out and all four Space: 1889 & Beyond books made it into the top ten. 3. Abattoir in the Aether, L. Joseph Shosty 8. Ghosts of Mercury, Mark Michalowsky 9. Journey to the Heart of Luna, Andy Frankham-Allen 10. Vandals on Venus, K.G. McAbee Congratulations, team! How many months in a row now has your book has been in the top

Frank Chadwickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07925901055702288584noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3956844443361957043.post-56433785260787593522012-01-30T20:14:00.000-05:002012-01-30T20:14:30.450-05:00

Just recovering from Winter War down in Champaign, IL (almost next door) which was this past weekend. Tom Harris and I ran a very big Mars Needs Steam game -- a little too big, actually. It was exhausting to run, but looked very cool. Tom's camera broke over the weekend but a couple attendees took some pictures and I'll post them along with a report, as soon as I get them. In the mean time, here

Frank Chadwickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07925901055702288584noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3956844443361957043.post-20191361631354203802012-01-20T21:16:00.000-05:002012-01-20T21:16:44.691-05:00

The nominations are now open for the 2012 Steampunk Chronicle awards. Those of you who have enjoyed one or more of the Space 1889 and Beyond books are encouraged to nominate one for Best Fiction, but there are lots of categories of awards for those of you more heavily into the experience. For those of you not as aware of the scope and depth of the hobby, you might want to take a look at the award

Frank Chadwickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07925901055702288584noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3956844443361957043.post-17311920098765361572012-01-19T09:27:00.000-05:002012-01-19T09:27:06.866-05:00

There's a new Space 1889 web page up, put together by Andy Frankham-Allen in cooperation with Untreed Reads, with emphasis on Space 1889 And Beyond, of course, but eventually to serve as a portal to all things Space 1889-ish. Here's the link. I've also added it to the permanent links on this page. Have a look.

Frank Chadwickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07925901055702288584noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3956844443361957043.post-10698097038525457432012-01-09T11:06:00.000-05:002012-01-09T11:06:52.919-05:00

As promised, Abattoir in the Aether is live and here is a guest blog from its auther, L. Joseph Shosty which addresses, among other things, the contact points between role-playing and story-telling. Enjoy. -F.C. Comedian George Burns once gave an interview on The Arsenio Hall Show whereby he outlined what he called being “at the table”.  Apparently, in the old days of vaudeville and later with

Frank Chadwickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07925901055702288584noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3956844443361957043.post-76076542864137511972012-01-08T10:27:00.000-05:002012-01-08T10:27:31.147-05:00

L. Joseph Shosty's "Abattoir in the Aether" goes live tomorrow at Untreed Reads and world-wide. I'm sure I'll have an exerpt for you soon to whet your appetites. I also have a guest blog from the author about how he came to Space: 1889 and writing, and I think you'll find it a good read. I'll post that tomorrow when the book officially launches. In the mean time, Untreed Reads' December

Frank Chadwickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07925901055702288584noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3956844443361957043.post-54132628857694124882011-12-28T22:41:00.001-05:002011-12-28T22:43:39.676-05:00

Here's a nice holiday treat for you. If you have not run across Phil and Kaja Foglio's Girl Genius on-line steampunk (although they call it "gaslamp") comic, you are in for a treat. The art's great, as you would expect from Phil Foglio, and the story is a lot of fun. Enjoy, and if you like it a lot, consider buying the new novel out for the storyline, Agatha H. And The Airship City. Here's the

Frank Chadwickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07925901055702288584noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3956844443361957043.post-31116540685152439752011-12-24T23:26:00.001-05:002011-12-24T23:27:37.290-05:00

Frank Chadwickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07925901055702288584noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3956844443361957043.post-2198998598079176802011-12-23T12:10:00.002-05:002011-12-23T12:21:28.552-05:00

Some writers set their steampunk fiction in worlds so dramatically removed from our own there is little reason to expect historical characters to show up. Many worlds, on the other hand, are closer to our own reality and Space: 1889 certainly is among that number. Writers crafting stories in that setting naturally need to pay attention to what historical personages the novel's characters might

Frank Chadwickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07925901055702288584noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3956844443361957043.post-3575599443320614732011-12-19T20:55:00.000-05:002011-12-19T20:55:09.805-05:00

I am asked sometimes where my ideas come from. I imagine at one time or another every author is asked that. I cannot answer for anyone else, but for me, ideas are like snowflakes in their uniqueness and delicacy. I am afraid sometimes if I try too hard to understand, and thus explain, where they come from, they will stop. Ideas seem to present themselves in massed ranks to some authors, to throw

