You may remember Elly Blue from Pedal Zombies, a kickstarted collection of feminist science fiction about zombies and bicycles. Now she’s back with a new crowdfunding drive for a feminist steampunk cycling novel called The Velocipede Races.
She writes, “The Velocipede Races, Emily June Street’s debut, is a rarity on a few levels where it really shouldn’t be — a feminist sports book with lots of exciting race scenes, and a steampunky world whose residents totally geek out about bicycles. I’d like to see more books that fit both descriptions, so I’m extra excited to be publishing this one.
$15 gets you a hardcopy; $20 gets you a signed book. They’ve got a perfect track-record for delivering on their funded projects, though, as always, caveat emptor.
Have you ever dreamed of being an astronaut? A ballerina? A politician? A doctor? And has someone else, or even just a voice in your head, told you that you can’t do it, that you would fail, that the world wouldn’t approve, just because of who you are?
Set in the imaginary city of Seren, the story follows Emmeline Escot, a teenage heroine with a rich internal life who seeks to become a pioneer in the all-male sport of racing bicycle-like velocipedes. Her singleminded pursuit of her dream has a series of unexpected and often-disastrous consequences, leaving the very real question open: Will she prevail in the end?
You can only find out in The Velocipede Races… and we can only publish it if this project is funded. If this project is a success, the book will be in bookstores everywhere on April 12th … and in your hands 3+ months early!
The Velocipede Races [Elly Blue/Kickstarter]