We are at it again! Kicking off the year with a brand-new campaign: Full Steam Ahead!
Yes, we are funding more books. Yes, we would love if you would check them out, maybe show your support. But don’t think you have to do it blind. Here is a taste of Grimm Machinations – the sequel to Gaslight & Grimm, bringing you even more steampunk faerie tales.
The other two books funding through the campaign are A Cast of Crows, a Poe-inspired steampunk collection created in conjunction with the Tell-Tale Steampunk Festival; and Grease Monkeys: The Heart and Soul of Dieselpunk, an anthology that takes a look at the mechanics that keep the tech running, but more on those later.
Over the course of the campaign, we will be sharing these excerpts so you can get to know our authors’ style.
The Spinning Cathedral and the Beautiful Bird
Jeff Young
Based on The Wonderful Bird
Whiskers twitching in response to the motion of their lips, the clockwork mask the Fox wore concealed the owner’s face as they lay on the edge of the rooftop. From here, they could see to the left the new cathedral rising above the houses of the merchants. A glance to right revealed the row of artificers’ studios, where a single curl of smoke and flashes of light were visible from a high window. Dropping back to the center brought the palace into view, where the snapping of flags in the early morning breeze reminded the Fox of taskmasters goading on their charges. Perhaps it was time to begin the work they had agreed to.
It had all begun with three questions:
“Now, this is strictly between you and I because I have heard that you are most capable in resolving difficulties. As you know, I Horatiu, being one of the chief artificers to the queen, I must occasionally prove my expertise against other challengers by creating a work so unique that it stands as a testament to my abilities. My Spinning Cathedral, which turns ever so slowly throughout the hours of the day so that the sunlight pours through the stained glass of the windows, is a marvel and works like a charm. However, there are those that maintain that it is going too far and defeats the purpose of a cathedral because it is too gaudy. You are a wise seer, as I see by your most wonderfully constructed mask, and I ask you, what can I do to sway their opinions?”
“Now, this is strictly between you and I because I have heard that you are most capable in resolving difficulties. As you know, I Ciprian, being of the chief artificers to the queen, I must occasionally prove my expertise against other challengers by creating a work so unique that it stands as a testament to my abilities. I am a creator of fabulous clockwork animals. You have most certainly heard of the menagerie of the Queen, and I have created something that outshines all of my previous works. However, everyone that I have shown it to says that it is too much and that all of the jewels on my fabulous bird couldn’t possibly be real, making it seem tawdry. You are a wise seer, as I see by your most wonderfully constructed mask, and I ask you, what can I do to sway their opinions?”
“Now, this is strictly between you and I because I have heard that you are most capable in resolving difficulties. As the Queen of this country, blessed with a great many capable artificers, good natured gentlefolk, and bounteous lands, it falls to me to ensure that the stewardship of all this comes to the proper hands. I was blessed with three sons before my dearest was taken from me, and in order to show equal favor among the three strongest lords of my lands, I sent each away to foster. Now that I am faced with determining which should be the most appropriate heir, I find that I know none of them well enough to choose. You are a wise seer, as I see by your most wonderfully constructed mask, and I ask you, what can I do to determine the best choice?”
After a moment of silence, the Fox carefully scratched at their chin under the Seer’s mask and said to each, “I shall return in three days with an answer.” Then the Fox moved on through the town visiting the market, the leather worker, and the smiths, gathering the requisites for their trade. Eventually, the Fox retired to their shop. As the Sun went down, they turned over the sign to indicate the location was closed and sat down at the worktable to think.
The sound of someone clearing their throat surprised the Fox.
Swinging about, they confronted a mask that was not familiar. It was an old woman’s visage done in dark wood. The Fox could tell there was no clockwork inside to move the features as with modern masks, but rather a series of springs that cleverly responded to the flex of the facial muscles of the owner. She was low in the shoulder, but obviously taller in her youth. Her voice was rough and breathy, “I am sorry to have caused fear. I merely awaited your return. Sometimes I am easy to overlook.”
“Hardly, madam. Not with such as a mask as this. It is a treasure. A marvel of execution. Might I look upon its workings?”
“You may, in time. I have a task for you, but first I must consider what I want. I will come to you when I am ready. If you are successful, you shall have all of the hours you desire to study my mask. But for now, it is unseemly for me to remove it. Do be patient and you will be rewarded.”
“Patient I will be then. Is there anything I can help you with now?”
“No, I once again apologize for startling you. I will take my leave. Good day.”
The Fox watched the woman with great curiosity as she left. What a delicious mystery. They were certain they knew everyone of consequence, having made all the finest masks in the kingdom, or so they thought. A delicious mystery, in deed.
Then, after assuring themself that no one else lurked in the shadows, they relocked the door. Around them hung the many cleverly carved masks that were the result of their dexterous hands. Bits of wire and gears were scattered about the table. The Fox picked up two small gears and a large one. Placing them down on the surface the Fox linked the teeth of the smaller ones into the big one. Moving them caused the larger to rotate. “That’s the way they want it to be,” the Fox commented. Then grasping another gear and dropping it in between all three, rotating it caused all of the gears to move. “This is the way it will be.” Laughing, the Fox leaned back in the chair and looked up at the multitude of masks hanging above them.
The masks had originally risen as mere fashion taken up when the royals were struck by the pox. These allowed the nobility to present whichever face they wished to the common folk. Now as the industry of coal-burning and steam came round, the masks also served to filter out the smog that lay over the city. It continued to amaze the Fox that so many put such faith in whatever mask one presented. As the maker of such masks, the Fox had access to all of them. From family member to family member, a long chain of mask-makers reached back into history. But few were willing to use their talents as the Fox did. Reaching up, they pulled off the Seer’s mask they wore and gazed upon it. The stars and symbols etched in gold complimented the lines carved into the face giving it a greater sense of age and wisdom, borrowed but briefly, and now set aside.
Opening a cabinet, they placed the Seer’s mask within and drew forth the orange-furred visage with its long dark whiskers and pointed nose. Staring at it, the Fox frowned and peered closer. Something felt wrong, something felt out of place, yet the mask appeared in fine working order.
Never mind, they thought, all is well now. Settling it on their face, they gave a sigh of relief. The ideas began to come at once. Very shortly thereafter, the Fox had a plan.
Jeff Young is a bookseller first and a writer second – although he wouldn’t mind a reversal of fortune.
He is an award-winning author who has contributed to the anthologies: Afterpunk, In an Iron Cage: The Magic of Steampunk, Clockwork Chaos, Gaslight and Grimm, Phantasmical Contraptions and other Errors, By Any Means, Best Laid Plans, Dogs of War, Man and Machine, If We Had Known, Fantastic Futures 13, The Society for the Preservation of C.J. Henderson, Eccentric Orbits 2 & 3, Writers of the Future V.26, TV Gods and TV Gods: Summer Programming. Jeff’s own fiction is collected in Spirit Seeker, Written in Light and TOI Special Edition 2 – Diversiforms. He has also edited the Drunken Comic Book Monkey line, TV Gods and TV Gods –Summer Programming and is the managing editor for the magazine, Mendie the Post-Apocalyptic Flower Scout. He has led the Watch the Skies SF&F Discussion Group of Camp Hill and Harrisburg for seventeen years. Jeff is also the proprietor of Helm Haven, the online Etsy and Ebay shops, costuming resources for Renaissance and Steampunk.
Learn more about Jeff Young here:
Website * GoodReads * Amazon Author Page * YouTube
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