Whether or not you are familiar with the paranormal sub-genre steampunk, these "retro futuristic" books are definitely here to stay. However, with so many different types of stories, readers can easily become confused by these gear and steam laden tales. But don't despair, we are here to help! Today we discuss what constitutes a steampunk story, suggest a few starter books for readers new to the sub-genre and preview a few of the upcoming tales that we can’t get our hand on. So let’s take a page from the steampunk genre and put on our traveling goggles to prepare for adventure!

SO, WHAT IS STEAMPUNK ?

The term “steampunk” is thought to have been coined during the 1980s, as an alternative to cyberpunk, to describe the books written in an HG Wells-ian and Jules Vern-ian style. At its most specific, the term refers to an alternate Victorian-era England where steam-powered inventions are all the rage. However, this premise provided so much fodder for authors and creators who quickly re-imagined the entire world pivotally changing at this moment in time.

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It’s not secret that the television airwaves have recently been flooded with some outstanding science fiction and fantasy programming. And the success of HBO’s Game of Thrones and AMC’s Walking Dead have proven that sci fi and fantasy novels are worthy of being considered for TV series adaptations. So we weren’t surprised to learn that there are several more fantastic projects coming down the pipeline - this time from the Syfy Network.

This cable channel is hopping on the book-to-TV bandwagon with six new literary-related projects all expected to air in 2013. According to Syfy’s press release, viewers can expect to see a book series, short story, two stand-alone novels and two comic series transformed into TV shows. With more than a few talented producers and writers on board, we suspect longtime sci fi fans and genre newbies will be enjoying these promising programs and here’s why ...

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Tor and Forge, publishing imprints of Tom Doherty Associates and a subsidiary of Macmillan, announced yesterday that by the end of July the two popular imprints, as well as Orb, Starscape, and Tor Teen, will only be offering DRM-free e-books. DRM, which stands for Digital Rights Management, is technology that limits the access and use of certain digital products (MP3s, e-books, etc.) in order to curb pirating and prevent copyright infringement. Although DRM makes stealing digital content more difficult, it also limits the use of the product and can be a disadvantage for buyers.

Currently, almost all of the e-books offered by the “big six” publishers, the major New York City-based publishing houses, and sold through major online retailers are DRM encrypted and can only be used on the specific e-reader associated with the retailer (for example, you can’t — easily — read an Amazon e-book on a Nook, or a Barnes & Noble e-book on a Kindle). This challenge, the results of DRM restrictions, has been one of the issues that keeps ownership of e-books and print books from being synonymous.

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Today was out of this world for Science Fiction & Fantasy romance lovers! Conventioneers enjoyed a day full of mixing and mingling with some of the best names in the genre. Hosted by Linnea Sinclair, the Intergalactic Bar & Grille party returned this year and SFF romance readers enjoyed an hour of food, goodies and the company of some fabulous authors including Catherine Asaro, Marcella Burnard, Robin Hobb, Stacey Kade, Isabo Kelly, Liddy Midnight and Janet Miller (aka Cricket Starr).

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Mary Robinette Kowal blew us away with her 2010 debut, Shades of Milk and Honey, a Regency-set fantasy that won our August 2010 Seal of Excellence Award. Ever since, we've been waiting patiently for the sequel, Glamour in Glass. Thankfully, the series second releases next week. In celebration, we're offering chapter two of Glamour in Glass as a free download.

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