Teens Wanna Know: Otherworldly YA Books

Looking for an awesome YA book that will take you out of this world? Love sci-fi/fantasy series? Check out my guest post at Teens Wanna Know! 

I've recommended five fantastic stories by Christopher Golden (Prowlers), Thomas E. Sniegoski (Fallen), Scott Westerfeld (Uglies), Justine Larbalestier (How to Ditch Your Fairy), and Holly Black (The Curse Workers). These books include angels, shapeshifters, surgeries, good luck, and bad luck, among other things. 

If you haven't read them yet, you should. If you have read them, let me know which one you liked the best.

Check out my Otherworldly YA post at Teens Wanna Know and leave a comment!  

Diva Delight: Steampunk!: An Anthology of Fantastically Rich and Strange Stories

You know we love steampunk at readergirlz. We had a blast with Scott Westerfeld, right? Well, how about a collection of steampunk short stories by some more of our favorite, favorite YA authors? You'll recognize many from our rgz Circle of Stars, past guests and contributors. Grab your goggles, because this collection by Kelly Link and Gavin J. Grant delivers!


So, what will you find in Steampunk: An Anthology of Fantastically Rich and Strange Stories? How about mystery, murders, and machines? Worlds of gears and steam in amazing new locations from the minds of 14 writers: M. T. Anderson, Holly Black, Libba Bray, Shawn Cheng, Cassandra Clare, Cory Doctorow, Dylan Horrocks, Kathleen Jennings, Elizabeth Knox, Kelly Link, Garth Nix, Christopher Rowe, Delia Sherman, and Ysabeau S. Wilce.


How fun to find new authors I hadn't discovered before among old friends, all writing speculative fiction which often left me with chills. This quote from Cory's short story "Clockwork Fagin" really captures the collective atmosphere of Steampunk!:

"For machines may be balky and they may destroy us with their terrible appetite for oil, blood, and flesh, but they behave according to fixed rules and can be understood by anyone with the cunning to look upon them and winkle out their secrets. Children are ever so much more complicated."

Perfect, right? With three starred reviews already, look for this release October 11th!

Steampunk!: An Anthology of Fantastically Rich and Strange Stories
edited by Kelly Link and Gary J. Gavin
Candlewick Press, 2011

Happy New Year, Steampunk Style!

I'm still steampunking around after our rgz Circle of Stars feature Scott Westerfeld back in March. So here you go, rgz. HAPPY NEW YEAR!

How are you ringing in 2011?

March: Round Up of Discussions

Just in case you missed any of the great discussion with Scott, check out these links and drop your comment!

March Newsflash
Welcome, Scott!
Leviathan terms and definitions
What is Steampunk?
Leviathan art by Keith Thompson
rgz TV
1910s Scrapbook
Leviathan Audio Book with Alan Cumming
Poetry Friday: Steampunk
Leviathan Playlist
Party It Up: Leviathan Book Club Party Ideas
Things to Know About Scott
Street Team Review: Vanessa
postergirlz recommends

Discussion questions

Living in a different time?
Hiding who you are?
Reading illustrated books
What if history changed?
Do you "cheat" with illustrated novels?
Favorite fashion period?

What beastie?
Keeping Secrets from Friends
Overprotective parents?
Want to Grow up as Royalty?

Thank You, Scott Westerfeld!

Here's a big, bubbly THANK YOU to the awesome Scott Westerfeld for joining us at readergirlz this month!

We loved hearing stories from Scott and learning more about steampunk and Leviathan.

Some highlights:

1. Learning a Scott secret during the LIVE chat: "I am only 6'1". I would be taller, except I'm missing a vertebra."

2. Alan Cumming narrated the audio book for Leviathan!

3. Rgz TV got behind the scenes with Scott and his bubbly water.

We've so loved having you here this month. Thank you, Scott!

March: postergirlz recommends

Did you totally heart Leviathan? Are you steampunk to the core? Check out these additional postergirlz recommends. They are great companion reads!



Fiction
The Cabinet of Wonders by Marie Rutkoski
Skybreaker by Kenneth Oppel
The Explosionist by Jenny Davidson
Skin Hunger by Kathleen Duey
Boneshaker by Cherie Priest

Non-Fiction
Gothic Charm School: An Essential Guide for Goths and Those Who Love Them by Jillian Venters

March: Would You Want to Grow Up Royal?

Leviathan author Scott Westerfeld asks, "Would you want to grow up as royalty, if it meant you couldn't have any friends your own age?"

Rgz Street Team: Vanessa Reviews Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld

The rgz Street Team is a group of teens who bring YA reviews to our blog, led by Postergirl Miss Erin. Find out more.

Today, Vanessa reviews our featured title, Leviathan, by Scott Westerfeld!

"Opening the covers of Leviathan opened a whole new world to me. It didn't take more than a few chapters before I felt like I was in a new universe filled with spectacular animals and monstrous machines.

"First there's Alek, an illegitimate prince who is taken out of his room to be set on a journey he never expected. Along the way, Alek learns many new skills that will prepare him for the dangerous days that have begun. Then there's Deryn, a girl who dares to follow her dream of working on an airship, even if it means disguising herself as a boy to do so. Deryn takes to the skies and proves herself to be more of a man than the rest of the crew.

