Yay! I’ve been waiting for this day to come, and it has! Demon Angel has just been released as an ebook. I’ve only checked Amazon and Barnes and Noble so far, but they both have it, so I imagine that it should be available wherever Penguin sells ebooks.

I’d planned to throw a huge blog party when it finally came out in ebook, but I’m not sure what form that will take yet (I kind of, ahem, didn’t expect this and totally blew my promo budget for this month on the New Year’s giveaway postage.) So I’ll come up with something over the next few days.

Now, about Demon Angel – a lot of people ask whether to start the Guardians series here, and it’s true that the series officially begins with this book … but it and Demon Moon are also the two books that readers have had the most trouble getting into (and other readers love them, so I can’t even begin to guess whether you would, too). My advice usually is: Read the reviews. If the problems mentioned sound like something that would really bother you, skipping to Demon Night might be a good idea (and you can always go back later and read the first two books when you’re more familiar with the mythology of the series.)

I’ve written a bit more about this here. You can see in the comments, the same reactions: some loved the series right away, some couldn’t get into until Demon Night.

Of course I hope you all love it, though! Lilith and Hugh are still one of my favorite couples … and Sir Pup, too

Also, Penguin ebooks don’t typically come with covers. So here’s one (mildly offensive) that I made up for the print readers long, long ago*.

*Ack. Thank goodness my Photoshop skillz have improved a little since then.

I’m not really sure who Doc Turtle is, except that according to the following link he’s a mathematician and romance newbie — and that I got a couple of notices from readers today letting me know that Smart Bitches Trashy Books is hosting a readalong as he makes his way through The Iron Duke (I must have missed the earlier readalong — judging by the comments from readers who are familiar with those posts, it was very funny).

So, if you are up for a fun/snarky bookclub read, this is your chance I won’t be participating or reading the posts and discussions, simply because I find that it’s too easy to go insane that way, but I’ll be happy to answer any questions that come up as you go along — just contact me through the blog or my contact page.

Some links that might be helpful to readers new to the series:

All of the books in the Iron Seas series (you don’t have to read the earlier stories before The Iron Duke.)

An Overview of the Iron Seas Alternate History

A Rough Guide to the Iron Seas (with an ugly map)

If you are new to steampunk:

What is steampunk?

A series of posts and steampunk Q&A — Part One, Part Two, Part Three, Part Four, Part Five (Part Six will be coming to this blog later this week.)

And of course if you have any questions here, please feel free to comment!

h/t Melinda Smith and Alice Jackson. Thanks for the heads-up, ladies!

And if it hasn’t already, the ebook price should drop to match it. Whee! Goodbye, $12.99! No one will miss you.

Now, for the rough part:

The print version of the mass-market release contains an epilogue novella to The Iron Duke called “Mina Wentworth and the Invisible City.”

This novella is not included in the ebook version of The Iron Duke — that content is the same as the trade version.

The novella will be released as an ebook later this year. When I have a date, I’ll let everyone know.

I know this sucks. And there has been a lot of talk around the blogosphere lately about where to go to lodge complaints — in this case, that place is right here, because this one is all on me. When my editor asked if I had any bonus content to include in the mass market reprint, we talked of adding a short epilogue that can let us see how Mina & Rhys are doing after the HEA. A simple plot, some smexy times, and done. I pictured it much like the bonus content that was included in Nalini Singh’s mass-market of Kiss of Snow — just a short story to put up on my site when the reprint came out.

That’s not quite what happened. The story actually became a longish novella, because I loved revisiting them, I had more to add to their story, and I couldn’t keep it short. I also ran too late to give my editor another story as the bonus content, because we were approaching the date when I either get it in NOW or nothing goes into the reprint at all. But I also thought it was important to release it as an ebook so that it wasn’t just available to mass-market readers, so the question was: do it myself, or let Berkley do it?

I wanted Berkley to do it. Although I like self-pubbing shorts, I honestly don’t have the time to do a good job of it now or anytime in the near future. That meant contracts, however, and scheduling the novella in for ebook publication. I signed those about two months ago, which was actually cutting it all pretty close.

And so this is why the ebook will be coming later than the print version, and why the ebook version of The Iron Duke won’t include the novella. The Iron Duke mass-market version was already scheduled, and already in Berkley’s production pipeline; my novella ebook was not, and to force it through earlier would mean shoving someone else’s book to the side while production worked on mine (and it was not in the ebook conversion pipeline at all, because we hadn’t planned to update The Iron Duke’s file with the short bonus content. Now, the novella is scheduled for ebook production, but again — that takes time, and must fit into the already-existing schedule.)

The ebook will come. Just not at the same time as print, and I’m sorry for that.