Frank Chadwickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07925901055702288584noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3956844443361957043.post-66290958445393145612011-12-17T10:17:00.001-05:002011-12-17T10:19:58.961-05:00

We have a final cover for Abattoir in the Aether, by L. Joseph Shosty, and so the book itself should follow soon. Abattoir takes place on an orbital heliogragh station, but not one in planetary orbit. Instead Peregrine station is in solar orbit between the orbits of Mars and Earth so it can relay messages between the two planets when they are in orbital opposition, or close enough to it the

Frank Chadwickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07925901055702288584noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3956844443361957043.post-41533787978049038942011-12-16T11:44:00.001-05:002011-12-16T11:49:26.366-05:00

I have been remiss. This has been a long dry spell for the blog and I can only plead that I have been writing every day -- just not this. I've been doing a lot of preliminary plot work for Conspiracy of Silence, the lead book for season two of Space 1889 and Beyond. I have been nearly consumed by a major rewite project I'll tell you about some day, but suffice it to say it is steampunk. Now I

Frank Chadwickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07925901055702288584noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3956844443361957043.post-53721210703048253202011-12-01T20:24:00.001-05:002011-12-01T22:59:59.433-05:00

I just received the November sales data from Untreed Reads through their online store. All three "Space 1889 & Beyond" books made the list! Mark Michalowski's "Ghosts of Mercury," which wasn't released until almost mid-month, debuted at the number one spot. Congatulations Mark! (That cool video trailer you did must have something to do with it.) Andy Frankham-Allen's "Journey to the Heart of

Frank Chadwickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07925901055702288584noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3956844443361957043.post-25848248973660023362011-11-29T11:38:00.002-05:002011-11-29T12:09:40.717-05:00

I have been reading some steampunk lately – big surprise, huh? – and I find myself irritated by some of it. The plots and themes don’t bother me, it’s the style of writing in some works which honestly makes it hard to keep reading. I won’t tell you which ones. I’m a writer, not a critic, and what bothers me may not bother the next person coming along. But the phenomenon deserves some comment.

Frank Chadwickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07925901055702288584noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3956844443361957043.post-64324593498065248832011-11-23T23:27:00.001-05:002011-11-23T23:33:03.105-05:00

Thanksgiving is upon us (as you can see from the steampunk turkey to the left), and it is my favorite holiday. I love it so much because of its simplicity. It is nothing more than a feast day spent with friends and family, with no pressure to buy and wrap gifts or send cards, and so sense of guilt at having failed to get just the right gift for someone or, in my case, failing to send out cards at

Frank Chadwickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07925901055702288584noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3956844443361957043.post-35948705266453275052011-11-22T17:45:00.001-05:002011-11-22T17:46:18.915-05:00

This just in from Andy Frankham-Allen, series editor of the Space 1889 and Beyond series. "And it’s all over. Our first Space: 1889 & Beyond competition closed yesterday. A big thank you to all who took part and sent your answers in. The question we asked was simple enough; “which world bookends series one?” and the answer was, of course, Luna (featured in both the opening and closing stories of

Frank Chadwickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07925901055702288584noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3956844443361957043.post-91216717969827507672011-11-14T23:31:00.003-05:002011-11-17T08:56:34.056-05:00

As I mentioned a few days ago, I ran Mars Needs Steam at the Fall-In convention in Lancaster, PA over the Halloween weekend. It was not a scheduled game, but there was a cancellation the first night of a different game, and I had some figures and vehicles along, so ran a pick-up game. I said before that the game benefitted from some very nice terrain my friend Glenn Kidd put together -- very

Frank Chadwickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07925901055702288584noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3956844443361957043.post-41718462920524016172011-11-11T19:08:00.000-05:002011-11-11T19:08:50.823-05:00

Oh . . . wait. That should read "Ghosts of Mercury IS live." :^) Jay Hartman, Editor-in-Chief at Untreed Reads Publishing, writes: "I'm pleased to tell you that Ghosts of Mercury is now live and available for immediate purchase and download from:  The Untreed Reads Store (http://bit.ly/sGWqDu) Amazon.com Amazon Canada Amazon Germany Amazon France Scribd DriveThruFiction.com OmniLit.com Barnes

Frank Chadwickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07925901055702288584noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3956844443361957043.post-16729258275114998582011-11-06T07:16:00.002-05:002011-11-06T07:22:25.858-05:00

