This Author, Jeffrey Cook will be with us at NORWESCON on APRIL 17-20th!

DAWN OF STEAM: FIRST LIGHT

Gregory Conan Watts has been hired to prove the impossible. To do so, he’s expected to assemble a crew that includes war heroes, carnies, respectable women, and one wilderness scout who may or may not be entirely insane.They’ll have the best of 1815 technology: a state-of-the-art airship and the steam-powered battle suit that almost single-handedly brought down Napoleon’s alliance. Finding vast uncharted wonders Gregory’s not even sure are there sounded complicated enough; he wasn’t expecting naturaldisasters, outright sabotage … or another war.

Character Profile: Sam Bowe

Birthplace: Louisiana Territory
Age: ??
Hair: Brown
Eyes: Brown
Height: 1.77m (5’9″)
Weight: 79.1 kg (174 lbs.)
The only child of the legendary Dr. Bowe avoids mentioning what Sam is
short for unless it’s completely necessary. When she does find it necessary
to reveal that information, dealing with civilized people of the era,
especially several on the ship, becomes occasionally much harder. Sam would
not know ladylike behavior if it bit her.
Sam acts as the group’s guide for much of the journey once she’s recruited.
Having traveled with her father before some unspecified event, perhaps
simply his retirement, she claims to know a lot of the territory they will
be traveling through. Along the way, Sam demonstrates remarkable manual
dexterity, quickness, stamina, and strength – relying on these gifts
instead of the technology or learning more familiar to most of the others.
This changes only when she adopts (or perhaps is adopted by) an oddly
intelligent ornithopter which answers to whistles, basic commands, and the
name Bubsy. While Sam knows guns reasonably well, she still prefers to use
knives – and makes up for this apparent disadvantage by using them very,
very well.
Author’s Notes: Sam Bowe and Jillian Coltrane acted in concert to really
start the idea of the book rolling. The two of them, with their associated
skills and secrets, arrived mostly formed, if nameless, in one of those
brief moments of geek inspiration. Nothing else came so easily, but the two
in contrast and occasional opposition (but more often, slightly reluctant
alliance) became the foundation everything else was built on.
Sam is a throwback. If Jillian’s mind and style would be more at home in
the Steampunk 1880s than the 1810s, Sam has her roots firmly in the ages of
expansive wilderness and dark corners of the world. Despite not being “with
the times,” she has her own gifts that make her perfectly suited to that
world, which is starting to disappear with the arrival of the supposedly
more enlightened age.

With thanks to the wonderful Frankie
Sunflower

DAWN OF STEAM: FIRST LIGHT is now available in paperback and Kindle

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Find out more about Featured Author, Jeffrey Cook

BOOK RELEASE PARTY!!!  May 17th at AFK Elixirs and Eatery in Renton, WA      Stay tuned for more information closer to the event date.