International Rubery Book Award Shortlist - Independent Publisher Book Award Medalist - National Indie Excellence Award
"What an absolutely mind-blowing, flame-throwing, steampunking adventure!!" —T. Crum
Hi. My name is Willa Snap. I used to be just like you! I went to school, I learned things (mostly), and in the summers, my cat and I spent our days trying to keep each other out of trouble. She probably had the harder job.
But all that changed after my mother invented the pac-a-purse, an innocent-looking device capable of holding everything she needed: lipstick, wallet, car keys . . . car. Let’s just say it attracted the wrong kind of attention.
Now we live in Grandeur, a hidden city filled with Idiot Geniuses like my mom, who can’t understand the danger of their own inventions. Grandeur isn’t like other cities. For starters, it’s overrun with slightly less dangerous versions of all the inventions that got people stuck here in the first place. And as if that wasn’t enough, yesterday a Clockwerk Boy told me my timeline was in danger. Now I have to figure out what he meant before my time runs out . . . only the Clockwerk Boy’s gone missing.
Perfect for fans of The Mysterious Benedict Society, Percy Jackson, Neil Gaiman, and the Artemis Fowl series, this action-packed adventure will take you to places you've never imagined, but always wanted to visit.
What fans are saying:
"There are plenty of books out there that I enjoy and find interesting, but rarely do I think while reading, ‘This is so much fun.’"
"I was hooked from the first paragraph."
"Willa Snap and the Clockwerk Boy is a gorgeously written book."
"Absolutely delightful read!"
"The story engages the imagination from the first page, and the writing is hilarious."
"Entertaining, engaging, fresh!"
"Very cool, need more right now."
"What an absolutely mind blowing, flame throwing, steampunking adventure!!"
"I would have adored it just as much at age twelve as I have enjoyed it now."
"I enjoyed the steady paced action that kept me turning pages until the end."
"We missed bed time plenty of times due to ‘just a few more pages!!’"
"Arcabascio's delightful illustrations are a real treat; there should be more clock punk cats in the world."
"Your passport is ready. Click purchase, and be prepared as the Black Fezzes start to circle."
"It was a great way to introduce my daughter to the world of steampunk that I love so much!"
"Amazing illustrations, even in the Kindle edition.”
"It's unusual to see such sci-fi depth and detail in a title directed to young adults, but this is precisely what makes Idiot Genius: Willa Snap and the Clockwerk Boy such an appealing production: the characterization is solid while its fantastic setting will intrigue ages well beyond its intended 9-12-year-old audience. Highly recommended for young adults seeking something compellingly different." -D. Donovan, Senior Reviewer, Midwest Book Review
I write books featuring bioengineered pygmy elefantkin short-order cooks. Yep—that's a thing I do. Also, I see moons.
And when not shifting unpredictably into third person, Richard lives with his wife, two lovely daughters, some cats, and three ducks, in a magical bookstore that is—quite frankly—the only thing that stands between you and raging hordes of zombies who haven’t read a good book in, like, forever.
