S.W. Raine
06/22/2026
MY FIRST MISTAKE WAS GIVING THE SKY PIRATE CAPTAIN A NAME
When I was writing THE TECHNO MAGE, my main trio got captured by sky pirates.
Because you know… you can't have steampunk without sky pirates.
At first, he was just “the captain.”
But repeating “the captain” over and over is poor writing, so I gave him a name.
That was mistake number one.
Mistake number two was letting him have a slightly bigger role.
Because the moment he had a name, he developed a personality. Suddenly he had opinions. Wanted more dialogue. More scenes.
At one point I had to metaphorically grab him by the collar and say: “Listen, Keenan. This is not your book!” 😆
Eventually, his part in THE TECHNO MAGE was finished… and I was weirdly sad to let him go.
Because by then I'd realized morally gray captains with chaotic charm are very much my weakness. ❤️
A friend suggested I give him his own story, and immediately my brain went to the question that started everything:
How did he become that infamous sky pirate captain from THE TECHNO MAGE?
That question turned into RISE OF THE SKY PIRATE, the first book in the Adventures of Captain Keenan series, set 15 years prior to the events of THE TECHNO MAGE.
If you enjoy morally gray captains, chaotic airship adventures, and found-family trouble, Keenan finally got the story he kept trying to steal. It's called RISE OF THE SKY PIRATE.
And right now, to celebrate International Steampunk Day on June 14, THE TECHNO MAGE and RISE OF THE SKY PIRATE are available together as a Steampunk E-Bundle for just $6.99 USD through June 30. You'll find it here:
https://swraine.com/steampunksale
THE TECHNO MAGE
⚙️ alchemy
⚙️ German setting
⚙️ plot twists
⚙️ a mythical airship
RISE OF THE SKY PIRATE
⚙️ sky pirates
⚙️ found family
⚙️ action and adventure
⚙️ the Great Lakes
06/14/2026
I LOVE THAT STEAMPUNK CAN BE ABSOLUTELY RIDICULOUS
One of the things I love most about steampunk is that it can be almost anything.
Airships. Mad science. Alchemy. Clockwork creations. Daring adventures.
For me, though, it's always been the adventure that comes first.
Give me sky pirates.
Crazy airships.
Give me dangerous journeys, found family, and characters making increasingly questionable decisions.
Those are exactly the kind of stories I love to write.
So to celebrate International Steampunk Day, THE TECHNO MAGE and RISE OF THE SKY PIRATE are available together as a Steampunk E-Bundle for just $6.99 USD through June 30. Click here: https://swraine.com/steampunksale
THE TECHNO MAGE
⚙️ alchemy
⚙️ German setting
⚙️ plot twists
⚙️ a mythical airship
RISE OF THE SKY PIRATE
⚙️ sky pirates
⚙️ found family
⚙️ action and adventure
⚙️ the Great Lakes
So now I have to ask: What's your favorite thing about steampunk? Let me know in the comments!
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