E.C. Blake's Blog, page 2

Shapers of Worlds anthology now available in print as well as ebook!

The Shapers of Worlds anthology, featuring 18 stories by authors who appeared on my podcast (hosted as Edward Willett), The Worldshapers, during the first year, and successfully Kickstarted back in March, is now available in both print and ebook formats! Some links:

Shadowpaw Press | The Fantastic Worlds of Edward Willett | Kobo | Chapters/Indigo | Apple Books | Google Play | Amazon.com | Amazon.ca | Barnes & Noble

Here’s the blurb:

Within these pages lie eighteen stories, from eighteen worlds shaped by some of today’s best writers of science fiction and fantasy, all guests on the Aurora Award-winning podcast The Worldshapers during its first year. Some are international bestsellers. Among them are winners of and nominees for the Hugo, Nebula, World Fantasy, Aurora, Sunburst, Aurealis, Ditmar, British Science Fiction Association, and Dragon Awards. Some have been writing for decades, others are at the beginning of their careers. All have honed their craft to razor-sharpness.

A teenage girl finds something strange in the middle of the Canadian prairie. An exobiologist tries to liberate a giant alien enslaved on its homeworld by humans. The music of the spheres becomes literal for an Earth ship far from home. A superhero league interviews for new members. Strangers share a drink on a world where giant starships fall. Two boys, one a werewolf, one a mage, get more than they bargained for when they volunteer to fight an evil Empire. A man with amnesia accepts a most unusual offer. A young woman finds unexpected allies as she tries to win a flying-machine race in steampunk London . . .

Ranging from boisterous to bleak, from humorous to harrowing, from action-filled to quiet and meditative; taking place in alternate pasts, the present day, the far, far future, and times that never were; set on Earth, in the distant reaches of space, in fantasy worlds, and in metaphysical realms, each of these stories is as unique as its creator. And yet, they all showcase one thing: the irrepressible need of human beings to create, to imagine, to tell stories.

To shape worlds.

My latest book: Blue Fire

My new epic young-adult fantasy novel Blue Fire is now available in both ebook and print formats!

Here are some purchase links. Get your copy today! (Hint: I make the most money if you order it directly from Shadowpaw Press.)

Amazon.com | Amazon.ca | Barnes & Noble | Apple Books | Kobo | Google Play | Shadowpaw Press

Here’s the blurb:

From the author of the acclaimed fantasy trilogy The Masks of Agyrima , published by DAW Books, comes another epic YA fantasy adventure.

Centuries ago, the people of Nevyana were forced to leave their old kingdom across the sea after it was devastated by the War of the Twelve Gods. The only three Gods to survive that war, Vekrin of the Earth, Arrica of the Sun, and Ell of the Moon, agreed to leave the affairs of men alone–but not until they gave their followers a few final magical Gifts.

Vekrin and Arrica gave their followers the gift of Blue Fire, a powerful force that could provide light, heat, and protection–or be turned into a powerful weapon. But Ell chose instead to utterly transform her followers into the almost feline Nightdwellers, nocturnal creatures with fur, teeth, and claws.

Enmity quickly arose among the three groups, and now the Nightdwellers rule the night, killing any ordinary humans they catch out after sunset. Vekrin’s followers became the Citydwellers, retreating behind stout walls of stone, protected by the Blue Fire-powered firelances of the Priests. And Arrica’s followers became the Freefolk, able to travel through the wilderness protected by a Fence of Blue Fire, but always in danger of Nightdweller attack.

When sacred objects for channelling Blue Fire are stolen, three sworn enemies, Petra of the Citydwellers, Amlinn of the Freefolk, and Jin of the Nightdwellers, set out to find them, and their paths converge on a collision course with the truth. Can they bridge the centuries-old divisions among their communities? Or will their search for the truth and the explosive power of Blue Fire signal the end of Nevyana?

