Steampunkapalooza is here!!!
First off, I’d like to announce the winners of our Steampunkapalooza kickoff giveaway of five copies of Rise of the Iron Moon.
And the winners are…
Tina
Katherine Wagner
Nicole
Carlie A.
*lizzie starr
Please contact me at suzannelazear (@) hotmail to collect your prize.
Today to officially kick off Steampunkapalooza 2011, I am very excited to introduce Caitlin Kittredge. I also have a copy of her new YA Steampunk The Iron Thorn to giveaway to one lucky commenter.
Caitlin Kittredge writes the Iron Codex novels, steampunk fantasy for young adults. She also writes urban fantasy and horror for adult audiences. She lives in Massachusetts with comic books, cats and far too many vintage dresses.
Why Steampunk Fantasy
by Caitlin Kittredge
I get the question a lot: Why steampunk fantasy? Why choose to set a story about Lovecraftian monsters, evil faeries and blood-drinking nightstalkers in an alternate 1950s where steam power runs the world and the atomic age never came to be? Couldn’t I just as easily have set my novel in modern-day Akron, Ohio?
No offense to the lovely city of Akron, but yes and no. I love steampunk—I was a genre fan long before I decided to take a crack at writing it. More than steampunk, though, I love genre remixes—two unexpected story elements juxtaposed so they prop each other up, rather than conflicting. One thing that always surprised me, though, was the rigidity of some steampunk proponents. It must be set in the Victorian era. It must only have a science fiction basis, no magic, monsters or otherworldly creatures mucking it up. Not to say that you can’t choose what steampunk is your steampunk—you absolutely can, and should.
My steampunk happens to have tentacle monsters.
Steampunk called out to the type of story I wanted to write—one not just about a girl trying to save her brother from the machinations of the faerie court, but one about a totilitarian government who keeps its citizens “safe” with its great machines, but also uses those same machines to grind dissidents under its heel. Take away the vast winds of change swept in by the Manhattan Project, and you’ve got a government that won World War II with the help of steam, a government that demanded total obedience from its people, lest they lose faith in science and reason and allow the unthinkable to happen—to allow in the magic that, though science might try to stamp it out, is evident in every corner of the world I created.
Steampunk usually features at least some alternate history, and I love it. I love asking what if, so when I decided to write my alternate history, big steam powered cities and fleets of dirigibles slotted themselves in pretty naturally. I also think it’s a genre that suits itself wonderfully to combining with others. The rigidity doesn’t need to be your steampunk. I don’t necessarily follow the “steampunk can be anything you want” school of thought—goggles and gears don’t make a story, movie, or whatever steampunk on their own—but I do think it cries out for fresh blood, for new elements, be they fantasy, mystery, horror, what have you.
So that’s why steampunk fantasy, on my end. I’d love to keep combining, keep remixing. I get so excited when I authors or creators doing things like noir steampunk, 1920s grit and darkness fused with automatons and ray guns, or Imperial Japanese steampunk, set during the conflicts of Meiji Japan. (Steam-powered samurai, anyone?)
Those are my remixes. I’d love to hear some of yours!
~Caitlin Kittredge
http://www.caitlinkittredge.com/
Contest ends Sunday, April 10th at 11:59 PST. Open internationally.
If someone wrote a Steampunk tale set in Meiji Japan I would totally run out and buy that right now.
As it is, I’m salivating over the Native Steampunk stories that I keep seeing pop up all over the place, so I love me some atypical Steampunk tales — especially considering that it seems everyone is writing a Victorian Britain story.
Random aside — I write Fantasy Steampunk more than the Alt History version; although the sole reason that I wrote an SP story without a hint of magic is because I wanted to prove that little old moi, a hardcore fantasy fan since birth, could write a story without magic involved. Although to be honest I am going to start rewriting one of my earlier fantasy stories to make it a Steampunk Fantasy. Super excited about that.
Great post! I love genre remixes, too!
Fantasy and steampunk are my favorite genres and I can’t really wait to read The Iron Thorn. (btw beautiful cover!)
Another genre remix I love is steampunk romance.
Thank you for the international giveaway!
