On the New Year Horizon & Cover Reveal

Saturday, January 4, 2025
by Teagan via Night Cafe
Hello, all.  I hope your New Year is off to a great start.  I began by diving back to the work lineup that Amazon KDP derailed when they held up Real Steampunkery TechBecause of that, I’m afraid to announce what I otherwise would today. I’ll wait a week and make that announcement (if they don’t pull the rug out from under me again). What else is on my high-desert horizon?  First a small teaser.  Tim Price and I have been working on a new musical project.  I won’t say much yet.  Because Tim is doing the majority of the work, I feel that non-secret is his to tell.  My header image is a little clue though. With my work on those two “mysterious” (although I’ve spoken of the novella too many times, so you know what that is) projects done, I’m finishing up the next volume in my Author Tool Chest collection.  I may as well do a cover reveal now.

Speak Flowers & Fans

A Dictionary of Floriography and Fanology

A few of you know those terms, floriography and fanology.  I’ll talk more about the language of flowers and the language of fans in a future post. Now I should finally finish finalizing the steampunk novel that forever foregoes its first-place status to frequently fluctuating priorities…  Forgive me — I’ll forgo further F words.  Like “A Peril in the Vines” I have mentioned “Cornelis Drebbel the Alchemist, & the Woman in Trousers” far— oops, sorry about the F word… too many times as being on the way.  So, I’ll leave it at that. That’s the near horizon.  Honestly, I have so many projects in various stages of completion (fiction and nonfiction)… not to mention being constantly assailed by new ideas… that there’s no telling which one I’ll pick up from one day to the next. Velma:  Don’t forget the string.  We’ll play with the string.  A lot.
Velma
Daphne:  And treats!  Please say there’ll be treats.
Daphne
Daphne
Of course, Scoobies.  Of course.  I know what’s really important.

 Thanks for visiting. I’m looking forward to our new adventures together in the blogosphere.  Wishing you all good things in the New Year.  Hugs!

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Of course there’s the obligatory shameless self-promotion.

Real Steampunkery Tech: True Contraptions of the Steam and Diesel ErasRevised cover "Real Steampunkery Tech: True Contraptions of the Steam and Victorian Eras

Universal Purchase Links E-book:  relinks.me/B0DHC6JFVT Paperback:  relinks.me/B0DHD9BSJB

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Copyright © 2025 by Teagan Ríordáin Geneviene

All rights reserved.


102 thoughts on “On the New Year Horizon & Cover Reveal

    1. They’ve been great in the past, particularly the customer service people. All that got turned upside down with Steampunkery Tech though. I’ve never seen such absurd LACK of service. At least not until a current non-book issue with a gift card balance refill that they “applied” to some weird number (not any kind of account) that even their people don’t know what happened. They won’t even communicate at all about that. Meanwhile I’m out $200… Although that is regular Amazon, not KDP. It was a heck of a way to start the year. Anyhow, thanks for commenting. I hope you have a great 2025. Hugs.

      Liked by 1 person

    1. Yay! I’m so excited to hear that, Denise. I’ve tried to make each story in that series similar for the characters, but quite different for the stories. I’m delighted you are enjoying it.
      The Scoobies thank you. They’re snuggled into their afternoon nap. I hope your New Year is off to a great start. Hugs.

      Liked by 1 person

        1. Was that the episode with Hodgens at the botanic gardens and the Juliet rose? I don’t remember the details off the top of my head.

          I first became aware of the language of fans years ago when reading a spy story written in the Victorian Era called “Elusive Isabel”. The setting was the area where I lived and worked, so the descriptions were particularly interesting to me. You can get it free here:
          https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/10943

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  1. I love fanology and the cover looks fab! You have so many awesome ideas! I wish you all the best for 2025 with lots of publications and fun. Big snuggles for the Scoobies as well. Hugs, xo

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thanks, Darlene. Whatever the real life hardships of centuries past may have been, learning about things like the languages of flowers and of fans makes it seem like such an elegant world. Wishing you continued success this year. Tummy rubs to the pups. Hugs winging back to you.