New book: Blue Fire

Shadowpaw Press has just released the ebook of my young adult fantasy novel Blue Fire! A print version will follow in a few weeks.

Here are some purchase links, with more to come. Get your copy today! (Hint: I make the most money if you order it directly from Shadowpaw Press.)

Amazon.com | Amazon.ca | Apple Books | Kobo | Google Play | Shadowpaw Press

Here’s the blurb:

From the author of the acclaimed fantasy trilogy The Masks of Agyrima, published by DAW Books, comes another epic YA fantasy adventure.

Centuries ago, the people of Nevyana were forced to leave their old kingdom across the sea after it was devastated by the War of the Twelve Gods. The only three Gods to survive that war, Vekrin of the Earth, Arrica of the Sun, and Ell of the Moon, agreed to leave the affairs of men alone–but not until they gave their followers a few final magical Gifts.

Vekrin and Arrica gave their followers the gift of Blue Fire, a powerful force that could provide light, heat, and protection–or be turned into a powerful weapon. But Ell chose instead to utterly transform her followers into the almost feline Nightdwellers, nocturnal creatures with fur, teeth, and claws.

Enmity quickly arose among the three groups, and now the Nightdwellers rule the night, killing any ordinary humans they catch out after sunset. Vekrin’s followers became the Citydwellers, retreating behind stout walls of stone, protected by the Blue Fire-powered firelances of the Priests. And Arrica’s followers became the Freefolk, able to travel through the wilderness protected by a Fence of Blue Fire, but always in danger of Nightdweller attack.

When sacred objects for channelling Blue Fire are stolen, three sworn enemies, Petra of the Citydwellers, Amlinn of the Freefolk, and Jin of the Nightdwellers, set out to find them, and their paths converge on a collision course with the truth. Can they bridge the centuries-old divisions among their communities? Or will their search for the truth and the explosive power of Blue Fire signal the end of Nevyana?

Now available: The Moonlit World

September 15, 2020, was the release date for The Moonlit World, Book 3 in my Worldshapers series (written as Edward Willett) from DAW Books. Have you got your copy yet? It’s available in both trade paperback and electronic format.

Here are some places you can buy it online:

Amazon U.S. | Amazon Canada | Indigo| Barnes & Noble | Penguin Random House | Indiebound

Read an excerpt!

Here are some reviews:

“Willett continues to use his innovative worldbuilding to play with genre tropes; there’s a tongue-in-cheek self-awareness to this desolate world that will please fans of dark fiction…entertaining.” – Publishers Weekly

“Shawna…is a great heroine…There were some very good secondary characters…The Moonlit World was a detailed, exciting, and entertaining story.” – The Reading Cafe

“What a gripping fantasy and sci-fi world this author has crafted. Although I’m new to this series, I immediately felt enthralled by the larger than life mythos of this series and the wonderful world-building the author has done here…A powerful, lengthy yet entertaining sci-fi and fantasy epic. Rating: 10/10.“ – Anthony Avina

“All of the myriad aspects of Edward Willett’s talent are obvious in this terrific blend of fantasy, references to great literature and history, and imagination proffered with a keen comedic sensitivity. He here further establishes his stance as one of our more important authors. Highly Recommended.” – Grady Harp

And just for completeness, the blurb, one more time:

The third book in the Worldshaper portal fantasy series by an Aurora Award-winning author, in which one woman’s powers open the way to a labyrinth of new dimensions.

Fresh from their adventures in a world inspired by Jules Verne, Shawna Keys and Karl Yatsar find themselves in a world that mirrors much darker tales. Beneath a full moon that hangs motionless in the sky, they’re forced to flee terrifying creatures that can only be vampires…only to run straight into a pack of werewolves.

As the lycanthropes and undead battle, Karl is spirited away to the castle of the vampire queen. Meanwhile, Shawna finds short-lived refuge in a fortified village, where she learns that something has gone horribly wrong with the world in which she finds herself. Once, werewolves, vampires, and humans lived there harmoniously. Now every group is set against every other, and entire villages are being mysteriously emptied of people.