I sometimes joke that one of my resume entries should read, "was an important supporting character in a work of alternate historical fiction." My friends Mike Dobson and Doug Niles, in their alternate history book of an invasion of Japan at the end of World War Two,  MacArthur's War, include the character Captain (later Rear Admiral) Frank Chadwick. The fact that there really was a Captain Frank

Frank Chadwickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07925901055702288584noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3956844443361957043.post-7974645994197001602011-11-04T21:51:00.002-04:002011-11-04T21:58:52.636-04:00

If you have been putting off getting the eBooks for Space: 1889, there's a great one-day deal going on over at Books on Board. They are running a one-day-only 30%-off sale of non-agency publishers (which includes Untreed Reads). Here's the link for their site. Once you're there, search the site for Untreed Reads and all their titles will come up. Buy as many as you like, of course, but the two

Frank Chadwickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07925901055702288584noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3956844443361957043.post-45586068870742523422011-10-31T22:46:00.000-04:002011-10-31T22:46:21.472-04:00

We hoped to release Ghosts of Mercury by Mark Michalowski today but a technical gremlin decided otherwise. That's what comes of trying to release something on Haloween, I suppose. It should be out in a couple days, however. In the meant time, the cover art is shown above and here is a video trailer for your enjoyment. Also, here is an exclusive exerpt from the book. Enjoy. He was there.

Frank Chadwickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07925901055702288584noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3956844443361957043.post-46363155275949472642011-10-21T14:46:00.001-04:002011-10-21T14:54:26.385-04:00

Last weekend I ran a Mars Needs Steam! game up in the Chicago area and my pal Tom Harris shot some pictures. The game featured the British and German allies against the Russians (with Fenian allies) and Oenotrian Imperial Canal Martians, with a mixed Franco-Turkish force remaining scrupulously neutral throughout. This game also featured the debut of my kit-bashed small British flyer, which I've

Frank Chadwickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07925901055702288584noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3956844443361957043.post-11920932427501204352011-10-19T20:27:00.000-04:002011-10-19T20:27:26.376-04:00

I just ran across a Sseampunk web comic called Lady Sabre & The Pirates of the Ineffable Aether. So far Chapter 1 is up. I have mixed feelings about it. The art is really excellent. The story and background -- I'm not sure.  I know, it's only Chapter 1 and I'm not supposed to know what's going on, since all of Chapter 1 is a swordfight between Lady Sabre and the evil Captain Hans, over

Frank Chadwickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07925901055702288584noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3956844443361957043.post-53520640152127058252011-10-14T23:39:00.000-04:002011-10-14T23:39:36.703-04:00

We are starting to get reviews on the initial Space: 1889 and Beyond stories -- and very nice reviews they are at that. Here are three reviews in ezines and steampunk blogs. I also noticed a review for each book up at Amazon: four out of five stars in one review and five for five in the other. Not too shabby. The on-line reviews are at: Sci-Fi Bulletin The Traveler's Steampunk Blog Pulp Den

Frank Chadwickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07925901055702288584noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3956844443361957043.post-73422707516475804422011-10-12T17:46:00.000-04:002011-10-12T17:46:35.208-04:00

Mark Michalowski has done a really great Space 1889 and Beyond video trailer for the first season of eBook releases. I am impressed. Love the music, too. Check it out. Here's the link.

Frank Chadwickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07925901055702288584noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3956844443361957043.post-55432997641929232042011-10-11T20:47:00.000-04:002011-10-11T20:47:39.528-04:00

Rod at Highlaander Studios sent this pictures of the new sculpts of Hill Martians. The photos are a little burry, but they still look good to me. Energetic Hill Martians with halberds (known there as "coddling-choppers"). Notice the coin for scale. It's always hard for me to remeber that these are 15mm figures. Hill Martian women with coddling-choppers. When a nomad encampment is attacked,

Frank Chadwickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07925901055702288584noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3956844443361957043.post-88473433987186878232011-10-06T00:49:00.002-04:002011-10-06T00:56:33.219-04:00

A lot has happened in the last week in the EPublishing field for us, so in no particular order of importance, here goes: ITEM ONE Vandals on Venus by K. G. McAbee, Book 2 in the Space: 1889 and Beyond EBook series from Untreed Reads, is live as of Tuesday, 5 October. Huzzah! Huzzah! Those of you with a series pass should already have it. If not, go immediately to the Untreed Reads store and buy

Frank Chadwickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07925901055702288584noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3956844443361957043.post-60030385948633193712011-09-30T16:30:00.000-04:002011-09-30T16:30:57.814-04:00

Check this out! Link It is a fan annimation presenting a steampunk "Google Earth" look at Mars in the Space: 1889 universe. It's in German, but so what? Way cool!

