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From Squid to Eternity
Margaret Atwood (in)famously referred to science fiction as "talking squids in outer space," a remark to which I would take great umbrage if not for the fact that my DAW novel Lost in Translation contains a character, Karak, master of the Guild of Translators, described thusly: Free of the watersuit and its exoskeleton, his shape was nothing bipedal at all; his almost globular, iridescent body, from which writhed six locomotive tentacles and six manipulators, moved through the water with boneless grace, gill-slits pulsating below the fringe of feeding-tentacles that encircled his beak. It seemed odd to hear perfect home-planet S’sinn emerging from that alien mouth. For all intents and purposes, then, Lost in Translation ...Blue Fire or bust
Those who have followed my occasional series "The First Sentence I Wrote Today," a.k.a. on Twitter as TFSIWT, will know that I have been working, interminably, on a young adult fantasy novel called Blue Fire. I've written it. I've re-written it. I've re-re-written it. It first came in at a ridiculous length, so I chopped 30 or 40,000 words out of it. Now I'm on the final pass through it before submitting it (there's an editor interested in taking a look, but only when it's complete). And I'm desperately trying to get it out of my hair so I can focus on other projects with looming deadlines (hi, Magebane!). So, this ...Two more Follies performances left…
Jeff Tonita and company sing "Live, Laugh, Love" [caption id="attachment_9154" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Eduardo and Monica Ventura dance "Bolero D'Amour""][/caption] ...and then I can think about other things again. After a week of rehearsals and performances mixed in with other stuff, I was more tired after last night's show than I think can remember ever being before. But a good night's sleep took care of that, and now I'm looking forward to the final show tonight. [caption id="attachment_9153" align="alignleft" width="240" caption="Marianne Woods as Stella Deems and Aubree Erickson as Young Stell, "Who's That Woman?""]...It’s the second night of Follies!
Last night's opening performance of Lyric Musical Theatre's production of Stephen Sondheim's rarely-stage musical masterpiece Follies went very well. We had a decent-sized audience for a Wednesday opening and they seemed to thoroughly enjoy it. So now it's on to the second night. You can't buy tickets online for tonight's performance any more, but you can still get tickets at the door! 7:30 p.m. at the University Theatre, Riddell Centre, University of Regina. Tickets are $25. And you can still buy tickets online for the remaining shows tomorrow and Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. The photo, by the way, shows Amanda Dancsok as The Showgirl.Follies opens tonight!
It's opening night for Lyric Musical Theatre of Regina's production of Stephen Sondheim's legendary musical Follies. We're quite certain this is the first time the show has ever been done in Saskatchewan, and there's a strong possibility it's the first time there's been a fully-staged version of it in Canada (although there have certainly been concert versions of it, most recently at last summer's Shaw Festival). Here's how the website sondheim.com describes the show: “This musical, with a book by James Goldman, takes place at a reunion of ...Grandpa, big brother, and me
My brother Jim took home a bunch of my father's old slides after his visit with my Mom over the weekend, and has started scanning some of them and posting them over on Facebook. I particularly liked this one. This is me (the little guy), my brother Dwight (five years older to the day) and my Grandpa Willett (whose initials, E.C., I share). My dad obviously took the photo. I still have memories of this day in Palo Duro Canyon in the Texas Panhandle--we were living in the small town of Tulia at the time, and this wasn't too far away. This is 1965, which makes ...Terra Insegura: the actual book!
I've posted the wonderful Stephan Martiniere cover art of Terra Insegura several times on my blog (and of course it's plastered all over my website as a whole), but today I finally got my author's copies of the actual book. It's always a thrill to see the actual published book, and I'm pleased to see this one even has a few review quotes from SF Site, Sci Fi Weekly and SF Scope in the back to push not only Terra Insegura but also Marseguro and Lost in Translation. But that thrill, real though it is, is actually amazingly short-lived, which sometimes startles non-writers or aspiring writers. By the time a ...World Book Day Saskatchewan a success!
I attended a terrific event today at Regina's St. Gabriel and Jack MacKenzie schools. Called World Book Day Saskatchewan, it was a celebration of Saskatchewan authors. Besides myself, Alison Lohans, Anne Patton, Dave Glaze, Deana Driver, Glenda Goertzen, Jean Freeman, Judith Silverthorne, Linda Aksomitis, Lori Punshon, Mary Harelkin Bishop, Maureen Ulrich, Mercedes Montgomery, Myrna Guymer, Sharon Plumb Hamilton, Warren James and ...Photos of the Day that were Actually Taken Sunday: The Robins
More photos here.Photo of the Day that was Actually Taken Sunday: There Goes the Sun
More photos here.
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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