Somehow, Karl and Shawna must reunite, discover the mysteries of the Shaping of this strange world, and escape it for the next, without being sucked dry, devoured, or—worst of all—turned into creatures of the night themselves.

Beneath the frozen, gibbous moon, allies, enemies, surprises, adventures, and unsettling revelations await.

New ebook editions of my Shards of Excalibur YA fantasy series

Buy The Shards of Excalibur Ebooks

Shadowpaw Press | The Fantastic Worlds of Edward Willett
Amazon.com | Amazon.ca | Kobo | Apple Books| Barnes & Noble

Buy The Shards of Excalibur Audiobooks

Audible.com | Audible.ca | Apple Books

With the bankruptcy of Coteau Books, all rights to my young-adult fantasy series The Shards of Excaliburreverted to me–which has allowed me to put out brand-new ebook versions under the auspices of Shadowpaw Press, with new print editions to follow. Designer Tania Craan has graciously allowed me to continue using her wonder covers–you can see why I didn’t want to replace those! Links to where you can buy the new versions (plus the existing, wonderful audiobooks, narrated by Elizabeth Klett) are above.

The Shards of Excalibur is a five-book series telling the story of Ariane Forsythe, a teen from Regina, Saskatchewan, who discovers she is the heir of the Lady of the Lake of Arthurian legend. With the help of her unexpected sidekick, Wally Knight, she must discover all five pieces of King Arthur’s legendary sword Excalibur before Merlin, in his present-day guise as Rex Major, wealthy computer magnate, can do so…and launch a war to seize control of both Earth and his own world of Faerie. 

Three of the books were finalists for major Canadian science fiction and fantasy awards. Song of the Swordwas longlisted for the Sunburst Award for Excellence in Canadian Literature of the Fantastic for Best Young Adult Novel, while both Twist of the Blade and Door into Faerie were shortlisted for the Best Young Adult Novel Aurora Award.

You can now order the ebook version of the Shapers of Worlds anthology

The ebook version of the Shapers of Worlds anthology, featuring 18 stories by authors who appeared on my podcast, The Worldshapers, during the first year, and successfully Kickstarted back in March, is now available in various places. Specifically:

Shadowpaw Press | The Fantastic Worlds of Edward Willett | Kobo | Chapters/Indigo | Apple Books | Google Play | Amazon.com | Amazon.ca | Barnes & Noble

The print book is due out November 17.

Once more, here’s the back cover copy:

Within these pages lie eighteen stories, from eighteen worlds shaped by some of today’s best writers of science fiction and fantasy, all guests on the Aurora Award-winning podcast The Worldshapers during its first year. Some are international bestsellers. Among them are winners of and nominees for the Hugo, Nebula, World Fantasy, Aurora, Sunburst, Aurealis, Ditmar, British Science Fiction Association, and Dragon Awards. Some have been writing for decades, others are at the beginning of their careers. All have honed their craft to razor-sharpness.

A teenage girl finds something strange in the middle of the Canadian prairie. An exobiologist tries to liberate a giant alien enslaved on its homeworld by humans. The music of the spheres becomes literal for an Earth ship far from home. A superhero league interviews for new members. Strangers share a drink on a world where giant starships fall. Two boys, one a werewolf, one a mage, get more than they bargained for when they volunteer to fight an evil Empire. A man with amnesia accepts a most unusual offer. A young woman finds unexpected allies as she tries to win a flying-machine race in steampunk London . . .

Ranging from boisterous to bleak, from humorous to harrowing, from action-filled to quiet and meditative; taking place in alternate pasts, the present day, the far, far future, and times that never were; set on Earth, in the distant reaches of space, in fantasy worlds, and in metaphysical realms, each of these stories is as unique as its creator. And yet, they all showcase one thing: the irrepressible need of human beings to create, to imagine, to tell stories.

