Tuesday, December 31, 2013

New Year's Eve

Hello, ducklings. 

As we draw this year to a close, we have to look back on where we came from. The beginning of this year saw my addition to the InkySuki family. Once, this press was a lone gunship under the watchful eye of our own Captain. She saw fit to add a mad scientist, and the laboratory has been churning out wonderful products ever since.

We have conquered so many hurdles this year. The day jobs (which have been abysmal), two interstate moves for the Laboratory, a period of itinerant editing, cover troubles and website woes have found us stronger than ever. We move forward into the new year with releases ready to go out, new editors and artists, new authors, and scheduled conventions.

The next year will see us guesting at Frolicon and many other excellent conventions. New short stories, anthologies, and novels will be released.  With any luck of the winds, new authors can be brought to the stable and will join our ever-growing press. 

The Lost Laboratory salutes you all. May the winds be fair as you reflect on 2013 and emerge ready for 2014. It's only been 2 years since the world ended, and nothing makes more sense in a post-apocalyptic world such as ours than to write, be creative, invent, and learn.

Happy New Year, in the name of Auld Lang Syne.

Gabriel Belthir and all the labrats of the Lost Laboratory

Saturday, December 28, 2013

Happy Holidays from the Harborage

Hello, ducks.

It's been a busy week here on the Airship.
The Solstice was celebrated with properly pagan observances.
There was a lengthy journey to bear gifts to the family.
Younger Son, and Incorrigible Pirate, Jon turned 16 to cheering family.
Christmas was duly celebrated with the Christian side of the family.
The return journey was followed by a visit to the Dentist.
And now, our wee Cabin Girl is having her 14th birthday party. The actual date is New Year's eve, but Oldest Son heads off to the Grand Army of the Republic tomorrow, and she wanted him to come.

We've been sorting the last submission for Dominant Tendencies and Hungry Hearts. There are still three days for those.

So, from all of us, to all of you,
Happy Holidays, and may the New Year be good and prosperous to us all.



Thursday, December 19, 2013

The Lost Laboratory's (Early) Friday Update

Oh, my fellow travelers, we have some very exiting times these days.

Outside of the releases scheduled for January, February is our official Steampunk Month.

That is to say - All Hail Alternate History! We here at the airship consider our natural state to be alternate, and as such proudly sail our gypsy/pirate ship across the skies.

In preparation for Steampunk Month, we have a few special announcements.

Firstly, the announcement of a special anthology call!

Auld Lang Syne

Deadline: February 1st, 2014

Once something has been around for a while, it tends to peak. Steampunk is one such fascination. With this peak, however, comes the most practiced and interesting of fiction. In memory of 'days long past', we offer the one and only InkySuki steampunk anthology. Give us your best and brightest! Reprints welcome, new authors encouraged.

Pairing: Any
Happily Ever After encouraged but not required.
Tentative Publishing Date: May 1st

***
Secondly, the Captain and I will be releasing a 4 week serial steampunk story here on the Inky Suki blog as a free read. More on this when I release the Sewing Ninja to resume hir duties.

Once again, feel free to send us your steampunk best - poems, drawings, stories, and memories of steampunk endeavors!


I'll be in tow!

Gabriel
First Mate and Mad Scientist
(Who should probably pay more attention to derelict Tesla Coils...ew.)

Wednesday, December 18, 2013

A Long Haul


It's been a  long duty trick here on the Airship, ducklings.

The Mad Scientist has redone the website a couple of times.  We had a disagreement with our aetheric provider, who failed to see reason and has been dumped overboard. At this time, we are only taking PayPal through the site. Many of the books are available at the Literary Underworld http://www.literaryunderworld.com, and of course, Kindle editions are always available at Amazon.

As you can see, there are a lot more author pictures and a lot more coming soon. We have releases through April! I'm excited, but it means being chained to my desk [rattle, rattle] and trusting the navigator instead of being at the wheel.

There was a slight issue with folks who pre-ordered Misfit Prophets Beneath a Bankrupt Sky being told they were getting Dreadmire instead. Those responsible have been flogged. And more importantly, the website is repaired. Never fear, you will get your copy of our lovely oracle boys in February.

We have a map. We have a plan. We have a full tank of propulsion fuel, a half-ration of tobacco, my navigator is nightblind and my goggles are polarized.
Full throttle!

Friday, December 13, 2013

Leaks From the Deadly Ninja Sewing Circle









Oh my brothers and only goslings, we have some exciting times for you today.

The captain is allowing me to give out some leaks this December, shadows of things to come. I feel like a ghost coming to Scrooge for Yule to give him duck l'orange and small Legos. Or maybe you remember A Christmas Carol slightly different from me.

