 From the Desk of Tyche Books! Our latest novel, Cold Stone and Ivy, by H. Leighton Dickson, is a Gothic steampunk mystery. Set in England, (Lancashire and London, mostly) during 1888, the book features several real people as characters. We will be showcasing some of these historical figures in the next few weeks. (Make sure to begin with a review of Jack the Ripper.) Christien de Lacey’s neighbour in London is a physician: Dr. Henry Jekyll. Christian is leery of Jekyll, suspecting the man of conducting unnatural experiments in his basement, although Jekyll has kindly offered to mix potions for Christien’s headaches. Today’s featured character from Cold Stone and Ivy is a bit of a cheat. Dr. Henry Jekyll, after all, isn’t a real person, but the fictional creation of Robert Louis Stevenson, first appearing in 1886’s Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde. Jekyll’s presence in the novel is fun, with sly mentions of his laboratory, his reputation for unauthorized and unsavory experiments, and “some fellow named Hyde”, whose mail keeps getting delivered to Jekyll’s address. Robert Louis Stevenson wrote Jekyll and Hyde in 1885 in a frenzied burst of writing (the canonical account says that Stevenson was feverish and ill; other biographies posit that Stevenson was on drugs), producing a first draft of the novella in under a week. According to his wife, Fanny, Stevenson destroyed the first draft and wrote a second draft in another three days. The novella was published three months later and became one of Stevenson’s best-selling works, selling forty thousand copies in six months and spawning multiple stage (and later, film) adaptations. One of the novella’s major themes explores the duality of human nature, although Stevenson kindly leaves open to interpretation what exactly those dual natures are. Good versus evil? Civilization versus barbarism? Man versus animal? Is it an exploration of drug or alcohol addiction? A commentary on urbanization? Anti-science? All of these things, or none? The abundance of possible interpretations speaks to the richness of the text–and to how we, as a culture, are fascinated by Stevenson’s strange case. Even you, who haven’t read the original story (you know who you are), know Jekyll and Hyde–you’ve probably even used their names at some point. Which brings us back quite nicely to Cold Stone and Ivy. Duality exists here, too, with the seedy district of Whitechapel contrasting sharply with the wealthy neighborhood where Dr. Jekyll and Christien de Lacey live. With characters hiding their true selves behind masks of joviality and urbanity. With the profane and the sacred living side by side, housed in the same vessel . . .  To read about Dr. Jekyll on Tyche's Blog, check it out here!
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 COLD STONE & IVY is a Gothic steampunk mystery, set in England during the fall of 1888. It features several real people as characters. Together, publisher Tyche Books and I will be showcasing some of these historical figures over the next few weeks. This is Doctor Week and today’s focus is on Police Surgeon and Father of Criminal Profiling, Dr. Thomas Bond.
"There was a twitch of Bond’s thick grey moustache. It was unnerving, thought Christien, Bond’s quiet, intrusive ways. He was changing things with his character analyses and villain profiles, giving the Bottle a run for their money, making them work harder, think better. Thomas Bond was a brilliant man and Christien knew he was lucky to be here." - COLD STONE & IVY You could write a book on the contributions of Dr. Thomas Bond to modern forensic science. He was chiefly a Police Surgeon with the Met’s A-Division and he is credited with being one of the first to begin to attempt a ‘Villain Profile’ for the killer called Jack. He was also the lead examiner of the London Torsos, a rash of dismembered bodies that turned up in and along the Thames River area. He was called on repeatedly to investigate other East End murders (even though they were out of A-Division’s jurisdiction) and it was his testimony that led to the ‘canonical five.’ As stated, Bond was the first to attempt to profile the Whitechapel killer, and 2 of Mary Kelly's 11 post-mortem statements read as this: 10. The murderer must have been a man of physical strength and of great coolness and daring. There is no evidence that he had an accomplice. He must in my opinion be a man subject to periodical attacks of Homicidal and erotic mania. The character of the mutilations indicate that the man may be in a condition sexually, that may be called satyriasis. It is of course possible that the Homicidal impulse may have developed from a revengeful or brooding condition of the mind, or that Religious Mania may have been the original disease, but I do not think either hypothesis is likely. The murderer in external appearance is quite likely to be a quiet inoffensive looking man probably middle aged and neatly and respectably dressed. I think he must be in the habit of wearing a cloak or overcoat or he could hardly have escaped notice in the streets if the blood on his hands or clothes were visible. 11. Assuming the murderer to be such a person as I have just described he would probably be solitary and eccentric in his habits, also he is most likely to be a man without regular occupation, but with some small income or pension. He is possibly living among respectable persons who have some knowledge of his character and habits and who may have grounds for suspicion that he is not quite right in his mind at times. *Casebook Jack the Ripper Bond was a quiet, somber man, very adept at his job, with a quick mind and keen intellect. He features as mentor to young Christien de Lacey and is the father figure of Bond’s Boys – the group of nefarious young surgeons-in-training. Dr. Bond served the City of London until 1902, when he committed suicide. Once you read COLD STONE & IVY, you will understand why. Next on 'Doctor Week', another two doctors - one as fictional as Bond was real. In a few scene-stealing cameos, we bring you, Dr. Henry Jekyll and his Kensington house laboratory! Second, obstetrician to the Royal House and Ripper suspect himself, Dr. John Williams!  From the Desk of Tyche Books: Our latest novel, Cold Stone and Ivy, by H. Leighton Dickson, is a Gothic steampunk mystery. Set in England, (Lancashire and London, mostly) during 1888, the book features several real people as characters. Tyche and author H. Leighton Dickson will be showcasing some of these historical figures in the next few weeks.
Frederick Abberline has the most familiarity with the Ripper case in Cold Stone and Ivy. Meeting him is not an eagerly anticipated occurrence for the characters within the book. Being questioned by him is to be suspected of grisly murders . . . The lead investigator on the Ripper case was Frederick Abberline. Although an Inspector at Scotland Yard, Abberline was transferred back to Division H, Whitechapel, due to his familiarity with the area (he had been the Local Inspector at Division H for several years), after the death of Mary Ann “Polly” Nichols. In popular culture, Abberline has been depicted as an alcoholic (Michael Caine in the mini-series Jack the Ripper) and as a psychic opium addict (Johnny Depp in From Hell). In actuality, the portly Abberline resembled, according to then Detective Constable Walter Drew, a “bank manager or a solicitor”. Despite investigating several butchers, organizing a door-to-door inquiry, and conducting a few “identification parades”, Abberline, as we all know, never caught Jack the Ripper, and he was reassigned to Scotland Yard’s Central Office in 1889. He would go on to investigate the Cleveland Street Scandal. Eventually, he retired from Scotland Yard in 1892 and worked for twelve years at the European agency of the Pinkerton Detective Agency. He retired in 1904 and died in 1929. Abberline’s preferred Ripper suspect was Severyn Klosowski (also known as George Chapman), although later Ripper scholars (Ripperologists), disagree with Abberline on this, as Chapman was a poisoner. In 2011, Spanish writer Jose Luis Abad put forth the theory that Abberline himself was the Ripper! What would have the “gently” spoken, banker-like inspector thought about that? For further reading, please visit Casebook: Jack the Ripper, The Jack the Ripper Tour, and Jack the Ripper 1888. *** Get a copy of Cold Stone and Ivy on Kobo, Kindle, or iTunes!  Sharing Tyche Book's Blog post on Lizzie Borden, by Margaret Curelas
