Is It Steampunk? Week 2: Steampunk Spats by J Souza

It's that time again!  Time for my new favorite game: Is It Steampunk?  For the newcomers, here are the rules.  I'm going to post a picture of an item I've found online.  This item must really be for sale and really be listed as a "Steampunk" product.  Then, I leave it up to you, my readers, to decide whether this product really is "Stone Cold Steam," or if it's dried up like the "Sahara Desert."  So, without further ado, I give you week two of Is It Steampunk?

These boots are billed as "Steampunk Spats - Unique - Sexy, Rustic-Feminine by J Souza." These were created by Etsy User JoelmaSouza.

At first glance they appear to be a set of heels with clock parts sewn or glued to them.  If those were your first thoughts, you'd be right!  For $198, this might be a project you want to take on yourself rather than shelling out the dough.  But one question remains: Is It Steampunk???

Please use the check-boxes below to vote.  Click "Stone Cold Steam" if you believe it's Steampunk, or "Sahara Desert" if you think it's a Steampunk imitator.  Next Friday I'll edit the post and put my take into it.

Steampunk Feather Fascinator - OZION design Review

This great Steampunk accessory is brought to you by Etsy Shop CastleMemories, hailing out of San Francisco, CA.  It is available as a headband, comb, or hairclip, and costs $36.00.

The peacock feathers are a really nice touch that blends nicely with the Steampunk styling of the piece.  It's one of those items that if I saw someone walking around wearing it, I would have to comment my appreciation.

From the seller: "I put Steampunk on my favorite mainstay, the feather pad applique. I put cogs, Victorian style jewelry findings, feather pads and added a touch of "Oriental splash." The result is a firm, ladylike, bold statement of a hairpiece I am excited about. I think that experience and my take on Steampunk is typical of the way I approach "traditional" designs: with one foot rooted in tradition and the other foot kicking it forward. This design is just a partial example of some of the dozens of things we've dabbed into mixing modern trends and feathers."

As of this writing there are 553 reviews of this item with a 4.5 star rating out of 5.  CastleMemories also has a lot of other great products for the Steampunk trending lady.  Many are actually not Steampunk, but rather focused on bridal and other niche markets.  There are, however, a few dozen other Steampunk designs that I think my readers will really enjoy.  Simply click on the Steampunk Fashion link on the left bar of their shop.

Trevor's Rating of the Feather Fascinator - OZION design: 93% (For a design that's sure to turn heads and reviews that parlay its quality).

Steampunk Coat Review

This great jacket is billed as a brown black cropped jacket with brass details.  The seller is TalismanaDesigns, hailing from my rainy homeland, Oregon.  

From the seller: "I am using an enzyme technique with the fabric and it's taking on a fabulous antiqued leather effect that emphasizes the seams and detail stitching. Has that Pre-Post-Apocalypse appeal. Will be enhanced by dustings of playa, or general hard living. Raw edges for outlaws, space cowboys, and airship pirates. 

Looooong sleeves, slightly flared and scalloped, they'll likely come down to your knuckles. When I'm working I cuff them back. The back comes down into a subtle flattering curve. The zipper stops at your cleavage with a slight keyhole effect. To get warm and cozy you use the stylee cross-over collar. Really nice high neck. 

One of my inspirations for this design was to have something for the dancefloor. It's warm enough, especially in crucial sleeves and neck, to take care of you on festival nights - but streamlined enough to carry or tie at your waist once the bass drops and you start sweating. I've named it the Libra Coat. As a Libra, I like all my choices available. This is the perfectly balanced coat. It does as much of the work as possible of a big coat, in the sleekest ninja package."

Personally, it reminds me of something I might find one of the characters in my books wearing. Almost post-apocalyptic but decidedly Steampunk.

Trevor's Rating of the Steampunk Coat: 92% (For a great looking coat that looks durable and functional, all at the low price of $58.00)

Be sure to tune in this Friday for another edition of "Is It Steampunk?"