Frank Chadwickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07925901055702288584noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3956844443361957043.post-38834977700942484992011-09-27T08:37:00.000-04:002011-09-27T08:37:56.471-04:00

As promised, here are some additional photos of the Mars Needs Steam game, these from Phil Tortorici. Phil also loaned me the "Lost Martian City" (looking remarkably like an Afghan hill village) which featured prominently in the second and third games. Although it was built by another friend, Phil did a lot of additional work on it, making all of the roofs removable so figures can be placed

Frank Chadwickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07925901055702288584noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3956844443361957043.post-51713890782824724912011-09-26T23:17:00.000-04:002011-09-26T23:17:03.945-04:00

I just returned from Hurricon in Orlando, FL. Very good show, well-attended, and a great atmosphere of relaxed fun. I saw some old friends (Frank Frey, Richard Borg), made a bunch of new ones. I also ran three games of Mars Needs Steam – really big games, this time with a full assortment of steam-powered war wagons, troops, monsters, and scientists. I had about eight players each for the first

Frank Chadwickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07925901055702288584noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3956844443361957043.post-72470422044627185652011-09-21T11:42:00.000-04:002011-09-21T11:42:06.951-04:00

Here are some upcoming conventions which may be of interest to Space: 1889ers. I'm flying down to Orlando this weekend and will be guest of honor at Hurricon. The show runs from September 22nd through the 25th, and I'll be running a number of games of Mars Needs Steam using Frank Frey's collection of miniatures. Frank's been a Space: 1889 buff since the first edition came out way back when. I'm

Frank Chadwickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07925901055702288584noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3956844443361957043.post-42059822894667188712011-09-20T10:04:00.002-04:002011-09-20T10:11:04.813-04:00

Moving into my new place has messed up my schedule, so I'm way past due for the promised update on Mars Needs Steam. Ah well, better late than never, etc. The picture is not the Mars Needs Steam cover, but is by Talon Dunning who is the artists doing the actual cover art for the game, so it will give you a nice idea of the general feel. I ran Mars Needs Steam at CelestiCon in San Francisco and

Frank Chadwickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07925901055702288584noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3956844443361957043.post-57570314204247618652011-09-08T00:26:00.000-04:002011-09-08T00:26:33.914-04:00

It's official. As of 1830 Zulu (Greenwich Mean Time) Journey to the Heart of Luna was on the Untread Reads site. Here is the official word from Jay Hartman, senior editor at Untreed Reads; "I'm pleased to tell you that Journey to the Heart of Luna is now live and available for immediate purchase and download from: "The Untreed Reads Store (http://bit.ly/oSOfc4)ScribdOmniLit.comApple iBookstore

Frank Chadwickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07925901055702288584noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3956844443361957043.post-76348944154327196132011-08-31T16:22:00.000-04:002011-08-31T16:22:51.698-04:00

Here is the cover for K. G. McAbee's Vandals on Venus, the second installment in the Space 1889 and Beyond first season. I've read the draft and I like it a lot, particularly the writing style.  She writes steampunk, fantasy, horror, science fiction, pulp and YA, plus a few more genres from time to time just to keep her hand in. She’s had seventeen books and over ninety-one short stories and

Frank Chadwickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07925901055702288584noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3956844443361957043.post-30709791906778477762011-08-27T22:07:00.002-04:002011-08-28T18:06:44.811-04:00

Journey To The Heart of Luna, episode 1 of the first season of Space: 1889 and Beyond, has been proofed and edited. A little bit of formating and it will ship . . . or transmit, I guess. Old mindsets die hard. Look for the release by mid-week. In honor of the release, I interviewed Andy Frankham-Allen, the author of the first novella as well as the series editor. He interviewed me at about the

Frank Chadwickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07925901055702288584noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3956844443361957043.post-23554284105604653252011-08-25T00:49:00.000-04:002011-08-25T00:49:21.414-04:00

Here are two more wilderness adventurers in 15mm from Rod at Highlander. I like these a lot because they are based, directly or indirectly, on historical characters. This first figure is an explorer, and a fine confident fellow he is. The figure is based on the American Henry Morton Stanley, sometime journalist, explorer, soldier of fortune, and eventually empire-builder in the employ of King

Frank Chadwickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07925901055702288584noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3956844443361957043.post-36668447189454017232011-08-24T14:52:00.000-04:002011-08-24T14:52:38.350-04:00