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  2.  Having many projects in various stages of completion and being constantly assailed by new ideas is better than neglecting the muse. For too long I’ve been saying, yeah, yeah, one day….. but then we did make a big move… You inspire me to get my feet wet again. Oh, and the header photo resonates with me – looking forward to learning more about that.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. It’s good to see you, Joanna. I always feel so humbled when someone says I’ve inspired them. Definitely keep creating. It helps me to use prompts (whether words or visuals) with the intention of just creating a little bit — not even a finished (or finish-able) end result. I save them and sometimes they become a scene in a full-fledged story. If they don’t, then they still aren’t wasted, simply because doing the creating is useful in and of itself.
      Thanks about the image. I did 3 of the woman playing piano to wolves in the forest that Tim added to his video (along with the many he had done). I’m planning some kind of companion post, but Tim’s post will include the music video. It’s tentatively scheduled for January 13th. Wishing you every kind of wellness in the new year. Hugs.

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    1. My constant state with all the things that need to be done (other than writing) is overwhelm, Kerfe. So many things I’m just unable physically to do, it’s hugely depressing. Writing is the only way I can shut it out.
      New ideas bring enthusiasm with them. I’m hoping to find ways to reignite that initial enthusiasm on partly written novels that I started years ago. A sparkling New Year to you as well. Hugs.

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  3. Egads, the Scoobies are gorgeous.

    I hate that KDP tortures you. Anyway, you always seem to come through, one way or another.

    We cannot force our pure creativity. It has a life of its own.

    I did force creativity for years, but it was not for my own pure creative ideas. It was for $$$ and for other people’s ideas/dreams to come true, in the film industry.

    So, go with your flow, I say!

    Love what you do, Teagan! Hugs and many more coming over 2025!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. In a way, that forced creativity is similar to how my work was for the Feds. I wrote. They took credit. And then wouldn’t lift a finger to help me advance because they’d look foolish if it was learned that a lowly worker, three pay grades below them had been doing that writing. Only one of them ever gave me credit, and even that turned out to make the rest of them (who thought that boss had been doing the writing) get furious with me because they felt stupid. Anyhow, thank God I’m away from there. I’m just trying to say that I can relate.

      My “flow” is not to very positive imaginary places for the past year (or more) — and I absolutely need positive things in my head. Maybe I can turn the unhappy ideas into some kind of dark humor or satire… We’ll see. Big hugs winging back to you.
      PS: Hmmm… I might email you about the post-social-apocalypse idea that just won’t leave me alone.

      Liked by 1 person

      1. That’s the worst…not getting credit.
        At least I was paid well, and got the credit.
        It’s great you got out of such a stifling place.

        Yes… email me! Creativity is our saving grace. Dark humour is fabulous.
        HUGS!

        Liked by 1 person

        1. I appreciate you, Resa. I’m not sure I can make this idea work. I haven’t been able to find even dark humor in it, but that’s the only thing that might let me work on it.
          A story needs an ending, and I can’t see more than the setup and worldbuilding. I’ve thought about posting it here in dribs and drabs (not really as a serial), with no real intention of it becoming any particular thing. Maybe think of it as a series of vignettes so that I’m not overwhelmed by the need to actually finish it… But maybe I can turn it into… (I don’t know) some kind of collaborative challenge. Have a relaxing week ahead. Hugs.

          Liked by 1 person

          1. A vignette(s) sounds good.
            Hmm, well, a challenge is interesting, but has to be monitored.
            Collaboration is 2, usually, so easy to control.
            Can you send me a paragraph or 2 on the set up and world?
            Perhaps I can see some humour? Hugs!

            Liked by 1 person

  4. I love the image of you playing guitar with the wolves. I think people will be surprised by our Warble of the Wolves: Flowers and Fans. We do a lot of flowers, and when we dance flamenco, we dance with fans. Velma looks so sweet. Daphne is in typical catnap mode.

