Chief Inspector Erasmus Drake has suggested a few entries. His case notes are properly filed at Scotland Yard, so his “acquaintances list” may not be completely appropriate, since it would include a number of unseemly characters, and requires at least the grade of Constable to get access to them.
Keep in mind that these near-famous essays on the adventures of Drake and McTrowell would be well-nigh impossible without the acquaintances delineated below. We hope that they are as useful to you as they have been to our adventurers.
Happenings
San Diego Steampunk: This is an excellent clearinghouse for all steampunk events in the San Diego area maintained by Lisa Vaca aka Lady Amethyst.
Wild Wild West Con: Looking for an immersive Wild West steampunk experience? This is the place to be!
Clockwork Alchemy: We love the organization and creativity of this con. And they really treat their authors right. Maybe the fact that it coincides with Sparky’s birthday contributes to our enthusiasm.
Gaslight Gathering: This is the local San Diego Steampunk convention.
Friends & Fun
SoCal Steam: Join this Yahoo group if you want to keep up to date on all the Steampunk happenings in San Diego. Drake & McTrowell are members and participate in many of their events.
Steampunk Scholar: The most informed and entertaining speaker we’ve ever heard on the subject of Steampunk. He wrote his Ph.D. thesis on the topic of steampunk and speculative literature, and teaches English full-time at MacEwan University. If you have a chance to see Mike Perschon present at a conference, do it!
The Steampunk Workshop: Jake von Slatt’s blog on physical steampunk artifacts. Great site for inspiration for concept and design!
Grand Pacific Steam: Promotes Steampunk for the broadest community, inclusive of all interested parties.
League of S.T.E.A.M.: Serving all your steampunk monster elimination needs…with humor, panache, and excellent making skills.
Starburner Galactic Courier Service: The galaxy’s only bonded courier service operating throughout time and space... delivering sensitive documents, private communications and packets anywhere, anytime, in any dimension.
Professor Elemental: Fighting trousers anyone? The Professor is the world-renowned hip-hop (chap-hop) entertainer. We were delighted when he agreed to write the forward to our first book.
Poplock Holmes: Southern California’s own chaphop artist famous for such classics as Monster Hunters and Carousel.
Aiden Sinclair: Paranormal illusionist extraordinaire - see him if you get the opportunity; his shows are unique and amazing.
Brian Kesinger: We’ve loved Brian since we met Victoria & Otto, so we’re honored that he graced the cover of our first book with his art.
EPBOT: Not strictly Steampunk, but Jen occasionally wanders there and definitely speaks to the feminine side of the genre.
Watch Ed Build!: Ed Pouge is a friend, an engineer, a fencer, and the inspiration for one of the characters in D&McT.
Research Resources
Wikipedia: Critical to all fact checking, particularly dates and locations. Be good to the world at large and pass them some funds. Click the following icon to do so.Cross’s New Plan Of London 1850: The best of the on-line maps (plans) of London during the time of Drake’s and McTrowell’s adventures. The detailed sub-maps provide a wealth of particulars regarding London.
San Francisco History Index: The San Francisco in which Dr. MrTrowell’s mother has her assayer’s shop is little more than a few streets huddled around Yerba Buena Cove.
Goods and Services
Gentleman’s Emporium: If you wish to dress in the finest of Victorian and/or Steampunk style, this is the place to shop. They stock not only fancy United Kingdom and European attire, but western wear from the wilds of America.Pendragon / Mad.Girl Clothing: This is our source for the signature Drake & McTrowell leather overcoats.
Blonde Swan: Makers of delicious custom top hats including Sparky’s Queen of Hearts chapeau
Kyla’s Keepsakes: Sparky owns a couple of Kyla’s blingy tie-on bustles including those for her Queen of Hearts and steam pirate costumes
Wyng’d Lyon: Purveyors of custom clothing and other various works of art
Alan Jeffries: Mr. Alan Jeffries Fine Gentlemen’s Apparel is a maker and seller of men’s Victorian reproduction clothing, offering both ready-to-wear and bespoke garments. Their patterns are drafted using 19th century tailor’s methods to insure the proper period line and fit. Chief Inspector Drake’s credit card is never safe in the presence of Mr. Jeffries’ exquisite designs for the dapper gentleman.
Rae-Wolf Designs: Unique jewelry and art; she made Drake’s carousel pin for his (in)famous Mall Copper costume.
Stitch Trickery: She doesn’t have a dedicated web site, but you can find her on Facebook. She made Sparky’s epic Queen of Hearts capelet and designs perfect steampunk “smalls.” Can you say bloomers with cargo pockets?