I am very excited to welcome author Monica Fairview back to Austenesque Reviews! I had the pleasure of meeting Monica (online) during my first month of blogging, in fact – she was one of the first authors I interviewed in October 2009! I also had the pleasure of interviewing Monica a second time in April 210! I’m so very happy to have Monica as my guest here today as we celebrate her new release, Steampunk Darcy!
Thank you so much, Meredith, for inviting me to stop here as part of my blog tour. You’ve hosted me for both my books in the past, and after taking a break in writing it’s a great pleasure to be back here again visiting you with my new novel, Steampunk Darcy.
My heroine Seraphene invents an adjective to describe William Darcy, the original Darcy’s descendent: splenderous. I think, once you know this Steampunk Darcy, you will agree that he’s rather splenderous, though perhaps a bit too arrogant for his own good. But that’s for you to discover by yourselves.
Meanwhile, for those of you who haven’t yet read a Steampunk novel, don’t be daunted by the title. Steampunk is all around you – as a fashion statement, as interior decoration, as art or as elements in film. To really simplify what it’s about, it’s a retro movement that embraces the Victorian period’s positive values. How different people interpret this depends on their interests. It could be the cute paintings of angels and children that were so popular, it could be the Victorian fascination with malevolent fairies, or it could mean being intrigued by Victorian inventions that got pushed aside in the 20th century before they fulfilled their full potential. Whatever it involves, it’s about picking out certain aspects of the Victorian period and highlighting them as part of an imaginary world based in the Age of Steam.
Most novels, films and artwork that have Steampunk elements agree on certain essential elements that crop up over and over. I’m sure you’ll recognize them when you see them. Parasols, corsets, top hats, steam locomotives and cogs are the most common objects used. Here are some of my favorites that I used when writing my novel.
Automaton
An old-fashioned name for an early form of robots. Actual functional automata (pl.) were in existence as early as the 13th century, but became very popular in the 19th century because of the development of clockwork. Some of them were quite ingenious. This one, for example, could actually three poems and draw several picture (using clockwork mechanisms, which is pretty amazing). Move over, Mr. Darcy, this automaton has better handwriting than yours.
This automaton was made in 1805 by Henri Maillardet, a Swiss engineer living in London, and people are still trying to decipher its complex mechanisms today. No wonder people were fascinated with automata in the late eighteenth century to the nineteenth century. Even a cynic like Mark Twain describes one with a sense of wonder. “I watched the Silver Swan, which had a living grace about his movement and a living intelligence in his eyes-watched him swimming about as comfortably and unconcernedly as it he had been born in a morass instead of a jeweler’s shop – watched him seize a silver fish from under the water and hold up his head and go through the customary and elaborate motions of swallowing it.”
If you’ve seen the film Hugo, you’ll be familiar with the boy’s search for the automaton. And by the way, Hugo is Steampunk through and through.
For some reason, the image of an automaton that popped into my mind when I was writing about an automaton was the Tin Man from The Wizard of Oz – he was going to be the butler at Longwood. Then I realized I needed to stick to the19th century so I changed it.
Personally, I’m sure (and I hope you’ll remember me when this happens. Remember me!) that within our lifetimes most of us will come to own automatons of some sort. I would love a cleaning automaton who will do all the housework so I can focus on my writing without plates piling up. I think there are automata being developed right now in Japan that are intended to help the elderly. Isn’t that wonderful?
Clocks and clockwork
While that may old hat to us, the fact is, accurate time keeping began with the Victorians. Believe it or not, in Jane Austen’s age, different locations in England had different times! It wasn’t until the arrival of Steam trains that time across England was standardized, and accuracy in telling the time became important.
The development of clockwork formed the basis of many things, including the clogs and wheels that are one of the basic symbols of Steampunk.
One of the quintessential images of London in the Steam Age is Big Ben, of course. The epicenter of a huge empire, London set the time for the whole world. Even now, Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) is the standard for time everywhere. So you can imagine that for the Victorians, clockwork was a huge symbol of power.
Steam Locomotives and the Age of Steam
In Steampunk Darcy I imagine a world of the future that has been forced to get rid of its dependence on fossil fuel because of a devastating environmental disaster. The society that is born out of that apocalyptic event is once more a Steam Age world, in which many of the fashions and social expectations echo those of the Victorian period.