“With The Iron Duke, Meljean Brook has brilliantly defined the new genre of Steampunk Romance.
I loved it!” —Jayne Ann Krentz

One of Publishers Weekly‘s Best Romances of 2010, winner of All About Romance‘s Annual Reader Poll for Best Paranormal Romance, and a RT BookReviews Reviewers’ Choice Award Winner!

After the Iron Duke freed England from Horde control, he instantly became a national hero. Now Rhys Trahaearn has built a merchant empire on the power — and fear — of his name. And when a dead body is dropped from an airship onto his doorstep, bringing Detective Inspector Mina Wentworth into his dangerous world, he intends to make her his next possession.

Mina can’t afford his interest, however. Horde blood runs through her veins, and despite the nanotech enhancing her body, she barely scratches out a living in London society. Becoming Rhys’s lover would destroy both her career and her family, yet the investigation prevents her from avoiding him…and the Iron Duke’s ruthless pursuit makes him difficult to resist.

But when Mina uncovers the victim’s identity, she stumbles upon a conspiracy that threatens the lives of everyone in England. To save them, Mina and Rhys must race across zombie-infested wastelands and treacherous oceans — and Mina discovers the danger is not only to her countrymen as she finds herself tempted to give up everything to the Iron Duke. Read an excerpt–>

“…a stunning blend of steampunk setting and poignant romance – smart, sexy, breathtaking, and downright addicting.” —Ilona Andrews, New York Times bestselling author of Magic Bleeds

“…a high seas/airborne adventure that’s filled with zombies, pirates and deadly betrayal. Along with the pulse-pounding adventure, there’s plenty of seriously sensuous sizzle for readers to enjoy.” ½! —RT BookReviews

“With adept writing and a flair for creating believable worlds, Brook’s first in the Iron Seas series showcases her masterful storytelling.” —Booklist

$7.99 | January 3, 2012 | ISBN 978-0425244265

<– Go to previous book in the series

Go to next book in the series –>

These have popped up on the publishers’ Facebook pages in the past couple of days. Clicking on them will take you to the publisher’s site, and you can view all of the available foreign editions on the International page (except for Italy’s, because I haven’t added that yet).

There are no words for how much I heart this one.

And! I recently received my translated copies of The Iron Duke, but I don’t need more than one! So I’m giving five copies of them away to readers here.

I do have one stipulation, though, and I’m sorry for it — these need to go to someone who reads German. I know! This totally sucks of me, because I know it’s kind of cool to have foreign editions, in the same way it’s awesome to have ARCs … but I really want these to be read (and hopefully enjoyed) for the story inside rather than just the packaging.

So if you read German or know someone who does and might enjoy this as a gift, please feel free to comment below and enter! Contest ends Monday, December 12th at Midnight, Pacific time, and I will do my best to send them to you in time for the holidays. Good luck!

The small print: Comment by 11:59:59 PM Pacific time on 12/12/2011 for your chance to win. Five winners will be selected randomly using random.org, and their name posted on this blog 12/13/2011. Winners must provide Meljean with their mailing address by December 25, 2011 or the prize will be forfeit. Only one entry per ISP address. The contest is open to international readers. No purchase necessary to enter. Odds of winning depend on number of entries received. Void where prohibited.

November 4th marks the release day for the German translation of The Iron Duke – Die Eiserne See: Wilde Sehnsucht (Translated by Beate Bauer) from EGMONT LYX.

I also just spotted this calendar/wallpaper for November on EGMONT LYX’s Facebook page.

For my German readers — it hasn’t been translated, but I have a rudimentary guide to the Iron Seas here, including a map. I hope you love the series!

Happy reading!

Here is the Audible link.

The second book in the Iron Seas series is a bit different than the first — a little faster-paced and less angsty because Yasmeen and Archimedes simply weren’t those types of characters — but I hope just as fun for everyone! As per usual, I’m going into hiding online so that I don’t obsess over reviews and rankings and all of those things that can easily drive an author mad, but I’ll be checking @replies on Twitter, my Facebook pages, blog comments, and my e-mail.

Readers and bloggers — please feel free to post links to your reviews in the comments! I won’t be seeking them out (see going-into-hiding note above) but I know that a lot of readers like to read reviews/discuss what they did and didn’t like about the books, so I’m happy to make those reviews easy to find.

Don’t forget that I have a rudimentary Iron Seas guide now!

Click here to read an excerpt. Here’s the official description and bits:

“Rising star Brook has created two completely mesmerizing characters whose journeys in this gritty and treacherous world make for heart-stopping fun!”
—RT BookReviews ½!

