September 15 was the release date for The Moonlit World, Book 3 in my adult Worldshapers series from DAW Books. (I say it’s an adult series because that’s how it’s published, but it’s older-teen-friendly: the first two books in the series, Worldshaper and Master of the World, were longlisted for the Sunburst Award for Canadian Literature of the Fantastic in the Young Adult category.) Have you got your copy yet? It’s available in both trade paperback and electronic format.
“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.
The original publisher of The Shards of Excalibur, Coteau Books, has sadly gone out of business. That’s the bad news. The good news is, brand-new editions of The Shards of Excalibur are now in the works, published under the auspices of Shadowpaw Press, with new print editions to follow. Designer Tania Craan has graciously allowed me to continue using her wonderful 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.
So, no need to worry about finding the books in the series if you start it: they’ll be available indefinitely. What better time to plunge into–or to re-read–The Shards of Excalibur?
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.
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
Permanent link to this article: https://www.shardsofexcalibur.com/2020/06/21/new-ebook-release-from-the-street-to-the-stars-andy-nebula-interstellar-rock-star-book-1/
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):
The Kickstarter campaign to fund Shapers of Worlds, an anthology of short stories from some of the authors who were guests my podcast, The Worldshapers, in its first year, was rousing success–which means this book will become a reality this summer.
I’ve always loved talking to other writers about their creative process, so for my podcast, basically, I just decided to record those conversations. I reached out to some of the many amazing writers I’ve met in my years in the field, and lo and behold, they agreed to be my guests.
As a result, the first year of The Worldshapers features some of the best writers in the genre, starting with John Scalzi, Robert J. Sawyer, and Tanya Huff in my first weekend. Since then, I’ve talked to many, many more. And in October, The Worldshapers won an Aurora Award (Canada’s top fan-nominated-and-voted-on science fiction award) for Best Fan Related Work.
The publisher
Not long before I started the podcast, I also started my own publishing company, Shadowpaw Press (named after our black Siberian cat), and it occurred to me that I had a golden opportunity, thanks to my conversations with all these great writers, to bring some of them together under one anthological roof. That was the inspiration for Shapers of Worlds: to showcase the work of some of the amazing authors I’ve been honored to interview.
Shapers of Worlds will feature:
New fiction from…
TANYA HUFF, whose diverse array of novels ranges from the highly popular Blood books, which mix vampires, fantasy, and romance and were the basis of the TV series Blood Ties, to the Torin Kerr military SF novels, and the humorous fantasies of The Keeper Chronicles. Her publisher is DAW Books, and in the US alone, according to her agent, more than 1.2 million copies of her work are in print.
DAVID WEBER, bestselling author of the Honor Harrington science-fiction series and many others, including fantasy (Oath of Swords, The War God’s Own) other space opera (Path of the Fury, The Armageddon Inheritance) and alternate history (the 1632 series with Eric Flint).
JOHN C. WRIGHT, Nebula, Hugo, and Hugo Award-nominated author of some twenty-two novels, including the critically acclaimed The Golden Age and Count to a Trillion. His novel Somewhither won the Dragon Award for Best Science Fiction Novel of 2016. He’s also published numerous short stories and anthologies, as well as non-fiction.
EDWARD WILLETT, Aurora Award-winning author of more than sixty books of science fiction, fantasy, and non-fiction for readers of all ages, including the Worldshapers series, the Masks of Aygrima fantasy trilogy, written as E.C. Blake, and the stand-alone science fiction novel The Cityborn (all from DAW Books) and the five-book Shards of Excalibur YA fantasy series for Coteau Books.
JOHN SCALZI, New York Times best seller in fiction, winner of the Hugo, the Locus, the Audie, the Seiun and the Kurd Lasswitz awards, and recipient of the 2016 Governor’s Award for the Arts in Ohio, with works translated into twenty-plus languages; also Creative Consultant for the Stargate: Universe television series, writer for the video game Midnight Star, by Industrial Toys, executive Producer for Old Man’s War and The Collapsing Empire, both currently in development for film/TV, and writer of three short stories adapted into episodes of the Netflix series Love, Death + Robots.
DAVID BRIN, world-renowned, bestselling author of The Postman, Kiln People, and Foundation’s Triumph and many others (and scientist, speaker, and technical consultant) winner of multiple Hugos, Nebulas, and other awards.
JULIE CZERNEDA, author of many novels for DAW Books, including the popular nine-book The Clan Chronicles series. She’s also written many short stories, edited anthologies, and taught writing. Her books have received international acclaim, multiple awards, and bestselling status.