Anyway. Here is the leak of our new releases:

January brings bountiful blessings of bloody vampires, brutish werewolves, and blushing cyberpunk programmers.

First, HC Playa blesses us with Fated Bonds, in which a strong cop finds love, trials, and terrible prices in a world of vampires, werewolves, witches, and the government agency that keeps them in check.

Excerpt:
Tala perched on the edge of the bed. She took a towel and dampened it with some of the water from his glass and then she wiped his brow. "Rest. Okay? You're safe here." He stared at her in silence, watching her every move. She set the towel aside. "Thank you for saving me. Most of the time, I can take care of myself. But then, I’ve never dealt with a werewolf before."

He remained silent for a full minute, always watching her with those eerie, yet beautiful tawny eyes. 
"You fought him," he finally said.

She quirked up an eyebrow. "What? Was I supposed to sprinkle salt and pepper on my head and hand him flatware?"

***

Secondly, we have The Beast Within, a re-release of the first installment of Jimmy Gillentine's hit series Of Blood and the Moon. Re-edited, re-imagined, and brought forward into the author's vision, this book of secrets, lies, and love will bring a shiver to your spine.

Excerpt:
The Beast tracked the trail of his latest victim through the quiet forest. His senses strained to find his prey as the burning hunger insider his belly continued to grow in strength, summoning the Rage from within.
        
HUNGER…FEED…FOOD…KILL.

The Beast finally caught the scent of prey. As the Beast drew closer to the scent, he crept into the brush behind a tree. From his hiding place, he saw what he was after. In the morning fog of the woods, a young doe drank from a shallow pond, oblivious to the danger she was in as she quenched her thirst. The Beast studied his prey’s movements and felt his mouth water with anticipation.

So young…so full of life…so full of blood.

The doe’s head went up with a jolt as the wind changed, and she sensed the danger at last. The Beast could see the fear begin to course through the doe’s body and knew it was time to spring and did not waste another second. With an unrestrained roar, he pounced. The doe struggled in the iron grip of the Beast and inwardly he laughed at her futile attempts to escape. He grabbed the doe’s head, pulling her neck tight and biting down on her with his huge maw. Feeling the doe’s body spasm, the Beast tore a large chuck of flesh from her throat. Blood sprayed onto his face as he slowly chewed the meat. The warm taste of blood and flesh making his head swim. The Beast’s cock went stiff with the pleasure of the taste.

He bent down to drink his fill of the red fountain bubbling from the opened wound. The warm elixir pumped into his mouth and he felt the life of the doe begin to fade away. Pulling away from the meal, he watched the last bit of life flicker away. However, what the Beast saw made him choke on his meal; he was no longer holding the body of the doe. In his arms, he held the naked corpse of a young woman. Her blonde hair covered her face and the Beast fearfully moved it away with a free hand. Pushing the locks aside, he saw the lifeless, blue eyes staring into nothingness. The Beast knew her.

Angela! Angela…no!

“Angela!” He screamed as the image of the forest around him began to fade.
That’s how Andrew Bane woke up.

Screaming
.
***

Lastly, we have Peter Tupper’s An Angel Has No Memory, a stand-alone short story so good we couldn’t put it down. Diving into the secret fantasies of a cyberpunk programmer who wishes to be a guileless Toy, we’re treated to heat and scandal that might just blow a few fuses.

Excerpt:
The Fulfilment House, which occupied several floors of an office tower, reminded Rose a little of a casino: dark earth tones, no clocks, no windows, nothing to remind people of the outside world. Plus the security cameras watching everything, like the eyes of a tarantula. She could see attractive people in exercise wear doing yoga, exercising or painting. They must be the Assets she’d heard about. 

Teo pointed out things as they walked across the main concourse. “The Assets exercise there, relax there, eat there. You won’t be dealing with that part of it much. That’s Dr. Wilkins’ office over there. If you spot any injuries or health problems, just let her know. Programming is up there.” She pointed up at the glass-walled area on the mezzanine that overlooked the concourse. 

“That’s where I’ll be working,” she said, belatedly realizing her lab coat probably gave that away.

“Good luck. Programming’s been a one-man operation for months. Sumner practically never leaves the place. He’s very picky about who he lets touch the equipment. The boss sent down three other people to be his assistant, and they all came back and begged for a transfer.”

