An Interview With KT Grant, Author of “Brass Balls and Hysteria”

Erotic steampunk romance is nice and all, but what would really draw me to it on a consistent basis is the idea of steampunk sex toys. The subversive nature of sex toys in the Victorian era has a strong appeal to me, in part because it’s not exactly like one can read a textbook on the subject (however, a quick Google search turns up this interesting tidbit about “The Manipulator,” one of the first (steam-powered) vibrators). So if I can’t easily learn about the real thing, stories will go a long way toward fueling my imagination about what it must have been like for adventurous couples.

Which brings me to KT Grant’s “Brass Balls and Hysteria,” an erotic short in L&L Dreamspell’s newly released DREAMSPELL EROTICA, Vol. 1 anthology. I’ve known about the author from her fun and feisty blog, Babbling About Books, and More, and was excited to learn she’d penned an erotic steampunk romance story.

Here's the blurb for "Brass Balls and Hysteria":

Jessamine Starling is in in for the surprise of her life when she sneaks into the factory of her family’s biggest competitor and doesn't find a top secret dirigible project, but a steam powered sex chair that helps cures female hysteria.

“Brass Balls and Hysteria” is a totally outlandish but also entertaining story (the ending in particular was quite a hoot). Despite some of the over-the-top elements, KT Grant obviously researched for her tale and it shows. Now I’m even more excited to learn about the underground nature of Victorian sex toys—and I wouldn’t mind reading other stories with that premise, either. (Incidentally, author Christine Danse alerted me to Clancy Nacht's “A Certain Pressure In The Pipes” (Noble Romance)—an m/m steampunk romance—and given the reference to a "steam-powered Pleasuring Machine," I’m thinking it would make a good companion piece to KT Grant’s piece!).

I wanted to learn more about “Brass Balls and Hysteria,” so I invited KT Grant to come chat with us, and here she is!

DREAMSPELL STEAMPUNK Vol. 1: A Giveaway

I have two copies of L&L Dreamspell's e-anthology, DREAMSPELL STEAMPUNK, Volume 1, to give away! (Disclosure: I contributed a story). Winner chooses the format (PDF, Mobi, or ePub).

To enter, leave a comment for this post and tell me what kind of automaton you'd build if you were a steampunk inventor. I'll pick two winners at random. The contest deadline is midnight EST on Tuesday, May 31.

Here are the blurbs for the featured stories:

Steam Time by Pauline B Jones

The man formerly known as Tobias Smith hadn’t planned to ride along with Dr. Everly and his Medicine Show. Grifters gave him a pain their elixirs couldn’t heal. But he was headed to Marfa, too. And Everly’s son turned out to be a really fine looking damsel—one in distress when the ghost lights of Marfa bump them into an alternate reality complete with an automaton gang and airships. Could he be the good guy? Be the hero, save the day and get the girl?

The Prometheus Engine by Chris Samson

When an airship is shot down over the desolate Kashmir landscape, seven survivors of disparate backgrounds must band together to escape. As a swarm of marauders approaches, the survivors’ only hope lies in the untested Prometheus Engine.

Steambot Rampage by Heather Massey

On the eve of the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition, a no-nonsense secretary and an intrepid reporter join forces to battle a bizarre automaton on a rampage.

Angelina by Linda Houle

Valerie is fascinated with an antique ruby and diamond pendant. Where did it come from and why was it hidden in a makeshift wall safe? An old log cabin on her new husband’s ranch holds the answers and a lot more, but once Val goes through a secret door will she ever find her way back home?

***

Thanks for your interest!

Joyfully yours,

Heather

All Romance Ebooks Memorial Day Weekend Sale

All Romance Ebooks is having a "50% Site-Wide Rebate" sale this weekend. To be eligible, you must use Paypal or credit card. There are lots of science fiction romance titles for the plucking.

(Ahem...and if you're looking for steampunk, DREAMSPELL STEAMPUNK Vol. 1 is now available there!)

Go score some great deals and happy reading!

Joyfully yours,

Heather

Carina Press Cover Exclusive: RULEBREAKER by Cathy Pegau

Thanks to the generosity of author Cathy Pegau and Carina Press, here is an exclusive peek at the cover of RULEBREAKER (August 2011)!

The classy cover (with Carina’s signature cool-blue tones, natch) for this f/f science fiction romance made me realize a couple of things. One, I really, really, really have a thing for these next-gen SFR heroines—meaning the ones that don’t take a back seat to the hero. I love reading about them in the stories and I enjoy connecting with them on a cover. After the recent parade of endless male torsos, it is so refreshing to see a cover with double-the-heroine action.

Two, this cover doesn’t scream “hot hot hot erotic sex!” With its tastefully portrayed heroines, RULEBREAKER challenges readers to avoid conflating GLBT romances and erotic romances. And many publishers don't exactly help keep the boundaries clear by lumping GLBT non-erotic romances with GLBT erotic romances. Newsflash: nothing frustrates readers more than being promised one thing and receiving another. In this market, Carina took a risk by creating a non-erotic cover for this story, and I salute that.

Seems like RULEBREAKER is breaking rules in more ways than one…!

Let’s take a look at the story blurb:

SFR News & Links Extra

A couple of interesting posts popped up recently, so I wanted to share them with you:

SFR Brigade blogged about the PRISM Award finalists in the futuristic category (and one in the fantasy category that I would have grouped in with futuristic, but oh well--I'll take what I can get since it's a steampunk romance!). Way to go, double finalist Sheryl Nantus (BLAZE OF GLORY; WILD CARDS AND IRON HORSES), Marcella Burnard (ENEMY WITHIN), and Sara Brookes (MIDNIGHT'S GHOST)!

Also at SFR Brigade, Laurie A. Green interviews e-self-published author Victorine E. Lieske about her second book, a science fiction romance called THE OVERTAKING:

Q: Tell us a little about THE OVERTAKING. How did the core idea for the story come to you? Where or when does the story take place? What are the science fiction elements of the story and how does the romance and conflict develop?

The core idea for THE OVERTAKING was simply a what-if. What if we found out we weren't on Earth? What if everything around us was fake? What if our memories were altered? This idea formed in my mind almost fifteen years ago, and has taken this long to become a novel. The story takes place on a planet of peaceful people, where another race of humanoids invade and capture everyone, putting them into a created world, which is Earth as we know it. The science fiction is fairly soft in the book, you won't find long technical explanations. It's mostly a backdrop to the story. The romance develops when Danielle, a member of the overtaking race, falls in love with Shayne, who starts remembering pieces of his past life.

 At Novel Reaction, Pauline Baird Jones (in brass goggles, no less!) blogs about defining steampunk:

STEAMPUNK = Mad Scientist Inventor [invention (steam x airship or metal man/baroque stylings) x (pseudo) Victorian setting] + progressive or reactionary politics x adventure plot.” (Steampunk Bible, Jeff Vandermeer)...

...So how does the reader find the right steampunk fit? Real world steampunk aficionados create a persona –a steamsona they call it—when putting together their steampunk outfit. May I suggest that a reader can do something similar—though figuring out your reader steamsona will be a lot less work than putting together a steampunk outfit for a local convention. No sewing machine or smithy required.

Joyfully yours,

Heather