Adventures of Cecelia Bedelia

Young adult author Cecil Castellucci has written a short story based on the Prince Lindwurm fairy tale (which I hadn’t heard of before, actually), and it is featured today on Tor.com. The Tor website publishes novel excerpts, original pieces of prose, comics and poetry every week. This bountiful content is probably the reason I think of Tor first when I am searching my brain for the name of a ‘publisher of fantasy and sci-fi.’

illustration by Sam Burley

In the past, I’ve also found lovely fairy tale contributions by favorite authors Catherynne M. Valente ("The Girl Who Ruled Fairyland - For a Little While," an addition to the Fairyland story) and Marissa Meyer ("Glitches," featuring characters from Cinder). Oh! And if you’re curious about Cecil Castellucci’s novel-length works, she recently published The Year of the Beasts with Nate Powell, a half-novel, half-graphic novel.

But! The point: go read “Brother. Prince. Snake.” You can thank me later.

It’s Steampunk Month at Tor.com. Tor publishes fantasy and science fiction, but their page also has a list of blogs featuring steampunk, news on Seattle’s SteamCon (a steampunk convention, of all things!), and they’ll have features this month on all good things steampunk.

And I would be remiss if I didn’t add to yesterday’s ‘definition’ of steampunk: I didn’t come up with anything new or amazing. The only conclusion anyone really has about steampunk is that it’s whatever it decides to morph into next. It’s not only literature, it’s imagination, an aesthetic, a way of life, a cool way to trick yourself out (or your computer), and what have you.

The best explanation of steampunk I’ve found today comes from Cherie Priest, who recently wrote another book I’m dying to have, Boneshaker.

And I’ll leave you with some pretty freaking sweet pictures of steampunk items for sale on Etsy. Enjoy!

Steampunk Clockwork Propeller Necklace by TheGoldBug