***

And for a little further leak, my dear dibbuns, February is Steampunk Month here at the InkySuki base. We’ll be releasing a collection of Steampunk stories by our own ‘Scourge of the Doritos’ Angelia Sparrow, as well as Misfit Prophets Beneath a Bankrupt Sky, a novella about two lost boys who join a rundown circus as fortune-tellers by S Zanne. I might be keelhauled if I send out excerpts on these too soon, and please remember that this is terribly uncomfortable, as we’re in the sky and not on ocean. However, I’ll leak them as soon as I manage to disable the cyberpunk GPS brace she keeps putting on my leg. Magnetic bolts are awfully difficult to disable.


Keep in touch, my lovelies. During Steampunk Month, we’ll be posting your blurbs, poems, and pictures of all things Steampunk right here on the Inky Suki blog, as well as a few surprises in store for all Steampunk merchandise.

I’ll be in tow!

Gabriel Belthir

First Mate and Mad Scientist

Wednesday, December 11, 2013

New calls for 2014

All sorts of news here, dear ones.

We're busily into edits on a great many things.  It looks as though the Hungry Hearts and the Dominant Tendencies anthologies are going forward as scheduled.

And after much palaver and confabulation and hobnobbing, we are indeed delighted with out new story calls for the 2014 anthologies.

So sharpen up your quills, dear ones. The Ferret Delivery Service stands ready to bring your work to the attention of the airship.

All anthology calls are 3000-15,000 words, pay $20 plus royalties, and must be submitted according to procedure laid out at http://www.inkstainedsuccubus.com.

Special Note!
Hungry Hearts and Dominant Tendencies are open under extended deadlines until Dec 31.
Bring your erotic horror or m/m BDSM out to play.


Open Calls for 2014
All submissions must adhere to the Submission Guidelines. Please email us for a house style sheet if you wish to submit.

Epic Tails
Deadline: Mach 15, 2014

Adventurous bunnies, daring foxes, magnificent furries of all kinds come out to play in this anthology. Adventure and swashbuckling encouraged, all genres welcome. While we welcome romantic plots, let's close the door and make it family friendly. Anthropomorphic only, no shifters.

Pairing: Any, no erotica.
Happy ending required.
​Expected Release: June 1st 2014


Taking Flight
Deadline: June 15th, 2014

Whether angels, demonics, birdfolk, elves, or the Tuatha de Dannan, we have always been fascinated by wings. For this anthology, we ask for your greatest erotic fiction with wings. Let us touch the soft feathers or spidersilk and be wrapped in them, strange sensations against flesh. All pairings welcome, all genres considered.

Pairing: Any (M/M, F/F, M/F, Trans* inclusive) erotic
Happy ending required.
Expected Release: September 1st, 2014


Candle in the Dark
Deadline: September 15, 2014

Deck the halls, and pull out the holly and the ivy. The longest, darkest night of the year should be brighter because of the warmth of romance and the heat of passion. Winter holidays abound in this anthology, with a wide welcome to any traditional (or inventive) winter holiday. Christmas, Hanukkah, Yule, Saturnalia, or Solstice, if your boys celebrate it, we want their story.

Pairing: M/M erotic
Happy ending required.

Expected Release: December 1st, 2014



Somewhere Out There
Deadline: December 15th, 2014

​Beyond our understanding lies a great, wide galaxy full of adventure, romance, and very, very hot beings. This anthology is fully science-fiction, both far and near future, with or without dystopia. Introduce us to your finest worldbuilding and storytelling, and show us your view of the future...and who will be with whom in it.

Pairing: Any (M/M, M/F, F/F, Trans* and Poly inclusive) erotic
Happy ending not required, though Happy For Now encouraged.
Expected Release: March 1st, 2015

Note: This is a line, not just an anthology. With a good response, we'll be launching a SF/F line. Therefore, submissions for this call should be 3k-15k for the anthology, but 15k-100k will be considered for simultaneous release.


Wednesday, December 4, 2013

An Unexpected Hiatus

The Airship was unexpectedly docked for the month of November. (and part of October)

Angelia spent the month in a small town, with minimal internet (only when she went uptown to the library) and almost no cell service. There was brain surgery and Angelia ended up full-time caregiver.

Gabriel made yet another multi-state move and is now firmly ensconced in an apartment less than five minutes from Angelia. Expect productivity to skyrocket.

The business meeting on Dec 3 covered many things. The website will be seeing updates. If you've sent mail, look for an answer soon.

The Hungry Hearts anthology is going forward.
So is Dominant Tendencies.

Projected release dates for many projects should be available in the next week.

We're sorry for the difficulties. When every text feels as if it's being snuck out via carrier pigeon to the Resistance, communication is quite difficult.

But we're flying again!