Adrienne Kress's Blog

Adrienne Kress Books

MIDDLE GRADE - ages 8 - 12

ALEX AND THE IRONIC GENTLEMAN Winner of the Heart of Hawick awardFinalist for the Red Cedar award


PUBLICATION DATE: September 18 2007 (USA), 
October 1 2007 (Canada)
PUBLISHER: Weinstein Books (USA), Scholastic (UK/Canada) 
FORMAT: Hardcover, paperback, audio book, ebook
AVAILABLE FROM: IndieboundAVAILABLE FROM AMAZON: USA, CanadaAVAILABLE FROM: Barnes & Noble (USA), Indigo/Chapters (Canada)AVAILABLE FROM: Audible

SYNOPSIS: 
"Kress's debut is a wonderful blend of whimsy and moral, with winks at the reader on every page. . . This inspired book should hold up to many re-readings."- Publisher's Weekly, starred review
"Quirky, hilarious and genuinely exhilarating."- Eoin Colfer, best-selling author of the Artemis Fowl Series
Often mistaken for a boy because of her haircut and name, Alex Morningside is an inquisitive girl of ten-and-a-half who attends the prestigious Wigpowder-Steele Academy. Luckily for Alex, the new school year brings an exciting new teacher. Mr. Underwood makes lessons fun and teaches her how to fence. But Mr. Underwood has a mysterious family secret - the swashbuckling and buried treasure kind - and not everyone is glad he has come to Wigpowder-Steele. When the infamous pirates of a ship called the Ironic Gentleman kidnap Mr. Underwood, Alex sets off on a journey to rescue him, along the way encountering a cast of strange and magical characters, including the dashing  Captain Magnanimous, Coriander the Conjurer, the Extremely Ginormous Octopus, and the wicked Daughters of the Founding Fathers’ Preservation Society.




TIMOTHY AND THE DRAGON'S GATE Finalist for the Red Cedar AwardFinalist for the Audie Children's Book Award


PUBLICATION DATE: January 13th, 2009 
PUBLISHER: Weinstein Books (USA), Scholastic (UK/Canada)
FORMAT: Hardcover, paperback, audio book, ebook

AVAILABLE FROM: IndieboundAVAILABLE FROM AMAZON: USA, Canada
AVAILABLE FROM: Barnes & Noble (USA), Indigo/Chapters (Canada)AVAILABLE FROM: Audible

SYNOPSIS: 

"Timothy and the Dragon's Gate is an old-fashioned tale told by a gifted storyteller." - Quill and Quire, starred review
Eleven-year-old Timothy Freshwater has been expelled from every school in the city. With nowhere else to go, he joins his father at the Tall and Imposing Tower of Doom and lands himself an internship with Evans Bore, its hopelessly awkward CEO. When his father is called away on business, Timothy's real education begins. Left in the care of his eccentric neighbour Sir. Bazalgette, Timothy learns some curious facts about Mr. Bore and his unusually loyal mail clerk, Mr. Shen—facts that lead to unbelievable revelations: about dragons, servants, and the laws that bind them. 
With time running out, Timothy takes it upon himself to change one dragon’s fate, and begins an adventure that will not end until he is relentlessly pursued by a pack of blood-thirsty black cabs, a crazed ninja and the most feared pirate in the South China Sea!
The sequel to Alex and the Ironic Gentleman - this books starts off as its own unique tale of daring-do and then halfway through meets up with the end of Alex's story.  It is at this point that Timothy and Alex join forces to finish this crazy adventure together.




YOUNG ADULT - ages 12+

THE FRIDAY SOCIETY



PUBLICATION DATE: December 6, 2012
PUBLISHER: Dial, Penguin (USA), Razorbill (Canada)
FORMAT: Hardcover, ebook, audio book (narrated by the author)

AVAILABLE FROM: Indiebound
AVAILABLE FROM AMAZON: USA, Canada
AVAILABLE FROM: Barnes & Noble
AVAILABLE FROM: Chapters/IndigoAVAILABLE FROM: Audible

SYNOPSIS: 

"This book is pure fun and adventure, and the author’s casual, irreverent sense of humour is apparent on every page." - Quill and Quire, starred review

Be your own hero.

An action-packed tale of gowns, guys, guns--and the heroines who use them all.

Set in London, 1900, The Friday Society follows the stories of three very intelligent and talented young women, all of whom are assistants to powerful men: Cora, lab assistant; Michiko, Japanese fight assistant; and Nellie, magician's assistant. The three young women's lives become inexorably intertwined after a chance meeting at a ball that ends with the discovery of a murdered mystery man.

It's up to these three, in their own charming but bold way, to solve the murder--and the crimes they believe may be connected to it--without calling too much attention to themselves.

Told with Adrienne Kress's sharp wit and a great deal of irreverence, this Steampunk whodunit introduces three unforgettable and very ladylike--well, relatively ladylike--heroines poised for more dangerous adventures.