Named one of Publishers Weekly’s “Best Books of 2010,” The Iron Duke introduced the gritty, alluring adventure of the Iron Seas. Now, Meljean Brook returns to the world where nanotech fuses with Victorian sensibilities — and steam.

As the mercenary captain of the Lady Corsair, Yasmeen has learned to keep her heart as cold as steel, her only loyalty bound to her ship and her crew. So when a man who once tried to seize her airship returns from the dead, Yasmeen will be damned if she gives him another opportunity to take control.

Treasure-hunter Archimedes Fox isn’t interested in the Lady Corsair — he wants her coldhearted captain and the valuable da Vinci sketch she stole from him. To reclaim it, Archimedes is determined to seduce the stubborn woman who once tossed him to a ravenous pack of zombies, but she’s no easy conquest.

When da Vinci’s sketch attracts a dangerous amount of attention, Yasmeen and Archimedes journey to Horde-occupied Morocco — and straight into their enemy’s hands. But as they fight to save themselves and a city on the brink of rebellion, the greatest peril Yasmeen faces is from the man who seeks to melt her icy heart…

For those of you who aren’t reading through my book-length Q&A posts and who might have missed this link in the middle of it or my tweet on Twitter, I’ve set up a basic guide to the Iron Seas, with a map at the bottom.

It’s ugly. It’s rough. It’s very basic. But I hope it helps you visualize the political geography of the world a little better.

ETA: There are no meanings behind the colors chosen for the map. I just wanted them to contrast so that the different territories would be clearer.

Here are more of Maili’s questions – and my (sometimes overlong) answers.

d) What’s the difference between a Steampunk novel and a Gaslight fantasy novel? What about alternative historical novels like Kim Newman’s Anno Dracula?

Agh. I always feel a little weird when I get into this, because although I’m happy to talk my mouth off about steampunk, when it comes to other genres I’m not as comfortable saying: This is what they are/aren’t. So let me preface everything that I say with the caveat that these are my impressions of the differences between genres, based on my (could be faulty) understanding of them.

First of all — just because a historical-set novel includes something like an airship or a scientist, that does NOT make it steampunk. Scientists really did exist in history, after all; so did airships. So did submersibles. So did Wimshurst machines. So did Leyden jars. These are all things that existed in true history, and their use or appearance in a historical novel can be fun, but it isn’t necessarily steampunk. There needs to be an application and/or an evolution of that technology that ventures beyond the reality of history.

So, imagining the inclusion of technology in historical set works as a sliding scale, a historical novel that includes steam technology but no real science fiction application of it is just … well, it’s a historical novel.

Then there’s gaslight fantasy/gaslamp fantasy (I’ve seen it called both and I don’t know if there’s a difference; if there is, please someone feel free to tell me in comments! I don’t mind being called out as ignorant, because then I can know better and not be ignorant anymore.) – To me, gaslight fantasy is more explicitly Victorian (because the ‘gaslight’ part immediately brings to mind London streets; I can’t help it.) It also includes some sort of magic/fantasy…and here is where I might be completely wrong, but that magic/fantasy is more occult-type of magic rather than, say, a werewolf or vampire running around the city. I always think of it as more like ghosts and weird-paranormal magic rather than an abundance of supernatural creatures. In addition, I always think of gaslight fantasy as having a certain oppressive atmosphere that feels almost gothic in nature.

But again, it’s a sliding scale. It’s not that gaslight fantasy can’t include vampires or werewolves, because it can. But what is the overall feel of the book and what is the underlying basis of the ‘difference’ from the real world? If you’ve just got a Victorian-set historical populated by vampires, that’s not gaslight — it’s a historical paranormal romance. If you’ve got arcane societies practicing dark magic, if you’ve got ghosts, if you’ve got a dark, wet atmosphere — and there just happens to be a vampire around, too? That feels, to me, more like gaslight fantasy.

The key always seems to be: What is the difference from the ‘real’ world, and what is the driving force behind that difference? What is the mechanism through which the world is changed?

In steampunk, that mechanism is science-based. In gaslight fantasy, it will be magic-based. I made up this little graphic for my workshop in San Diego. I’m not completely happy with it, but it gives a visual representation of that sliding scale that I’m talking about. You can click to enlarge it.

The more supernatural elements you have, the more magic, the more paranormal beings, the more that it is gaslight fantasy … even if it has a few gadgets or airships here and there.

Then there are alternate histories. Maili mentions Anno Dracula, but although I’ve read it, it was during my Anne Rice craze in 10th or 11th grade and I can’t recall exactly the differences in the world itself, and how much science fiction/magic was involved. Generally, however, I would say that an alternate history is one where there is a break from real history, and even though the course of the world might have changed dramatically (and that includes a different trajectory for technological and social evolution), that break in history and the social/cultural impact is the driving element behind the differences in the world, rather than magic or science, even if magic or science (or a supernatural creature) was the cause of the break.