The Heliograph, Inc. has prduced, under license from me, facsimile versions of the original Space: 1889 game line for a number of years. Before that Mark Clark published Transactions of the Royal Martian Geographical Society (TRMGS), a wonderful magazine devoted to Space: 1889, and in about 2000 The Heliograph took over the magazine. Each issue contained a broad mix of articles -- historical

Frank Chadwickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07925901055702288584noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3956844443361957043.post-50036918186474676892011-08-15T17:53:00.001-04:002011-08-15T21:33:11.615-04:00

The first installment in the Space: 1889 and Beyond saga will release within a week. As you remember, that opening installment is Andy Frankham-Allen's Journey to the Heart of Luna. I just got permission to post a sample, so here's the opening passage from the story. Enjoy! “JOURNEY TO THE HEART OF LUNA” By Andy Frankham-Allen Prologue 1. It was impossible! Aether flyers were not, by

Frank Chadwickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07925901055702288584noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3956844443361957043.post-72616832738077491412011-08-07T19:58:00.003-04:002011-08-09T21:29:12.148-04:00

I just got three more pictures of sample sculpts from Rod at Highlander Studios. These are unpainted, but they are too cool not to share. This is the third (of four) American adventurer. I look at this and I see Buffalo Bill Cody with ray guns. Look at the face and the fringe on the jacket! This is the fourth of four American adventurers. Nice to see a female figure without a bustle dress.

Frank Chadwickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07925901055702288584noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3956844443361957043.post-91730760129201123992011-08-06T22:40:00.000-04:002011-08-06T22:40:39.165-04:00

Untreed Reads is launching the first season (yes, there will be more!) of Space 1889 And Beyond with a nice promotion, The first series consists of six books total; five novellas and then a novel-length final installment, all of which will be out by the end of the year. You can buy a season pass for $15.00, which gets you all six books as they come out, which is about a 25% saving off the list

Frank Chadwickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07925901055702288584noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3956844443361957043.post-47959311352192162192011-08-04T18:49:00.002-04:002011-08-04T18:53:33.256-04:00

This is a subject about which I am shockingly ignorant, never having attended a full-blown steampunk convention. That is a reflection of the troll gene which most writers have. In some writers it is more recessive than in others, but most of us find ourselves most comfortable when we are within 10 yards of our word processor, preferably in a dark cave or under a bridge. However, I expect I will

Frank Chadwickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07925901055702288584noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3956844443361957043.post-32179930994419164512011-08-02T08:57:00.003-04:002011-08-02T11:26:18.828-04:00

I just finished A Prince of Mars and sent it off to the editor. The manor in which I finished it put me in mind of something Tam Mossman wrote about a number of years ago – The Slope of Curiosity. It is perhaps the single most important piece of thinking on the story-telling process I can recall reading, and the experience of finishing this manuscript drove it home with power. First some

Frank Chadwickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07925901055702288584noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3956844443361957043.post-52562400474186097482011-07-31T17:52:00.000-04:002011-07-31T17:52:52.672-04:00

We are days, or perhaps only hours, from the official launch of the Space: 1889 And Beyond EBook series from Untreed Reads. Above is the approved final cover of the first book, Journey To The Heart of Luna, by best-selling author Andy Frankham-Allen who, as you probably remember, is also the story editor for the entire six-book series. This first story takes place on Luna (obviously), but

Frank Chadwickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07925901055702288584noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3956844443361957043.post-2444831471558357812011-07-30T12:03:00.000-04:002011-07-30T12:03:27.622-04:00

For miniatures players, the lack of suitable Steampunk vehicles has long been a concern. Right now, there are undoubtedly more of these available than ever before. But the nature of Steampunk is that vehicles tend to be -- well, wacky, and each of us has a unique vision of how that wackiness expresses itself. The result is that commercially available vehicles, while quite nice, often do not

Frank Chadwickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07925901055702288584noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3956844443361957043.post-33065244115409023152011-07-29T16:37:00.001-04:002011-07-29T16:38:21.596-04:00

Just a few quick housekeeping notes. 1) I changed the blog logo to the new logo provided for Space: 1889 and Beyond by Untreed Reads. What do you think? 2) I added a link to the Highlander Studios blog, so you can check on progress of the minitures independently. I'll still provide periodic major updates, but Rod has more work-in-progress shots available there. 3) I have been pounding the

Frank Chadwickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07925901055702288584noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3956844443361957043.post-71731980111957426322011-07-21T11:46:00.000-04:002011-07-21T11:46:38.485-04:00

I am remiss! July 10 was the anniversary of Nicola Tesla's birthday, a day which should not pass without notice in a blog attentive to Steampunk issues. So happy belated birthday, Big Guy! I was reminded of this when I saw the birthday calendar in the latest issue of Gatehouse Gazette (Number 19, just out). For those of you not familiar with it, it covers Steampunk, Dieselpunk, and other

