Research Rabbit Holes + A Request for Help! 💖⚙️📚
Plus MORE panel news, including my first reading of The Clockwork Coffin!
Hello!
Happy October! This month, I’m finishing up a WIP that is so, so close to done before switching to revisions. When I’m not writing, I’m deep into preparations for both the Author Fair on October 12th at Ames Public Library and TeslaCon next month! I’m on several panels at TeslaCon this year, which means I get to do one of my favorite things, aside from writing and making up stories: share my research notes!
My research process for both books and panels is a bit chaotic, but it works for me! You know the cliché about writers and too many notebooks? That’s me, except I actually use my gorgeous journals, for everything from planning out stories to research notes. I keep one writing journal specially for general notes, which is where most of my projects begin before I decide that I have enough to merit starting a separate journal.
When I’m in research mode, I usually start off with a list of questions and resources to start looking for answers. This sometimes means a trip to the library or going into the Smithsonian’s online archives, depending on the topic. From there, I inevitably find more questions and resources. If I read a non-fiction book, like The Devil in the White City, I’ll also check the bibliography to see if there’s a source I can use to learn further about a niche topic.
Right now, I’m in the midst of researching everything from gadgets and gizmos of the high seas to Plato and Atlantis to inventions of the 1893 World’s Fair. I have an excellent start on the latter, thanks to the copious amount of notes I took while writing Monsters and Machines, but it’s been fun adding my existing knowledge!
One thing I’d like to get better at is digitizing my notes after I’ve handwritten my research. Sometimes I remember to index the pages, but it would be useful to keep my notes in a database, too. I prefer taking my notes by hand because it helps me to focus while I’m researching (I’m much less likely to get sidetracked by notifications) and I retain the information better if I write it down first. This works wonders when I’m preparing for a panel, but is not quite as useful when I need to know one little detail for a scene (that may or may not make the cut post-edits.)
Upcoming TeslaCon Panels
TeslaCon is one of the longest running steampunk conventions in the US and will be in Middleton, Wisconsin, from November 7th-10th. I’ll be returning as both a vendor and panelist. When I’m not at my table, you can find me on the following panels:
⚙️ What if? Alternate History and the Media (Friday, 11/08 @ 3:30-5 pm)
🔱 Plato and the Story of Atlantis (Saturday, 11/09 @ 10-11:30 am)
🌊 Gadgets and Gizmos of the High Seas (Saturday, 11/09 @ 1-2:30 pm)
📖 Steampunk & Storytelling (Saturday, 11/09 @ 4-5:30 pm)
📚 Strange Steampunk and Reinvented Fairy Tales (Sunday, 11/10 @ 9-10:30 am)
You can find a sneak peek of the schedule here as it’s being updated.
New: Reading of The Clockwork Coffin at the Chicago Steampunk Expo!
I recently received confirmation of my panels for the Chicago Steampunk Expo, which will be held May 30th-June 1st, 2025! I’ll have my first reading of The Clockwork Coffin while I’m there. If all goes well, I’m hoping to have early print copies available at my table. Here are my panels:
📖 Inventions of the 1893 Chicago World's Fair
⚙️ What if? Exploring Alternate History in Media
📚 Reading of The Clockwork Coffin
I may have a few more ideas for panels. If there’s something you’d love to know more about, let me know, and I’ll see what I can do!
Come see me at the Author Fair!
I’m so excited for the Ames Public Library Author Fair on Saturday, October 12th! I was invited to be one of the attending authors. I’ll have copies of Forsaken Beauty and the Etherbeast + Monsters and Machines with me at my table from 2-5 pm.
As always, please check the Events page of my website to see where I’m heading next!
A Request for Help
Earlier this week, I accidentally fell down a rabbit hole when I found out one of my cover artists is now offering spray edge designs for print books (like in the picture below.) It has me thinking about the logistics and if that's something I'd want to do for my own books.
On the one hand, I think the edges are gorgeous, but I shelve (or more likely stack these days 😅😂) my books spine out so I can see what I'm reading. There's also the fact I'd have to charge more for special editions and I’d likely have to use a new-to-me printer, which adds in more variables for me to consider.
What do you think about spray edges? Let me know in the comments or the poll below:
Playlist for The Clockwork Coffin
🎧 Ever pair your reading with music?
I can't function without background music when I'm writing. Lately, The Clockwork Coffin has been my muse. Check out the playlist I've created for fun! (I used the songs I’ve been listening to on repeat while working on the book.)
Unlock the magic and mystery of The Clockwork Coffin—where alchemy, curses, and slow-burn romance collide in a darkly enchanting tale. 🌙✨📖
🔹Gothic fairy tale
🔹Monsters and magic
🔹Cinnamon roll hero
🔹Black cat/golden retriever combo
🔹Slow-burn romance
🔹Only one piano
Looking to add to your TBR stack? Discover 120+ amazing fantasy reads, from epic quests to urban adventures! Find your next read here.
Happy reading!
Kelsey
So I love sprayed edges with designs, but I don’t display them because I also keep the book spines out.
What I have decided I really like though are the solid color sprayed edges. It gives me the pretty without me feeling guilty for not displaying it. And I love it on paperbacks because I prefer to read them and it gives them just a little pop of color.