Behind the Scenes: Eros Element

Sometimes life throws you a curve ball, or a series of them.

The spring of 2014 was rough. My grandmother died in February. My female cat Tabitha had a major neurological event in March, which meant Hubby and I had to rush home from Memphis, where I was promoting Long Shadows’ ebook release at MidSouthCon. My editor at Samhain rejected the urban fantasy novel I submitted to her. And sometime amid all that, we met with a reproductive endocrinologist and found out having kids would not happen easily for us.

Then in May, my beloved cat Bailey succumbed to the lymphoma he’d had for a couple of years. I was devastated.

So what did I do? I started writing a steampunk novel. I felt like I needed to do something different, and I had a lot of heartache to pour out. The heroine, Iris McTavish, is also dealing with her grief, but over her father dying and leaving her household in a precarious position. Plus, she’s always wanted to follow in his footsteps and be an archaeologist. She has a special talent for being able to tell what people who were previously in contact with certain objects were thinking and feeling, so archaeology makes sense for her.

Why archaeology? I’ve always been fascinated by it. Then, when I was in graduate school at the University of Georgia, I noticed that the anthropology building, which housed the archaeology program, was across the street from the psychology building. I would sometimes wander by and wonder, “what if…?”

Plus, archaeology in Victorian times was fun to research. It was a new science since their concept of how long the earth has been around was changing. I talk more about the books I used for my research in the Teatime video for this book (link pending).

Then there’s the hero, Edward Bailey. Yes, I named him after my cat. After his heart was broken, Edward structured his life to maximize its predictability and safety. I could definitely identify with his desire and then his discomfort as he’s pushed into a journey to seek the secret to stabilizing aether, the substance light passes through according to Victorian thought, in ancient art and artifacts.

Edward and Iris have their initial friction, of course, and I had fun writing their story. I also found a lot of comfort in Eros Element, which still makes it one of my favorite books I’ve written. It’s not a sad book even if it was partially inspired by a series of sad circumstances.

Here’s the blurb (by Best Page Forward):

An ancient energy. A daring expedition. Two misfit scientists in a race against time…

Iris McTavish always wanted to follow in her father’s footsteps. But when his sudden death leaves her household on the brink of ruin, she may have to choose an unwanted marriage over her passion of archaeology. To save her house and prove her worth, she embarks on a mysterious and dangerous expedition…

Edward Bailey’s strict scientific code holds back his anxiety and heartbreak. With his professorship and his department in danger, however, he realizes he’ll need to find the secret to turning unstable aether into limitless power to keep himself afloat. And for once, Edward can’t do it alone…

As Iris and Edward seek out hidden clues, they’re hunted by clockwork spies and a shadowy society. During their dash across Europe, the misfit explorers must work together to crack a worldwide energy crisis and discover the truth if they want to stay alive.

Eros Element is the thrilling first book in Aether Psychics, a series of Victorian-era steampunk adventures. If you like puzzling mysteries, incredible inventions, and a touch of magic, then you’ll love Cecilia Dominic’s high-spirited series.

You can learn more and see some reviews and an excerpt at the Eros Element page on this website.

You can find Eros Element at the following retailers, with more being added (click here to see others).

Amazon*

Apple Books

Barnes & Noble

Kobo

Google Play

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