Our latest novel, Cold Stone and Ivy, by H. Leighton Dickson, is a Gothic steampunk mystery. Set in England, (Lancashire and London, mostly) during 1888, the book features several real people as characters. Tyche and author H. Leighton Dickson will be showcasing some of these historical figures in the next few weeks. The first post featured Jack the Ripper. In Cold Stone and Ivy, the Lonsdale Abbey Sanitarium houses all sorts of interesting people. Among the patients is Lizzie Borden, a girl with a temper and a fondness for axes and pigeons, who will soon be moving to Fall River, Massachusetts with her father and step-mother. Lizzie Borden took an axe And gave her mother forty whacks. When she saw what she had done, She gave her father forty-one. It’s a popular skipping rhyme; perhaps you’ve heard it? Lizzie Borden, c. 1890 On August 4, 1892, Abby and Andrew Borden were murdered in their home at 92 Second Street in Fall River, Massachusetts. Contrary to the rhyme, Abby sustained about 19 whacks and Andrew 11. To this date, their murders have not been solved, although the most likely perpetrator seems to be their daughter, Lizzie Borden, who was arrested, tried, and acquitted of their murders. Lizzie Borden was the only person to be arrested for the crime. The evidence against Lizzie was circumstantial at best–sloppy police-work definitely contributed to the lack of solid evidence collected–but it is certainly suggestive. She had the most obvious opportunity, being the only household member continually at home that day (as much as 90 minutes could have separated the deaths), and she had motive–her father was wealthy, and there had been ongoing disputes over real estate and inheritance (and, yes, Andrew had slaughtered all of Lizzie’s pigeons). At the time of Abby Durfee Borden’s death, Lizzie called her step-mother of nearly thirty years “Mrs. Borden”, indicating a strained relationship. Other clues indicating Lizzie were the dress she burned a couple of days after the deaths, claiming it had been ruined by paint; her several conflicting statements of her whereabouts and activities during the crimes; and the curious way she kept sending away on errands the women who came to sit with her after the discovery of the bodies, evidently preferring to sit alone in the house with the corpses and a murderer on the loose. Prominent lawyer George D. Robinson was hired for the defense team, the lawyers from the Borden family’s firm not having much experience in criminal law. After a twelve day trial, the jury acquitted Lizzie in ten minutes, although they delayed relaying their verdict for an hour out of respect for the law. After the trial, Lizzie continued to live in Fall River, despite being ostracized in local society. She and her older sister, Emma, shared a house for several years until their falling out in 1905. The two never saw each other again before their deaths in 1927. Lizzie Borden’s funeral was sparsely attended. The mystery of the Borden murders may never be solved. Some insights into the trial were revealed when the grandson of lawyer Andrew Jennings willed Jennings’ personal journals to the Fall River Historical Society. But theholy grail for Lizzie Borden enthusiasts are George D. Robinson’s notes from his first, three hour interview with Lizzie before he agreed to join the defense team. These notes are filed away at the law firm which Robinson founded, Robinson, Donovan, Madden & Barry. Requests to see these files have been denied; client confidentiality extends beyond death. Fascination with Lizzie and the murders has continued unabated over the years, with numerous books, movies, and TV programs created about her–and, of course, the popular skipping rhyme. The Borden house has even been converted into a Bed & Breakfast, a popular tourist attraction in Fall River. The bedroom where Abby Durfee Borden was murdered is a popular choice of guests. Further reading, including trial and inquest transcripts, can be found at the Lizzie Borden Virtual Museum and Library." Friday, Tyche will be posting about Inspector Frederick Abberline of the Metropolitan Police. Mondy, I'll feature Dr. Thomas Bond, Police Surgeon and the father of modern Criminal Profiling. To check out Tyche Book's blog, go HERE.  COLD STONE & IVY is a Gothic steampunk mystery, set in England during the fall of 1888. It features several real people as characters. Together, publisher Tyche Books and I will be showcasing some of these historical figures over the next few weeks, beginning with the elusive character known as Jack.
