I write steampunk and historical science fiction about reluctant heroes, dangerous missions, and the thin line between engineering and leadership.
My stories are set in a world where airships rule the skies, espionage lurks behind polite society, and history takes a sharp turn just before the First World War. While there are plenty of gadgets and adventures, the heart of my work is always the same: ordinary people thrust into extraordinary circumstances — and forced to decide what kind of leaders they will become.
My flagship series, The Reluctant novels, follows Malcolm Robertson, an engineer who never wanted command — but finds himself repeatedly shouldering responsibility when things go wrong. The result is steampunk adventure grounded in character, competence, and consequence.
That idea sits at the heart of The Reluctant Series.
My protagonists are engineers, officers, and problem-solvers who would much rather be left alone to do their jobs — until duty, circumstance, and conscience leave them no choice. They don’t seek glory. They seek solutions.
A Lifelong Love of Exploration and Optimism
Long before I discovered steampunk, I fell in love with science fiction that treated exploration as a moral endeavor, not just a technological one.
Like many readers of my generation, Star Trek had a profound influence on me — not just for its spaceships and distant worlds, but for its belief that reason, cooperation, and diplomacy matter, even in the face of danger.
That influence never went away. It quietly shaped the kinds of stories I wanted to tell: stories where technology is powerful but imperfect, where leadership is earned rather than assumed, and where talking first is often more important than shooting first.
If you’re curious about how Star Trek helped shape my approach to storytelling — and how it eventually led me to write Edwardian steampunk — I’ve written more about it here: From Star Trek to Steampunk
Why I Write Steampunk
Steampunk lets me explore those ideas through the lens of history.
By setting my stories in the early twentieth century — a world on the brink of enormous change — I can examine questions of progress, responsibility, and unintended consequences in a way that feels both adventurous and relevant. Airships, experimental engines, and speculative science sit alongside real historical tensions, creating a setting where optimism and danger coexist.
If you enjoy:
- Thoughtful adventure
- Historical flavor with speculative twists
- Characters who grow into leadership rather than seeking it
…you’re exactly the reader I write for.
Start the Journey
If you’re new to my work, the best place to begin is The Reluctant Captain, which I offer free to newsletter subscribers.
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- behind-the-scenes insights
- world-building notes
- updates on new releases
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Thank you stopping by and welcome aboard!