Watch City Readers is a literacy program geared to tweens, teens, and families. Produced by Jessica Lucci through a grant from the Waltham Cultural Council and the Mass Cultural Council, its goal is to introduce the vibrancy of various literary genres in an exciting and inclusive way. The Watch City Readers production is held on the second Sundays of the month at 6PM on

Jessica Lucci's FB page. After the live event, it is archived for future viewers or those who choose to watch again.

July's Watch City Readers theme was sub-genres in steampunk. Steampunk is a genre in literature and other arts that is a branch of science fiction, with the idea of a modernized Victorian era with different technology and innovations. We had an excellent chat about what genres meant and the differentiations from one sub-genre to another. Three books were the main focus to differentiate between steampunk gaslamp, steampunk manga, and steampunk sci-fi.

The steampunk gaslamp book was the multi award winning "The Brass Queen" by immigrant and New England author Elizabeth Chatsworth. A section was read to exemplify the Victorian esthetic of the novel, and the gaslamp tendencies. It is more fantasy than sci-fi, with a greater flourish of romance than in other steampunk genres.

Next we indulged in the magnificently illustrated, "Steampunk Snow White" by Rod Espinosa. The creative steampunk drawings and imaginative sound effects made this steampunk manga stand out. 

We finished with "Subton Switch," by award winning author Jessica Lucci. A particularly sci-fi snippet was shared, complete with a submarine and the Kraken! The descriptive technology involved sets this book apart from the others. 

Viewers were quick to share their choices for steampunk genres in literature. Questions, answers, and comments can be found in the chat and by watching the replay. Fans of steampunk and those curious about the genre will find fun information! 

Until next month, steam on!