“Inspirations and Influences” is a series of articles in which we invite authors to write guest posts talking about their…well, Inspirations and Influences. The cool thing is that the writers are given free rein so they can go wild and write about anything they want. It can be about their new book, series or about their career as a whole.
Today, we are thrilled to have Caitlin Kittredge, author of adult Urban Fantasy and YA speculative fiction. The second book in her Steampunk/adventure YA Iron Codex series, The Nightmare Garden was released on Valentine’s Day.
Here to talk about her books, please give a warm welcome to Caitlin, everyone!
It starts with a strange look—I’ll be describing my young adult trilogy, the Iron Codex, and I’ll utter the words “Lovecraftian steampunk fantasy”. And I’ll get the look. The I’m not sure what you’re about look. I get it, I do—these influences aren’t the most common basis for a YA novel. Honestly, when I started writing the books, I wasn’t sure it was going to work.
My inspiration for the first book, The Iron Thorn, was pretty simple — I wanted to write steampunk but I wasn’t finding a great deal of connection to the traditional steampunk tropes. I didn’t connect to gentle stories of manners and dirigibles, nor rip-roaring tales of rogue difference engines. I loved to read them, but every time I tried to write them I’d run of of steam (hah) within the first few chapters.
And then, one morning, the first line of Iron Thorn fell into my head. There are seventeen madhouses in the city of Lovecraft. I’ve visited all of them. Spoken in the voice of my narrator, Aoife Grayson, I wrote and wrote, trying to figure out why there was a city called Lovecraft and what manner of world it inhabited.
I’ve always been influenced by H.P. Lovecraft — I find his personal views and politics both despicable and sadly indicative of the time he lived in, but as for his fiction, in my opinion he has few peers when it comes to horror writing. His sentences aren’t always perfect and he does tend to ramble, but I haven’t met many other writers who can grab you by the throat and not let go, forcing you to watch the unceasing terror and tension folded into their stories play out.
So I had a steampunk story with a decidedly Lovecraftian twist — many of his monsters existed in the world of The Iron Thorn, and the horror of the unknown, the red thread that connects all of Lovecraft’s work, is also strong. I quickly decided that magic was outlawed in the world of the Iron Codex, seen as the ultimate blasphemy against science and reality. What would happen, I wondered, if Aoife Grayson discovered that magic was real, and not only real, but a part of her the same as her blood and skin?
She’d be in a tight spot, and I wrote The Iron Thorn to get her out of it. The sequel, The Nightmare Garden, is a lot more steampunk that Lovecraftian, if I do say. I had a fantastic time creating the gadgets, the locales, and the new characters for Nightmare Garden, and I could feel my childhood love of other pulps, such as the Conan stories, The Shadow (who’s extremely steampunk, if you read many of his adventures) and Victorian penny dreadfuls influencing what I wrote.
But it always came back to that strange combination, that twist on tradition that shouldn’t quite work. Monsters — unimaginably cosmic and horrifyingly real both — and technology, the solidness of iron and the hiss of steam — exisiting side by side. I don’t think the Iron Codex would have come about if I hadn’t been such a dedicated Lovecraft reader, but I don’t think it would have been nearly as much fun without the inspiration of giving the story a steampunk twist, eschewing tradition, gender roles, authority and cultural norms in a way that probably would have made old Howard Philips head for the hills. And I’m happy about that, because I love the world I was inspired to create by his stories, even if he wouldn’t.
Both The Iron Thorn and The Nightmare Garden are combinations of, I’d guess, most of my influences throughout my writing career and my life. There’s a lot in there—my love of pulps, old fairy tales my parents would read to me, my love of bizarre and forgotten folklore, and a strong dash of alternate history, the go-to spice of any steampunk author. And I think it’s because the inspiration for the books was so simple, but the influences so complex, that I love this trilogy as much as I do. I hope you feel the same way when you read it.
Giveaway Details:
Two lucky winners will receive copies of The Iron Thorn and The Nightmare Garden, courtesy of the lovely Ms. Kittredge. The contest is open to ALL and will run until Saturday February 25 at 11:59PM (PST). In order to enter, simply leave a comment here telling us what YOUR favorite Steampunk adventure novel is. Only one entry per person, please! Multiple entries will be disqualified. Good luck!