DR. CHARLES E. GANNON, whose Caine Riordan/Terran Republic hard science fiction novels, published by Baen Books, have all been national best-sellers, and include four finalists for the Nebula, two for the Dragon Award, and a Compton Crook winner. He has also collaborated with Eric Flint in the New York Times– and Wall Street Journal–bestselling Ring of Fire series, worked in the Starfire, Black Tide Rising, Honor Harrington, and Man-Kzin universes, and written many works of short fiction.
GARETH L. POWELL, the two-time British Science Fiction Association Award-winning author of the Embers of War trilogy, the Ack-Ack Macaque series, two short story collections, the crime novella Ragged Alice, and the nonfiction guideAbout Writing. He has been a finalist for both the Locus Award in the US and the Seiun Award in Japan, and is the first person to have had individual work shortlisted in the Best Novel, Best Short Fiction, and Best Nonfiction categories of the BSFA Award in the same year.
THORAIYA DYER, four-time Aurealis Award-winning, three-time Ditmar Award-winning, Australian science fiction writer and veterinarian, whose work has appeared in Clarkesworld, Apex, Cosmos, Analog, and various US and Australian anthologies. She’s also the author of the Titan’s Forest fantasy trilogy, published by Tor Books: Crossroads of Canopy, Echoes of Understorey, and Tides of the Titans.
Permanent link to this article: https://www.shardsofexcalibur.com/2020/03/01/now-live-a-kickstarter-campaign-to-fund-an-anthology-of-bestselling-science-fiction-and-fantasy-authors/
This is the second year I’ve been shortlisted in this category: my short-story collection Paths to the Stars was, too.
Master of the World is my ninth book to be shortlisted for a Saskatchewan Book Award. I won the Regina Book Award in 2002 for my young-adult fantasy Spirit Singer, which I re-released last year from Shadowpaw Press.
My first novel, Soulworm, was shortlisted in the First Book category, The Dark Unicorn was shortlisted in the Children’s Literature category, J.R.R. Tolkien: Master of Imaginary Worlds was also shortlisted for Children’s Literature, Masks was shortlisted for the Regina Book Award and the Young Adult Fiction award, Magebane was shortlisted for the Regina Book Award, The Citybornwas shortlisted for the Regina Book Award, and Paths to the Stars was shortlisted for the Regina Book Award and the Fiction Award.
The awards will be presented on April 25 at the Conexus Arts Centre here in Regina. Winners receive $2,000 in most categories and $3,000 in the Book of the Year category.
My novel Worldshaper (DAW Books) has been long-listed for this years Sunburst Award for Excellence in Canadian Literature of the Fantastic, in the Young Adult Fiction category. (A bit of a surprise since it wasn’t published as YA, but it’s YA-friendly.) I’m very pleased! The full press release listing all the long-listed works is below–congratulations to everyone!
Toronto, Ontario (June 10, 2019): The Sunburst Award Committee is pleased to announce the 2019 longlist for the Sunburst Award for Excellence in Canadian Literature of the Fantastic. This year’s lists are comprised of a mixture of established authors, talented newcomers, and past nominees. Below are the longlisted works, with links where available:
Novel Jury: Greg Bechtel, Janie Chang, Susan Forest, Kari Maaren, and Susan Reynolds.
Short Story Jury: S.M. Beiko, David Demchuk, and Gemma Files.
The Sunburst Award for Excellence in Canadian Literature of the Fantastic 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 Sunburst 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. Past winners of the Sunburst Award include Ruth Ozeki, Guy Gavriel Kay, Cory Doctorow, Nalo Hopkinson, Charles de Lint, Thomas King, and last year’s winners David Demchuk and Cherie Dimaline.
For additional information about the Sunburst Award, the nominees, juries, as well as previous awards, eligibility, and the selection process, please visit the official website at www.sunburstaward.org.
Permanent link to this article: https://www.shardsofexcalibur.com/2019/06/17/worldshaper-long-listed-for-sunburst-award-for-best-young-adult-fantasy-or-science-fiction-novel/
I’ve known about this for a while, obviously, but it just became official today with the sending out of a press release by the library. Which I humbly (or, possibly not-so-humbly) copy below. (I would have liked to have mentioned the Masks of Aygrima trilogy in it, but you can’t list everything, and the E.C. Blake/Edward Willett thing is hard to explain in a press release, never mind the Lee Arthur Chane connection…)
SPL announces Edward Willett as 2019/20 Writer in Residence
One of Saskatchewan’s most prolific authors, Edward Willett, is looking forward to sharing his expertise and passion for prose with the Saskatoon-and-area writing community through Saskatoon Public Library’s Writer-in-Residence program.
