Steampunk: A Modern Throwback to Classic Science Fiction

As I again delve into the various genres of fiction with which my current writing intersects, I discover surprising gaps in my knowledge—and more books for my reading list.

This is hardly a bad thing. Writers are fed by writing, and not always their own. Indeed, one would hope that much of it is not their own—we learn our craft first and best by reading the works of others. That is where we discover what we like, what we don’t, and in our various reactions develop the biases that inform our own voices and styles.

Alternate History Fiction, Fiction History Fact

It is an odd feeling when you discover how little you know about a subject.

I first learned of the alternate history genre at around the age of 10. Or at least, I think it was the age of ten. I might’ve been two or three years older or younger. All I know is that I was in a cool and musty used book store, and I found this hefty paperback with a picture of Stalin, Hitler and Truman standing in front of a ray gun straight out of the Golden Age of science fiction. The blurb on the back said this was “alternate history.” From what I remember of my emotions at the time, I found the whole idea silly. Still, the notion of playing with past events stayed with me, despite my skepticism about the genre.

At the time, I believed alternate history—fiction taking place in a history divergent from our own—to be a new sub-genre of science fiction. That is not accurate. Alternate histories have been around for a long time. According to Wikipedia, one of the earliest works in that category is Tirant Io Blanc, a 1490 epic by Joanot Martorell that tells a version of recent history in which the titular hero repels the Turkish invasion of Constantinople. According to the same article, alternate history novels and stories appeared in the mass market in the 19^th and early 20^th centuries, with the 30’s being a pivotal decade for the genre. During World War II, alternate history tales also served as a means of propaganda for Allied countries. (Wikipedia, 2013)

For that matter, while alternate history can overlap with science fiction, it doesn’t have to. The earliest examples, mentioned above, were written before science fiction became a discrete entity. Quentin Tarantino’s Inglorious Basterds is an alternate history, and has no science fiction elements to speak of. (It does, however, feature idiosyncratic, Tarantine dialogue.)

Oddly enough, when I conceived of the idea for my forthcoming Rosaria of Venice, which is an alternate history, I hadn’t read or seen much in the way of alternate history. I still haven’t. The only work I have seen and can honestly categorize as such is the animé Full Metal Panic. It is a lack of experience that I ought to fix. The idea for Roaria, however, didn’t come from that animé, despite some odd parallels. It came from a little device called the antikythera mechanism.

The antikythera mechanism, as the Wikipedia article explains, is a mechanical computer designed to calculate the positions of heavenly bodies at particular places and times. Such a device would be invaluable for navigators in the 1^st Century BC—when it was likely developed. Comparable machines would not appear for another fifteen hundred years. (Wikipedia, 2013)

Learning of this device led me to wonder, much as Carl Sagan did, what might have happened if the civilization which produced this machine—that of the Greeks and Romans—had survived past the 3^rd Century AD. From this thought, the first prototype of Rosaria of Venice arose: a version of the 5^th century (or thereabouts) AD where, after the fall of the Roman Empire, Greece nonetheless survived as a burgeoning technological remnant. They had steam power, more advanced computers, and all sorts of useful mechanical devices. My protagonist, at that time, was a former slave boy applying for an education in Athens who became caught up in some intrigue involving the government. There was also a time-travelling girl from our version of events who popped in and out, and was somehow connected to the whole intrigue bit.

While the premise held some interest for me, the characters felt too bland, and so the idea went underground. It stayed there for several years. Then, while listening to the latest album from my favorite band, an idea struck me. How about taking the “musketeer” archetype and gender-swapping it? That idea quickly merged with the antikythera-inspired scenario. I switched the setting to Renaissance Italy (but with steam power!), dropped the time-traveling girl, and switched my protagonist to a swordswoman and scientist of that era. Rosaria was born. The character stuck with me, and so I stuck with the story.

It is an odd feeling when you discover how little you know, but it soon becomes fuel for the imagination.

When Did Science Fiction Begin?

It is a more difficult question than it seems. We all know what science fiction is, right? Ray guns and space ships and aliens? So we just go back in time, look for the earliest instances of these elements, and presto! We have the first literary work of science fiction.

But what about a totalitarian regime using technology that was but a stone’s throw away at the time it was written? Or a sexist dystopia with identical technology to the present day? What if the people with the ray guns, space ships and aliens can move things with their brains? Is this still science fiction, or are we going someplace else entirely?

Rosaria of Venice -- Choosing a Cover, and the May 24th Kickstarter

I'll be Kickstarting Rosaria of Venice, the alternate history steampunk Renaissance novel I wrote and am now revising, this month on May 25. The proceeds are to pay for cover illustrations (front and inside) as well as editing and proofreading.

