Thursday, April 21, 2011

teapunk: the long dark teatime of the soul

I've written a book that doesn't fit all that neatly into any particular classification beyond young adult. THE EMPRESS CHRONICLES is part romance, part historical, part contemporary-issue, part mystery, part urban fantasy, part magical realism, part steampunk. Actually, what it might be more than anything is a modern fairy tale. But, there is a mood that I want to encapsulate with some sort of distilling and overarching word or group of words.

At my day job, this would be the perfect opportunity for a branding exercise we call a 360. Essentially, in our 360s, clients and their trusted advisers gather in a room, and, following an agenda, we trot the clients through a brainstorming session that results in clarity and goals and all sorts of cool stuff.

In lieu of a traditional 360, I did some poking around, and, Et Voilà, I found a curious emerging sub-genre known as teapunk. Conjuring a Victorian moodiness and a fantastical Alice and Wonderland element, teapunk celebrates tea culture with a nod to some of the Victorian stylization of steampunk. Some go as far to suggest teapunk is a wide embrace of 19th century culture generally.

But what I like most about teapunk, is the punk-- a hint of the contemporary part of the historical/contemporary duality. And, borrowing from the quick definition of steampunk (a genre that features anachronistic technology in the Victorian era), teapunk might be thought of as a genre that celebrates the mood of Victorian culture via interface with a contemporary perspective. Ok, I made that up. Maybe better would be to quote the facebook page (and I paraphrase): Take the SM out of steampunk and steep in the long dark teatime of the soul.

4 comments:

  1. Anonymous9:54 AM

    this i love.

    new emerging genre.

    cool cult following potential.

    and victorian princesses all wrapped into one beautifully corset-ed book. i see sophia copolla buying the rights and a soundtrack with songs from whatever jack white is jamming with at the time.

    (my word verification to post this comment is: readoc good sign, right!?)

    ReplyDelete
  2. you awesome amy g!
    love that copolla chick. ever see her stylized marie antoinette? the shoes! the food!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Anonymous3:42 PM

    Yes! loved Marie Antoinette. I think I could watch it on mute, especially the part when marie gets to live in the summer cottage home all on her own with friends all lounging around and dancing in flowers. loved it.

    what about young victoria with emily blunt (i can't remember if that was the right title or not). it's another gorgeous film.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Thank you! I keep meaning to Netflix Young Victoria, and then I forget.

    And yes, the lounging around party scene was terrific. Ah, to be royalty and have access to those gardens.

    (voconi is my capcha word. sounds triumphant!)

    ReplyDelete

Thanks for commenting. If you have trouble posting a comment, let me know! suzyvitello@gmail.com