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137 Responses to Guest Author & Giveaway: Caitlin Kittredge on Inspirations & Influences
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Oops I meant The Infernal Devices. By Cassandra Clare.
Kenneth Oppel’s Airborn remains my favorite,* with Scott Westerfeld’s Leviathan a VERY close second.
*one of my dearest friends told me I was very much Kate DeVries. How could I not love that?
I’ve only recently been introduced to steampunk, but have found that I love it! So far, my favorite steampunk genre book is “Leviathan” by Scott Westerfeld (set during the time of WWI). I’m very interested in reading The Iron Thorn and The Nightmare Garden as I am a long-time fantasy fan — Sounds like a wonderful mix!
My favorite is The Iron Duke by Meljean Brook. It is full of adventure, romance, conspiracy and humor.
I simply adore Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld. Awesome story and characters.
I still have The Iron Thorn sitting on my shelf, with its spine uncracked. I AM going to read it a.s.a.p. ’cause I’ve been salivating over the whole idea ever since you mentioned the m.s. at your blog years ago.
my favorite is Clockwork Angel
My favorite steampunk novel is Boneshaker.
I’m going to have to continue the love for Leviathan. Great book.
Mine has to be heart of steel by Meljean Brook i heard of it through this blog and am now and in the process of reading it through a second time in a row. Close second and third have to be Boneshaker and the infernal devices
I would say The Iron Duke by Meljean Brook.
[...] Guest Author & Giveaway: Caitlin Kittredge on Inspirations & Influences [...]
I’d have to say that Scott Westerfeld’s Leviathan trilogy is my favorite collection of steampunk novels.
My favorite Steampunk series is The Steampunk Chronicles. The first book, The Girl in the Steel Corset, was thoroughly engrossing. I liked the quality of the author’s writing and the pace of the novel. The second book, The Girl in the Clockwork Collar, will be out in May. I can’t wait to read it!!!
Thanks for the giveaway! I really enjoyed The Iron Thorn.
Alyssa Sooklal
Leviathan, I agree.
Does The Alloy of Law by Brandon Sanderson count as steampunk? I think that’s the closest I’ve gotten to reading any, but I really, really liked it.
I loveeee Leviathan!!!
My favourite is the Leviathan series by Scott Westerfeld.
hmmm…not sure i’ve read a steampunk novel–i probably have and just forget!!! but i DO want to read leviathan (and will eventually) and the iron thorn has been on my reading list forever!!!!=o)
=o)
I don’t think I’ve ever read a steampunk novel. Does the Iron Duke by Meljean Brook count?
[...] of Just Right – Mama Kitty ReviewsCaitlin Kittredge, author of The Nightmare Garden – Book SmugglersDarynda Jones, author of Third Grave Dead Ahead – Book Wenches,Diana Castilleja, author [...]
Clockwork Angel is mine. Hope I win giveaway!
Does 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea count? I haven’t read enough modn steampunk, despite my adoration for Jules Verne.
These sound amazing. I would have to say Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare is my favourite, though Scott Westerfields Leviathan series is awesome as well.
Dare I say also that my favorite steampunk genre book is “Leviathan” by Scott Westerfeld? I like the WWI setting.
Hands down, the Parasol Protectorate by Gail Carriger. Charming, adventurous, and so damn fun!
Easily ‘All Men of Genius’ by Lev AC Rosen (which I’m fairly certain you guys pointed me to..so many thanks for that!)
Worldshaker by Richard Harland was really good, and its sequel, Liberator, comes out this year.
It’s not a novel, but I love Girl Genius, the webcomic–it has mad scientists, super soldiers, and talking cats! And it is so, so, steampunk.
i really like Leviathan!
thanks for making this international
I loved the first book and I’m looking forward to reading the second!
I love The Infernal Devices by Cassandra Clare!
I am pretty new when it comes to steampunk genre, but looking forward to exploring it :). I really liked the Iron Duke!.
Love Caitlin’s Black London series, am looking forward to reading this series.
pams00 @ aol.com
I’ve read Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld!!
My favorite is The Iron Duke by Meljean Brook.
I have never read a Steampunk book before.
[...] JEN B [...]