Archives
The Space-Time Continuum: In praise of Locus
Here's the latest of my SF/fantasy columns for the Saskatchewan Writers' Guild's magazine Freelance. *** For most of the world, Charlie Brown is only a beloved cartoon character with a round head. But for those immersed in the science fiction and fantasy genres, Charlie Brown was also the nickname (though he hated it) of Charles N. Brown, owner, publisher and editor of Locus Magazine, which he co-founded in 1968 in Boston. Although Brown died last year of a heart attack while flying home to California from a science fiction convention, the magazine that began life as a mimeographed newsletter more than four decades ago continues to thrive, ...The Space-Time Continuum: Defining My Terms
When I was a high school debater, in the dim, distant past, I always began debates by defining my terms. So let me begin this new regular column in Freelance the same way: by defining what I’m going to be talking about. I’m going to be focusing in this column on what is referred to in polite literary society as “speculative fiction.” That’s not a term I often use myself, since it is sometimes a euphemism used by writers horrified by the thought of getting icky “genre” germs all over their nice clean “literary” story, but it has its place as a useful umbrella, beneath which shelter three more specific genres, fantasy, science fiction and horror. Of the three, the easiest to define, it ...I’ll be teaching a speculative fiction writing workshop this fall…
...through the University of Regina's Centre for Continuing Education, and you can sign up for it now! Here's how it's described: Speculative Fiction Workshop Aurora Award-winning science fiction and fantasy author Edward Willett leads a six-week workshop for writers of science fiction, fantasy and horror. Students bring new or revised work to each session and prepare to read it aloud for critiquing by the instructor and other class members. Each student will receive a one-on-one session with the instructor to discuss his or her work in detail. Instructor: Edward Willett Mon, Sep 13-Oct 25, 6:30-8:30pm $145 + GST You can find the entire fall catalogue for the U of R's Continuing Education program here. Hope to see you there!What I’ve Just Read: You Don’t Scare Me
You Don't Scare Me, a supernatural thriller by John Farris, was one of the free books I picked up at this year's World Fantasy Convention in Calgary, and I had high hopes for it. After all, the cover blurb calls Farris is "A legend among thriller novelists," and that's according to Dean Koontz, who is legendary himself.I confess, however, that I had only vaguely heard of Farris before: though I enjoy a good thriller, I don't read them very often. Certainly the the back of You Don't Scare Me praises his work in glowing terms drawn from reviews by the likes of the New York Times, Publishers Weekly, Fangoria, ...Willett of the Day: Dr. Willett, H.P. Lovecraft character
Some Willetts--though not myself--are entirely fictitious.Such is the case of Dr. Marinus Bicknell Willett, the family physician of Charles Dexter Ward, and ultimately the hero of H.P. Lovecraft's novella The Case of Charles Dexter Ward. (The image at right is of the late actor Frank Maxwell, who portrayed Dr. Willett in Roger Corman's 1963 movie version of the story, The Haunted Palace (he took the title from an Edgar Allan Poe story, but the main inspiration for the film was definitely Lovecraft).Wikipedia has more about the novella here, including this note on the good Dr. Willett:...I’ve put another short story online!
It's "The Wind," which appeared in Dark Wisdom: The Magazine of Dark Fiction, Issue 11, which, according to their website, was the final print edition of the magazine.In other words, I killed it!I hope it doesn't come back to haunt me...You can read "The Wind" here.(The background art for the image above is from the original illustration by Philip Rogers.)A nice mini-review of my story The Wind…
...turned up at G-Pop:The Wind by Edward Willett brought back memories of another ghostly tale by none other than Edgar Allen Poe, entitled The Tell-Tale Heart. At first you feel some sympathy toward this man who, once happily married and at home in his childhood home, finds himself alone, his wife gone and his house seemingly working against him. Sympathy, that is, until you discover just why the house seems to be falling apart around him.Edgar Allen Poe, eh? I can live with that."The Wind" is in Dark Wisdom #11.My story now out in Dark Wisdom
I've received my author's copy of Dark Wisdom: The Magazine of Dark Fiction with my short ghost story "The Wind" in it, back to back (as it happens) with a story by my fellow SF Canada member Douglas Smith.Other authors with short stories in this issue include Alan Dean Foster, John Shirley, Robert Dunbar, Charles Richard Laing, C.J. Henderson and Thomas Breunig.The magazine does get newsstand distribution, if you have a big enough newsstand. You can also order it online. I'll probably be putting the story on my website eventually, but not until it's been out in print for ...Story coming out in Dark Wisdom
Dark Wisdom: The Magazine of Dark Fiction, Issue 11, is "now at the printer" and includes a short story by me entitled "The Wind."I'm pleased but somewhat surprised by this development, since I emailed the magazine a couple of times trying to find out the status of the story: it was accepted, but the magazine is coming out way past the time I expected to see it.I never had a reply. I'm presuming that since they're publishing the story, I'll get paid it for shortly thereafter...Nice cover...if you like that sort of thing.Which I do.
Edward Willett is a Subscribe to my weekly science column for free!
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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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