Author:
Alex McGilvery has been reading since before he can remember, and writing almost that long. He has published 18 books and is author and editor at his imprint Celticfrog Publishing. He lives in Kamloops with his dog and the stories clawing their way out of his head.

They’re chasing a myth in the name of science.

Calliope works for her explorer father as an artist, recording what he brings back from his journeys in her sketchbooks. When she’s given a chance to go along on a trip to capture a sea serpent she doesn’t hesitate.

Life at sea isn't what she expected, and she ends up fascinated by the engine room of the steamship HMRV Peregrine. A tragedy makes her assistant engineer, but Pentam, her father’s protégé, is even more determined than her father to make Cal a fine lady. That means protecting her from danger, even if it drives her crazy.
When science and legend collide, Cal is the one who must take up the challenge of survival, even if it means risking her new-found feelings for Pentam.

Calliope

"The steam comes out of the boiler at high pressure and strikes blades inside the casing, setting the shaft to spinning. As the steam expands, the blades grow larger, thus the shape of the case. With this system, we can drive the shaft at speeds not achievable by traditional steam engines. In addition, the high pressure can spin up the shaft very quickly, reaching top speed almost instantly."


The man at the valve cranked it open. As steam roared out of the boiler, the familiar howl of the fan engine filled Cal's ears.


"Cover your ears, Your Highness," she shouted as she covered her own. Under the howl, a whining grew. She heard at least one blade scrape the inside of the casing. The screw jumped from a dead stop to a blur in the blink of an eye. Thumping shook the table, showing the thing was further out of true than she'd thought.


Chapter 36: Dangerous Demonstration Part 2