Frank Chadwickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07925901055702288584noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3956844443361957043.post-72059237261133431312011-07-20T02:08:00.001-04:002011-07-20T10:31:12.229-04:00

Did I mention I like walkers? I think I did. I promised I would revisit the subject and give you my ideas on how a Victorian era walker is somewhat more plausible. First, however, John Bear Ross pointed out that I'd neglected his Martian walkers for Rebel Minis. My appologies for the oversight, John. They are indeed fine models. . Here's a small one armed with heat ray and autocannon. Here's

Frank Chadwickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07925901055702288584noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3956844443361957043.post-56485856559129669332011-07-16T15:34:00.000-04:002011-07-16T15:34:26.174-04:00

Last week I attended Historicon in Valley Forge, PA. Rod Campbell of Highlander Studios was unable to attend due to illness in the family, but he sent me some master figures for approval and just sent pictures of some painted miniatures. I like them a lot, and I'm used to looking at 25mm figures instead of 15s. See what you think. Here are some British infantry in gas masks and carrying

Frank Chadwickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07925901055702288584noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3956844443361957043.post-43214996814244703842011-07-05T12:09:00.004-04:002011-07-05T14:28:59.429-04:00

"Death and famine stalk the land like . . . two great stalking things."-Edmund Blackadder Ever since the appearance of H. G. Wells' War of the Worlds, walking machines -- quite often tripods --have been a feature of Victorian science fiction (as often as not stalking the land like great stalking things). My earliest exposure to Victorian science fiction was the Classics Illustrated comic book of

Frank Chadwickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07925901055702288584noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3956844443361957043.post-65856446531806465402011-06-30T11:23:00.000-04:002011-06-30T11:23:21.623-04:00

I mentioned a while back my sojourn to Tempe, AZ as GOH at Consim World Expo 2011. I had a great time (as always) and came back with lots of jobs to keep me busy for the foreseeable future (once A Prince of Mars is finished, of course.) Most of the show deals with historical board games, and one of the big pluses for me is to get a chance to see and hang out with the crew from Victory Point Games

Frank Chadwickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07925901055702288584noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3956844443361957043.post-15206353088278153592011-06-29T09:35:00.002-04:002011-06-29T10:44:56.031-04:00

I just returned from the Origins Game Fair in Columbus Ohio. Origins is the national show of the Game Manufacturer's Association (GAMA) and this year was the 35th annual show, so it's been around for a while. I missed it last year but I've been to it every other year, starting in Baltimore over three decades ago. Good show. The show's theme this year was Victoriana, yet more evidence of the

Frank Chadwickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07925901055702288584noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3956844443361957043.post-87069482250947290522011-06-19T09:39:00.002-04:002011-06-30T11:30:19.516-04:00

Guys and Gals, I haven't responded to anyone's comments since May 24, when Blogger (the hosting service) developed a system-wide software glitch which prevents some users (including, unfortunately, me) from posting comments to blogs, including our own. Some of you may be experiencing a similar problem when you try to post comments as well -- it sends you to the sign-in screen, then when you sign

Frank Chadwickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07925901055702288584noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3956844443361957043.post-34908703052427056222011-06-19T09:14:00.002-04:002011-06-19T09:24:09.597-04:00

After a week in Arizona as guest of honor at the 2011 Consimworld Expo (great time, and more about that in a later colum), and then a week without internet service (due to a broken router and delayed service call, one of the thrills of rural living), I imagine some of you thought I'd fallen off the earth. Nay nay! Lots of stuff to report, and some pictures of master miniatures coming in a later

Frank Chadwickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07925901055702288584noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3956844443361957043.post-16452265226784374302011-05-23T22:43:00.001-04:002011-05-23T22:48:44.216-04:00

When I think of Steampunk, I often remember Jack Nicholson (as the Joker) in the original Batman. I don't suggest the film was Steampunk, of course, but when Nicholson looks at Batman and says, "Where does he get those wonderful toys?" he is asking the same question I always find myself wondering in the face of good Steampunk. Where do they get those wonderful toys? I know, Steampunk is more

Frank Chadwickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07925901055702288584noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3956844443361957043.post-67170593875322555592011-05-22T17:12:00.001-04:002011-05-22T17:27:25.349-04:00

