[podcast]http://edwardwillett.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/surveying-technology.mp3[/podcast] I’m working on a history of the Saskatchewan Land Surveyor’s Association—and, as with everything I work on, learning stuff I never knew before. In this case, stuff about the technology of surveying. The ancient Romans did pretty well using just three simple instruments: the groma, the chorobate, and measuring rods. The groma consisted of …
OK, this post is strictly for those for whom the juxtaposition of the words “Swallows” and “Amazons” makes sense, as opposed to seeming as random as, say, “Hummingbirds” and “Cossacks.” But those for whom those words in combination conjure up pleasant memories of classic children’s books involving resourceful kids in sailing boats will appreciate the accompanying …
I’ve fallen a bit behind in posting my mini-reviews of the books I read, but I’m going to do my best to catch up in the next little while, beginning with Felix Gilman‘s Thunderer . There’s a long tradition of fabulous and exotic cities in fantasy fiction, from Gormanghast to Minas Tirith to Ankh-Morpork, but …
Along with this new website comes the first two chapters of Terra Insegura, which I’ve not only posted as text, but also as audio! You can read the chapters and download MP3 files here, or just click the players below to listen now. Chapter 1: [podcast]http://edwardwillett.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/terra-insegura-chapter-1.mp3[/podcast] Chapter 2: [podcast]http://edwardwillett.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/terra-insegura-chapter-2.mp3[/podcast] Once I have my own copies …
For a long, long time I’ve wanted to consolidate the bulk of my web activities under my main domain name, edwardwillett.com. After experimentation and thought, I finally decided WordPress was the logical way to go…and that I needed professional help. (No wise cracks, please!) At just about the time I came to that conclusion, Justine …
More photos here.
John DeNardo over at SF Signal is running a Book Cover Smackdown–and the Stephan Martiniere cover for Terra Insegura is one of them. So which do you like best of these three? Terra Insegura by…me! (Cover Artist: Stephan Martiniere)Haze by L.E. Modesitt, Jr. (Cover Artist: Sparth)Boneshaker by Cherie Priest (Cover Artist: Jon Foster) Of course, …
More photos here.
[podcast]http://www.edwardwillett.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/A Universal Theory of Humour.mp3[/podcast] I am a very funny man. I have been told so, so it must be true. You can tell how funny I am by reading my very funny writing. Like this paragraph. This paragraph is very funny. It must be because I am a very funny man. I have been …
I’ve just sent this poster of Lyric Musical Theatre of Regina‘s upcoming production of Stephen Sondheim’s Follies (in which I’ll be playing Buddy) off to be printed. Designing these things is the closest I come to doing art any more. I always enjoy it! Oh, and let this be first notice of the production, if …
…be found here. And just as a reminder, here’s that cover art again!
[podcast]http://edwardwillett.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/the-artificial-scientist.mp3[/podcast] As I’ve noted before, the very first science column I wrote, ca. 1991, was entitled, “What is a scientist?” Last year I re-ran that column with minor editing: the answer to the question hadn’t changed in 17 years. But it may have changed now. That’s because researchers at Cornell University have created a computer …