New Segment! Is It Steampunk?

It's Friday and it's the first day of my new segment: Is It Steampunk?  While perusing Etsy, I've found that a lot of the products listed as "Steampunk" are really anything but.  In the spirit of giving everything a fair shake, I've decided to start this weekly series where I'll post a picture and voting buttons and you, the reader, tells me if it's really Steampunk.  Sometimes they will be great representations of the Steampunk genre, and others...not so much.  So without wasting any more time, let's get into it!

Our first contender comes from enduredesigns and is labeled as "Upcycled Steampunk Clothing, King Louie Costume, Jungle Book, Monkey Costume, Headpiece, and Raffia Cape"...What a mouthful...

So, you tell me, is it Steampunk?  Use the voting buttons below.

Get Symbiote Free on Kindle for 5 Days

Merry Christmas everyone!  On Christmas day I'm running a special on my short story Replica as well as my science fiction novel Symbiote.  The promotion on Replica ends at midnight and the Symbiote promotion will run through the 29th of December.

Symbiote Synopsis: When a normally meek Bay Area insurance agent suddenly turns into a voracious, homicidal maniac with an uncontrollable appetite, doctors quickly determine that the cause must be a brain parasite that can only be extra-terrestrial. Now, San Francisco Police Detectives Karen Hall and Yuri Markov are on a mission to end this wave of violence before more citizens become infected. But at every turn their investigation seems to be hindered by shadowy federal agents with a hidden agenda. Can they stop this reign of terror before one of them becomes the next Symbiote?

Replica Synopsis: In the year 2054, Army Sergeant Logan Martel hunts for an insurgent plotting a horrific attack on the West. It is in this world of high-tech equipment and prolific robotics that Logan finds himself set adrift, searching for what's left of his own humanity. Will he find what he's looking for? Or will he become merely a replica of his former self?

If you pick up a free copy of one of my eBooks, please leave an honest review or rating on Amazon or Goodreads!  Additionally, my new book The Corsair Uprising #1: The Azure Key came out on 12/14/14 and can be found here.

Replica Free Through Christmas!

Whether you're just looking for something to read or you're looking to try out that new e-reader you received for Christmas, I have a great story for you to read.  The best part, it's free in the kindle store through Dec 25th!  Here's a synopsis of the ebook to whet your appetite:

"In the year 2054, Army Sergeant Logan Martel hunts for an insurgent plotting a horrific attack on the West. It is in this world of high-tech equipment and prolific robotics that Logan finds himself set adrift, searching for what's left of his own humanity. Will he find what he's looking for? Or will he become merely a replica of his former self?"

Here's what one blogger had to say about Replica:

"Trevor Schmidt, author of the cool sci-fi thriller Memory Leak, returns to the genre with this short story which follows a team of futuristic soldiers in their pursuit of a notorious terrorist.

This quick easy read is a cautionary tale regarding the development of future technology and is ideal lunch-break or commute reading that will appeal to fans of the Terminator movies."
-Ric's Reviews

 After you pick up your copy, it would be great if you left a simple review on Amazon or Goodreads! 

The Corsair Uprising #1: The Azure Key is Out Now!

I'm happy to announce that the first installment of my new science fiction series is out today!  It is entitled The Corsair Uprising: The Azure Key.  The Corsair Uprising series falls under the Space Opera heading but has a lot of Steampunk elements as well.  Please check it out and if you pick it up, be sure to give an honest review on Amazon.

Synopsis:
"Liam Kidd was a freelancer for Vesta Corporation, Earth’s largest and most corrupt asteroid mining company. Through a series of events he finds himself working the mines, a fate worse than death. When an opportunity presents itself, he and two other miners escape through a nearby wormhole. They find themselves across the galaxy in the middle of a conflict between three alien species. Liam’s only chance of getting home lies in finding a device rumored to be capable of opening a singularity. Now, he and his crew must face the horrors of war to return to their own system, a challenge that might prove deadly."