Geektastic: Stories from the Nerd Herd is in stores now!
This is one case where the marketing copy pretty much tells the story:
Acclaimed authors Holly Black (Ironside) and Cecil Castellucci (Boy Proof) have united in geekdom to edit short stories from some of the best selling and most promising geeks in young adult literature: M.T. Anderson, Libba Bray, Cassandra Clare, Tracy Lynn, Cynthia and Greg Leitich Smith, David Levithan, Kelly Link, Barry Lyga, Wendy Mass, Garth Nix, Scott Westerfield, Lisa Yee, and Sara Zarr.
With illustrated interstitials from comic book artists Hope Larson and Bryan Lee O’Malley, Geektastic covers all things geeky, from Klingons and Jedi Knights to fan fiction, theater geeks, and cosplayers. Whether you’re a former, current, or future geek, or if you just want to get in touch with your inner geek, Geektastic will help you get your geek on.
I’ve really loved the stories in Geektastic that I’ve read. A lot of them have the feel of being based on real events—strange encounters as science fiction conventions, amusing role playing incidents, and general mayhem both on- and offline. It gives a little glimpse into the dark underbelly of geekery.
Here’s an interesting article about the cover, in which it is revealed that those little geek icons are portraits of the contributors! Can you guess which one is me?
Actually, I’m just going to tell you. It’s this one:
As you can see, I’m wearing all black and the pair of brass goggles that I use when working on my airship!
Update:
Yes, everyone, it is in stores now. Sorry about the earlier mislead. Never trust Amazon about release dates!
July 26th, 2009 22:03
I love the title Geektastic and the cover looks great.
July 26th, 2009 22:19
Looking forward to this, as a geek, a writer, and an anthropologist (one of my geek passions is studying geek subcultures!).
July 26th, 2009 22:29
HAHA
GEEK-TASTIC!
&bubbly-major!
July 26th, 2009 22:30
Whoa, this is coming out next week?
I bought it in Barnes & Noble two weeks ago xD
July 26th, 2009 22:32
This looks so good! I’m definetley going to have to read it, as I am a geek. I also love the little icons.
July 26th, 2009 22:44
Er. It’s been out for a while now, at least at Barnes and Noble. And since I’ve seen it both at a Barnes and Noble in Kansas City and also one in Pittsburgh, I’m pretty sure it wasn’t a bookstore screw up.
July 26th, 2009 23:08
I’ve actually seen it in quite a few stores already. I bought one when I saw it because I’ve been waiting for the book for awhile now. lol I’m currently reading it myself actually.
July 26th, 2009 23:10
the geektastic cover looks awesome! i love the geek icon of scott…
July 26th, 2009 23:26
Why was I under the impression that John Green would be in this collab?
Oh, I think I’ve been mixing up my authors now.
This is going on my calendar!
And I absolutely cannot wait for Leviathan.
July 26th, 2009 23:33
As soon as I looked at the icons I KNEW you were the one with the goggles.
Also, color me ecstatic – I cannot wait for B&B to get this one in stock. (:
July 26th, 2009 23:41
cant wait to read it!
and your geek icon is absolutely gorgeous lol =P
July 26th, 2009 23:42
Oh, it looks so cute!!!!
I love geeking out…haha.
July 26th, 2009 23:43
And by looks cute i meant the cover, haha…
I’d totally read that!
July 27th, 2009 00:21
looks really cool…I want to get it.
July 27th, 2009 00:35
It was supposed to come out in August? My friend and I were at a Barnes and Noble a few weeks ago and saw it, guess they released it early. Anyway, can’t wait to read your short story!
(Jan-wa: I’m pretty sure John Green is in there! I flipped through a copy at the bookstore and I’m fairly certain I remember reading his story)
July 27th, 2009 01:26
cute scott.
does any1 remember me?
July 27th, 2009 01:32
Ah! Brilliant! I have to buy that now! I remember you Kim-la! Hi!
July 27th, 2009 01:35
hi! yeah ive been busy w/ skool and stuff and i just 4got 2 check this site & i stopped commenting as well.
July 27th, 2009 01:54
i totally love the cover!
um yeah…
July 27th, 2009 01:57
yay *happy dances* the pic looks like the one of you a couple posts a go
July 27th, 2009 02:27
That cover is so awesome! I love the little Scott-icon. ;D
Can’t wait for it to come out, I’ll be at the bookstore!
July 27th, 2009 02:57
Hee Hee the cover is funny..i like the cartoon googles!
July 27th, 2009 05:26
EPIC!
This looks like fun. GEEK STYL! (cuz I’m such a geek my friend and I spell ‘style’ as ‘styl’ due to a type I once made. AN EPIC TYPO!)
July 27th, 2009 07:07
Seems like it’s already out in some bookstores… I bought it today at a local bookshop that sells mostly YA stuff.
July 27th, 2009 07:23
I love your geek icon! It’s kind of like an avatar, ha! Cool.