OUTCAST


PUBLICATION DATE: June 4, 2013
PUBLISHER: Diversion Books
FORMAT: Paperback, ebook
AVAILABLE AS EBOOK (list of all ebook links): https://ganxy.com/i/77868/adrienne-kress/outcast
AVAILABLE AS PAPERBACK: Amazon


SYNOPSIS: 

"With a crisp, engaging voice and sharp wit, Adrienne Kress is always a treat to read." - Kelley Armstrong, #1 New York Times Bestselling Author

After six years of “angels” coming out of the sky and taking people from her town, 16-year-old Riley Carver has just about had it living with the constant fear. When one decides to terrorize her in her own backyard, it’s the final straw. She takes her mother’s shotgun and shoots the thing. So it’s dead. Or … not? In place of the creature she shot, is a guy. A really hot guy. A really hot alive and breathing guy. Oh, and he’s totally naked.

Not sure what to do, she drags his unconscious body to the tool shed and ties him up. After all, he’s an angel and they have tricks. When he regains consciousness she’s all set to interrogate him about why the angels come to her town, and how to get back her best friend (and almost boyfriend) Chris, who was taken the year before. But it turns out the naked guy in her shed is just as confused about everything as she is.

He thinks it’s 1956.

Set in the deep south, Outcast is a story of love, trust, and coming of age. It’s also a story about the supernatural, a girl with a strange sense of humor who’s got wicked aim, a greaser from the 50’s, and an army of misfits coming together for one purpose: To kick some serious angel ass.




ANTHOLOGIES

CORSETS & CLOCKWORK "THE CLOCKWORK CORSET"



PUBLICATION DATE: May 10, 2011 (USA), May 26, 2011 (UK)
PUBLISHER: Running Press Kids (USA), Robinson Publishing (UK)
FORMAT: Paperback
AVAILABLE  FROM AMAZON: USA, UK, 
AVAILABLE FROM: Barnes & Noble 

SYNOPSIS: 
A stunning anthology of the very best of steampunk that’s taking teen fiction by storm. Bestselling romance editor Trisha Telep brings an exciting new element to the fast-growing sub-genre of steampunk, which bends and blends the old and the new in increasingly popular dark urban fantasies. Young heroes and heroines battle evil, in various forms with the help of super-technological or supernatural powers, while falling in and out of love.





THE GIRL WHO WAS ON FIRE:  YOUR FAVORITE AUTHORS ON SUZANNE COLLINS' HUNGER GAMES TRILOGY "THE INEVITABLE DECLINE OF DECADENCE"


PUBLICATION DATE: April 5, 2011
PUBLISHER: Smart Pop (USA)
FORMAT: Paperback
AVAILABLE FROM AMAZON: USAAVAILABLE FROM: Barnes & Noble

SYNOPSIS: 
Praised by writers from Stephen King to Stephenie Meyer, Suzanne Collins’ New York Times bestselling Hunger Games trilogy is dark, captivating, and deeply thought-provoking. Part straight-up survivalist adventure, part rich allegory, and part political thriller, the series has become a new YA favorite.

The Girl Who Was On Fire offers even more to think about for teen readers already engrossed by the Hunger Games. From the trilogy's darker themes of violence and social control to reality television, fashion, and weaponry, the collection's exploration of the Hunger Games by other YA writers reveals exactly how rich, and how perilous, protagonist Katniss’ world really is. 

The Girl Who Was On Fire covers all three books in the Hunger Games trilogy. 

Pictures of Atticus

Because I'm feeling guilty that I haven't blogged in a bit after being so excited to be back (why must life be so  . . . life), I thought I'd just do a quicky blog post today to make up for my bad behaviour.  Though those of you who do not share my fondness for fuzzy animals, namely cats, will likely have preferred I not blog at all, than post what I'm about to.

PICTURES OF ATTICUS!!  My cat.  Atticus.  He's fuzzy and weird and stuff.   And here are some pictures of him.  Because why not.










This is his purse. He loves it.  It actually is his, my friends gave it to him because he loved it so much.








He likes sitting by the fire.



He also likes pretending he's a chachka on the mantel.








He likes to sit on top of the fridge which is cute, but from certain angles it can catch you by surprise.

World meet OUTCAST, OUTCAST meet world

I mentioned in my first blog post back last Monday, after my rather long hiatus, that I had some book news and that I might or might not write a wee bit more about it anon.

Well, ladies and gentlemen, it is anon.

And here is the official Publisher's Marketplace announcement about my next book (!):

Adrienne Kress's OUTCAST, a quirky romantic YA, set in the deep south, about an unlikely pair of heroes leading a band of misfits against a host of "angels" that have been kidnapping their fellow townspeople, to Mary Cummings at Diversion Books by Jessica Regel at the Jean V. Naggar Literary Agency, Inc. (World English). 



Yes. I have a new book coming out, and I couldn't be more thrilled!

I am also thrilled to be working with Diversion Books. The world of ebooks is definitely a new one for me, and I am looking forward to learning a lot about it. I am especially excited to be working with Mary, who loves OUTCAST as much as I do. I also like how the book will be available Print on Demand – so if you want to you can get a paper copy.

And you'll get a chance to get a copy. Soon.

Because it'll be out in JUNE of this year.

Yes, you read that right. That's the amazing thing about ebooks, the quick turnaround.  It's kind of crazy :) .

