Vaughn Treude
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Vaughn Treude grew up on a family farm in North Dakota. The remoteness of his home, with few children his age nearby, made science fiction and fantasy a welcome escape. His favorite writers included Isaac Asimov, Robert Heinlein, and JRR Tolkien. After working for many years as a software engineer, he realized that the same kind of discipline required for writing code could be applied to creating fictional worlds. He has written numerous stories in the genre, including steampunk, suspense, and political adventure. His other creative ventures have included poetry and musical theater. He also maintains the “Sci Fi and Sedition” blog which examines science fiction and popular culture, with the occasional political rant.
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Miss Ione D and the Mayan Marvel
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Steampunk
Strap on Your Goggles for Steampunk Adventure in the Jungles of Guatemala! Introducing Miss Ione D: She's smart, she's tough, and she can cook! In her debut young adult novella, “Miss Ione D and the Mayan Marvel,” 19-year-old Ione explores the ancient Mayan city of Tikal, where she makes an amazing discovery and faces unexpected dangers. "Miss Ione D and the Mayan Marvel" is the newest creation of writing team Vaughn Treude and Arlys-Allegra Holloway. Set in Guatemala in 1896, this young-adult steampunk adventure is scheduled for release in e-book form on May 24th, Victoria Day, a most appropriate steampunk holiday. The Mayan region of Central America is the fascinating backdrop for this story. The Maya had one of the most advanced civilizations in pre-Columbian America, which disappeared for reasons we still do not understand. Yet the last Mayan city endured until being conquered by the Spaniards in 1697! The Victorian society of Ione's time was fascinated with Meso-American antiquities and spawned a booming business in clever forgeries such as the famed crystal skulls. “Miss Ione D and the Mayan Marvel” asks the question, what if these ancient people had made technological advances unknown even in modern times?
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Fidelio's Automata
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Steampunk
Fidelio's Automata, an Adventure in Alternate History (Steampunk) A stolen invention threatens his dreams. Fidelio Espinoza, a brilliant and idealistic young Cuban, arrives in early 1900's America with the goal of perfecting his automaton, a machine that will free humans from the dangerous, backbreaking work of mines and factories. Here he meets Hank, a cowboy turned Quaker who has vowed to atone for his sinful past. After a prototype of Fidelio's creation falls into the wrong hands, the two men join forces with Nikola Tesla to prevent this creation from being used in the service of oppression.
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Centrifugal Force
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Science Fiction (Political)
In this novel of the near future, America is sliding towards tyranny. Dissident Joel Walter is wanted for a crime he didn't commit. His computer-hacker friend Nephi introduces him to an underworld where technology is Americans' last bastion of freedom and privacy. He helps Joel assume a new identity and disappear into the technological underground. Ever-increasing repression drives Joel, Nephi, and others into open rebellion in a desperate bid to retain their precious liberties.
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Found Pet
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Science Fiction (Suspense)
Found pet is a novelette (long short story) inspired by a classic TV series from my youth: Meet Harry Jensen, a down-on-his-luck real estate broker. He adopts an adorable but mysterious furry animal -- or does it adopt him? It's been said that pets enrich our lives, but could this proverb be literally true? Yet Harry is about to discover that every shortcut has its price, here in the Halflight Zone. Cover image by Kyle Dunbar. Don't let the cuteness fool you, there's mature (though not explicit) content within, at least PG-13.
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