"When both Alek and Deryn are thrown into situations they never expected, they never back down from their new roles. And when these two individuals from opposite sides of an impending battle eventually meet and work together, there's no stopping them. Leviathan not only brings an exciting new world right to your fingertips, but inspires you to be the best you can be, no matter what you're facing." -Vanessa

Thanks, Vanessa!

March: Are your parents ever overprotective?

Leviathan author Scott Westerfeld asks, "Have you ever felt, like Alek, that your parents have tried to protect you too much?"

Cover Stories: Specials by Scott Westerfeld

In 2008 I published a brief Cover Story about Scott Westerfeld's Specials, and it seemed prime for revival this month!

This one involves me telling the story, because I just so happened to be at a friend's barbecue in Brooklyn that summer where I saw an acquaintance named Katerena Alkhimova, whom I knew was a model. We started talking about how she saw her photo on the cover of a YA book recently, and I was intrigued!

"Which one?" I asked.

"A science fiction one," she said.

"What was it called?!" I asked.

"It had a one-word title," she said. "And they put tattoos on my face."

I had just finished Uglies and Pretties, the first two books in the four-book Uglies "trilogy," so I knew it was Specials! Then I made her turn her head and I could just see the cover. It was so cool! Here's what Katerena, who's originally from Russia, says: "The shoot was very easy and fast. We only had to do that one picture which did not take even two hours to make. It was three years ago though, so it is hard to remember particular details." I got to tell her that her character is both painfully gorgeous and devastatingly evil. I think she liked that.

When I saw Scott Westerfeld later, I asked him if he'd mind my posting this story, and he graciously said that would be fine. I just wish I'd snapped a photo of bbq Katerena, but here are some other shots of her so you can see what she looks like in non-science-fiction situations (two modeling shots and one casual):



So that's that!

March: Things to Know About Featured Author Scott Westerfeld

On the nightstand: About 20 books, three pairs of reading glasses, water.

Favorite drink while you write: Water with bubbles in it. (Just got a machine to make my own.)

Favorite bookstores: Kinokuniya in Sydney, Australia. Huge YA section, lots of manga and graphic novels as well. Half Japanese and half English.

Pets: A telescope shaped like a penguin.

Place to write: In my study on an old Chesterfield couch covered in cracked leather.

Inspiration: Human beings. We're hilarious, and often awesome.

Cure for writer's block: Blow something up (in the book).

Favorite outfit: Pajamas.

Next up: Behemoth, book 2 of Leviathan.

Website: www.scottwesterfeld.com

Read more about Scott in this month's full issue!

March: Have You Ever Hidden Something From a Friend?

Leviathan author Scott Westerfeld asks, "Have you ever had a friendship with someone who you couldn't tell something important about yourself?"

Party It Up: A Leviathan Soiree!

Planning your own Leviathan book group/get-together? Here are some party ideas from author Scott Westerfeld.

Invite: Something with gears, or Victorian wallpaper.

Décor: Match the invite.

Attire: Victorian clothes: corsets, bustles, long dresses, fancy hats. Check out some pieces of steampunk jewelry and ensembles here, there, and everywhere.

Food: Anything shaped like gears.

Movies: Sherlock Holmes, The Golden Compass, Wild Wild West

March: What Beastie Would You Choose as a Pet?

Leviathan author Scott Westerfeld asks, "If you could make any animal in the world into a loyal pet, what beastie would you choose?"

rgz LIVE! with Scott Westerfeld

Welcome to our rgz LIVE! chat with Scott Westerfeld! We're super excited to have him visit FROM AUSTRALIA, and the chat will start at the top of the hour--make sure you're here with your steampunk goggles on, rgz!

rgz LIVE! chat with Scott Westerfeld tonight!

Stop by the readergirlz blog tonight for a LIVE chat with Scott Westerfeld, author of the very cool steampunk novel, LEVIATHAN!

The live chat starts at 6pm PST/9pm EST - hope to see you there!

Meet Will, the real-life steampunk readerboy

I am pleased to introduce our very own steampunk readerboy: Will, the first mate of the H.M.A.S. Dauntless, pictured here with some of the crew, bosun Johnny "One-Button" and Sasha, at the PAX convention. They had a blast at this event, where they hung out with Harley Quinn, used the force with some Jedis, and ran into Frank from Donnie Darko, among others.

Oh, see those cool googles Will's wearing? He made those himself.











Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld, this month's featured title at readergirlz, has joined the crew's bookshelf. You should have seen Will's face when I told him we got in a new steampunk title, back when the book first arrived in the store.

A mutual friend of ours, Brendan, would have loved this book. You are missed, Brendan.

The Steampunk World's Fair!

Speaking of Scott Westerfeld and LEVIATHAN, this event sounds amazingly cool:



Such a tempting reason to go to New Jersey in May! Think you might want to go? Here's the official site.

March: What's Your Favorite Fashion Period in History?

Leviathan author Scott Westerfeld asks, "What's your favorite period of history for clothing?"

March: Do You "Cheat" With Illustrated Novels?

Featured author Scott Westerfeld asks, "While reading Leviathan, did you ever 'cheat' and skip ahead to the next picture?" (Or have you done this with other illustrated books?)