I love this story. It's funny, it's sweet, it's a little sad in places too (apologies ahead of time). And it's the first romance I've written. Though true to Adrienne form, it's very . . . me: a romance based on mutual respect and shared interests. To me, there's nothing more romantic :)

I'll share more about OUTCAST in future blogs (maybe even a sneak peek or two).  And of course I'll be sharing all about the process and everything I learn about the world of ebooks with all of you. We'll be learning together, and I think it's going to be – dare I say it? – fun.

Upcoming Launch of Julie Czerneda's A TURN OF THE LIGHT

For those of you who may remember, I did an event this past August up in Orillia with some amazing fellow authors.  I had a fantastic time, and the whole thing was organised by author extraordinaire Julie Czerneda.

Let me tell you, the word prolific was invented for this woman. 

She read from her upcoming book, A TURN OF THE LIGHT, and I was instantly captivated.  I couldn't believe I'd have to wait until MARCH to get myself a copy.

Well how quickly the time flies.  It came out yesterday.  And this Saturday is its official launch!

Everybody, if you are in Toronto (or if you are not but have a hankering for some traveling) get yourselves to Bakka Phoenix Books this Saturday for the launch of her book.  That, my friends, is an order.  Plus, you seriously will not regret it. 

Some info on the launch followed by info on the book!



IT'S TIME FOR A TURN OF LIGHT!

On Saturday March 9th, Bakka Phoenix will help launch Julie E. Czerneda's new book, A TURN OF LIGHT -- and we're thrilled!  This is the noted SF author's first fantasy series, and it's going to be a great party.  There will books, cookies, toads, and of course, Julie herself.  I mean, what more can you ask for?  Please join the celebration:  drop by the store at 3pm next Saturday, the 9th.

---------
Bakka-Phoenix Books
84 Harbord St., Toronto, Ontario


About A TURN OF THE LIGHT:



The village of Marrowdell is an isolated pioneer community, but it is also the place where two worlds overlap, and at the turn of light--sunset--the world of magic known as the Verge can briefly be seen.

Jenn Nalynn belongs to both Verge and Marrowdell, but even she doesn't know how special she is--or that her invisible friend Wisp is actually a dragon sent to guard her... and keep her from leaving the valley. But Jenn longs to see the world, and thinking that a husband will help her reach this goal, she decides to create one using spells. Of course, everything goes awry, and suddenly her "invisible friend" has been transformed into a man. But he is not the only newcomer to Marrowdell, and far from the most dangerous of those who are suddenly finding their way to the valley...



And about Julie!

Julie and me!
Biologist Julie E. Czerneda's science fiction has received international acclaim, awards, and best-selling status. She is the author of the popular "Species Imperative" trilogy, the "Web Shifters" series, the "Trade Pact Universe" trilogy and her new "Stratification" novels. She was a finalist for the John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer. Her stand-alone novel, In the Company of Others, won Canada's Prix Aurora Award and was a finalist for the Philip K. Dick Award for Distinguished SF. Julie lives with her husband and two children in the lake country of central Ontario, under skies so clear they could take seeing the Milky Way for granted, but never do.

Steampunk Tuesday - Interview with props master Paul Marsh

 I discovered Mr. Paul Marsh on a random procrastination through etsy searching the word "Steampunk" (which I do a lot).  I was absolutely stunned by his Steampunk iPhone cases and could tell there was a real craftsman behind them.  I knew two things: I needed one of those cases, and I needed to get to know him and his work.  And while the case is mine ALL MINE, I can share with you all the amazing talent that is Mr. Marsh in this here interview below.  Please enjoy!


The wondrous case. It's a little darker in person, with subtler distinctions between pieces, but I thought this instagram filter really showed off the attention to detail.  Ain't it purdy?

What got you interested in prop/model building? What movie really inspired you to pursue it?

My interest in model and prop making started when, in 1978 I watched a movie called Star Wars. I remember running home and tipping my Lego out on the floor and attempting to build the robots and ships from that film. Shortly afterwards on TV there was a documentary about the making of Star Wars and seeing the miniatures and the props and sets being built further fired my imagination and determination.

Paul Marsh left, and yes, that's Bill Murray on the right.

You've worked on the Harry Potter films, Captain America as well as many others, any cool behind the scenes stories you can share with us?

I have worked on 26 films now and each one is very different from another. I have worked on two Harry potter films and was blown away by the quality of the set building. I personally think the ‘Ministry of Magic’ set is one of the most breathtaking sets ever built. Daniel Radcliffe is a real gentleman and when I took my eight year old son on a tour of the studio during the filming of The Deathly Hallows he came up to us both and spoke to Jack, my son, for about fifteen minutes. The assistant directors were trying to hurry him back to do another take but he shooed them away gently and said ‘I’m still talking to Jack.’

I have worked with many actors and each have impressed me with their professionalism. Jack Black is a personal favourite as he is such a fun guy and very talented musician.



What is the most exciting thing about your job?

The most exciting aspect of my job is the challenge of creating something that does not exist yet. It is very creative and even though someone else may have designed an impression of the model, or prop, it is the prop maker who realises it into existence. See the harness that Jack Black wears in Gulliver’s Travels. Myself and a good friend Jim built it and it was a beautiful but complex costume prop. It probably had around 2000 components to it.

