What’s more, I’ll be presenting a number of things as will some of our favorite contributors. My schedule and that of the Catastrophone Orchestra is over on the website of our publisher, Combustion Books!

At long last, SteamPunk Magazine issues #1-7 are in print once more! They are bound in this 432 page, lovingly designed anthology released by the collectively-run publisher Combustion Books, with an introduction by Jake von Slatt and a handsome cover illustrated by John Coulthart.

The anthology can be purchased for $20.99 from the independent distributor AK Press or from Amazon.com.

The only reasonably major change is that we are, for this issue at least, not considering poetry for inclusion in the magazine.

Read our submission guidelines and then direct any submissions to readers@steampunkmagazine.com !

We’ve reorganized a bit, and will now be published in the States by Combustion Books instead of Strangers In A Tangled Wilderness, which is only good news: Combustion Books is still an independent, collective-run publisher, but it’s one with the infrastructure to get SteamPunk Magazine better distributed and available to more people. Combustion Books actually came out of collaboration within the pages of SteamPunk Magazine. We will endeavor to continue to be as internationally available as possible.

The Victorians were, after all, the true inventors of the Valentine’s Day card. The custom reached it’s zenith in the 1870s and 80s sometime after British postal rates were standardized. Often unabashedly flowery and sentimental, Victorian valentines were also pieces of artwork, and took quite a lot of effort and skill to conceive. Golden Age Valentine techniques and how-to links from puzzle purses to love knots are lovingly outlined here at: http://home.kendra.com/victorianrituals/Victor/val.htm

A quick Google shopping search reveals that many fine craftsmen have already come up with some novel creations, such as this unique collage by SenecaPondCrafts on Etsy: http://www.etsy.com/listing/65219762/steampunk-valentine-whimsical-junque?ref=v1_other_1. I also discovered some replicas for sale of the moving, “mechanical” type cards so popular in the late nineteenth century. To really get an idea of how these cards worked, you might also want to check out this demonstration.

Lastly, I think it is quite necessary to share this comical short film, circa the year 1900:

The Old Maid’s Valentine (1900)

Have a happy, ooey-gooey, Valentines Day!

If you miss it, here’s a few stills:

Steam-Powered 2 is an anthology of steampunk stories featuring lesbian-identified protagonists. (Look for a review of the first Steam-Powered book here on the blog soon, by the way!) The submission period runs from February 1st to March 30th.

Femme Fatales is an anthology of mystery stories featuring lesbian-identified protagonists. Submission period is from May 1st to June 30th.

The Omnibus Doctor Bill Shakes and the Magnificent Ionic Pentatetrameter is a steampunk Shakespeare anthology, “where Steampunk elements and themes are thoughtfully applied to Shakespeare’s works.” Submissions are accepted until May 30th.

Victorian Recycling. The theme for the Steampunk Chat on Twitter at 9pm EST tonight is Sustainable Steampunk!

Victorian earrings, made out of real hummingbirds.

Mayan Cooking at Multiculturalism for Steampunk. I am now imagining tea parties with Mayan tamales and tasty tea. Mmm…

An octopus coffee table.

You are a top seamstress in London, and your client, the high-fashion Lady What’s-Her-Face, has worked with you to design the most innovative, fantastic dress ever seen. Unfortunately, your rival is trying to steal your design and ruin both your reputation and Lady What’s-Her-Face’s! She intends to make a similar dress for her own top client, Lady So-And-So!

Your job is to travel London, seeking only the finest fabrics, trims and notions, without having your designs stolen by Lady So-And-So’s henchmen. Fight off spies and pickpockets with your parasol, sew on trim neatly and gather bustles, get Lady What’s-Her-Face to stand still for fittings, all before the Queen’s ball at the end of the month! The clock is ticking, and this dress will require all of your skills!

Bonus mini-game: Lady What’s-Her-Face invites Lady So-and-So for tea! Sneak as many insults as possible into polite conversation without causing a scandal!

“Dressed in specially tailored coats, cummerbunds, muffs, skirts, bloomers and hats sewn with hidden pockets, they mounted raids on London’s West End shops, where they plundered goods worth thousands of pounds. … They became so well known in London that panic erupted when they were seen near high-class shops.”

Check out the whole thing here. It’d make great inspiration for a story, I think!