The Lady Machinist: A romantic steampunk tale of clockwork soldiers, persistent pirates, and political intrigue.Book One of the Curiosity Chronicles1837: Lydia Dimosthenis detests pirates, especially those of British ilk. The lady machinist will do anything to protect her island home of Aspasia from the scurvy knaves, even if it means crafting seven-foot clockwork soldiers to drive intruders away. When her automatons catch the eye of a charming yet stubborn ambassador from New Britannia, she is given an offer that she truly cannot refuse. But that doesn't stop her from trying.Rhys Cartret, ambassador and agent for the Cabinet of Intellectual Curiosities, didn't count on having a strong-willed, attractive inventor thwarting his every diplomatic move. It's hard enough keeping his pirate past a secret from Lydia. Matching wits with her is the last thing he needs, especially since New Britannia's rival France is racing to get the automatons before he does. Intrigue, romance, and striking bargains abound in this curious tale of clockwork soldiers, ruthless pirates, and steam-powered ships.