Jack Black in a harness Paul designed for GULLIVER'S TRAVELS

What work is coming up on the horizon for you and what would be your ideal gig?

My ideal gig would be the next bunch of Star Wars film which will be in production here in the UK at pinewood studios. Fingers crossed for that one. Also I’d like to meet Kate Bush under any circumstances.

I have just finished on a Tom Cruise film and there are many films waiting for the green light. I can't say too much at present but obviously Star Wars would be fun.



Who do you admire in your field today and why?

The people I admire in the industry are the prop makers and special effects technicians. They are really unsung because not many people realise how much work goes into each and every shot. Even if it's just for a couple of seconds. Also, I have a bunch of supervisors above me who are brilliant, not only on the bench at building, but in their handling of the many stressful situations thrown at us. A couple of them in particular make sure the s*** doesn’t hit our fan. Also there is a guy called Chris Clarke. Go on youtube and look at his showreel. He is an animatronics wizard.



For anyone interested in pursuing a similar career path, what advice would you give them?

If you are interested in getting into this industry i would highly recommend doing a course in model making. I studied at the University of Hertfordshire in the UK and it is second to none at getting people into film. I probably worked with 20 people on the last movie who had all graduated from there.

Tim Burton standing on the Chocolate Factory set (he's way tiny in the middle)

Why Steampunk?

I love Steampunk because, for me it harks back to simpler times. Products were created for their aesthetics as much as their function. There is something living about a clockwork mechanism. The movement and sound seem like its breathing. That is why I wanted to build this iPhone case. But it's just the first of many things I am building at the moment. Look out for my walking cane soon.



Why Steampunk iPhone cases?

It was when I was working on The Fantastic Mr Fox that I had the idea of creating a steampunk phone case. I built an ipod classic one for myself first and all my friends and colleagues raved about it. So when I was on Jack the Giant Slayer and World War Z, I spent my lunch times designing and building the case you see now.

Miniature luggage for THE FANTASTIC MR. FOX (next to a pound coin)



Can you tell us a bit of about how the iPhone cases are created?

I bought a dummy IPhone 4s which I then took a vacuum forming of. It's when you heat up a sheet of plastic film and it is sucked around the shape. I didn’t want to use a real phone because a lot of heat is generated. With the vacuum forming I had a shape to build upon. I sourced many components. Cogs, gears and watch parts and selected ones which looked as though they interacted with each other. Once I had built it, I then had to sculpt plastiline under each tiny section so the silicon would not run underneath them. This took days. Once finished, I encased the case in silicone and then, once cured, cut it out. The tool I created in silicone had holes for a feed and smaller holes for risers, for air to escape, making the finished product tough. The metal powders are delicately brushed into the separate area and then the tool is run through a vacuum casting machine. The whole process takes about 2 hours to create each case. That is why they are not £2.00.

Silver bullets from WOLFMAN

What is your favourite Steampunk piece that you've created?

I think this case is my favourite piece so far, but the cane is shaping up nicely. It has an amber top with insects in.



What's your favourite Steampunk piece that someone else has created?

I love the steampunk laptop with the quill pen. Inspired stuff.

I Have Returned!

And the internet breathes a collective sigh of relief.

Or, you know, didn't realise I'd taken a break in the first place ;) .

But yup, I did, I took quite the break as you can tell from the below post which was about my book launch early December.  It was nice to do so, and I'm glad I did it.  Taking a break from something allows you to miss it!

And, yes, I have missed blogging :) .

I have several interesting things to share with you, stuff has happened over the past several months, and there may or may not be a new book coming out from yours truly in the early summer maybe.  But I'll be posting on all such news in the coming days/weeks (I am nothing, if not a tease).  Today is more for me just to say hi, it's good to be back etc.

Though, I do have one most important thing to share with you all . . .

I cut my hair.

Yes.

I know.  Stop the presses.

But I haven't cut my hair short since I was 14 and it was a rather traumatic experience I must say.  Though ultimately it was also amazing.  It's weird, I never thought I particularly identified myself by my hair.  It wasn't like I ever did anything particularly crazy with it or anything.  But after cutting it I realised just how much I subconsciously had.  It's silly, but something as innocuous as cutting one's hair (and, not sure if you heard, but hair?  It totally grows back) can be a pretty huge emotional experience.  It wasn't like I went all pixie haircut either.  Didn't pull an Anne Hathaway (though, if I ever cut my hair that short, you'd better believe I'll be singing as it happens like she did).  Still.  Emotions were felt, my friends.  Emotions were felt.

Here is a photo diary of the experience:



Waiting at the salon - Salon Bespoke in Toronto


"Well hair, this is it."
". . . that happened."

And there it all is.  In a baggie.  And no, not for a keepsake, I donated my hair to Wigs For Kids.
And the final result. . .




Being an actor I then had to immediately get new headshots (yes, it makes any decisions about changing one's look delightfully more complicated :P ) so here's the oh so serious fancy picture (that I instagrammed a bit for fun . . . or maybe because I have a serious instagram addiction . . . )



And that is the story about cutting my hair.