Again, steam locomotives date back to Jane Austen’s time. The first functioning steam engine was built by Richard Trevithick’s and made its first journey in 1804. In 1808, Trevithick set up a circular rail track and started a popular ride in London called “Catch Me-Who-Can.” It was called a steam circus and travelled up to 12mph. People were charged a shilling for a ride. Unfortunately, it only lasted two months, because the train was too heavy for the tracks, but it was the talk of the town while it was running. Even if JA never saw it, she would have read about it in the newspapers.
Hot air balloons and dirigibles
Now this is most definitely firmly rooted in the Regency. Jane Austen never mentioned seeing a hot air balloon flight, but it was all the rage during her lifetime, with balloon flights spectacles happening regularly at Vauxhall Gardens in London. The first successful passenger-carrying hot air balloon flight took place on 30 November 1783 in Paris. Benjamin Franklin was there for the occasion, writing: “All Paris was out. Never before was such a philosophical experiment so magnificently attended.”
Georgette Heyer has a whole chunk of her Regency novel Frederica dedicated to a hot air balloon flight that goes wrong. Later, Jules Verne (one of the fathers of Steampunk) features hot air balloons as an important part of his novel Around the World in Eighty Days.
Since my heroine Seraphene is a part-time aviator, she flies a more sophisticated type of hot air balloon — a dirigible. But one of my favorite humorous scenes in the novel is when Darcy shows up in a hot air balloon and rescues Seraphene from a rather awkward situation.
Daguerreotypes
How wonderful it would have been to have a daguerreotype of Jane Austen! The whole debate about the Rice painting could have been avoided if we had an accurate daguerreotype of our dear Jane.
The first photograph ever taken (of the roof of a house) was in 1826-27. The first portrait-style daguerreotype of a person was this handsome young man in1839. Sadly, not even Cassandra lived long enough to see a proper daguerreotype.
In Steampunk Darcy, when Seraphene and William Darcy first meet, Seraphene gives Darcy a hard time because he has a daguerreotype of himself dressed in explorer clothing and holding up a crocodile he shot.
Imaging techniques generally are important to the plot of Steampunk Darcy. Darcy’s rather obsessive interest in Pemberley involves being able to take what are called “retro-images” of Lizzy and Darcy. Now wouldn’t I like to see those ones?
Imagining the future
The fact is the19th century was very preoccupied with the idea of progress and what the world would be like in the future. The classics of Steampunk had their roots firmly in the 19th century. HG Wells The Time Machine, Huxley’s Brave New World, Jules Verne’s 1000 Leagues under the Sea – these are the founders of Steampunk. They were asking questions about where the Steam Age and scientific progress would lead us, a question Mary Shelley, one of Jane Austen’s contemporaries, also asked when she wrote Frankenstein. Shelley warned of the monstrous dangers of technology, and she was one of the first, along with William Blake, to worry about the way the rural society of Jane Austen was being transformed into the “Satanic mills” of steam production. But for others, Steam was the pathway to a better future.
To round up this lightning-fast introduction to Steampunk as I see it, as you can see, much of what Steampunk is about is trying to recapture the spirit of excitement and invention inherent in the 19th century overall. Many of those inventions, like the steam engine, originated in Jane Austen’s time but didn’t come to full fruition until much later. Our modern-day Steampunk is an attempt to go back to that era when, essentially, the world changed.
In that context, William Darcy, Darcy’s descendant, is a perfect Victorian gentleman, complete with monocle, frock coat, starched cravat, top hat and a walking stick. He has a very specific moral code that he models after our Fitzwilliam Darcy.
Not that different from our original Darcy after all.
Thank you, Monica, for stopping by Austenesque Reviews!! It was such a delight to learn more about your new novel and the world of Steampunk! All the best with your new release!!
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GIVEAWAY TIME!!!
Monica kindly brings with her TWO beautiful copies of Steampunk Darcy (one paperback and one ebook) for me to give away to TWO lucky readers. Woot Woot!
To enter this giveaway, leave a comment, question, or some love for Monica!
- The ebook giveaway is open worldwide, the paperback giveaway is open to US residents. Thank you, Monica!
- This giveaway ends October 28th!
I have been so much interesting in this book. The theme is very newfangled for me.
