Tag: steampunk book

A Work in Progress: Corsair and the Temple of the Heavenly Chariot

Leave a comment

I know I just released two new books a few weeks ago, but time waits for no man, especially an independent author. I have been overwhelmed by readers asking me one simple question… Where is the next book in the Corsair and the Sky Pirates series? Well, your wait is almost over!

I am putting the finishing touches on Corsair and the Temple of the Heavenly Chariot. Corsair and his intrepid crew of sky pirates continue their adventures in this pulse-pounding sequel. Airship battles fill the sky, daring escapes cut through the streets of London, and a deep dive into the forboding temple of the Heavenly Chariot.

In this story, you will meet some new sky pirates, including the mysterious Italian aviator Captain Francesco Pinedo and the master showman, Harry Houdini! I had fun bringing this historic character to life as one of Nikola Tesla’s sky pirates. Plus, you’ll find a few more historical figures joining the adventures with Corsair, including Harry Selfridge, gangster Jimmy Eastman, and the infamous Jack the Ripper.

In an age where steam hissed from brass fittings and the night skies were cut by the silent silhouettes of airships, a second Industrial Revolution was born from the mind of Nikola Tesla and the prophetic visions of Jules Verne. It was powered not by coal, but by the radiant blue meteor fragments of the comet Uriel, whose energy could boil water for a century without diminishing. These shards ignited not just engines, but the bitter war between Tesla and his rival, Thomas Edison—a conflict fought with patents and propaganda in drawing rooms, and by cannon fire in the clouds.

From this strife rose the sky pirates: captains of fast, armored dirigibles built for stealth and sudden violence, their hulls vanishing against the clouds. And among these rogues, one name was whispered with fear in corporate halls and cheered in dusty plazas: CORSAIR. Hated by empires and the ERP corporation, he was a hero to the oppressed. Though nominally in Tesla’s service, contesting Edison’s grip on global power, their war reached a strained détente when astronomical calculations confirmed the unthinkable: Uriel had shifted course.

Now on a collision path with Earth, its impact would flood cities and shatter continents. No longer privateers, Corsair and his fellow sky pirates scoured the globe for clues to avert the apocalypse. Their only hope lay in the Temple of the Heavenly Chariot—a myth recorded on Viking runestones, Egyptian hieroglyphics, and Incan goldwork, said to house an ancient power capable of moving celestial bodies. Pursued by British dreadnoughts, ERP assassins, and psychotic Shades, Corsair races against time to unravel the temple’s secrets, unaware that the greatest danger waits not in the guns of his enemies, but in the betrayal of a trusted ally.

I will be doing a big cover reveal before Christmas, an early present for you from Sienna Arts (who did an amazing cover for me!) Stay tuned for more on its release in early 2027! Happy New Year!

Corsair soars to new heights thanks to new readers and a Literary Titan

Leave a comment

I regularly talk about soaring to the skies with my steampunk historical fiction, Corsair and the Sky Pirates, but it’s different when it happens on its own. I met so many people at events in 2025, and Corsair was one of my best sellers. People were enthralled by the swashbuckling adventures of Corsair and his crew of sky pirates as they fight for Nikola Tesla’s dream against the corporate tyranny of Thomas Edison’s ERP Corporation.

The most significant boost came from Literary Titan, which published a phenomenal review of Corsair online. They dove into the depths of my steampunk novel and brought incredible fanfare that I was not expecting. I can honestly tell you, this was one of the most humbling book reviews I have ever received.

From the first page, Corsair and the Sky Pirates drops you straight into a swirl of history, imagination, and high-flying adventure. It starts with Jules Verne and Nikola Tesla in a café in France, dreaming up impossible machines and strange new power sources. That meeting sparks a chain of events that explodes into a world of airships, sky pirates, secret plots, and the dangerous lure of comet fragments with world-changing energy. At the center of it all is Corsair, a rogue pirate who’s as much a freedom fighter as he is a thief, and his diverse crew of outcasts who take on empires, corporations, and tyrants in an age where science blurs into fantasy.

I found myself grinning at how much fun the writing is. The prose is quick, like a stage play mixed with pulp adventure, and it leans hard into spectacle. The characters are bold and colorful, each with their quirks, backstories, and weapons that are almost as wild as their personalities. There were moments where I rolled my eyes at how dramatic some scenes were, but I also loved it. It felt like the book knew it was larger than life and leaned all the way into that spirit. I kept turning pages because I wanted to see what trick or twist would come next.

At the same time, the ideas underneath the adventure stuck with me. There’s a real push and pull between invention for progress and invention for profit. The way the story frames Edison, Tesla, and ERP as forces shaping the world gave me something to chew on between the swashbuckling fights. I felt frustrated at the greed and cruelty shown by the corporate powers, and I rooted for Corsair even when his choices were brutal. The story isn’t subtle, but sometimes that’s the point. It makes its villains nasty, its heroes daring, and its stakes almost absurdly high, and that gave me the freedom to just sink into the ride.

When I closed the book, I thought about who would enjoy it most. If you like steampunk worlds, if you enjoy a good pirate tale with a twist of history and a lot of flair, or if you just want to escape into something that’s fun, fast, and fearless, this book will be right up your alley. I’d recommend it to anyone who wants adventure with heart and a lot of imagination.

Thanks to Literary Titan for recognizing the heart and soul of Corsair and the Sky Pirates. Suppose you’re interested in obtaining a signed copy of my award-winning steampunk historical fiction. In that case, I will be at Barnes & Noble, located at One Loudoun in Ashburn, VA, on Saturday, October 12, from 1:00 to 4:00 pm. Additionally, don’t forget 2nd Sundays Williamsburg on Sunday, October 12, from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on N. Boundary Street in historic Williamsburg, VA.