I await Highlander Studio's upcoming 15mm figures with an unseemly anticipation. In the mean time, the above picture is of a beautifully executed Space: 1889 armored flying gunboat in 25mm from Alan Patrick’s Victorian & Pulp Science Fiction gaming page. One of the reasons I look forward to 15mm figures is the increased ease of construction (and use in games) of exactly this sort of vessel. I

Frank Chadwickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07925901055702288584noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3956844443361957043.post-58984587634836912562011-05-22T13:10:00.001-04:002011-05-22T16:29:54.282-04:00

As I said earlier, e-publisher Untreed Reads is assembling a series of ebook to be released over the next eighteen or so months, entitled Space 1889 and Beyond. The title does not mean it will go beyond the Space: 1889 universe -- it is firmly grounded in that rich and wonderful place. It simply means the continuing adventures will ultimately extend beyoind the year 1889. The first story (

Frank Chadwickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07925901055702288584noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3956844443361957043.post-52125610187180368122011-05-18T16:09:00.000-04:002011-05-18T16:09:37.077-04:00

A short column today, but some cool stuff to look at. Here is a link to the Ten Coolest Steampunk Gadgets Ever. The item I've shown above, one of my personal favorites, is actually number 6 on the list -- a Steampunk USB thumb drive. The list has a couple computers as well, some action figures -- you name it. It's a great illustration of how Victoriana is a wonderful springboard for imagination.

Frank Chadwickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07925901055702288584noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3956844443361957043.post-13388847601232510032011-05-14T14:24:00.000-04:002011-05-14T14:24:04.077-04:00

Were we to seize and to eliminate the results of Mr. Tesla's work, the wheels of industry would cease to turn, our electric cars and trains would stop, our towns would be dark, our mills would be dead and idle.            -B.A. Behrend, quoted in Liberty, February, 1937 I’ve been involved in a move from Florida to Illinois for the past week, and will go on dealing with it for a while to come, so

Frank Chadwickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07925901055702288584noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3956844443361957043.post-12333611904748901722011-05-06T15:30:00.004-04:002011-05-06T21:44:54.157-04:00

This day in history, 1937, witnessed the explosion and crash of the German zeppelin Hindenburg. The incident is associated with the end of the first era of commercial airships, although they keep threatening to come back as inexpensive means of carrying bulk cargo. I'd love to see it, myself. There are some very imaginative designs for rigid and semi-rigid airships out there these days, and

Frank Chadwickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07925901055702288584noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3956844443361957043.post-73033266059353160082011-05-06T12:08:00.003-04:002011-05-06T15:36:03.670-04:00

I am greatly remiss! A good friend pointed out that yesterday was the birth anniversary of the late Sir Harry Paget Flashman, VC, KCB, KCIE; Chevalier of the Legion d'Honneur; U.S. Medal of Honor; San Serafino Order of Purity and Truth, 4th Class. Sir Harry was born on May 5, 1822, and his storied career included encounteres with the "White Rajah" of Sarawak, Queen Ranavalona of Madagascar, 

Frank Chadwickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07925901055702288584noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3956844443361957043.post-42121065930817367152011-05-06T00:07:00.002-04:002011-05-06T09:50:25.780-04:00

I’ve written a couple entries about historical characters to insert in steampunk adventures or stories, but I have not yet mentioned the 500-pound gorilla in the steam room: Nikola Tesla. His scientific achievements are extraordinary and well-known. A very long column would still not cover his accomplishments, but the list would include alternating current, radio, robotics, and the wireless

Frank Chadwickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07925901055702288584noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3956844443361957043.post-80977720856724310072011-04-30T08:48:00.004-04:002011-04-30T21:54:34.942-04:00

Here’s the news on the miniatures line I promised you earlier. I’ve just closed the deal for a new line of Space: 1889 miniatures from Highlander Studios. The line will include 15mm scale adventurers, soldiers, and resin-cast accessories, as well as an additional line of 1:1200 scale aerial vessels. Highlander Studios is a fairly new outfit, but the lead guy on the Space: 1889 line is Rodrick

Frank Chadwickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07925901055702288584noreply@blogger.com23tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3956844443361957043.post-2198890295060575842011-04-27T08:59:00.001-04:002011-04-30T21:55:39.202-04:00

Bloodrunner Cloudship I've added links to two excellent Space: 1889 fan pages. Dan Thompson's page features some award-winning models of Space: 1889 vessels (including the Bloodrunner model illustrated above), as well as a wonderful Nautilus model and a diorama of the desperate battle between HMS Thunderchild and two Martian tripods in H. G. Wells' War of the Worlds. Really great stuff! Mateen

Frank Chadwickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07925901055702288584noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3956844443361957043.post-55419064971305071162011-04-26T11:19:00.003-04:002011-04-30T21:56:17.511-04:00