The end.



ALSO . . . did you know the fox was the new owl??  (because evidently animal trends are a thing)  This is a big deal for yours truly because as a pre-teen I was OBSESSED with foxes.  While my friends had pictures of boy bands covering their walls, I had foxes.  Yup.  Should I have admitted that? . . . you know I don't see how that's any more embarrassing than boy band pictures if I think about it so I admit it with pride!

Anyway, it's brought back the 11 year old Adrienne and I've had such fun surfing the net and looking at all the pointless (but AMAZING) chatchkas out there one can buy that are fox like.  And I stumbled on this print and I think it's wonderful, and wanted to share.  I know little about the artist aside that their handle is cat_using_a_computer.  I think it's just lovely, it has a very whimsical British feel.  Enjoy!

 
That's it for now!  We have some pretty cool stuff coming up this week, an interview with an amazing prop maker for some major films who also in his spare time makes the coolest iPhone steampunk cases for Steampunk Tuesday, details about my new book . . .  and more!  
Stay tuned!  Same bat time, same bat channel!

Steampunk Tuesday - A most successful gala!!

Last Friday was the book launch for THE FRIDAY SOCIETY.

Or rather THE FRIDAY SOCIETY gala!!

It was held at The Gladstone Hotel here in Toronto, and organised by yours truly - and IT WAS SO TOTALLY AWESOME.

We had displays of steampunk props and inventions by Messrs Smith and Bodine.  We had a demonstration of Bartitsu (with EW Barton Wright himself explaining the technique).  We premiered the trailer.  And of course I read.

People came in costume.  People posed in the photo area with awesome props.  People ate cake.  Oh yes.  I let them eat cake.  Not just one cake but FOUR CAKES.


How did it all come to be?  Well first of all I had insane amazing help from Chris Reed at Small Print Toronto and Adam Smith with Steampunk Canada.  And of course the amazing support from the staff at The Gladstone.

Second of all I had awesome help from my parents.  They drove me to the hotel at 4:30pm that afternoon, and my mom and I (along with some very helpful folks from The Gladstone) helped set up the room in a way that I thought worked best (yes we moved couches across the room, and then back again when I changed my mind).

Then the hotel technician came by to see what I wanted tech wise and he was just fantastic: highlighting certain areas of the room with light, and making sure the reading/trailer screening/fight demo ran smoothly.

Adam (along with adi, a fellow Adrienne and one of the organisers of the Ad Astra convention) showed up at 5pm, and set up a table where he could show off his amazing Steampunk props.  They also helped me set up the stage area which was where the photo area was.  I always get annoyed that stages take up so much space and are underused at events like this.  They are used for the reading and then there's this big empty space.  So I decided to set up one end to be a photo area.  The room has amazing exposed brick walls and lovely deep red curtains over the windows so it worked really well.  Prop a Penny Farthing (one of those oldy-timey bikes with the one giant wheel and one little one) against the wall and you're good to go! Adam helped set up a table of Steampunk props that people could pose with.  And let me tell you, it went over gangbusters.  People loved it.  And the stage was well used over the course of the evening. :)

Then Mr. Bodine (his character name) showed, and set up another table with his fantastic Steampunk devices.

The fight team who were doing the demonstration came a little early to run through the fight on the stage.  And then helped put up some twinkle lights.  Because twinkle lights make everything awesome.


And of course Chris Szego and her team from Bakka Phoenix Books were there by then to set up the books (they also very kindly helped sell some of my friend Katie's jewelry - I've shown you some of her work before).

And then people arrived and everything went beautifully (I was seriously stunned by this, usually something goes wrong. . . but no!  So crazy!).  People took pictures on the stage, they loved the trailer and the Bartitsu demonstration (and were rather fond of the reading if I do say so myself :) ).  And OMG, the costumes!  People really outdid themselves.

It was an amazing evening, full of fun - and it wouldn't have been what it was without all the amazing people who came.  I was so overwhelmed by the support, and I say it all the time, but it's well worth repeating . . . I know the most talented, most generous, and most awesome people on the planet.  Yes.  I am just that lucky.  So thank you, again, all of you.  It meant the world to me to share this evening with you all.

But enough words, the best way to share the evening is through pictures.  Bear with me.  There are a lot of them :) .


Me all oldy-timey.

my books!
some of the crowd (photo credit The Renaissance Paparazzi)


Me again.  In colour this time.



My friends Heather and Tyler and me.  I think we look like a trio of Victorian con artists.  I think that's awesome.

Raven with a wee gun. (photo credit The Renaissance Paparazzi)
(photo credit The Renaissance Paparazzi)


Me signing (in the background you can see Chris Szego from Bakka books). (photo credit The Renaissance Paparazzi)


Steampunk bird (photo credit The Renaissance Paparazzi)
Lisa (photo credit The Renaissance Paparazzi)
Messrs Smith and Bodine setting up (with Raven standing elegantly to the side) (photo credit The Renaissance Paparazzi)
The amazing steampunk confetti I ordered from Whimsey Dimples on etsy. (photo credit The Renaissance Paparazzi)
SHOWTIME!
Lesley Livingston introducing me.  She made me all teary and stuff.


