Archives
From the vaults: Opening of Land Surveying in Saskatchewan
Commissioned by the Saskatchewan Land Surveyors Association, Land Surveying in Saskatchewan: Laying the Groundwork for Property Rights and Development talks about the work of surveyors past, present and future in the province. And here's a good long chunk of Chapter 1, which (you should pardon the expression) lays the groundwork for the rest of the book: Land Surveying in Saskatchewan: Laying the Groundwork for Property Rights and Development By Edward Willett Nobody knows who the first surveyor was; he’s lost in the mists of time. That’s not too surprising, considering surveying dates back to the beginning of recorded history, some five millennia ago (which is why it’s often called “the world’s ...Saturday Special: Dave Rodney – From Yorkton to the Top of the World
(I wrote this feature during my recent short-lived stint as an editor for Fine Lifestyles magazines. It was supposed to be the cover story for Fine Lifestyles Yorkton, but I can't see any sign Fine Lifestyles Yorkton made it off the ground. It did run in Business Saskatoon.) By Edward Willett Dave Rodney has twice stood atop Mt. Everest, the first Canadian to do so more than once. International keynote speaker, documentary producer, author, adventure guide, educator and humanitarian, he was recently re-elected for a third term as MLA for the constituency of Calgary-Lougheed, and named Associate Minister of Health for the province of Alberta. And it all started in Yorkton. Born in ...Saturday Special: Careers in Outer Space
Careers in Outer Space is woefully out of date now, having come out ten years ago, but it's notable in that it's the first of several books I did for Rosen Publishers (I haven't done one for a while, but I hope to do more in the future). Also, of course, it was on a topic near and dear to my science-fictiony heart: space travel. Another interesting side note: the reason I ended up doing this book was because I had read that Josepha Sherman was editing at Rosen. I contacted her because I kind of knew her: she had been editing at Walker & Co. back in ...Saturday (er, Sunday) Special: J.R.R. Tolkien, Master of Imaginary Worlds
I think I've now posted the introductions to all of the biographies I wrote for Enslow Publishers except this one: J.R.R. Tolkien, Master of Imaginary Worlds. Like my book on Orson Scott Card, it was part of their Authors Teens Love series. Why, yes, I did really really enjoy writing this one. How did you guess? *** J.R.R. Tolkien: Master of Imaginary Worlds By Edward Willett Introduction The world might never have heard of J.R.R. Tolkien, or The Lord of the Rings, if not for two young people. One was an anonymous student. The other was the son of an English publisher. The anonymous student delighted ...Saturday Special from the Vaults: The Shelter
I missed a couple of Saturdays of posting bits from my vaults, and I may even be running a bit short on material, but here's something that might be of interest. This play was written a long, long time ago, in the 1980s, when I was working at the Weyburn Review. Someone (the Saskatchewan Writers Guild, maybe?) held a playwriting contest. I entered this, and I was one of the finalists...honorable mention, maybe? I remember an awards ceremony of some sort in the old theatre department at the University of Regina, in what is now the movie soundstage. It's never been produced. (I'm open to offers!) I haven't touched it ...Saturday Special from the Vaults: Orson Scott Card
I wrote two author biographies for Enslow Publishers' Authors Teen Love series. One was on J.R.R. Tolkien, and the other on noted SF/fantasy writer Orson Scott Card. The former was easy because he was long dead and had been written about a great deal, the latter harder because he's very much alive and hasn't been biographied (is that a word?) nearly as much. On the other hand, that meant I had to get information directly from him, which was cool. He was very cooperative. Below is the first chapter of Orson Scott Card: Architect of Alternate Worlds, entitled "The Beginnings of Ender." And here's an Amazon link to the book, where you ...Saturday Special from the Vaults: Three Writers in Search of a Character
For two or three years, several years ago now, Globe Theatre ran something called "On the Line: A Freefall Through New Work." Authors submitted scripts, which were given a staged reading. Below is the first script I ever submitted. It was a blast seeing it given life by the actors! Oh: the following contains scenes of coarse language. Reader discretion is advised. *** THREE WRITERS IN SEARCH OF A CHARACTER By Edward Willett (A MAN, FILTHY, DRESSED IN RAGS, LIES IN THE GUTTER OF AN URBAN STREET, ALIVE OR DEAD, WE CAN'T TELL.)...Saturday Special from the Vaults: A History of Cumberland House
I've done quite a bit of writing for various historical sites around the province. Here's something I wrote for Cumberland House a few years ago. I've never been there to see how it was use! Oh, and in case anyone is wondering...yes, the science column will return. It's been on hiatus while I experimented with being an editor for Fine Lifestyles magazines again (it didn't work out—I couldn't support their editorial policies) and wrapped up my term as writer-in-residence at the Regina Public Library (it ended last Wednesday). My main focus now is on writing Masks, my next novel (coming out under the pseudonym E.C. Blake) but I'm definitely going to resume the column: look for it to be back Monday. Now, ...Saturday…oh, all right, Tuesday…Special from the Vaults: Introduction to Historic Walks of Regina and Moose Jaw
My 2007 book Historic Walks of Regina and Moose Jaw, published by Red Deer Press, is just what it says: a collection of 10 walking tours (eight in Regina, two in Moose Jaw) that take you past a number of homes and commercial buildings of historical or architectural interest, with a brief description of each. It wouldn't have been possible if not for the work of Heritage Regina, which created and researched the Regina walking tours long before I came on the scene. I adapted their tours and added additional information from various sources. I also walked all of the tours and took a photo ...Saturday…er, Monday…Special from the Vaults: An interview with Persephone Theatre artistic director Del Surjik
I know, I know, I call these things "Saturday Specials" and here it is Monday. But I have a good excuse: I spent the weekend in Saskatoon at Dance Power, the dance competition in which my daughter and her studiomates from Class Act Performing Arts Studio were competing (they did extremely well!). The competition was at the Remai Arts Centre, home to Persephone Theatre, a theatre I have fond memories of because I was in the very first production to grace its stage, Beauty and the Beast, in 2007, just before it officially opened (and before it was quite finished, actually, but that's another story). While ...