The Whitechapel Murderer. Leather Apron. Jack the Ripper has gone by many names and is undoubtedly the most famous, and infamous, serial killer in modern history. This one man carried out a reign of terror in London’s dreary Whitechapel District, killing of as few as four (or as many as nine) women during four short months. He was never caught, his motives never known, and his killing spree ended as abruptly as it had begun. Jack is as much a mystery now as he was then, and has given birth to an archetype in popular culture – that of a cloaked shadow figure hunting on a foggy city street. Eyewitness reports describe the suspect like this: “5’6” and 34 or 35 years of age, with a dark complexion and a dark moustache turned up at the ends.” “He looked like a foreigner.” “He walked very softly.” “Fair complexion, dark hair.” “Clean shaven and tall.” “Black moustache, sandy eyelashes.” “Young, fair moustache, deerstalker cap.” “Peaked cap.” “Wideawake hat.” Despite the popular myth, there is no report of a man in cape and top hat and theories have persisted long about his identity. They range from conspiracy ( Prince Albert Victor, Dr. John Williams) to xenophobia (Russian fugitive Nikolay Vasilliev, Aaron Kosminki) to psychopathy (Jacob Levy, Walter Sickert). Oddly enough, many of the theories have been published since 1970, when a flurry of novels and movies inspired investigators to reopen the case. With the advances in forensic pathology, the remaining evidence has been put to the test time and time again but still, no one suspect has been identified as frontrunner. In COLD STONE & IVY, we are introduced to many of these historical suspects as they weave in and out of the story. Fans of the Ripper case (called Ripperologists) will enjoy the sometimes subtle (sometimes not) name dropping as the details of the case unfold . But truthfully, this is not a story about Jack. This is a story about young writer and criminologist, Ivy Savage, and how she gets drawn into Jack’s darkly twisted world in pursuit of the truth. Where Jack lives in myth and shadow, Ivy lives in wonder and light and a sheer, stubborn determination to understand. She is as clever as he is deadly and after their confrontation, neither the East End nor the City of London, will ever be the same again. “Hold on to your pot, Miss Savage. It promises to be a bumpy flight.” Hello Heather. It’s great to have you here. I’ve enjoyed your books so much. Could you give us an overview of your Tales of the Upper Kingdom series? Sure! The ‘Elevator Pitch’ would be “Game of Thrones meets Planet of the Apes, dressed up as a Japanese Anime!” It’s a post-apocalyptic saga that reads like high fantasy, with the rise of genetically-altered civilizations that blend elements of Ancient India, Dynastic China and Feudal Japan. Cool. Why did you choose felines as the dominant species in your novels? I’ve always had an affinity for the big cats. I’m a zoologist and have worked with predators back in my Edinburgh Zoo days, so when I began roughing out the idea for this book, I knew it had to be from the point of view of the cats. There are other anthropomorphic cultures in the series, and you find out more about them as the stories progress, but definitely, the cats are in a class by themselves. At least, in their not-so-humble opinion. And probably, because if I was an animal, I’d be a cat. ;) Me too. Do you have cats? I do! I have three – an orange tabby male, a brown tabby whom we took in as a stray and a little grey fluffy thing that thinks she’s a dragon. LOL! Why did you choose Dynastic China, Ancient India and Feudal Japan as the inspiration/base for your feline culture? What is your experience with these cultures? I have zero experience with these cultures, except for an appreciation of their history, their complexity and their beauty. Most fantasy series are European-based, (best example being Tolkein’s Middle Earth) so with this series, I really wanted a different feel, a different approach. Also, the sci/fi angle really makes sense once you get to the end of Book 2 and you find out WHY the cats are the way they are (ie from Asia). This aspect definitely has its roots in the modern political arena. Interesting. A predominant theme in your books is honor and duty versus love, friendship and family. Do you feel these themes are still relevant today? Probably more than ever. I really feel the lack of honour in our modern society and I think Kirin’s journey – one of living a life of honour and duty but trying to blend freedom and relationships – is perhaps the heart of the stories. He navigates some tough roads and we see his rationale change and evolve while his core beliefs really never sway. And it’s a personal thing for me as well – keeping integrity in a fickle, self-absorbed and sometimes scary culture. I’ve had to find my own ‘zen’ core, my own Bushido – one that’s kind, compassionate, strong and fair. At least, that’s what I aim for, and I take it out on Kirin! Yes, it’s difficult to keep on our true path when we’re bombarded with negative messages. When you began writing the first book, did you have the entire series plotted out? I used to pencil for DC Comics (the company that puts out Superman, Batman, etc) so back in ‘the