Steampunk Arrives In The West

November 15, 2010
Had a speech in downtown Phoenix yesterday morning at the Sheraton Hotel. Spoke to about 35 attendees at an ACAAI convention. Really successful. Funny how it can be small, only 35 people, but they were the RIGHT 35 people. Very engaged, asked for information on how to subscribe to True West, how to find more of my work, etc. I have spoken to many, larger groups and not gotten a blip of interest. Always amazes me.

Afterwards, met my son T. Charles and his main squeeze Pattarapan at the Matador for huevos rancheros. Our waitress, Olivia, has been at this cafe since 1980, when they opened, and she worked for the owner at their other location since 1971. AND, she hasn't aged a day. I mean it. My son bought breakfast.

There's a movement called steampunk that is really, ahem, picking up steam. Have you heard about it? It's bit like a Renaissance Faire, only crossed with a Western and Mad Max. Enthusiasts dress in elaborate costumes featurinig goggles, jewelry fashioned from watch parts and cogs and gears, and structured garments such as corset. The technology is advanced but not in the ways we are accustomed, for example, there are computers, but they run on 1800s technology. It has been around for some time. Wild, Wild West with Will Smith featured a giant spider machine that ran on steam. They love taking modern inventions like the internet, weaponry, clocks and re-imagining how they would look had they been created with Victorian tech and materials.

Read more: http://www.kansas.com/2010/11/13/1587714/steampunk-fans-descend-on-old.html#ixzz15NbvZVId