Thomas Henry Huxley Suppose you are writing a Steampunk story or drafting an adventure set in Victorian London, and you need an organization of famous and influential scientists, a limited and selective group of men dedicated to using science to advance the frontiers of knowledge and serve the common good. Your group will be small enough to keep secrets, but drawn from all branches of science,

Frank Chadwickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07925901055702288584noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3956844443361957043.post-13741112128446052582011-04-24T23:37:00.002-04:002011-04-30T21:59:12.997-04:00

Mike Resnick, one of the most prolific and award-winning authors in science fiction today, talks about preserving the “reader’s trance.” I’m not sure whether he coined that expression (although I think he did), but whoever did, it’s a very evocative description of what happens to us when we are reading and everything goes right. At it’s very best, reading is a wild ride, and when the language is

Frank Chadwickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07925901055702288584noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3956844443361957043.post-91016698553518957372011-04-19T14:08:00.007-04:002011-04-30T21:59:46.070-04:00

One of the joys of writing Steampunk is the cast of genuinely intriguing historical folks you run across. Jane (Jeanne) Dieulafoy is certainly one of those. Born Henrietta Jeanne Magre to a wealthy French mercantile family in 1851, she met, fell in love with, and married Marcel-Auguste Dieulafoy, a French officer of engineers, shortly before the outbreak of the Franco-Prussian war. When war came

Frank Chadwickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07925901055702288584noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3956844443361957043.post-11165627182260729222011-04-08T11:55:00.003-04:002011-04-30T22:01:28.911-04:00

What you see above is the final version of the cover for the upcoming Space: 1889 from Germany. Patric Goetz of Ulisses Spiele (Ulysses Games) is managing the project, but it will be released under his own label Uhrwerk Verlag (Clockwork Publishing). What a great name for a Steampunk publisher. This is a very exciting project, in the works for about two years now, and you heard it here first! It

Frank Chadwickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07925901055702288584noreply@blogger.com26tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3956844443361957043.post-25994913059077559002011-04-06T21:54:00.002-04:002011-04-30T22:02:43.961-04:00

Here's the second major installment in the more elaborate Space: 1889 background. North America has seen some major changes in the new history of Space: 1889, most of them stemming from the death of Abraham Lincoln in 1862 from typhoid fever. Although Vice-President Hamlin assumed the reins of government and prosecuted the war vigorously, he proved less adept at assembling a broad-based

Frank Chadwickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07925901055702288584noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3956844443361957043.post-79978331900516033482011-04-05T18:19:00.003-04:002011-04-30T22:12:23.038-04:00

Andy Frankham-Allen, friend of the blog, is also the lead writer/editor on the upcoming Space: 1889 and Beyond eBook series from Untreed Reads, and will be writing at least the lead story. He was also a major contributor to the Noise Monster series of Space: 1889 audio stories on CD from a few years back, which many of you remember with great pleasure. I sure do. Those really were well-done.

Frank Chadwickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07925901055702288584noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3956844443361957043.post-80495558660335769562011-04-02T10:06:00.001-04:002011-04-30T22:08:13.179-04:00

The world of Space: 1889 has changed a bit in recent years and those changes are reflected in upcoming Space: 1889 works currently in preparation. I promised you a look at those changes and France is a fun place to start. The Paris Commune of 1871, instead of falling within two months, prevailed and replaced the provisional government with “La Republique Democratique et Social.” The government is

Frank Chadwickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07925901055702288584noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3956844443361957043.post-72785373308079071242011-03-28T10:39:00.002-04:002011-04-30T22:10:16.405-04:00

Steampunk was a constant buzz at The Write Stuff, a writer's conference in Pennsylvania this past weekend. I'm on my way home from it now, a little worn out but definitely charged up. I attended pre-conference workshops by Donald Maass, author of Writing The Breakout Novel and The Fire in Fiction -- really great experiences for my own writing -- but every steampunk fan would have been thrilled by

Frank Chadwickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07925901055702288584noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3956844443361957043.post-65358633022153656242011-03-23T21:59:00.002-04:002011-04-30T22:11:29.243-04:00

Welcome to the Space: 1889 blog. For those of you new to the subject, Space: 1889 was the original Victorian science fiction (steampunk) role-playing game, subtitled "Role-playing in a more civilized era." It's been around for about twenty-five years now, making it one of the original steampunk worlds -- probably the original fully-developed steampunk setting -- and has many devoted fans. The

Frank Chadwickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07925901055702288584noreply@blogger.com17