  Me reading and being rather theatrical doing so.
The end of the trailer (which you will all get to see very soon!)



THE BARTITSU DEMONSTRATION
L to R: Erick, Nate, Scott



EW Barton Wright himself!


Nice Bartitsu collage courtesy of Heather





Adam's table with his Steampunk props!



A slightly blurry me and Adam.
The four cakes. 
Me signing.
Another angle of me signing.
Four dapper gents (with Mr. Bodine on the far left)
Heather.
Author J.M. Frey

 Me and my cousin Emma!
Me and Lesley in the fantastic oldy-timey elevator in the lobby of the hotel!
The photo area of the stage.
Mr. Bodine's table of Steampunk inventions!


Mr. Bodine explaining his inventions.

Stephanie and adi
Megan


Todd and Dave (and the Penny Farthing)
Priscilla and Tisha
One last shot of the crowd!

So You Want To Dress Steampunk...

...but you don't have the time nor funds to invest in a complex Steampunk ensemble.



Sometimes we have Steampunk events we must attend, but what happens if we don't have any Steampunk outfits to wear?  Or we'd like to go to the event and participate, but we aren't technically a Steampunker?

Well fear not!  For Adrienne is here to help you create your very own Steampunk outfit from what you already own!  Huzzah!

First of all, for those of you who, like me, are visual people, I will reference some films that might help focus your thoughts.  For Edwardian examples think MOULIN ROUGE, MARRY POPPINS (or most any of those Edwardian 60s Disney musials i.e.: CHITTY CHITTY BANG BANG), MY FAIR LADY and DOWNTON ABBEY.  I actually find the Edwardian slightly easier for people to emulate using contemporary clothing because it is closer in time period to our own.  But for Victorian examples think OLIVER! (any Dickens adaptation), JANE EYRE (so many adaptations), THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING ERNEST (any Wilde adaptation - ie: AN IDEAL HUSBAND), THE AGE OF INNOCENCE, TITANIC and PHANTOM OF THE OPERA.

Second of all, you might notice all my suggestions would also work if you were invited to a neo-Victorian/neo-Edwardian party.  There is nothing particularly Steampunk about the clothing choices.  What makes something steampunk are the accessories.  These are those accessories:


Accessories -

Hats: newsboy hat, bowler, top hat, fedora (actually a hat meant for women invented in the late 1800s), small top/bowler hats for women, fascinators, large wide brimmed hats you'd wear to Ascot or to star in My Fair Lady.



Eyewear: round glasses/sunglasses, goggles - aviator/lab/motorcycle, monocle



Jewelry: anything really, but in particular: cameos, pocketwatches, chains with a solitary pendant, chokers, rings.



Belts.  Belts belts belts belts belts.  Thick ones, thin ones, layer them one on top of the other, over the shoulder for a holster effect.  Leather, of course is preferable.



Canes, sticks, parasols.



Weapons - all oldy-timey and preferably fake because of the whole going out in public thing.  But: swords, old fashioned guns (small and discrete, large and formidable), daggers.



There's an amusing video called "Don't just glue some gears onto it and call it Steampunk" that mocks, well, the obvious.  To which I respond, why the heck not?  If you want to put in a bit of an effort, there is no surer way to Steampunkify your ensemble than gluing some gears onto it.  Here are some inspirational photos.
























Now for the clothing part.


MEN

I really like using Moulin Rouge as my reference, but if people don't know it, I've also included pics.

The easiest for men is a SUIT.  There is a day suit, usually brown, maybe tweed (think what Henry Higgins wears almost all the time throughout MY FAIR LADY), or there is a tux or evening suit - black, sharply put together complete with a top hat.








If you have a colourful suit jacket you can suddenly become an MC of your very own Burlesque show :) .  Think Zidler.





Or if you happen to have a smoking jacket, replace your suit jacket with that, and add a white cravat (where does one get one of those, well it's easy enough with a scarf, but look around your place and see if you have any random bits of fabric, or if you really feel like it, cut up an old bedsheet) and you've got a lovely outfit to rest in for the evening.  And you'll look like The Duke in the Like A Virgin number.

This was seriously the best pic of his outfit I could find :P


Or add a lab coat and a pair of goggles and suddenly you're a scientist!





But if a full suit is not in the cards, then there are some other Moulin Rouge inspired looks that work:

The Semi-Dressed Man aka the Roxanne Musical Number - dress pants and shoes, a white tank top/under shirt, if you have them, suspenders add a certain je ne sais quoix (and will really highlight your killer Fosse dance moves).  If you want add a waistcoat/vest.  This look works great for men and women.



Literally cap it all off with a bowler hat (cheaply found at any costume shop, as are top hats, mine was eight bucks at Theatrics on Yonge here in Toronto) and you're good to go!

OR

The Artist/Inventor aka The Hills Are Alive scene - dress pants and shoes OR brown corduroy/tweed/dress pants and brown boots/shoes, dress shirt (unbuttoned if no tie), scarf/cravat/undone bow tie, vest/waistcoat, funky glasses, most any kind of oldy-timey looking hat





I'm about to launch into female options, but men I suggest you read it too.  There might be something I list for women that could inspire as well.