day’, I had this idea for a graphic novel, which is like an extended comic book. I was going to write and draw it, and my inking partner at the time was going to ink, letter and colour it. But as I plotted it out, it kept getting bigger and bigger so I decided to just write it all out before even starting to pencil it. That was the beginning and over the years, it just became a novel. Actually, the two books, To Journey in the Year of the Tiger and To Walk in the Way of Lions, was originally just one very long novel, but I had a literary agent recommend cutting it, so I did. The third book, Songs in the Year of the Cat, came about after the fact, because of readers who didn’t want the stories to end. I have another 3 in mind, as well as two prequels. It’s a rich world! Looking forward to them. The names of your characters are not common but are not so complex and bizarre as to be confusing, like in many fantasies/science fiction novels. How do you choose your character’s names? Because the Upper Kingdom is really set in our real world, I decided that all the names would be actually based on real names. Even the locations (cities, forts, regions, provinces, etc) are slightly changed versions of their current names. For instance, the mountain Shagar’mathah, is just a version of the Nepalese word for Mt. Everest. They call it Sagarmatha. It was fun changing things, just a little. Also, I really hate facetious nomenclature in fantasy books. It makes me nuts. Me too. I appreciate the clarity. Which character would you most like to befriend in your novels and why? Oh, good question. Kirin would make me crazy, but he would have my back. Kerris would be fun at a party, but re: long term friendship, he’d require too much work. Fallon is too much like me (actually, she IS me. Very autobiographical dialogues, there!) I would love to get to know Ursa, help her onto a path of healing and the same with Sherah. But I think Sireth would be the one I would really want to spend time with. He would be fun, clever and calming. Yes, Kerris would be exhausting. Do you think humanity is doomed? As much as I’m a Star Trek fan, I really have to say I can’t see a positive future for us. Civilizations come, civilizations go. We’ll probably experience our own ‘Dark Age’ soon enough. Does that mean we as a species will die off? I don’t think so – I think human life on earth will just morph and change as it always has. One culture will recede as another one takes it’s place. The planet will change too, but it will survive. One of my thoughts for the series is this – “Is it ‘Dystopian’ where the end of the world is bad for humanity but good for everyone else?” I hear you. Unfortunately, the next dominate species might be even more damaging to other species than humans. Who knows? Where can we buy your books? Right now, through Amazon http://amzn.to/1udG5A8, my website http://www.hleightondickson.com and me personally. I’m looking at changing my distribution to facilitate getting them into bookstores. What are you working on now? I have a few projects currently on the go! Cold Stone & Ivy is about to be launched by Tyche Books this April. I have already written Cold Stone & Ivy 2 and am working on #3. I'm almost finished DRAGON OF ASH & STARS, and 1/2 finished Book 4 of the Upper Kingdom series, SNOW IN THE YEAR OF THE DRAGON. Then I have another series called Locke & Keyes that I’ve started – think of a Victorian English Remington Steele. Plus I’m writing now for Bayview Magazine, which has been really fun! Wow, you’re a diverse and busy woman. What book have you read recently that you would recommend to others? I have a hard time reading while I’m actively writing – it commandeers brainspace! I would definitely recommend The Lions of al Rassan by Canadian fantasy author, Guy Gavriel Kay, or anything by him actually. He’s my favourite author. I also love historical fiction and stumbled upon a brilliant Restoration-era spy series by Susanna Gregory. I’ve also always read the classics, even as a young kid, so I would recommend reading The Three Musketeers by Dumas, The Hunchback of Notre Dame by Leroux, anything by A. Conan Doyle, HG Wells, Jules Verne, Jane Austin. These writers were my addiction growing up. I loved those classics as a teen, although I suspect a lot of it went over my head. I still think it’s good to read them though, especially if you’re interested in writing. On what social media can your readers connect? I have a website: http://www.hleightondickson.com and it has a blog which I do try to maintain, but I’m really active on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HLeightonDickson. I share a lot of fun stuff about science, animals and writing and we have quite a vocal community going on! I also Tweet vicariously – my twitter feed is linked to my FB so whatever FB gets, Twitter gets! I really don’t know what to do with Twitter. It boggles me, but I’m there @hdickson62. Fabulous. See you there. Thank you for your time and good luck with all your projects. Entirely my pleasure, Bonnie! Thanks for the great interview! - H.L. Dickson  |
H. Leighton DicksonAuthor. Zoologist. Imaginary Genius. Engineer of Fantastical Worlds. Master of None.
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