Edward Willett's Blog, page 69

Leader Post features Song of the Sword

There was a nice feature about Song of the Sword (and me) in the Regina LeaderPost on Saturday. The accompanying photo (at left: it was posted online on Global TV's Your Saskatchewan site, though with a hilariously wrong caption) was taken on the shore of Wascana Lake with Willow Island in the background: this is the exact spot where, in the book, the Lady of the Lake makes her appearance to my young heroine).

The story, by Tim Switzer, begins:

Looking out over Wascana Lake on foggy mornings in Regina, Edward Willett loved the thought that anything could be hidden in the mist.

So when he came up with the idea of a young-adult urban fantasy novel that would involve the Lady of the Lake and other Arthurian characters, Regina seemed like the logical setting.

"I've always tried to sneak a little Saskatchewan into my books when I could," said Willett, whose first novel, Soulworm, was set in Weyburn. "That's always been in the back of my mind. You see a lot of fantasy stories set in exotic locations, but to somebody in Italy, Regina is exotic. So why not set it here?"

Read the whole thing.

Covers of the last two Willett-edited Fine Lifestyles magazines

The fall issues of Fine Lifestyles Regina and Fine Lifestyles Saskatoon, the last edited by me, are now out. Here are the covers. (Similar, but not identical!) They should both be online sometime in the next little while.

Fine Lifestyles Regina includes a feature about me, written by Mark Claxton, and although I'm not exactly shy about promoting myself, I do feel I should emphasize it wasn't my idea: publisher Randy Liberet suggested it, and who was I to argue?

Once everything's online, I'll link to that and the other articles I wrote for the magazines (although it appears the feature on Saskatoon's Persephone Theatre got cut at the last minute for some reason, and will run in the next issue).

SciFiGuy features me in an interview

There's a nice big interview with me up at SciFiGuy.ca, mostly focused on the upcoming release of Song of the Sword, Book 1 in The Shards of Excalibur. Alas, it's still the upcoming release because printer problems delayed it past the hoped for October 15, but they promise me it'll be ready at month's end–which is good, since I've got a signing coming up at Chapters here in Regina on November 6. (2 p.m. Be there! Well, unless you're reading this in, say, Miami. In which case, I won't look for you.)

I had a school reading last Friday at W.S. Hawrylak School, for about a hundred Grade 7s and 8s, and it seemed to go really well. I even got a few laughs as I read the first chapter, which was gratifying.

(And, yes, I did sing to wrap up the reading. "Me," from the stage version of Beauty and the Beast. Don't all authors?)

Monday, I polished up Twist of the Blade, Book 2 of The Shards of Excalibur, and sent it off to my editor at Lobster Press. Lots of rewriting to come on it, I'm sure, but I'm pretty happy with it, and with the title…because there most definitely are some twists in this one.

I'm expecting more reviews of Song of the Sword shortly: keep watching this space!

End of a (brief) era

The freelance life is one of ups and downs and sudden changes of fortune, and it never pays to get too attached to anything. Even things that run for a very long time, like my science column, eventually wind down. And most projects never go on anywhere near as long as that did (around 20 years, which still boggles my mind).

Case in point: my editorship of Fine Lifestyles Regina, Fine Lifestyles Saskatoon, Fine Weddings Regina and Fine Homes Regina.

I wrote for the first two issues of Fine Lifestyles Regina, but just a story in each. The offer to edit came along in the summer of 2009, and since then I've overseen the writing of five issues of FLR, and two each of FLS, FWR and FHR. But when I started editing, there was only one magazine: with the others coming on-stream, and more in the works, the publishers decided they needed a fulltime editor, and I've mentioned more than once I'm not particularly interested (as in, not really at all) in a regular fulltime job after 17 years as a fulltime freelancer. And so the current issues will be the last I'm editing. The new editor is Thom Barker, and I think he's going to do a great job.

I'm not severing my connection with the magazines, since I'll continue to do as much writing for them as I'm offered, and The Willetts on Wine, the wine column I started with my wife, will run at least in the winter issue and I hope beyond that (though no guarantees). But my brief tenure as their editors is officially over.

On the other hand, the day after the new editor was officially announced, I got confirmation that I'll be taking on another but very different and substantial bit of work on a book. Like I said, the freelance life is one of ups and downs…I'll post more information on that later, when it's all official.

The Willetts on Wine: East is east, and west is west…but which has the best wine?

Here's the wine column my wife, Margaret Anne, and I wrote for the Summer issues of Fine Lifestyles Regina and Fine Lifestyles Saskatoon…

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It's Canada Day as we write this, and we're feeling patriotic. Today's Rider game is even a classic East-versus-West match tailor-made to resonate with the Canadian psyche.

This is a wine column, not a sports column, but that East-versus-West dynamic can be found in the world of Canadian wines, as well…and here in Saskatchewan, we're right in the middle o...

My poster for Regina Lyric Musical Theatre's fall show

I've been designing posters for Regina Lyric Musical Theatre (previously Regina Lyric Light Opera) for years now. I enjoy it. It's pretty much the only visually artistic thing I do these days, despite being an art minor in university.

Here's my poster for this fall's production of The Times, They Are A-Changin', a 1960s folk revue created  and directed by Ryan Hicks, a music teacher here in the city with whom I used to sing in the University of Regina Chamber Singers.

Oh, and tickets are on...

Women of influence: Five women, five extraordinary citizens

Here's the cover story I wrote for the summer issue of Fine Lifestyles Regina, on five prominent women: Jacqui Shumiatcher, philanthropist; Susan Barber, lawyer; Darci Lang, motivational speaker; Janine Wilson, realtor; and Susan Minard, businesswoman. Enjoy!

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Every community is built by individuals, living their lives, reaching for goals, creating things, building things, donating time and effort and money to the causes they believe in.

Here are five prominent women—a philanthropist, a...

"You have to give back": for Vaughn Wyant and Lori Leach, making Saskatoon the best it can be is a point of pride

The fall issue of Fine Lifestyles Saskatoon is just around the corner, so as is my wont, here's the cover story from the Summer 2010 issue, on Saskatoon businessman Vaughn Wyant (of Vaughn Wyant Automotive Group) and his partner Lori Leach. Enjoy!

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Vaughn Wyant was born in Chicago and grew up in Saskatoon; his significant other, Lori Leach, was born and raised in the small town of Dinsmore; but despite their different backgrounds, they share the same work ethic (and the same zest for life).

I...

Here's what I'll be doing at VCon…

I'll be attending VCon 35 in Vancouver (well, Richmond, really, but close enough) the first weekend in October. And if you'll be there, too, here's my schedule…say hi!

Tense Viewpoint – Friday 3pm

Science Fiction And Comedy – Friday 4pm

Book Launch – Friday 7pm

How Did That Get On My Book Cover? – Saturday 2pm

Reading – Saturday 6pm

Religion In Fantasy And Science Fiction – Sunday 10am

How To Write A Fight Scene – Sunday 11am

Author Magic 8-Ball – Sunday 3pm

Keeping me busy, aren't they? But...

Song of the Sword is staff pick at Library Bound

Library Bound Inc., "Your Canadian choice for all your library needs," a company that helps libraries build their collections, lists Song of the Sword among their Staff Favorites for September.

Helen Wilding Cook, Children's Collection Development Coordinator, writes that:

"The story…has wonderful Canadian references and some really funny passages. Ariane is constantly in danger, and the suspense is beautifully maintained."

Yay!