The Steamship Chronicles Series

An Alternate History Victorian Steampunk Adventure for readers of all ages. Samantha Crill can read the hearts of mechanical devices and transform them into what they long to be. In a steam-powered Victorian England where only the wealthy can afford such sophisticated contraptions, the law does not look kindly on Naturals who destroy these purchases. Barely able to resist the demand of the devices, Sam becomes a danger to everyone around her, not in the least because the mechanicals show little restraint once changed. Nathaniel Bowden, cabin boy on the oldest of the East India Trading Company’s steamships, intends to learn everything he can in the hope of becoming a captain in this age of productivity. He’s eager and willing, but his despised noble background and the engineer’s unprovoked loathing threaten his position with the crew. If Sam can't learn to control her nature, the engine's whispers combined with Nat's curiosity will put his future — and both their lives — at risk. Welcome to the world of The Steamship Chronicles, a steampunk alternate Victorian Era where everyday machinery has reached enough complexity to draw on aether and gain a consciousness, one apparent only to Naturals. Join Samantha and Nathaniel in their adventure as they try to find a balance between her talents and the fears of those around her. Secrets is the first book in the series and is approximately 54,000 words. If you’re curious about the two people who raised Samantha before Secrets begins, their story is told in Safe Haven, a prequel to The Steamship Chronicles.

The Steamship Chronicles began with Secrets, but Samantha Crill and Nathaniel Bowden have many more adventures ahead of them as they cross the Atlantic on a modified steamship. Threats is the second book in the series and is approximately 54,000 words long. Is Luck a Miracle or a Curse? Luck alone has kept Sam undiscovered so far. She dreads the moment the crew learns their miracle and curse have a human face, but it’s Nat’s reaction she fears the most. When her Natural talents are revealed, all the ways she’s used her far-from-human abilities to keep the engine running may count for nothing. Obsessed with the steamship's engine, Nat’s new position as the engineer’s apprentice is a dream come true even when a fierce storm tests the limits of his new skills. He basks in the praise of the engineer and crew once they're safe again, but their cheers soon turn to curses when Nat realizes the nearest island on the charts is nothing but a sandbar. With food and water running low, how is he going to keep Sam fed?

A Steampunk Alternate History set in the Victorian Era with sentient machines only a select few can hear, and for that they're considered monsters. Gifts is the third book in the series to complete the first volume of The Steamship Chronicles, and there are more adventures still to come.  Savor the Joyful Moments Sam has never been happier than aboard this merchant ship in the middle of the ocean. Most of the crew accepts her despite knowing about Sam's Natural abilities. They tease and scold as if she were one of their own. She'd do anything to stay, but the captain has made it clear: Come the next port, her voyage is at an end. Hiding Sam from the crew cost Nat dearly, but he doesn't want her to go. The sailors view her as a good luck charm now, but as soon as something goes wrong, they will turn on the Natural. Transforming Sam into a boy and giving her Nat's share of the profits means she might have a decent chance on shore. As long as she stays in control. If only they could discover a better plan. There is also a prequel to The Steamship Chronicles titled Safe Haven, which occurs eight years before Secrets. Word count: 53,000 words plus bonus first chapter of the fourth book. 230 pages in print

A Steampunk Alternate History set in the Victorian Era with sentient machines only a select few can hear, and for that they're considered monsters. To protect his family, Henry will change the law itself. The Natural laws declare anyone with the knack to transform machinery an inhuman criminal regardless of their actions. Henry has railed against this Act of Parliament in private, but finally he has the chance to fight back. Lily’s health has suffered under the constant strain of sheltering a fugitive Natural, and an untimely word would have condemned every person on the estate. Henry had hoped sending his wife’s sister to safety on the Continent would bring relief from the threat that has been hanging over the manor and ease his wife’s suffering. Instead, disaster struck. Sam is missing with no word beyond vague rumors, and Lily grows ever worse. If Henry can overturn the law that brands all Naturals as monsters and condemns those who help them, he’ll be able to search for Sam openly. He will bring her home and make their family whole again, drawing Lily out of her decline. He has only to sway his peers in Parliament, a daunting task when his moral appeal fails. Nor does fate keep its hands out of the striving, choosing to send more complications the way of Lily and the manor in his absence. His wife is dying and her sister is lost. Who better than Henry to take on all of England in their cause? Word count: 60,000 plus bonus excerpt from book five. 240 pages in print. Suggestion: While the first and second volumes of The Steamship Chronicles can be read in either order, reading Book 1, Secrets will allow you to see firsthand what drives both Henry and Lily. Pick up your copy of Life and Law, and join Henry as he attempts to right a great wrong and win freedom for all Naturals in England.

Note: This is a second edition. The publisher and cover have changed. A sweet steampunk romance for all ages. Can love overcome a harsh reality on the way to a new future? In a steam-powered Victorian England, Naturals are those who can make the dreams of mechanical devices come true. Lily Crill hides her Natural sister from cruel laws designed to protect property over people while she figures out their escape to rumored safe havens on the Continent. Falling in love, especially with a dedicated police officer, is not in her plans. Henry Stapleton commits his life to helping commoners, remaining an officer of the law even after inheriting a title. His life seems incomplete, though, until he discovers a caring bakery girl. Then he catches a glimpse of terror in her eyes, and he’s determined to use his skills to ferret out the cause even though Lily spurns his help. Unjust laws and sworn duties threaten to deny what both their hearts and principles would bring together. Can Henry see beyond the rules, and can Lily take the chance with her sister's life in the balance? Prequel to The Steamship Chronicles 52,000 words 196 pages.