Interview: Peter J. Wacks, FairyPunk Studios

Punking it up, fairy style

By Christine Stoddard
QuailBellMagazine.com

Since we know that Steampunk is all the rage, especially with our fellow Quail Bell(e)s, how could we resist a quick chat with Peter J. Wacks, head of FairyPunk Studios? FairyPunk Studios combines two of a few of our favorite things: Steampunk and nursery rhymes. A curiosity, yes, but also a rather intuitive one. Here's what Peter the Punk has to say about his wee cooperative:

• Could you explain what FairyPunk is and does?

FairyPunk is a creative cooperative.  We combine talent (Artists, Writers, etc.) to recreate classical fairytales and bedtime stories in the Steampunk Landscape.  At the core of what we do lies creating inspiring worlds of beauty and elegance in an already richly vivid mental landscape. Each project is aimed at being vivid artwork for adults as well as rich stories for children.
 
Once we have created the project we print a very small limited edition run for promotion, then pass the projects on to our partner publisher (currently Fantastic Journeys Publishing) for mass market printing and distribution.

• What inspired the idea for FairyPunk?

That is a harder question.  The precise moment was one of those ‘wouldn’t it be cool if someone...’ conversations, to which my friends and colleagues present replied ‘Yes, it would!  Why don’t you?’  There was no specific inspiration.  I’m one of those types that randomly strings concepts together, and it was a moment of pure randomness that created the idea.

• Could you describe a couple of your favorite FairyPunk projects?

While the books and art are absolutely amazing, my favorite project is the free Nursery Rhyme Archive.  It is a very slow process, finding those rare gems that convert traditional rhymes with Steampunk ideas, but getting to read all the ideas and rhymes that come in is a blast.

• How does your submission process work?

It is very easy.  Each writer must first submit a free nursery rhyme at the FairyPunkStories.com submissions page.  We look for rhymes that maintain a solid Nursery Rhyme Tempo while growing the length of the original and converting the ideas to a Steampunk setting.  If it is accepted it is then published with a history of the original rhyme and credited to the new author.  Once that happens, we offer a book, depending on the current production schedule (we currently have 9 books, in various stages, in the schedule).

• Who makes up your creative team? How do they click?

Our studio is split into two types of folk:  Creative Contributors and Creative Directors.  Contributors create content, while Directors both create content and help guide the studio.  We are lucky to have amazing chemistry in the studio.  In part because we do not have to worry about the stresses of being a publishing house, we get to have all the fun and just be creative together.

• What are some projects FairyPunk's working on now? What are you most excited about?

Right now we are focused on a Kickstarter project.  Beyond that, we have just passed off the first to books to our partner publisher, and are looking ahead at our release schedule, creating the next 4 books.   Right now I am very excited that Maurine Starkey, the 2012 Hugo winning artist, wants to join our team and illustrate a couple books for us.

• Anything to add?

Sure!  Thanks for taking the time to chat with me, and don’t forget to check out our website at Fairypunkstories.com, as well as our Kickstarter.  Please share the Kickstarter with your friends to help us get some momentum going for an amazing project!