While I won't be commissioning the final works until the Kickstarter campaign finishes, I have already been working with illustrators on concepts for the front and inside covers. The illustrator I hired to do the front, Amelia Davis, has finished color mock-ups of three possible covers:

I'm really liking how they turned out. In fact, I can't decide which one I want to use as the final. So I'm going to let the backers decide. When I run the Rosaria of Venice Kickstarter campaign from May 24th to June 14th, everyone who backs the project will get to vote which thumbnail becomes the final cover. 

So please save the date, and consider pledging if the book strikes your fancy. (If you want a taste of what the book itself is like, you can read the opening chapter here.) I will be posting more information here over the next few weeks, so please check back or subscribe to the Runicfire RSS feed for updates!

The Devil in the Details: How Contact with the Americas Affected World Cuisine

Historical fiction—even alternate history—poses a unique challenge to authors: the ordinary circumstances of the past are not those of the present. In writing my novel, I came to a scene where the protagonist jury-rigs a primitive battery. This being 15^th century Italy, this is a fairly impressive feat. I was ready to detail how she affixes wires to a potato and exploits this household root to produce a current.

Then I stopped. I had forgotten one important fact: there were no potatoes in 15^th century Italy.

The Care and Feeding of Ugly Duckling Drafts

Many writers talk about “Shitty First Drafts,” to use the term coined by Anne Lamott in Bird by Bird. These are your horrific first attempts at your story. They’re hairy with adjectives, and stumble about on improperly placed limbs. I like to call them “ugly duckling” drafts because, despite their deformity, they are merely good works in their infancy.

I used to believe I did not write these. In recent times, I have discovered the extent of my error. Here are five lessons I learned on how to bring ugly duckling drafts to maturity, which may be of use to you as well:

1. Write action, trim description. Action is the currency of your story. Your readers may forget your paragraphs of prose poetry on an ancient horn’s carvings. They will remember what your characters did—because that is the story. Description works best riding on the trail of action, so marble your action and description like meat and fat in a good steak.
2.   If you must describe at length, make it sound like action. Writing figuratively allows you to make things incapable of action come alive. We already say that vines coil and patterns flow, so let your imagination play with the possibilities. Start by turning gerunds back into verbs: "His steep forehead sloped into a thick brow," instead of "He had a steeply sloping forehead and a thick brow."
3. Give your characters something to do. Even bit characters should make themselves of use. This goes double for characters who usher us into the story. The first draft of my novel-in-progress opened with a beleaguered priest waiting in the rain. He waited for three-quarters of a page. When I showed the passage to an editor, the opening failed to capture her attention. She recommended that I give him something to do. I followed her advice, and his plight became far more interesting. Conflict drives stories, and conflict dies when characters do nothing.
4. “Omit Needless Words.” E.B. White said it best.
5. Weed out the cliches. Avoiding trite phrases and tropes is difficult on your first draft. But second and third drafts grant you the benefit of hindsight. Now is the time to chuck those old chestnuts and try something more lively. If you feel your story requires a scene that would be considered cliche, ask yourself aspects of that approach are important. Then find another scenario that fulfills those requirements. If you cannot, then cut everything not essential to the task.

Nothing is novel about these suggestions. I suspect that ninety percent of what we know about the craft of writing is old news. The remaining ten percent is unique to every writer, and we must each discover that for ourselves.

This Week on Runicfire: Feb 18 – 24

Runicfire is entering its second week, and we have another roster of posts. Here's what to expect:

• Today, Monday the 18th, I reflect on the San Francisco Writer's Conference and the possibility of a second Renaissance.
• This Wednesday, the 20th, a brief post on recent developments in science.
• And for Friday the 22nd I explore the process of revising, including tips I picked up this weekend and some notes from my own experience.

Due to some limitations I have discovered with Blogger, I will be switching Runicfire over to Wordpress. The process will likely take a month, and involve a visual retooling as well. Don't worry: everything I have posted so far will transfer over, and the new site will be prettier, more useful and easier to use than before.

Here's to a good week!

Short Story: A Glitch in the Timing

As a Friday treat to you all, I am posting an older short story of mine. It's called "A Glitch in the Timing." It's about Esau Alexander, a detective of the gilded city of Starfall who, against his better judgment, pursues a missing persons case—pro bono. I hope you enjoy it!

Read and download "A Glitch in the Timing."

The Renaissance: Real and Reimagined

This is the first part of a series in which I discuss a portion of the research behind Rosaria of Venice, my forthcoming alternate-history novel, and other matters related to that research. If you like what you read, please keep an eye out for new updates, and tell your friends!

There was a time, centuries after the fall of Rome, when northern Italy blossomed with the rediscovery of ancient culture. Perspective returned to painting, form to sculpture, and new artists expanded upon the ancient techniques. These times saw the rise of the printing press and the spreading of literacy. The new age brought political turmoil and religious revolution through the Protestant Reformation. The works of figures such as Copernicus and Galileo shaped science into a semblance of its modern form. Through the cracks of feudal Europe, the modern era broke soil.

We call this period the Renaissance.