To shape worlds.

You can now pre-order the ebook version of the Shapers of Worlds anthology

The ebook version of the Shapers of Worlds anthology, featuring 18 stories by authors who appeared on my podcast, The Worldshapers, during the first year, and successfully Kickstarted back in March, is now available for pre-order in various places. Specifically:

Shadowpaw Press | The Fantastic Worlds of Edward Willett | Kobo | Chapters/Indigo | Apple Books | Google Play | Amazon.com | Amazon.ca | Barnes & Noble

The ebook releases September 22 and the print book on November 14. The Kickstarter print edition will be going out to backers in September, as well.

Can’t wait for this to make it’s way out into the larger world!

Once more, here’s the back cover copy:

Within these pages lie eighteen stories, from eighteen worlds shaped by some of today’s best writers of science fiction and fantasy, all guests on the Aurora Award-winning podcast The Worldshapers during its first year. Some are international bestsellers. Among them are winners of and nominees for the Hugo, Nebula, World Fantasy, Aurora, Sunburst, Aurealis, Ditmar, British Science Fiction Association, and Dragon Awards. Some have been writing for decades, others are at the beginning of their careers. All have honed their craft to razor-sharpness.

A teenage girl finds something strange in the middle of the Canadian prairie. An exobiologist tries to liberate a giant alien enslaved on its homeworld by humans. The music of the spheres becomes literal for an Earth ship far from home. A superhero league interviews for new members. Strangers share a drink on a world where giant starships fall. Two boys, one a werewolf, one a mage, get more than they bargained for when they volunteer to fight an evil Empire. A man with amnesia accepts a most unusual offer. A young woman finds unexpected allies as she tries to win a flying-machine race in steampunk London . . .

Ranging from boisterous to bleak, from humorous to harrowing, from action-filled to quiet and meditative; taking place in alternate pasts, the present day, the far, far future, and times that never were; set on Earth, in the distant reaches of space, in fantasy worlds, and in metaphysical realms, each of these stories is as unique as its creator. And yet, they all showcase one thing: the irrepressible need of human beings to create, to imagine, to tell stories.

To shape worlds.

New ebook release: From the Street to the Stars (Andy Nebula: Interstellar Rock Star, Book 1)

The latest release from my Shadowpaw Press is the completely revised new edition of Andy Nebula: Interstellar Rock Star, Book 1, now titled From the Street to the Stars (written as Edward Willett).

Buy it now as an ebook on Amazon.com or Amazon.ca. (I’ll add more links as it shows up in other online stores.) A print version will be forthcoming in due course. 

Originally published by Roussan Publishers in 1999, this far-future young-adult science fiction adventure was a finalist for the Manitoba Young Readers’ Choice Award and was an Our Choice selection of the Canadian Children’s Book Centre.

It had some great reviews, but my favorite was this one from a young reader’s book report, which I found online:

“The book is like Star Wars plus drug dealers plus rock stars all joined into one book. If you like to read about that stuff then you will love this book…This is a cool book so check it out!”

Here’s the blurb:

After a lifetime of sleeping in alleys and flophouses, Kit’s musical talent is discovered, and he is remade into Andy Nebula.

Well-fed, content with a warm bed and contract, Andy begins to wonder why every previous “Sensation Single” star was a flash-in-the-pan. Little does he know that the answer lies with the off-world Hydras and their taste for music and flash, a drug forbidden to humans…and that he is their next fix.

Originally published as Andy Nebula: Interstellar Rock Star, this exciting outer-space teen adventure has been completely revised by the author for this new edition.