I have a question for Monica. Even so, before, Thank, Monica for your great job 🙂
Is Seraphene as the character of Elizabeth of our original?
Thank you for this opportunity!! 😀
Thank you for your nice comment Warmisunqu! I think Seraphene is like Lizzy in the sense that she isn’t intimidated by Darcy’s status, nor is she interested in pursuing him as a good marriage prospect. She’s also smart and quick thinking like Lizzy. Yes, they do share a lot of characteristics but Seraphene grew up in a very tough environment so she’s also quite different.
This is a new theme for me too, Warmisunqu! I’m eager to try this one out! Sounds like a lot of fun!
I was going to comment that I have never read a steampunk book until the article stated that Jules Verne was one of the fathers of Steampunk and I have a read a few of his books.
Well, there you are. I think people know much more about Steampunk than they think. It’s just the name that’s unfamiliar. Lovely to see you again, Vesper.
This post is fascinating as is the book that would be unique and captivating. Steampunk has caught my interest. thanks.
Very glad to hear it, anne.
I am so looking forward to read this book. I love the cover. I have been curious about the steampunk world for a while now and nothing would give me greater pleasure than to start with a Darcy & Elizabeth inspired couple! Thanks, Monica & thanks Meredith.
Oh, by the way, I will be sharing the giveaway on my page! Hope it brings more readers!
Hello, Rita, lovely to see you here. I left a comment earlier but it seems to have disappeared. Thank you for your compliment. The cover was designed by JD Smith who does wonderful covers.
Very good of you to share, Rita!
I love Monica’s other works. I know this one will be exceptional as well. I would love to read this….it’s something totally different from what I’m used to. I loved this interview as well. It was very informative. I really didn’t think about England being on different times before until the railroad.
How kind of you to say you enjoyed my other novels, suzan, and I’m happy to hear you found the blog informative. It’s a strange thing, isn’t it, how we take certain things for granted. Time is one of them. The notion of efficiency is another — and of course it’s dependent on time as well.
Monica really did a wonderful job with this post, didn’t she? I’m such a visual person, I loved learning about some specific elements of steampunk and seeing some pictures!
Looking forward to a new Darcy book – in the steampunk age – what’s not to like! Can’t wait.
Are you already a steampunk fan, Andi?
Thanks for stopping by.
This is a delightful and appealing book that I would treasure greatly. So extraordinary and enjoyable. Thanks for this chance.
A pleasure, ellie.
Great!! Thank you for this opportunity!! My name is Veronica and I’m from Argentina
What a new book with steampunk – would be an experience.
Hello Veronica, hello diane — lovely to meet you both and good luck!
I’m so excited about this “take” on Darcy as the mental image of him will be in a whole new exciting direction! Good luck with it, Monica!
It is a different type of Mr. Darcy, but some of his essential qualities are there, nevertheless. I’m glad you’re open to a different approach, Elaine.
Steampunk as well as Darcy? The combination is genius! The great thing about steampunk for historical characters (especially those set in 19th century/regency periods) is that the world is not *that* different, in essentials, as their original time. It makes it a lot easier to visualise I think.
Scarlett, thank you for your flattering words.
That’s exactly what I feel about Steampunk. Even though to some people the Regency and Victorian eras are worlds apart, they’re part of the same continuum. Thank you for bringing that up.
Good point, Scarlett! We aren’t that far removed!
I’ve enjoyed a lot with your lessons of the Steampunk world. Bravo Monica!
By the way, Meredith, don’t put me for the giveaway because I would want the paperback ( I don’t have ebook) but I’ve seen the worlwide giveaway is an ebook so…:'( it’s a pity but, anyway, it’s been a pleasure to read about this theme. Thanks for bringing Monica to your blog and good luck to the others readers! 🙂
Teresa — sorry about the paperback. Mailing books overseas is very expensive. Where do you live?
Very glad to meet you, in any case.
I live in Spain, but, it doesn´t matter, I understand what you say about the costs of mailing books overseas. Anyway, as I said before, I had a nice time reading your interview and I wish you the very best with “Steampunk Darcy” 🙂
Thank you for stopping by, Teresa! I understand completely – I am not a fan of using an ereader! LOL! This baffles my tech-loving Mr. Bingley.
