With all the hoopla and publicity regarding the "Geek Girl" phenomenon these days, it was inevitable that a book would come along to capture the zeitgeist of the movement. MTV Geek chatted with author Leslie Simon, author of the new book Geek Girls Unite, about the "it" topic of the "Nerd World" -- then stay tuned for details on how you can win a free copy of the book!
MTV Geek: What gave you the idea to write "Geek Girls Unite?" Would you classify yourself as a "Geek Girl"?
Leslie Simon: Honestly, I’m not sure what gave me the idea to write Geek Girls Unite. (Isn’t that terrible?) However, I’ve always considered myself a geek—a music fanatic, first and foremost—and knew I wanted to pen something that spoke to other like-minded and (possibly) socially isolated sisters.
Geek: Tell us about the book. Is this a humor book, a real sociological study of the "Geek Girl" movement, or a little bit of both?
LS: I think it’s a little bit of both but it definitely doesn’t take itself too seriously. Instead, Geek Girls Unite is a light-hearted look at a smattering of different geek archetypes—from fangirls to music obsessives, craft mavens to bookworms—and how, if you feel isolated by your geeky interests, we can unite through our differences instead of standing divided. As opposed to being a serious sociological study of the “geek girl” movement, I wanted the book to offer talking points for both experts and n00bs in any particular area in the hopes that the reader could relate to at least one of the girls profiled within. I hope that some of the quizzes and sidebars provide at least a few giggles but more than making the reader laugh, I really wanted to make her (or him) smile.
illustration from Geek Girls Unite by Nan Lawson
Geek: Why do you think that Geek Girls are so popular at the moment?
LS: Good question. Maybe it’s because the pendulum’s swinging back after being pushed too far by socialites, celebutantes and other vapid pieces of TMZ fodder. Or perhaps it’s because more and more geek girls are rising to power, thus making it possible for other she-geeks to rise up through the ranks. Truth is, I’m not sure why they’re—I mean, we’re—so popular, but it feely pretty good to be loved.
Geek: What do you think about some critics who think that the Geek Girl aesthetic is being co-opted in order to sell merchandise or gain publicity?
LS: I think it’s a valid point but I’m not sure where I stand on it. That is to say, I can see both sides of the argument. For example, I can remember when I first started listening to Dashboard Confessional. (Yes, I used to be emo. I even wrote a book about it. There’s no shame in my game!) I fell head-over-heels after discovering his first album, Swiss Army Romance, and my love only grew stronger with time. However, once he released his second album and “The Best Deceptions” started taking over MTV and playing in Hot Topics everywhere, his concerts were soon packed with all sorts of riff raff and I felt like I lost something really special. Like, “Would you look at all these Holly come latelys. I bet they don’t even know what band Chris Carrabba used to be in before Dashboard Confessional. Or any of the other bands on the Vagrant Across America tour. [Crosses arms and pouts.]” Then I realized that it wasn’t fair of me to be territorial. I should be happy to share one of my favorite bands with the rest of the world. I mellowed out a lot after that epiphany. Sure, my heart hurts the smallest little bit when a band I love gets launched into the stratosphere, but if one more Dashboard Confessional fan means one less Nickelback fan, then I’m a happy girl.
Geek: What's next for Leslie Simon?
LS: Besides meeting Ben Schwartz and having him fall madly in love with me? In the immediate future, I’m planning to update my site and the Geek Girls Unite Tumblr a ton. Ideally, I’d love to start featuring unique content that can expand on or jump off from the subjects covered in the book. It’d also be great to do interviews with some of the book’s Geek Goddesses and members of the Geek Girl Guild.
As far as big picture plans, I think I’m going to take a couple weeks off from writing before I start brainstorming my next book. I’m not sure what I’m going to write about yet, but I’ve been dying to dive into fiction. Cannonballllllllllll!!!
Want to win a copy of “Geek Girl” PLUS a free Geek Girl tote bag? Of course you do!
How to enter:
Sign up for the MTV Movies Insider email by Tuesday 12/13 at midnight. Open the email from MTV Movies on Wednesday 12/13 and look for the "Geek Girl giveaway" link inside to enter.
* Must be 13 or older and a legal resident of one of the 50 United States or District of Columbia. No purchase necessary. Void where prohibited.
Related Posts:
Will "The Magicians" Be TV's Next "Game Of Thrones"? Lev Grossman Speaks
Anne Rice On Twilight: "Stephenie Meyer Obviously Came Up With Something Very Rich And Interesting"
--
Discuss this story in our Comics forums! Follow @MTVGeek on Twitter and be sure to "like" us on Facebook for the best geek news about comics, toys, gaming and more!