July 27th, 2009 09:08
Ah, cool! I hadn’t even heard about this. I’m planning on buying it! I love your picture, that’s so great.
July 27th, 2009 21:14
yay more books for me to read
and now i have to get it
will have to wait till it get more money though…
July 28th, 2009 00:36
hheeheh i have to get that book!
-Lizzy-wa OUT!
July 28th, 2009 04:11
I should totally get this book once my mom will let me go to the bookstore because “I read too much.”
July 28th, 2009 04:36
HAHAHAHA I’m using a lap top at best buy! That’s vastly excting! I can’t wait to get my paws on a copy!
: D
July 28th, 2009 05:07
thats what my mom says to me amy-la.
July 28th, 2009 06:18
omg it is soooo cute and cool
July 28th, 2009 06:28
i cant wait to get the book scott looks great
July 28th, 2009 07:07
WHOOT! I guessed which was Scott! (Before I saw that he actually told us, lol.)
July 28th, 2009 18:57
OMG! Funny 2 d MAX! Could you guys make one for me? LOL!
July 28th, 2009 22:05
I reviewed this for RT back in the Dark Ages, or whenever it was we were putting the August issue together. The review is here, though currently only available to subscribers: http://tinyurl.com/l7o8wp
An excerpt: This fantastic collection features a stellar lineup, including Cassandra Clare, Scott Westerfeld, Garth Nix and John Green. The funny, sweet and bittersweet tales address various facets of geekdom, including, but not limited to, role-playing, gaming, quiz bowl and passionate interests in dinosaurs, astronomy and The Rocky Horror Picture Show.
July 29th, 2009 22:27
did anyone else notice that in one of the paragraphs they spelled westerfeld as westerfield??
IM SUCH A NERD.
July 30th, 2009 05:19
wow scott-la………………..
n i thot i was nerd
jk luv the new book
read an exerpt . . . so hilarious!
July 30th, 2009 08:52
Gah, I went to the bookstore but they couldn’t find the one copy that they apparently had. Sigh. I tried, and I shall try again.
July 31st, 2009 18:50
Fawesome! finally, a book made just for me! GEEKS RULE!
August 2nd, 2009 13:18
ZOMG, I luuuuurve it. I loved the cover even before I knew what it was about… It’s like, a MUST HAVE! But I bet that it’ll never reach the UK…. I hate liking only American YA authors.
August 3rd, 2009 08:06
hahahhaha!
i hearrt the cover.
do I see Robin Wasserman there?
lol
August 3rd, 2009 23:09
scott-la u completly work those glasses:)
August 4th, 2009 07:53
Scott, I thought your story was awesome, but some of the high school orientated stories kind of agitated me. Geeks like myself *like* to be geeks. We have no desire to be one of the “popular kids” (and some of us actually dress better than them, too) and it kind of annoyed me that some of the characters (like in The Truth About Dino Girl and This is My Audition monologue, and even at times One of Us) wanted to be a part of the popular crowd, or more like the popular kids. Fact is, most geeks that I know pity the kids that don’t know the difference between the ‘verses of Star Wars and Star Trek. We think they’re the ones missing out. I just wish that that side of high school geekdom had been shown more in the book. One of Us kind of did that, making a “popular” girl realize that being geeky was cool. But the geeky characters in that story still idolized her to some degree, or were in some way jealous of her, (Ellen), and they were all described at some point as being bad dressers…. I don’t know, maybe that was just me. Other than though, loved the book and most of the stories in it.
August 5th, 2009 05:39
I read this in late June, it was great.
Loved the Once More With Feeling story.
August 6th, 2009 00:09
I’m loving the book. Your story is GUNTASTIC! It reminded me of a book that I thought you wrote about a guy from Texas who could see ghosts, but I don’t see it on your bibliography, so I guess you’re getting credit for someone else in my head.
Good story, though.
August 6th, 2009 05:22
i was looking at that book in barnes in noble but i got midnighters so far! ITS SO GOOD AND ADDICTING!
August 6th, 2009 19:06
just finished 1st midnighters last night!
August 8th, 2009 00:52
I FINALLY found the book I thought YOU had written. It’s called Perfect Circle by Sean Stewart. Luckily, I wrote a blog entry about it when I read it.
http://laura.moncur.org/archives/2005/10/07/perfect-circle/
How did you get credit for that, Scott?!!
August 10th, 2009 00:52
k scoot! i finished the 3rd midnighters book last night at like 1, i always read when im supposed to be in bed, only if its a good book though! u like hav 2 write another 1!
August 10th, 2009 00:52
sry, i meant to say scott, not scoot! hehe!
August 11th, 2009 02:00
I so totally want to read this book like akmost all of my favorite authors are in this book. Scott you need to write another midnighters book cuz you cant just leave jess like that its so bogus.
August 11th, 2009 02:01
sorry meant to put almost
October 22nd, 2009 09:49
wow the girl on the top left corner looks like me!