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Montreal WorldCon Day 3: Food, glorious food…
It would be hard to improve on yesterday, when I won the Aurora Award for Marseguro (did I mention I won the Aurora Award? I did? Hmmm, imagine that), but today was another good day at the World Science Fiction Convention here in Montreal. After a great breakfast at a local cafe, I had my Kaffeeklatsche, a chance for readers to meet authors in a small group and ask questions. I had two at mine, one fewer than had signed up, and one of those two was our Ottawa friend who attended the con with us. But the one fellow who showed up was interesting to talk to, and so it was an hour well-spent. I attended two presentations today, one ...Montreal WorldCon Day 2: I win an Aurora Award!
Well, you can't have a much better day at a WorldCon than I had today, short of winning a Hugo: tonight I won the Aurora Award for the best long-form work of science fiction or fantasy by a Canadian writer in English in 2008. The award was presented at a banquet this evening, and my publishers, Betsy Wollheim and Sheila Gilbert of DAW Books, were both present (Sheila is also my editor, and that's her in the photo with me and the award at left). I'd give you the complete list of winners as I usually do, except as one of the nominees, I didn't take notes or photos ...An Aurora display at McNally Robinson in Saskatoon
Robert J. Sawyer spotted (and photographed) this "end-cap" display of Aurora Award finalists at McNally Robinson in Saskatoon. Note the multiple copies of Marseguro!* *Oh, have I mentioned recently that Marseguro is an Aurora Award finalist? The voting deadline is July 15! Don't delay, vote today!McNally Robinson posts an interview with me
Chadwick Ginther of McNally Robinson Booksellers (an independent chain with stores in Winnipeg, Saskatoon, Toronto and New York) has just posted a lengthy online interview with me on the company's website. Here's how it begins: CG: You've written a wide variety of works: SF, YA, Fantasy, as well as non-fiction for adults and children. Where did you get your start as a writer? EW: Like most writers, I began as a reader. I was the kid who always had his nose in a book, who won the prize for reading the most books in the course of the year, who prefaced every answer I gave to every question in class, "I read somewhere that..." So it was pretty natural ...Hugo Awards final ballot released
The Hugo and John W. Campbell Best New Writer final ballot has been announced. Alas, Marseguro is not on it. (I and everyone else would have been shocked if it had been!)What I find most interesting about it is that three of the Best Novel nominees are young adult books: Cory Doctorow's Little Brother, Neil Gaiman's The Graveyard Book (which just won the Newbery Medal) and John Scalzi's Zoe's Tale. Rounding out the list are Neal Stephenson's Anathem (which will my first choice!) and Charles Stross's Saturn's Children.You can read the complete list of nominees here. To vote, you have to be a member of Anticipation, the 67th World Science Fiction Convention, being held ...Marseguro is an Aurora Award finalist!
I've known for a while, so I'm thrilled to finally be able to formally announce that Marseguro is among the finalists for an Aurora Award in the category of Best Long-Form Work in English.The Auroras recognize Canadian science fiction and fantasy artwork, writing, and fan activities. Nominated for and voted on by fans, they're the Canadian equivalent of the Hugo Awards--or, to put it in movie terms, the Canadian science fiction and fantasy equivalent of, say, the People's Choice Awards.Also nominated in the Best Long-Form Work in English category are:After the Fires, Ursula Pflug (Tightrope Books)Identity Theft and Other Stories, Robert J. Sawyer (Red Deer Press)Impossibilia, Douglas Smith (PS ...A recommendation from Robert J. Sawyer
Robert J. Sawyer, Canada's best-known science fiction writer, has written a series of blog posts discussing people and things he believes are deserving of nominations for the Aurora and Hugo Awards, which will be presented at the World Science Fiction Convention in Montreal this August. In the last of the series, he recommends work by his writing students...one of whom is me!It was in Rob's class in writing science fiction, part of the Writing With Style program at the Banff Centre, that Marseguro was born, on September morning in 2005.Besides Marseguro, he also recommends Tony Pi, one of his students at the University of Toronto in 2001, who has stories ...Aurora Awards nominations open
Nominations are now open, and will remain so until February 28, for the Aurora Awards, Canada's premiere science fiction awards.Anyone who is a Canadian citizen or permanent resident in Canada can nominate free of charge. You can nominate your favorite works by Canadian or permanently-resident-in-Canada authors online using this form.My novel Marseguro is among those eligible this year, so if you read it and enjoyed it, please consider nominating it. And be sure to nominate, as well, any other Canadian SF you read that might be eligible in any of the Aurora categories.Thanks!Announcing the Hayden Trenholm interview
I'm currently interviewing Aurora Award nominee Hayden Trenholm on the discussion board of the Canadian Science Fiction and Fantasy Facebook group, and will be all week. You can follow along over there (if you're on Facebook), or check back here: I'll be posting the interview here as it develops.Aurora Award nominations open
This year's Aurora Awards were just barely handed out, but nominations are already open for next year's, to be presented at KeyCon, the annual SF convention in Winnipeg (which I hope to attend for the first time ever next year!). Also note that the Auroras have a new website, a considerable step up from the old one.I would like to modestly point out that my short story "The Wind", published in The Book of Dark Wisdom, is eligible, though you must think of it as "dark fantasy," since it certainly isn't science fiction.I hope to post it to my website soonish. I'll let you know.You must be a Canadian citizen (not ...
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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
Song of the Sword
My new YA fantasy novel from Lobster Press
Before the Lady called her, Ariane’s life was a mess. Two years ago, her mother disappeared. She bounced around different foster homes until her aunt finally took her in. The meanest clique at her new high school has decided to make Ariane their prime target. And to top it all off, she is having frightening premonitions, and they are becoming more intense. The moment water touches her skin, she sees visions of a lake, a lady, and a sword. When a staircase opens up in the middle of Wascana Lake and the water begins singing to her, she has no choice but to answer the call….
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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