WOMEN

It's harder for women to come up with a Steampunk costume with the elements in our wardrobes for one simple reason: corsets.  In that we don't tend to own them.  It is one of the coolest costume elements for women getting into the Steampunk aesthetic, but what does the average woman do?

Well first of all it is perfectly acceptable to cross-dress.  Think Marlene Dietrich.  Any of the male suggestions work for women too (to be fair any female suggestions are perfectly fine for men as well if they want), and since a lot of women own suits now, these outfits might suit better than a corseted ensemble.



However, here are some uniquely female options:

The Professional/Adventurer - even if you don't have a corset, you can still give the illusion you are wearing one beneath your clothes.  With a cropped military/tweed/business jacket, a tight shirt with a thick belt around the waist and a long skirt, you are good to go.  You can even go with a just below knee length skirt if you don't have a long one.  Think a Wild West kind of look.

Courtesy: Clockwork Couture

If you add a white lab coat and a pair of goggles suddenly you're a scientist!


The Fortune Teller - mediums, tarot card readers etc were very popular at that time (and I suppose remain so today).  This can be the easiest for women to dress as because most of us own scarves etc that can be wrapped around the head, the waist, the neck.  Get a flowy skirt, a blouse, lots of bling - long necklaces and bangles, hoop earrings . . . bring a deck of cards with you and you're golden.

As you can see from the pic below, fortune teller can also double as pirate.



The Dressed-Up Lady - if you have a long elegant gown, preferably at least A-line, add a pair of gloves, a belt, an up-do, some period jewelry and ta-da!  A lovely Edwardian lady. 

Titanic is a good inspiration too!


However, if you DO have a corset:

- add a long skirt and a bolero - you are a dressed up lady
- wear it with the gentlemen options above and you've got a female version of all said outfits
or . . .

The Semi-Dressed Woman - again we're talking about the Roxanne number from Moulin Rouge.  Get a white undershirt, or sleeveless blouse, add the corset on top, a pair of frilly boy shorts underwear, thigh highs, garter belt, shoes.  It's a far more risque costume to the male version, but you can actually be pretty covered while wearing it.  Hair up, messy makeup.  You're good to go!




So there you go!  I could go on, as there are so many wonderful options for dressing up, and my list here is by no means the be all and end all.  But I hope it's sparked some ideas, inspired you in some ways. 

However if you want even more inspiration and pics, please visit my other blog post on the Archetypal Steampunk Costumes.

Also if you are in Toronto, here are some excellent stores to check out if you want to spend some cash: Theatrics, Malabars, Kensington Market, Value Village (for Halloween they actually had pre-packaged Steampunk outfits and still might), Goodwill

Reluctant Reader

Hi.  My name is Adrienne Kress and I'm a reluctant reader.

I don't know if they had the term when I was growing up, and it took me a while after I'd first heard it to learn that reluctant reader did not necessarily mean someone who found the act of reading difficult, ie: had dyslexia.  Of course those who do find the act of reading difficult can definitely become reluctant readers due to sheer frustration. 

But I discovered that the term also referred to people like me.  People who don't struggle with the act of reading, but do struggle with remembering that reading is a totally awesome way to pass the time. 

This might sound truly odd, seeing as I'm an author and all.  It might also sound truly odd considering how many books I have read over my lifetime.  But I wanted to talk about it to offer a bit of a insight into the mindset of someone like me.  I also thought it might be useful to authors who want to take reluctant readers in mind when writing their work (not that it is necessary to do so, but if you are interested then well, here you go).  Being not only one of those readers, but an author of books who has been told by multiple teachers that her books are popular with reluctant readers, I feel I can offer some decent insight.  As always, if anyone has anything to add to my post, please do feel free to leave a comment.  After all, ultimately this is coming from my personal experience, and I can't necessarily speak to some universal truth.

So.

First of all, what do I mean by reluctant?

I mean someone who would rather relax doing something else.  Whether that be watching TV/Film, playing video games, playing sports, doing music etc.  I mean someone who doesn't think reading and goes, "Ooh yes!  That's what I'd like to be doing right now."  Someone who needs to be reminded every time she picks up a book that she actually really enjoys reading.

And yes, I need to be reminded every time.  I've grown as a reader.  I've worked hard to do so, I now read almost every genre (aside from horror because it scares me).  I am willing to fight my way through a more dense work because I see a value to it, when once I would have just given up.  But still.  I need to be reminded every time.  I don't automatically trust I'll enjoy a book the way I automatically trust I'll enjoy a film.

As such, I wanted to share what does keep me reading, and more importantly what got me reading when I wasn't yet willing to put in the effort.  When I really needed the book to do all the work for me.

And one of the things I've noticed that some are doing to try to engage reluctant readers is to write shorter works with simple words and plot.  For me this is the wrong tactic to take.  This is not not what engages such readers.  As I said above, reluctant readers don't struggle with the act of reading, nor with comprehension.  They just don't think they enjoy it.  But books like Harry Potter have shown us that people of all stripes will pick up long books with complicated stories so long as they are entertained by them.  And that's the key: the books need to be entertaining.

