Please allow me to introduce myself…

I am Connor MacPhie. Late of the US Navy, the SCA and of Amtgard. I am currently between jobs and about to start work on my degree in the IT field

I am also an amateur writer and an avid reader of fiction and fantasy. I have always been “out of my time”, and Steampunk has fallen into my latest out-of-temporal experience (or more accurately, me into it).

Steampunk is a genre that has had great appeal to me and though I have known about the concept for years (John Carter of Mars being my first introduction, followed by Verne, Wells, Shelly, and later Space 1889), with the release of The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen and more recently The Golden Compass and Stardust, I have found my interest in Steampunk growing. Recently I have even begun my own works in the Victorian Sci-Fi / Fantasy concept.

The reason I am writing is that I am offering my services in this particular field. I am currently in the process of reading “Whitechapel Gods” by S.M. Peters and upon completion would be happy to give you a synopsis and review of the work.

Briefly: Whitechapel Gods is a story set in Victorian London, of the underground rebels trying to overthrow two supernatural entities known as Grandfather Clock (the embodiment of logic and reason) and Mama Engine (the goddess of sentiment and intuition) and their forces. Elements in this story are ash-laden skies, goggle wearing street thugs and a steam powered rifle toting German taking on the black and gold cloaked half-human / half-machine converts to these new gods and even their dreaded Boiler Men (think of a clockwork / steam powered Terminator). To compound the issue, the Clacks, a disease that changes flesh into mechanical facsimiles, is tearing through the citizens of Whitechapel…

After this I would be more than willing to hit Amazon or my local B&N and Books-a-Million on a regular basis dig up anything else I can find and periodically drop the newest review of the latest Steampunk fiction.

Very Respectfully, Connor MacPhie.

p.s.

Writing my letters in Word, then cutting and pasting into the post window saves my phonetically spelling behind almost every time.

Firstly, I would like to extend my apologies for the tardiness of my reply. My gossamer dirigible was accosted by aetheric winds as I made my way back from my latest expedition. Upon my return, I was taken ill with the bite of an electrogalvanized tsetse fly that one of my jealous scientific rivals released into my cabin upon landing. Once I had properly realigned my magnetic regularity, an associate of mine informed me of your post and bade me to respond with all haste.

By special appointment to her Majesty the Queen of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Empress of India, I have recently begun an electronically distributed periodical dedicated to my fascination with the modern scientific advances in steamworks, pneumatics, hydraulics, clockwork, &c. It would be my pleasure and my honor if you were to allow me to combine my efforts with yours and contribute to this most excellent publication.

Yours faithfully, Lord Admiral of Her Majesty’s Airship Fleet

P.S. Please excuse the colonial spelling. I am using Messrs. Hyatt and Ross’s “Fox of Fire” tool for transelectronic communication.

OOC I graduated from university with two BAs, one in Literature and one in Philosophy. I write fiction as a hobby and twice won first place in my university’s creative writing competition in the fiction category.

I am not familiar with you or with ‘Brass Goggles’. I HAVEover the years, however, slipped quite completely into the Gaslight. After writing for editors who clamor for Victorian-style, I am confident in my ability to keep your readers devoted, entertained, and informed. As for money, I certainly do not need any. Being a long-time writer, it would be my pleasure to write for the public on a much more personal level than I am used to. You will be able to contact me any time you wish at the address I have enclosed, and I DO expect to hear from you soon.

                With all due respect,
                       Hopkins.

Sorry, but spelling and grammar is one of my pet peeves. BTW, I went to my dictionary three times for this little post.

I’m a semi-professional journalist with a background in web writing that includes gaming articles for Gamasutra.com and The Escapist, as well as blog posts for Gamasutra’s sister site, gamesetwatch.com. I have little in the way of steampunk writing currently, but it has always been a fascination of mine and I would love to delve deeper. I currently work a non-writing related job that leaves me plenty of browsing time, and my content aggregation skills are second-to-none. I look forward to an opportunity to speak with you further on this matter.

Cordially yours,

Chase M, Esq.

Cheers!