And here are some more reviews:

“The action in Andy Nebula moves along at a cracking pace and the characters are well-drawn…Andy Nebula is fast and furious enough to keep even reluctant readers turning the pages, and young teen fans of fantasy and science fiction will not be disappointed.” – John Wilson, Quill & Quire

“… gritty and clever…Willett tells a fast-moving tale that has plenty of colour. He wastes few words and presents some good characterizations…All in all, a worthy addition to a young reader’s shelf of SF books.” – A. L. Sirois, SF Site

“It’s the combination of the familiar with the speculative that lifts Andy Nebula above the crowd…From page one we know we are in another time and place thanks to Willett’s deft and never-faltering use of a convincing invented slang…Get one copy for yourself, and another for a young person.” – Donna Farley, NCF Guide to Canadian Science Fiction and Fandom

“Willett writes in a humorous and flamboyant style not unlike an old-style detective novel…The novel is fast and exciting with lots of action. It also involves broader themes like differentiating between the authentic and the contrived, values and measuring success, drug addiction and tolerance between species…The writing is trim and humourous but far from vacuous. This book is fun to read. Kids will like it, too.” – Jocolyn Caton, The Regina Sun

Master of the World longlisted for Sunburst Award in YA fiction

I’m pleased to announce that Master of the World, Book 2 in my Worldshapers series from DAW Books (written as Edward Willett), has been named to the longlist of the Sunburst Award for Excellence in Canadian Literature of the Fantastic.

Master of the World is on the list in the Young Adult Fiction category, the same category Worldshaper was longlisted in last year. This puzzles me somewhat, since both books were published as adult novels and neither has a teenaged character, but I’m still honoured.

The Sunburst is an annual award celebrating the best in Canadian “fantastika” published during the previous calendar year. Winners receive a medallion that incorporates the Sunburst logo. Winners of both the Adult and Young Adult Sunburst Award also receive a cash prize of $1,000, while winners of the Short Story Award receive a cash prize of $500. 

The Sunburst Award takes its name from the debut novel of the late Phyllis Gotlieb, one of the first published authors of contemporary Canadian Speculative Fiction.

The Sunburst official shortlist will be announced in July. Sunburst winners will be announced in September. 

Jurors for the 2020 Award are: Peter Darbyshire , Kristyn Dunnion, Omar El Akkad, Michelle Butler Hallett,  John Jantunen, Michael Johnstone, Ursula Pflug,  and Sarah Tolmie. 

Here’s the complete longist, with links to publishers, books, and stories (where possible): 

ADULT FICTION:

André Alexis,  Days by Moonlight  [Coach House Books]L.X. Beckett,  Gamechanger  [Tor Books]           Lisa de Nikolits,  The Occult Persuasion and the Anarchist’s Solution  [Inanna Publications] Seyward Goodhand,  Even That Wildest Hope  [Invisible Publishing]Christian Guay-Poliquin, translated by David Homel,  The Weight of Snow  [Talonbooks]Scott R. Jones,  Shout Kill Revel Repeat  [Trepidatio Publishing]Helen Marshall,  The Migration  [Random House Canada]Karen McBride,  Crow Winter  [HarperAvenue]    Silvia Moreno-Garcia,  Gods of Jade and Shadow  [Del Rey]Johanna Skibsrud,  Island  [Hamish Hamilton]Richard Van Camp,  Moccasin Square Gardens  [Douglas & McIntyre]Jo Walton,  Lent  [Tor Books]

YOUNG ADULT FICTION: 

Nafiza Azad,  The Candle and the Flame  [Scholastic Inc.]Sara Cassidy,  Nevers  [Orca Book Publishers]E. L. Chen,  Summerwood/Winterwood  [ChiZine Publications]Rivka Galchen,  Rat Rule 79  [Yonder]Aviaq Johnston,  Those Who Dwell Below  [Inhabit Media]Jess Keating,  Nikki Tesla and the Ferret-Proof Death Ray  [Scholastic Inc.]           Katherine Magyarody,  The Changeling of Fenlen Forest  [Great Plains Publications] Cara Martin,  Shantallow  [DCB]Allison Mills,  The Ghost Collector   [Annick Press]Shane Peacock,  The Dark Missions of Edgar Brim: Demon  [Penguin Teen]Edward Willett,  Master of the World  [Daw]