And again, it’s not that a book has to be completely one or the other. The Iron Seas series is an alternate history — and that break came when Batu Khan became the Great Khan rather than one of Ögedei’s heirs. The driving force behind the differences in the world, however, is the technology created by the Horde, along with the technology created by those trying to stop them (and later the tech created as they adjust to their new world).

e) Does historical accuracy matter in a steampunk novel?

Yes and no. It doesn’t have to be accurate in the sense that events happen in the same way (in a historical novel, the date of certain battles are either accurate or they aren’t — but that battle might not even take place in a steampunk/alternate history novel.) It does have to be accurate, however, in that the worldbuilding has to be internally consistent and make sense. It has to be accurate in that, if something is out-of-place to that time, there has to be a reason behind it.

The technology (and everything else) can be anachronistic from *our* perspective. It can’t be anachronistic from the perspective of the characters and the world; it has to fit, it has to make sense — it has to be accurate according to the rules of that world.

f) what’s the difference between a steampunk romance and a steampunk novel?

I have no idea. Obviously the romance is the primary plot/story within a steampunk romance, but my difficulty comes because I have no idea what a steampunk novel looks like. The more I think about it, the more most steampunk seems to be a subgenre of something else — mysteries and adventure novels being the most popular. I’m often torn between calling steampunk its own genre, and just calling it a ‘setting.’

(I’m excluding steampunk art from this, by the way, as well as the steampunk lifestyle. I think that those are very clearly their own. But in literature, I honestly don’t know if it’s self-contained as its own genre.)

I would love to hear other thoughts on this, actually. Does steampunk feel like its own genre, and what books/movies would you use as examples of a steampunk genre?

g) What web sites and blogs would you recommend for us who want to learn more about steampunk?

I mentioned Beyond Victoriana last time. Also, every October, the publisher Tor has a steampunk month on their blog, and I think it’s worth checking out the articles and essays on steampunk (most easily found with the ‘steampunk’ tag).

For romance, The Galaxy Express does a great job of keeping SF romance readers apprised of upcoming steampunk titles — and is also great for links.

Girl Genius online — because it’s fun. The same goes for 2D Goggles (a.k.a. The Thrilling Adventures of Lovelace and Babbage.)

Airship Ambassador has a huge number of links to definitions, art, all kinds of stuff. The Steampunk Chronicle has great links, too.

Also, because the visual aspect is so strong (I’ll admit that I don’t read a lot of steampunk blogs aside from Beyond Victoriana, but I do love to go searching for artwork) I love pointing to sites like Deviant Art and simply searching for steampunk. When CGSociety was having their Myths and Legends steampunk art challenge, it was the greatest thing ever — and the winners (to which I just linked) are fantastic, but there was a lot of work showing up in the forums that was spectacular as well.

I know there are blogs and tumblers out there that repost steampunk art, but I usually just end up doing Google searches instead. If you know of any great steampunk blogs, please post a link in the comments!

h) Which films would you recommend for us who need to see what steampunk is like before we could read a steampunk romance/novel?

I’m saving this until tomorrow/Friday, because it will be another long answer (and Maili sent me some awesome links to videos, too, and I want to include those.)

g) Will your ‘Iron Seas’ map ever see the daylight?

Okay, well. I didn’t scan them in, because the more I thought about it, the more I realized that a lot of what is on those maps will either be spoilerish/will be more fun to develop in the books themselves. It’s not that I’m trying to be secretive, it’s just that I want to save some stuff to be revealed in the books, and the maps totally give it away.

But I totally understand that readers want a general history and a way to better visualize the world, and so instead of scanning it in, I spent time last night on a map in Photoshop, and on sketching out a general history on a page. It’s crude, the boundaries are not exact, it’s vague in some areas, it’s definitely a work-in-progress — but I hope it helps visualize the world a little better.

So, here’s a rudimentary Iron Seas guide. Please feel free to ask questions about it in the comments here.

Also, er — the fact that Ireland is orange doesn’t signify anything. I just wanted to make it clear that its fate was not linked to England/Wales/Scotland’s, and chose a contrasting color, and only later did I realize that it could be taken as a statement re: religion.

I’ve seen a couple of mentions that these are in reviewers’ hands, so they should be coming soon! I believe they will all be released on the same day as the print/ebook Heart of Steel (November 1st). I don’t have a link yet for purchasing, but as soon as I have one, I’ll add it to each book’s page.