Cool fact: the term ‘Steampunk’ was coined in Locus magazine in April of 1987… which I just learned because the September Issues is all about Steampunk. They even reprinted the original letter. I thought that was neat.

I forgot to mention that Rikki at The Bookkeeper is hosting a Steampunk book challenge… http://www.rikkidonovan.com/index.php/steampunk-challenge-2/

I purchased my copy of Waiting a few weeks ago at my favourite Chapters outlet. It came out here in Canada on Aug. 24 and when I saw it a few months ago that it was coming out in pbk., it was one that I was anticipating getting. I have so much to read at the moment that I will have to read it at a later date.

I thought that I was hip and up on most cultural phenomenons. So, I feel totally out of it, I have never even heard the word “streampunk” before, and wasn’t even sure if I heard Ann correctly! Thank you for enlightening me, I learned something new today!

I thought that I was hip and up on most cultural phenomenons. So, I feel totally out of it, I have never even heard the word “streampunk” before, and wasn’t even sure if I heard Ann correctly! Thank you for enlightening me, I learned something new today!

The S in BOTNS has never bothered me. However, the apostrophe in the possessive “its” does (“it’s modern run”)! Out local grocery store had this error on the sticker that they put on every meat package wrapped in the store. Thank goodness someone eventually corrected it!

I guess I should proofread my own comments better! That should be “Our grocery store”.

Oh Joanne! If only you knew how much the “its/it’s” thing is a pet peeve of mine. I can’t believe I made that mistake! My only defense is that I was doing these show notes at 10:30 last night and I was TIRED!

Thanks for pointing it out though. It has been corrected!

Thanks for the heads up Anna Marie! I just went out and bought a copy of Locus, and I’m going to check out the reading challenge, too!

I’ve heard great things about the killer unicorn book – it’s actually the first in a trilogy (I think). The author is hilarious in person too!

Although I don’t generally read steampunk I’m in love with the fashions and decor that come from this genre. Did you know there is even a steampunk convention where just about everyone is in costume? Google it and you’ll find some fabulous pictures!

I must say that I agree BOTNS sounds much nicer than BOTN. It always makes me think of buttons when I read it.

Hi! I´ve just discovered your fantastic podcast! I´ve been listening to the two latest podcasts and I wanted to comment on the Banned Book Week. I´ve never heard of it before. I live in Sweden and here I think it is easy to take freedom of writing and reading for granted – but it´s very important not to forget that for a lot of people it is not. Of course I realise books are being banned here as well in certain schools or certain groops. There has been a discussion about books for young children since some publishers are afraid to publish books parents don´t like. Imagine no Pippi Longstocking or no books about sad and serious things… Thanks again, I´m looking forward listening to ALL your old podcasts as well as I´m subscribing for the new ones!

Thank you, Annmarie,both for finding us (how?) and sharing your perspective. You may know that we are having a “Swedish moment” here in the US with the huge popularity of Stieg Larsson’s books, so I’m quite thrilled to have a listener from Sweden!

Ann Kingman
Books on the Nightstand
http://www.booksonthenightstand.com

I listened to a Nancy Pearl podcast in which she discussed “elastic fiction.” Fiction that isn’t quite science fiction or fantasy. The books are very realistic, but have one or two differences in the reality. One such book was “The City and the City” by China Mieville. I realized as I listened that I am continually drawn to such work.

Michael, thank you being so gracious. I always hesitate to point out typos, wanting neither to offend someone nor to look too picky, but just wanting them corrected!

Never feel bad about correction my typos or grammar. I’m kind of a freak when it comes to things like that. I’d rather know, and correct it!

Anyone interested in trying out some “light” steampunk should give Soulless by Gail Carriger a try. It’s a really fun book that takes place in an alternate Victorian London and which combines romance, steampunk and the paranormal.

Funny how you hear a new word then all of a sudden hear it everywhere. I heard “steampunk” mentioned on the latest Bookrageous podcast … and then BOTNS came on … and there it was AGAIN! Guess I’ll be learning just what that is.

Rampant is a great read, I loved it, the mythology is really well done. The sequel is out now too, Ascendant. There is also an anthology called Zombie V Unicorns with stories by lots of well known YA writers, which might be where Michael heard about killar unicorns!

I heard Diana Glabaldon speak at theNational Book Festival a few weeks back. She said she never knows how to describe her books and bookshops never know where to stock them either. She also said the funniest place she had seen them put was in the historical non-fiction section in Foyles of London. When she pointed it out to the staff they said that the owner decided where everything went and she believes in time travel!!!

And finally my favourite paranormal romance is Shiver by Maggie Steifvater and I haven’t read much steampunk but I loved Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld, the illustrations in it are amazing. They’re both YA.

Thanks for a great podcast.

I have read a few steampunk books and enjoyed them, so here are my favorites.
Airborn by Kenneth Oppel. Airborn is about a cabin boy on an airship (one of steampunks favorite ways of travel) . Mr Oppel also wrote Skybreaker, the second in the series, which I have not read yet.

The Strangely Beautiful Tale of Miss Percy Parker and The Darkly Luminous Fight for Persephone Parker by Leanna Renee Hieber is another series that I enjoyed. It is probably more paranormal romance than steampunk, but has enough elements of modified Victoriana and London that it felt very steampunk to me.

I second the earlier mention of Soulless by Gail Carriger and would like to add Changeless by the same author. She also has a book Blameless that I have not read.

I couldn’t agree more with you choice of BOTNS because of how it looks. I have been driven crazy for the last number of years because of the website http://www.gorving.com. I read it as gorv-ing and always have to re-hurt by brain figuring out that it is go-r-v-ing.

I finally figured out where I have seen BOTNS before. It was the acronym of that terrible old TV Show, Battle of the Network Stars. Thanks for rebranding. Now it has SO much more class!

Oh no!! I remember that show. Not a connection I really want to make

As much as I LOVED that show as a kid (and would totally watch a remake!), I think we’ll keep this BOTNS separate from that one. There’s no way I would have been able to do any of those stunts anyway!

Killer unicorns??????????????

I’m a bit behind on my podcasts but really enjoyed this one. I laughed about Ann’s discussion of Steampunk because I had a similar experience. I read and review a lot of YA novels but had never heard the term Steampunk until recently…then all of a sudden I heard the term 3 times in one week! Like Ann, I looked it up on Wikipedia, then told my family what it meant. My 16-year old son has enjoyed some of this genre, like Leviathan. He and I are currently listening to Clockwork Angel.

Then, I was pleasantly surprised to hear Michael talk about The Sound of a Wild Snail Eating. The author has the same chronic illness I have, and I had just purchased her book, after hearing great things about it from one of the top doctors in our field. I haven’t had a chance to read it yet, but Michael helped move it up my TBR pile!

Thanks for another great podcast – looks like I have two to catch up now!

Sue Jackson

http://www.greatbooksforkidsandteens.com