SHORT STORY:

Leslie Brown, “Cleaning House in Ithaca” [ Tesseracts Twenty-Two Alchemy and Artifacts , July 2019]       K.T. Bryski , “When the White Bird Sings” [ Augur Magazine , Issue 2.2]     Rebecca  Campbell, “The Fourth Trimester is the Strangest”  [ The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction , May/June 2019]Laura DeHaan, “Roots and Shoots” [ Augur Magazine , Issue 2.1]Amal El-Mohtar, “Florilegia” [ The Mythic Dream , Gallery/Saga Press]         Chadwick Ginther, “Cheating the Devil at Solitaire” [ On Spec: The Canadian Magazine of the Fantastic , Issue 112, Dec 2019]Catherine George, “Katabasis” [ Augur Magazine , Issue 2.3] Maria Haskins, “The Brightest Lights of Heaven” [ Fireside Magazine , Issue 69, July 2019]            Brent Hayward, “Lake of Dreams” [ Broken Sun, Broken Moon , ChiZine Publications]       Kate Heartfield, “The Inland Beacon” [ Tesseracts Twenty-Two Alchemy and Artifacts , July 2019] Thomas Anguti Johnston, “Revenge” [ Taaqtumi: An Anthology of Arctic Horror Stories , Inhabit Media]   Catherine Kim, “The Hundred Gardens” [ Nat. Brut , Issue 12, Spring 2019] Catherine MacLeod, “The Stone Alphabet” [ Earth: Giants, Golems, and Gargoyles , Tyche Books]Richard Van Camp, “Wheetago War II: Summoners” [ Moccasin Square Gardens , Douglas & McIntyre]  A.C. Wise, “How the Trick is Done” [ Uncanny Magazine , Issue 29, July/August 2019]

Publishers Weekly & Booklist praise Master of the World

Buy from :
Amazon U.S. | Amazon Canada | Indigo | Barnes & Noble | Penguin Random House | Indiebound

Master of the World, my next Edward Willett novel, second in my Worldshapers series for DAW Books, is getting some nice reviews leading up to its release on September 10.

The first review was from Publishers Weekly, and it’s a good one (not starred, like the review for Book 1, Worldshaper, but still great):

“In 2018’s  Worldshaper , Shawna Keys discovered that she was a Shaper, capable of manipulating entire worlds to suit her will, and that the Earth she knew was a product of her power. Pursued by a mysterious Adversary, she fled her home. This lively, action-packed follow-up sees her trapped in a world inspired by the works of Jules Verne…

“Willett takes full advantage of the fanciful premise to deliver a fun setting populated by fantastic vehicles, mysterious islands, and heroic and villainous characters, all drawn from classic literature. In this larger-than-life arena, Shawna is often out of her depth, a heroine slowly coming into her power and responsibilities who struggles with the weight and consequences of her actions…returning fans will find it contains thrills aplenty.”

Read the whole thing.

Then, in Booklist, reviewer Emily Whitmore writes:

“Watching Shawna navigate and understand the Verne world is highly amusing and fun for readers familiar with his oeuvre. The Verne references are not the only fun, geeky element of the book: Shawna is comfortable making numerous nods to fandom of all kinds, and the specificity of the humor will delight those who share her interests. Plus, watching Shawna and her friend and teacher, Karl, fight against the Adversary for the better of the Labyrinth—the means by which all of the worlds connect together—is great. This series is for fans of any piece or part of geek culture. With the infinite possible worlds in the Labyrinth, every book should be a new, enjoyable adventure.”

Nice!

Read the whole thing.

Also: I’m giving away a copy of both Worldshaper (in mass-market paperback) and Master of the World (an autographed ARC) to one lucky reader.

Entering is easy: just click this link to email me, with the subject line: Worldshapers Giveaway.

The deadline is August 6, release day of the Worldshaper mass-market paperback. Enter now!