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Magebane
“Spectacular” – Publishers Weekly (starred review)
“Evil wizards, multi-level conspiracies, hidden kingdoms…Lee Arthur Chane…has done a marvelous job…Magebane is a very entertaining book and well worth the time.” – A.M. Donovan, Night Owl Reviews
I happily recommend Magebane and I’ll certainly give Chane’s next novel a try based on this one.” —Bill Capossere, Fantasy Literature
“…an original and delightful tale of epic fantasy and magic, steampunk science, adventure, tragedy, and love…” – Errant Dreams Reviews
Eight centuries ago, the world changed. A devastating war swept the lands, and the MageLords, who had long ruled by virtue of their spell powers, were driven to a distant place, separated from those they had ruled by a magical Barrier. With magic banished from the rest of the world, the MageLords became mere legend and people turned to science to improve their lives. But if one man has his way, all that is about to change….
Written as Lee Arthur Chane (the middle names of my older brothers, Jimmy Lee and Dwight Arthur, and myself, Edward Chane Willett).
Marseguro
Winner of the 2009 Prix Aurora Award for Best Long-Form Work in English
Water world Marseguro is home to the Selkies, a water-dwelling race created from human DNA. When an unmodified human seeks revenge on a Selkie by activating a distress beacon taken from the remains of the original colony ship, a strikeforce is sent from Earth to eradicate the genetic abomination. Yet Marseguro will not prove as easy to conquer as the Earth force anticipates…
Terra Insegura
Finalist for the 2010 Prix Aurora Award for Best Novel in English
Marseguro, a water world far from Earth, is home to a colony of humans and the Selkies, a water-dwelling race created from modified human DNA. For seventy years the colony has lived in peace. Then Earth discovers Marseguro, and a strike force is sent to eradicate this “abomination.” But Marseguro has created a genetically tailored plague to use against Earth’s Holy Warriors. With the enemy defeated, the people of Marseguro feel they are safe. But Chris Keating, the traitor who signaled Marseguro’s location to the Holy Warriors, has fled to Earth, unknowingly carrying the deadly plague within him. The people of Marseguro feel they must send a ship to Earth with a life-saving vaccine. Only time will tell what awaits them when they reach their destination.
Lost in Translation
Kathryn was a human empath whose world and life had been destroyed when the alien S’sinn slaughtered her parents before her very eyes. Jarrikk was a young S’sinn, an unproven warrior who’d seen his flight mates slaughtered by the humans who’d sought to colonize his world.
As humans and S’sinn found themselves on the brink of war, these two Translators had to work together to find a common ground and avert catastrophe. But whether their Translators’ oath and training could overcome the enemies leagued against them was very much in doubt…
Archives
Historic Walks of Regina and Moose Jaw
Ten walks to points of historic and architectural interest in the cities of Regina and Moose Jaw (eight walks for Regina, two for Moose Jaw).
Johnny Cash: The Man in Black
When country music legend Johnny Cash took the stage at Folsom State Prison in 1968, he solidified the public’s perception of him as a rebel who followed his own path. Born in Arkansas during the Great Depression, Cash endured poverty, the death of his older brother, and a difficult relationship with his father. He turned to gospel and country music to express the pain, and after many years of struggling, his songs of hardship and hope would finally reach the ears of those waiting for an artist who represented them, ordinary people fighting to survive.
Andy Warhol: Everyone Will Be Famous for 15 Minutes
“Paintings are too hard. Machines have less problems…” In the 1960s, Andy Warhol became the most famous creator of a new style of art called pop art, which transformed mass-produced items of popular culture into fine works of art. From Campbell’s Soup cans to photographs of Marilyn Monroe, Warhol’s willingness to use anything and everything from the mass media in his work expanded the range of subject matter available to artists. His avant-garde films, artistic usage of American icons, and unconventional social life made him a controversial figure, both greatly admired and deeply reviled. A trendsetter rather than a trend-follower, a dispassionate observer of both the seamy and celebrity sides of life, Warhol was a true American rebel.
Disease-Hunting Scientist
The true stories of six real disease hunters. Epidemiologists travel the world trying to keep us safe from deadly diseases—from high-tech labs in Canada to remote villages in Africa. Learn how these “disease detectives” are coming up with new ways to fight disease, and find out if you have what it takes to become an epidemiologist, too!
The Bounty Mutiny
The Bounty was a British ship visiting Tahiti in 1789 when some of the crew overthrew the captain, William Bligh, and set him adrift in a tiny boat with sailors loyal to him. The mutiny resulted in a number of trials–both of the men who mutinied and of Bligh for losing command of his ship. These fascinating events have been the source for numerous Hollywood movies, most recently The Bounty. The Bounty Mutiny: From the Court Case to the Movie explores the famous case and the movies it inspired.
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