The Regina Book Award is described this way: “In recognition of the vitality of the literary community in Regina, this award is presented to a Regina author (or pair of authors) for the best book, judged on the quality of writing.”

Other shortlisted in the same category: Mark Cronlund Anderson & Carmen L. Robertson, for Seeing Red: A History of Natives in Canadian Newspapers (University of Manitoba Press); Wilfred Burton and Anne Patton for Call of the Fiddle (Gabriel Dumont Institute; illustrated by Sherry Farrell Racette and translated by Norman Fleury), Britt Holmström for Leaving Berlin (Thistledown Press), and Alison Lohans for Picturing Alyssa (Dundurn Press Ltd.).

The awards will be announced and presented at a gala dinner at the Conexus Arts Centre on April 28.

This is the fifth time I’ve been shortlisted for a Saskatchewan Book Award. Spirit Singer won the Regina Book Award in 2002 (that’s when the photo is from). Soulworm was shortlisted for best first novel in 1997 and The Dark Unicorn for best children’s book in 1998. J.R.R. Tolkien: Master of Imaginary Worlds was shortlisted for (if I remember right) best children’s book in…2005, maybe?

It’s nice to be nominated. It’s even nicer to win, since it comes with a substantial sum!

UPDATE: It clearly pays to attend the news conference. I was featured on the CBC-TV spot about the announcement, talking about how important the recognition is to Saskatchewan writers, and I also managed to get myself featured in the Global TV and Regina Leader Post stories…although there are others nominated in multiple categories, and I’m only shortlisted in the one. So, win or not, I sure got good publicity out of it!

Their description is nice, too:

Chane created a fascinating and unique world in Magebane, a stand-alone fantasy novel. There is a little predictability with the main characters’ story lines. Neither the romance between the sheltered girl and the worldly boy nor the prince who wishes for a more meaningful life are unexpected. Readers are likely to overlook this, however, as they race to find out what happens next in this fast-paced, action-packed book. This is an excellent recommendation for fantasy-loving teens looking for something out of the ordinary.

Read the whole thing.

Chane combines some steampunk sensibilities with a magic world, infuses the whole thing with some potent political plotting, and presents the result – a fantastic novel.

And finishes…

Ultimately, a highly satisfying novel. I’d love to see something further in the world that Chane has created…

Read the whole thing.

Review Room has some quibbles, but still says:

I found the book quite appealing because it pitted science against magic, and couldn’t help being drawn in by the detailed descriptions of this alternate magical reality – it’s spells, it’s inventions and it’s different life. Commoners have achieved through science which the MageLords do via Magic. Against this backdrop Chane has created well-fleshed out characters. He gives the reader a look-see into their minds, which was quite interesting. The story has many twists and turns and is quite unpredictable so it keeps one engaged and reading.

Read the whole thing.

Interestingly, both reviewers (and some previous ones) note they’d be interested in seeing more of the world of Magebane. So would I! Which is why I have proposed a sequel. Still waiting for word on it from DAW, though, so…cross your fingers for me!

Lee Arthur Chane’s Magebane is an original and delightful tale of epic fantasy and magic, steampunk science, adventure, tragedy, and love….

The mix of high fantasy and steampunk is one that I regarded with suspicion; such a blend is difficult to do well, such that it makes sense and doesn’t create a sense of genre discord. Chane did a marvelous job with it, however…

Although I’ve raved solely about the worldbuilding so far, there’s plenty more to recommend it. The characters are delightful…There’s plenty of action and excitement to keep things going…

If you enjoy fantasy, steampunk, and adventure, I think you’ll find Magebane to be a surprisingly delightful blend of the three!

Can’t ask for better than that!

A particularly pleasing review since I’m in Saskatoon this evening to read from/launch Magebane at McNally Robinson Bookstore. If you’re in the area, come by:  7:30 p.m.!

Evil wizards, multi-level conspiracies, magic, hidden kingdoms, cruel tyrants, usurpers, and a hint of steampunk make this book entertaining. Lee Arthur Chane (also known as Edward Willett) has done a marvelous job of making all of this work together. Instead of being overwhelmingly complicated and difficult to follow with the danger of being boring, he manages to tie the different themes together into an entertaining, cohesive whole. The good guys do win, just not the way anyone expected. Magebane is a very entertaining book and well worth the time.

Yay!

Here’s the blurb from the back, just to remind you what it’s all about:

The kingdom of Evrenfels is the last bastion of magic in the world, cut off from the outside by the Great Barrier through which magic cannot penetrate.

 For centuries, the Magelords have ruled their kingdom with an iron hand while beyond the Barrier, magic and the Magelords have faded into an almost forgotten myth, replaced by low-level technology. Now all of that is about to change, for one man, Lord Falk, the Minister of Safety—the most powerful of the Magelords—has plans to assassinate the king and his heir, to break down the Barrier, and to conquer the lands beyond.

 All it will take is the lives of two innocents: Prince Karl and Falk’s own ward, a girl named Brenna, a small sacrifice to Lord Falk’s way of thinking.  One is the heir and the other is the legendary Magebane, anathema to all magic.

 But there is one thing Lord Falk hasn’t foreseen, one thing that could unbalance all of his plans—the unexpected arrival of a young man whose airship suddenly comes sailing over the top of the Great Barrier…

So, for what are you waiting? Go forth and purchase! A dozen copies for yourself, and a couple for each of your friends (oh, be generous, give them to your enemies, too) and family sounds just about right to me.

Oh, and if you’re local bookstore, through some horrendous oversight, does not have any copies, be sure to ask for it by name, OK?

I thank you for your support, and so does Lee Arthur Chane.

P.S. An interesting note about the cover. This is a scan from the actual book, and you’ll notice the text at the bottom begins “Eight centuries ago…” Most of the cover art you’ll see online says “Four centuries ago…” As do many of the online descriptions of the book. That’s because I expanded the timeline in the final rewrite, after a lot of that stuff had already gone out. Fortunately, we were able to change the actual book cover!

Chane makes a splash with this spectacular epic-feeling stand-alone fantasy debut…Double and triple crosses, fast-paced action, and powerful moral conviction will have readers hanging on every word.

Read the whole thing!

Made my day, that’s for sure!

This is the first book in the Shards of Excalibur series. And it’s going to be a good one-series I mean. Loved the first and how Arthurian legend was woven into a troubled teens life. A character who drove the story, which is always a favorite for me. I liked her a lot–especially in once scene where the bad guy (er, girl) gets a taste of–well, I shall say no more. This is also a favourite of one of my book club kids. He’s twelve and a voracious reader who loves 39 Clues, Rangers Apprentice, Percy Jackson. The sad bit about lending him the ARC (thanks to  Lobster Press!) is he read the book good and early. He’s anxious to (read) the second.

Nice!

Do I like it? Well, yeah! The airship isn’t a perfect rendition of the airship in my head, but that’s hardly surprising. It’s got the right feel. And it’s definitely eye-catching!

I’m already discussing ideas for the second Lee Arthur Chane book with Sheila Gilbert, my editor at DAW Books. She seems to like the notion I’m tossing around. Now all I have to do is flesh it out into a formal proposal…for a multi-book series, I might add. So that’s high on my to-do list over the next few weeks. Very high. Whee!