Reluctant readers don't need easy language and story.  That's just as likely to turn off a reluctant reader as anything else (it's condescending and not really that compelling).  What they want is proof that this story will keep them reading.

So what are some elements that help keep us reading:

Short Chapters
- not less complex, but chapters where when you flip ahead you can see an end point.  Short chapters give permission for a reader to pause.  It also gives the reader a sense of accomplishment.  Short chapters can also oddly make you want to read more.  The whole, "Okay I'll just read one more chapter since they are so short anyway. . ." really does work.  I've fallen for that trick many times.  Say what you will about Dan Brown, but one of the things he does brilliantly is use the short chapter technique to perfection.  He also ended each chapter with a cliffhanger, which can get annoying after a while when you realise what he's doing.  But darn it if it didn't get people reading further :) . 


A Story That Moves Forward
- this doesn't have to be action action action, but even in a more character driven piece, things need to happen.  I will say it took me a long time to appreciate literary fiction, and that was because I worked hard to discover what was enjoyable about such fiction.  Now I love it.  But I remember how I felt in the early days.  Story needs to move forward, there needs to be momentum.  The reader wants to keep reading, to see what happens next.


Dialogue
- like Alice says, "What's the use of a book without pictures or conversations?"  Dialogue does several things.  First aesthetically it breaks up the text.  It makes it look less daunting.  White space is very comforting.  Secondly dialogue hints at action. It suggests that this won't be some book that talks about the sunset for five pages nor internal strife for paragraphs on end.  Thirdly, dialogue is in the moment, it's a conversation happening in the now.  Even if written in the past tense, dialogue gives a great sense of immediacy.  It also is the closest part of a book to a screenplay, and considering how popular television and film is, it's not a bad thing to have something in common with those media.


Minimal Description
- it's not that we don't want you to world build, it's that we don't want you to dwell on it.  We get it, we can fill in the blanks.  Some readers have the patience to read every small detail of the world you have so lovingly created.  But we are interested in the story happening now, not the background. This doesn't mean you shouldn't create a well rounded universe, it simply means that for writing for the reluctant reader it isn't necessary to share every single element.  Only add those bits that matter to the story moving forward.


Humour
 - not necessary, but I know it worked for me.  When I considered reading, I saw Literature with a capital "L".  It was what was good for me.  It was the choice my parents wanted me to choose to occupy my free time with.  It was quality.  And for that reason I assumed, like other things that were good for me, it was blah.  It didn't taste good like junk food, it didn't entertain like a movie.  It was healthy.  So I assumed it would be boring.  Something I'd have to struggle through.  When I discovered books could be funny, could make me laugh?  That was a big deal.  Ultimately it isn't about the humour specifically (that's just what worked for me), but in writing a book that doesn't take itself too seriously, that doesn't see itself as "important".  That first and foremost wants to include me the reader, that wants to get me excited by the story, as opposed to showing off to the reader how well the story is written.


Those are just a few elements, dealt with on a pretty basic level, that I think bring the reluctant reader in.  They are also elements you will find more of in literature for young people.  Why?  Because books for young people don't rely on the reader putting in an extra effort.  Kids especially will not attempt to get through a book because some reviewer told them it was a seminal work of whatever.  If they aren't entertained, they ain't reading it.  And that isn't an altogether bad attitude I think.  It puts the focus where it belongs, on the book, not the show of reading, not the importance of the author, but on the words there on the page before you.

In any event, I hope this shed some light on the reluctant reader mindset.  I also want to remind you that this is very particular to that one group.  This doesn't mean that there aren't books worth putting in effort for, nor that there aren't readers who love pages and pages of description and slow moving stories with little dialogue.  This isn't me making any kind of value judgment.  I am simply being very blunt in what a certain group of readers think when they read.  Not everyone. 

As always, it's all about to each his own.  In the end, it's about getting people to read and, just as importantly I think, to enjoy reading.  How you do it is up to you! :)

Steampunk Tuesday - Adrienne's Steampunk Photoshoot Part Deux

I already posted the spontaneous photoshoot pics I took a while ago, but here and now I can finally share with you some of the professional photos I had taken so I had some I could use for various Steampunk events etc.

They turned out amazing, and it's all down to the fantastic Tanja Tiziana - a professional photographer here in Toronto.  She was creative and hilarious and totally understood the look I was going for.  Her work is fantastic - check it out at her site here.

We had a lot of fun playing with costumes and props, as well as lighting, hair and makeup, it was an all day affair.  And here is the end result! I really think they are pretty sweet (click on pics for larger versions):


I shared this chair on this blog before: it's at late 19th century music hall chair. Underneath there is a wire frame where you can store your top hat :) .









Poll time:  of the two above, which do people prefer, smiling or not smiling?










And . . . close-up of the same shot.



Me with a very large Steampunk gun.  Courtesy of Mr. Adam Smith.


Now a pair of fun shots.

Made this one look oldy-timey!  Aka: Sepia




Me as an anime character? The Giant Eye picture.  Took a while to place the magnifying glass just so, but well worth the effort I think :) .