I’m newish to steampunk and guess I didn’t realize that it was supposed to be ALWAYS Victorian. I like the few steampunk/western mixes I’ve seen (Wild, Wild West was a favorite TV series of mine – am I dating myself??) – but I have to admit, it’s the steampunk aspect that draws me to any of these remixes.
Brava! I’m glad to see you mixing fantasy with steampunk! In the realm of science fiction, I feel if Captain Nemo could have giant squid, why shouldn’t you be able to have monsters of your own! I think my daughter and I will thoroughly enjoy The Iron Thorn.
Of course, I tend to do the same, only I’m mixing vampires, shapeshifters, demons and the like in with western-set steampunk in my Legend Chronicles series.
Can’t wait to read The Iron Thorn! Thanks for being part of Steampunkapalooza!
Though I tend to agree with those who say it isn’t QUITE steampunk, I’ve been enjoying and reviewing Julie Kagawa’s Iron Fey series, which at the very least has steampunk elements.
I must say I’m curious as to why you decided to make this book fit for YA. But on the topic of steampunk, I have to say…I’m so with you! I love the mixing of various eras and genres and think the greatest thing about steampunk is its openness. Thanks for an interesting read. Best of luck with The Iron Thorn. It sounds interesting!
I’m in the middle of writing a French-inspired steampunk adventure/romance… with magic. It’s not a huge remix, but since it’s my first time I thought I’d try to stay with a little of the classic steampunk.
I’m looking forward to reading The Iron Thorn!
I love to read steampunk mixed with a solid dash of mystery. Strange murders, shadowy villains, etc. I am fascinated by all of the variations there are to explore now.
You’re story sounds amazing. I love to read YA and I will definately be picking yours up.
I do have something that I am working on, it’s kind of a time travel story into the era of the early 1900s. I’m still ironing out the details, but it’s percalating!
I’ve been looking forward to this book since I first read a blurb about it last month. Remixes…? Hmmm…how about a 1930s gangster story set in Chicago amid speakeasies, rum-running with airships, jazz playing robots, colorful gangster-types with supernatural origins. 😆
Enjoyed your post very much!
PK Brent
The Iron Thorn sounds fabulous. I love the idea of an alternate 1950’s, rather than Victorian England or the American West. I think it’s absolutely great to do mix-ups of different periods. I’m wondering about an earlier time, before the Victorian age, say Leonardo DiVinci’s time – what it would be like with steampowered gadgets and some of his inventions.
I’m glad that people are working holding other eras up to examination through the steampunk lens. Westerns, Feudal Japan, Civil War, Roaring 20’s, ‘modern’ era. Even moving the chronology of their own worlds forward to explore a SP feel (a la Brandon Sanderson’s new Mistborn books). Mix it up…standard fare gets stale. I can’t wait to get into Iron Thorn!
Wow what a beautiful cover! Mixes are so fun. Thanks for the post.
It’s awesome to see steampunk fiction that really mixes it up. (By the way, I just got The Iron Thorn in at the library and I’m super-excited to read it!!) The fantasy/steampunk (specifically, faerie/steampunk) is a crossover I’m thrilled to find slowly dotting bookshelves, but I would love to see a steampunk/dragon mix. Is that a little too far-fetched? Dragons are amazing, and steampunk is amazing, so why not a mix of both? It could be a steam-powered world full of…dragon riders!! I’d buy that book in a heartbeat.
super secret spy steampunk geisha would be a thrill to see too ;-D
I am very new to steampunk (had to look up what it actually was a few weeks back) but I do love the idea of stories set to alternate histories! Especially the steampunk fantasy genre. I will have to go out soon and buy myself a steampunk book so that I can say I’ve read one!
i like steampunk thrillers! not the biggest steampunk fan b/c i don’t like “past” settings, but i’m starting to see a little more of the fun, imaginative things in this genre!
Steampunk genre is an awesome one and I would love to read more books with that genre..It’s just so cool..!! 😀 thanks for this post and the giveaway.. 🙂
Caitlin is great to talk with in person, and I’m looking forward to reading The Iron Thorn
This contest is now closed. Thanks for entering.