New Omnibi forthcoming! Available for preorder now!
Have you been holding off on purchasing the entire Steam Empire Chronicles? Want an exclusive new cover that looks absolutely snazzy? Get the ultimate Steam Empire Chronicles Collection in two fantastic Omnibi – Legion Rising and Shattered Crown – Available now for preorder and released on March 23rd, 2025!
Join Author Daniel Ottalini for a talk on Alternate History at the Worldbuilding EXPO tomorrow at 5:15 PM PST (8:15 EST)
Have you ever wondered how to build up your worldbuilding? Want to know how it connects to Alternate History and the worlds of potential futures & pasts? Sign up for my free talk tomorrow night at the Worldbuilding EXPO (8:15 PM, EST, or 5:15 PM PST).
I’ll be in the No Stress Writing Academy booth run by my awesome friend (and editor / publisher at Heart Ally Books, the awesome people behind Antioch Burns). Here’s the schedule tomorrow. All times are PST.
March 12:
You’ll have to register (it’s free!) and registering once gets you into a variety of free talks, seminars, and booths. Listen to engaging speakers, check out some wares, perhaps learn a thing or two about writing, worldbuilding, and beyond!
Besides that, I’ll have a huge announcement that I’ve been waiting to share with all of you! Once again, click here to register (change the day to March 12th), click into it and you’re in!
Hi everyone,
It’s been a while, but I wanted to share with you that I’ve made a list of top 15 alternate history blogs. I’ve had the fortune to talk with and blog with several other people on this list, but I encourage you to go check them out! See the list here. I’ve got another exciting thing in the pipeline, but I’ll wait to share about it until it is ready to go.
In other news…. after a rough few months I hope to be returning to blogging and writing more frequently. Watch this space!
Cover Reveal for my upcoming print anthology, Reflections of Brass!
That’s right! My new print anthology is nearly here! It will be LIVE to purchase on Amazon on Friday, November 12th! I’m so excited to offer my previous ebook novellas in a print format for those who love the smell of books. Reflections of Brass comes in at a lovely 250ish pages, featuring all three novellas currently only in Ebook form!
As always, subscribe and follow the blog for more information to come! It’s a great treat for the holidays, and grabbing it next Friday ensures it will arrive before Christmas and the holidays!
I’m pleased to announce the coming publication of Reflection of Brass, my print anthology composing the novellas Antioch Burns, Roma Aeronautica, and the Last Gladiator, along with a sneak peek at my forthcoming novella, tentatively titled A Brief History of New Caesaria. I’ll be doing some cover teases all this week and next, along with a blog blitz to share writing new and old! Here’s today’s first piece of artwork!
Learn all about the Communication Styles in my world of Romanpunk!
Good Morning!
I thought that I’d put together this handy quick-reference guide to communication in the world of the Steam Empire Chronicles. So click read on to learn more about how Romans (and others) talk with each other! (Besides Latin, Yes, I know they already speak that language.
Continue reading “Communication in the Steam Empire Chronicles”
Happy Friday everyone!
I’m happy to announce that we’ve crossed the 44k words border and are headed east! (or north, upwards, anyways.)
SPOILER NOTICE: If you haven’t read book 3, don’t read on. Go back and read book 3. Do not pass go, do not collect $200.
Today’s writing takes us to the far off lands of the Mongolian Empire, Stretching from the Sea of Japan and the Korean Peninsula to the fragile Mesopotamian border with the Roman Empire. Today’s writing finds Alexandros alive in the city of Ctesiphon, once grand capital of the Sassanid/Parthian Persian Empire, now provincial metropolis and western capital of the Mongol Empire.
I’ve joined Camp NaNoWriMo and you should follow me! (Also read another sneak peek from Steel Praetorian)
Hi All!
Many of you remember how successful I was at working on Steel Praetorian back during NaNoWriMo 2015 last November. In fact, I essentially wrote half the novel. Then it languished for several months.
Well now I encourage you to follow me on your own!
http://campnanowrimo.org/campers/blockade23/novels/steel-praetorian/stats
Now you, too, can follow me and watch the bar go up, up, up!. (and make sure I’m doing what I’m supposed to do).
Continue reading “Steel Praetorian is now Part of Camp NaNoWriMo!”
Read the latest from Steel Praetorian, plus today’s updated word count!
Hi all! Since the book is due at the end of July (EEK!), I’m hard at work. I’ve always worked better with deadlines, so here it goes! My goal for this month is simply to post an updated word count every day.
Also, keep checking this space for possible Kickstarter #4 news (More illustrations? You betcha!)
Updated Word Count: 39,132 words (only 40,868 to go!)
Snippet from today/yesterday’s writing! As always, this is unedited and unrevised, so enjoy! Remember to subscribe on the left hand side for the latest in news about the Steam Empire Chronicles.
“Decanus! Decanus!” Julius shouted, hoping one of the junior officers would hear and attend to him. An easterner screamed as he attacked from behind, Gwendyrn shooting him cold with one of his hand repeaters. The bolt spun the man around, dropping him to the floor.
“We’ve got to secure the train tunnel and the gate house as well. I’ll take the cannon, you take that gate house.” Gwendyrn nodded. A wounded decanus with a motley collection of legionnaires behind him arrived, forming a ring of steel around the officers. “Good luck, centurion.” The Gaul gave a salute and strode off towards the gate. Julius headed for the cannon. He wove his way forward, cutting down mongols here and there, dragging an injured legionnaire against the train here. He had lost his shield somewhere, so he grabbed at his wrist and slowly opened his back up, air legion, shield. The articulated components slowly slid into place, forming a neat circle of steel protection.
The cannon boomed again, cutting down another swath of his men.
Anger turned his vision red, and Julius charged forward, using his shield to batter and push back the few easterners who tried to stop him. Several of his legionnaires joined him, forming a wedge that angled right at the Mongolian position. Desperate to hold onto their cannon, the Mongol crew reloaded desperately. Julius could see them inserting the ammunition and slamming it inside, ramming it home with their specialized gear.
“Be ready to drop” He called to his men, his voice hoarse. A mongolian ax bit deeply into his shield, slamming him backwards and ricocheting off his steel articulated shield. Thank goodness for roman craftmanship He thought as he stabbed his attacker in the gut and kicked him away. Motion ahead of him drew his attention.
“DROP!” He screamed, falling to the ground painfully atop his shield.
A brief background on Aurelia Appius, a new major character in the series, and a word progress update!
First, Book Word Update for Steel Praetorian: 36,100 words.
Hi everyone! I’ve got a small snippet of my latest chapter. Introducing Aurelia Appius, cousin of Constantine. She plays a much larger roll in this book, unlike in Iron Tribune, where she’s little more than a visitor in the story of the Steam Empire Chronicles, Aurelia will become a main character in her own right.
Modern Papyrus 