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    1. Me being able to play a guitar is about as likely as sitting in the middle of a happy, pristine wolf pack, but that’s what’s so great about creating CGI images — it brings fantasy a step closer to life.
      I know very little about flamenco. It’s very expressive, and intentionally so. Because of that I guess you could say that it’s kind of next door to fanology. Both “languages” are a sort of combination of coded messages and society game. Both have been called coded messages, but to me since (back then) most people knew the “codes” they weren’t secret. (I need more coffee, LOL.) Oh, anyhow, it’s a fun sort of niche book. Happy Caturday to the clowder. Hugs.

      Liked by 1 person

      1. A very nice thing about CGI. Handling fans correctly takes skill. You can tell whether a person knows how to handle a fan by how they open it.

        Liked by 1 person

  5. Over the last few years, while I have been missing from WordPress, I have been exploring AI and I was very impressed at how detailed and creative text to image was at creating SteamPunk. Especially short films.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Hi Greg. I agree, although it can be a lot different from one app to the next. Many people are extremely against AI art. I understand their point of view. However, to me regular human-generated art is a completely different thing from AI. And, I’m resisting getting on my soapbox, because I’m too honest. LOL. Thanks for commenting. Hugs.

      Liked by 1 person

      1. I can understand being against AI art – but in the long run it is just a tool. Artists used to be against photography at one point, maybe some still are, but I think where we draw the line is where AI is doing the creativity part and the artist is just going along for the ride. We need to get to the point where that is flipped on its head. Then AI can be a wonderful tool.

        Liked by 1 person

        1. True. And that’s a good point about photography. I see AI art and AI content (writing) as two entirely different beasts. Maybe I’m biased. My comments are limited to the art. I can’t help seeing the extremely anti-AI-art mindset as elitist. Only the few can afford to have a good artist hand-create a book cover, and fewer still could afford weekly illustrations. Also, for most of us, a book without a decent cover isn’t going to get anywhere, so that hands publication back to only a wealthy few…

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    1. Well, Noelle, when they hear me, it might start wolves and neighborhood dogs to howling… However no wolves were harmed in the making of this project. 😉 And anything that bothers cats (like wolf howls) is strictly forbidden.

      Maybe it’s something in the moon… for a few days, Velma was beating up on (much larger) Daphne. They got over it as suddenly as it began. Hugs.

      Liked by 1 person

    1. They really messed with me that time, Sue… Approving and then rejecting a book for the most absurd, irrelevant reasons, (one of which was the font on ONE BLANK SPACE) and taking three weeks to make it available. Honestly, I felt singled-out, or like for some unknown reason they were suppressing the book. Big hugs, Sue. Happy New Year to you as well.

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      1. Lots of things happening behind the scenes within many brand names Teagan… But it is another ‘Test’ dear friend you have and will overcome…
        Lots of love your way xx ❤ Remember..
        " All is well in my world" mantra… 🙂 Big hugs xx

        Liked by 1 person

  6. Oh, I love fans. I never thought about why a lot of them have flowers on them. I use a folding paper fan I bought in San Clemente, CA while visiting my son years ago to dry my setting spray after I apply my makeup. I imagine that’s how most of us in this modern age use them these days.

    Best of luck with the publishing of the new book, Teagan! I hope there are no hiccups this time round.

    Liked by 1 person

  7. I love how the Scoobies press their case from bed. I guess they’re making sure the world is ready for them. You have a lot of projects lined up. I won’t tell you which one I’m waiting for (I think you know) but it looks like I’ll have plenty to read. I hope 2025 is a good year for writing, and I’m excited to hear what you and Tim have cooked up.

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    1. Haha… Dan I discuss (vent about) so many of my writing projects, that I’m not sure which one you think I mean for next. (Thank you for those conversations by the way.) Wheel of Fortune? Actually, knowing which one might help me get focused.
      Stay tuned for the music. Hugs!

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