No matter what the characters do they cannot solve their problems. End each chapter with an unanswered question that adds mystery and danger. It’s not just the story you want to wind up with each succesive chapter it’s also your heroes and the reader!Įverything must feel constantly off balance. PB: Thank you! That’s a great description of suspense. The story was like an automaton that never wound down but just kept ramping up on each successive chapter with a new trick up its sleeve! Do you have any tips for how to create an adventure that keeps crescendoing to the very end? One of my favorite aspects of Cogheart was the pacing. Those are all great ingredients for a children’s novel and that’s why steampunk works so well for young readers.Ģ. It’s a genre filled with airships, clockwork inventions, steam-powered machines, wonder, marvel, quirky characters, dastardly deeds and daring do. PB: Steampunk can feel epic, swashbuckling and exciting.

Cogheart was the first children’s book I’ve read in the steampunk genre, and it really captured my imagination! Why do you think steampunk works well for a school-age audience? Today I have Peter Bunzl visiting on my blog to talk about the book, give some writing tips, and tantalize us about what’s next for him.ġ. (You can read my review here.) The book has been out for a while in the UK, but it released in America on February 12. I recently had the privilege of reviewing an advance copy of Cogheart, a middle grade steampunk adventure by Peter Bunzl.

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