Welcome to your early-bird peek at some of the fantastic authors who are already signed up for the conference. Today I'm showcasing
Marie Piper!
Hi Marie! can you tell us a little about your writing?
I'm Marie, and I write Western Historical Romance that's usually on the steamy side. The first book in my FIRES OF CRICKET BEND trilogy, HAVEN'S FLAME, came out in October. The second book, which I'm not revealing the title of yet, is slated for a March release.
Mmmm, cowboys... Ok, so let's talk about RustCity!
1. Fill in the blank: "I used to be really good at tap dancing , but these days I'm pretty rusty."
OK, I think we can work with this at the conference. Bring your tap shoes...
2. Eminem or Aretha? Explain.
Aretha. You have to show some respect to timeless legends. I see what you did there. And I completely agree.
3. Choose One:
Vernors
Faygo
I'm confused. And not from around here.
4. What are you looking forward to most at the RustCity conference? I'm a Michigan native, so I'm excited to visit some dear friends who live in the area. I'm also excited to meet the other authors and talk to readers. I love book people.
5. Which is NOT an actual community in Michigan? (no googling!)
Bad Axe
Mullet Lake
Alpha
Hero
Colon
Kalamazoo
6. Your latest work of fiction features a wealthy industrialist and an R&B singer. What's the first sentence? If he--with his Grammys and fangirls--thought he was the only one who could riff, she'd prove him wrong.
What's it about? Obviously the sexy banter between a Grammy-award winning R&B sensation and a tight-laced billionaire businesswoman. There's probably a kidnapping, and I'm going to assume I'd write it so SHE rescues HIM. Well, naturally.
And finally, would you like to participate in the Alpha Heroes Five Words Fiction Game? Yes please! Did you say Steampunk? Because steampunk!
OK Marie, you are ON for the steampunk story! Your challenge words are: looking-glass, badger, odorous, feet, fire.
Part 1 by Lorelei Brown
Part 2:
Engine, Engine, Who's Got the Engine?
When he’d bumped into her, the way the woman—Alma, he knew her name—had reacted by clutching at the valise had been all the proof he’d needed that she carried the item he himself sought. The blasted engine. He’d been poised to steal it himself before he’d heard tell of a woman with fire red hair who had beaten him to it.
That was unacceptable. After all, he--Edgar Stoole--was a Badger. A stupid name for an organization, of course, but as they conducted business mostly at night, were known for surly attitudes, and tended to lay low until provoked to attack, it was apt in the end.
He followed with silent feet at a distance as Alma made her way from the train platform to where an older man waited at a velocimobile. Father, Uncle, Grandfather, it didn’t matter. Either Edgar would get the engine back, or Alma and everyone she loved would be dead by morning.
The crowds on the street were thick with bodies both polished and perfumed and utterly odorous. Edgar pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and used it to cover his nose and mouth. Walking past the vehicle, he positioned himself close enough to hear the conversation and memorize the licensure.
After they’d driven off, Edgar went for a drink at a pub.
As he enjoyed his spirits and scribbled a note to the Badgers who would be nearest, Rawley and Oates, he kept one ear open to conversations happening in the room around him. Most were foolish, the tittering of half-wits speaking of sporting events and novels and politics.
“Bummer at the bar has seen better days, ey?”
They were speaking of him. Edgar glanced up and caught sight of himself in a looking-glass behind the bartender. Oh, the state of his suit. Once it had been a custom, fitted to his form precisely, and costing more than he cared to recall. At the moment, the elbows were threadbare and the cuffs of both the pants and the jacket were frayed. He missed finery.
Finishing his drink, he set the glass down on the mahogany bar.
Get the engine and get the reward. Such simple things, really.
Oh Edgar. I don't think it's going to be that simple. But I'm going to enjoy watching you try!
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