I read the bit above about the Catch-me-who-can and immediately thought of Frederica by Georgette Heyer, one of my favourites, and I see you’ve included that in the article too! Fascinating time for technology.
It must give you amazing scope to be writing in a genre where you can un invent things 🙂
Ceri — that’s a clever way of phrasing it — “un inventing” things is a fascinating thing to do. Happy to discover you’re a fan of Heyer, too. I have a whole shelf of her books.
Great minds think alike, Ceri! My first thought on seeing the Georgette Heyer book was the part the hot air balloon and all Felix’s other scientific interests played in the story.
And to Monica, I loved this article. All the old inventions do fascinate me and are a significant part of what I enjoy about Steampunk novels. Though, a good storyline and strong characters help. I look forward to reading Steampunk Darcy.
Hello again, Sophia. Thank you for visiting here. Amazing, that we all thought of Georgette Heyer, which reinforces what I said earlier. Although the name Steampunk seems very alien, many of its components were part and parcel of the Regency, and you can’t get a writer who’s more into Regency than Heyer [except the actual “Regency” authors, of course. We think of JA as Regency, but was she typical of her age or did she write against it? Something to explore in another blog].
Greatly enjoying these discussions! I must read Frederica! And I agree, it must be pretty fun to un-invent things and choose what elements of steampunk you want to employ your story!
Darcy, romance, AND we get to learn about inventions that changed the world. I want to see if she gives Darcy a ride in a balloon!
junewilliams7 — good to see you here. I can safely say that Seraphene and Darcy do ride in a balloon/dirigible.
Hmm…I am so curious to see what you’ve done with this premise!
“Curiosity is every scientist’s weakness,” as Darcy says. Glad you came by to find out more about Steampunk Darcy, SheilaM.
i cannot wait to read this one!!
thank you for the giveaway!!!
congrats to Monica!!!
Hello, Cyn209. Thank you for coming along to yet another stop along the tour, and great to “see” you again.
This novel sounds so awesome and unique! Whoo!
I’m US.
Very nice of you to say so, Chelsea B.
I’ve never read before a steampunk novel, and, I have to say, I know just a little about the Victorian period. Thank you for your interesting post Monica, I hope that your novel will have great success!
Hello LorenDushku, thank you so much for your good wishes!
Hi Loren! I don’t think I’ve read a steampunk novel before either! This will be a fun new experience for me!
I’ve read two of this author’s books and very much enjoyed them. While this novel looks very different from my usual reads it also sounds very interesting – I can hardly wait to read it! Thanks for the giveaway 🙂
It does sound interesting and so very unique, right? A very new setting for an Austenesque novel!
Megan, for some reason my response got posted at the bottom. Hope you don’t think I’m ignoring you!
Thank you for explaining what Steampunk is! I have never been extemely interested in the Victorian Period, but your historical perspective and your new novel has me curious. Thank you for the giveaway.
I’m delighted to hear it, Eva E! Now you know.
I find myself very intrigued. Considering I know next to nothing about Steampunk, it shall be an education as well as a pleasant diversion! On my “to purchase” list! Thanks for the giveaway ladies!
Let me know what you think of the diversion, Stephanie!
Thanks, Meredith and Monica for the giveaway and for yet another great post – so informative, and I LOVED the pictures! It sounds fascinating!
Hello, Joana, lovely to see you here!
Megan — you’re the best! Thank you for mentioning my previous novels. I’m really happy to know you’re going to give this one a try as well.
I’ve yet to read a steampunk novel before, but what a way to experience a new genre than with Darcy. I didn’t know anything about this genre until after seeing a steampunk jewelry vender at a weekly summer street fair in Rochester MN. So now every time I read the term I think about this old man selling his jewelry wearing a waistcoat and top hat with round goggles around it.
I just bought a kindle copy today on Amazon, so please don’t enter me in the giveaway. I’m going to Oaxaca Mexico next week and thought it would be good reading for the plane and airport layovers. I’m looking forward to reading the book, and congrats on the new novel!
As I mentioned in you guest post on Austenprose, I have not read any stempunk novels before – not even H G Wells and Jules Verne though I’m familiar with Around the World in 80 Days. Thanks for sharing a good introduction of the elements in steampunk, Monica. I would love to hear more of this genre, now that I’m enlightened.