An award-winning author based in Regina, Willett has published more than 60 books of science fiction, fantasy and non-fiction for children, teens and adults. Willett also hosts The Worldshapers podcast, which focuses on the creative processes of other fantasy and science fiction writers.
“I’m thrilled to have the opportunity serve as writer-in-residence at SPL,” said Willett. “Over the years I’ve taught creative writing, mentored writers, and worked as an editor, and I look forward to helping Saskatoon-area writers in any way I can, from discussing ideas to offering advice based on my experience as a published writer to helping edit and improve manuscripts. It’s going to be a great few months and I can’t wait to get started.”
Willett’s novel Marseguro(published by DAW Books in New York) won the 2009 Aurora Award for best English-language science fiction or fantasy book by a Canadian author. He also won a Saskatchewan Book Award for his young-adult fantasy novel Spirit Singer, which was just re-released through Willett’s own recently established publishing company, Shadowpaw Press. He has won or been shortlisted for numerous other awards and his next novel, Master of the World (book number two in his Worldshapers fantasy series), will be released in Sept. 2019. He served as the Writer in Residence at Regina Public Library in 2011/12.
“The Writer-in-Residence program has deep roots in Saskatoon and is always an extremely popular service at SPL,” said Carol Cooley, SPL’s Director of Libraries and CEO. “As one of Saskatchewan’s most productive authors who has published such a wide array of work for all demographics, we very excited to be welcoming Edward Willett to this position. I am confident he will be a valuable resource for our writing community over the coming months.”
Willett’s term as SPL’s Writer in Residence begins in September 2019 and will run until April 2020. He will be SPL’s 39thWriter in Residence since the program was established in 1981. For more information, visit: www.saskatoonlibrary.ca/wir.
***
A bit more detail from the website:
About the Program
The Writer in Residence acts as a mentor to writers in the community, reviewing manuscripts and providing criticism and advice about publishing. The Writer offers individual consultations, group workshops and programs, author readings and participates in other special events during their residency.
Working With the Writer in Residence
Edward Willett is available to meet with adults and teens who want feedback and advice about a writing project. His residency at SPL will begin in September 2019.
First, contact Edward by phone or by email to arrange a meeting at his office in the main library:
Edward will offer you a one-hour appointment. His office hours are:
Tuesdays / 11 am – 9 pm Wednesdays / 10 am – 4 pm
Additional meeting times can be arranged.
Next, send Edward a maximum of 10 typewritten pages (or 2,500 words, double spaced) at least five days prior to your meeting. You can email the work to him or you can deliver a hard copy to the library by leaving your work (in an envelope) at the front desk.
Finally, give some thought to ways in which you’d like your writing to grow or change, and come prepared to talk about these aspirations in the context of your writing sample.
Please note that all meetings with the Writer in Residence are treated as confidential.
My podcast, The Worldshapers (“Conversations with science fiction and fantasy authors about the creative process”) is a finalist for this year’s Aurora Awards (honouring the best in Canadian science fiction and fantasy), in the Best Fan Related Work category (a first for me!).
Lots of great work nominated in all the categories–check out the complete ballot below, and visit the Aurora Awards website to buy your (very inexpensive) membership allowing you to vote (and to receive a remarkable voters’ package of nominated work).
The Aurora Awards will be presented this year at Can*Con in Ottawa, October 18-20 at the Sheraton Hotel. I’ll be there in person (I was already planning to go), so it’ll be exciting.
Best Novel
Armed in Her Fashion by Kate Heartfield, ChiZine Publications
Graveyard Mind by Chadwick Ginther, ChiZine Publications
One of Us by Craig DiLouie, Orbit
The Quantum Magician by Derek Künsken, Solaris Books and Analog Science Fiction and Fact
They Promised Me The Gun Wasn’t Loaded by James Alan Gardner, Tor
Witchmark by C. L. Polk, Tor.com Publications
Best Young Adult Novel
Children of the Bloodlands: The Realms of Ancient, Book 2 by S.M. Beiko, ECW Press
Cross Fire: An Exo Novel by Fonda Lee, Scholastic Press
Exit Plans for Teenage Freaks by ‘Nathan Burgoine, Bold Strokes Books
Finding Atlantis by J.M. Dover, Evil Alter Ego Press
Legacy of Light by Sarah Raughley, Simon Pulse
The Emerald Cloth by Clare C Marshall, Faery Ink Press
The Sign of Faust by Éric Desmarais, Renaissance Press
Timefall by Alison Lohans, Five Rivers Publishing
Best Short Fiction
“A Hold Full of Truffles” by Julie E. Czerneda, Tales from Plexis, DAW Books
“Alice Payne Arrives” by Kate Heartfield, Tor.com Publications
“Critical Mass” by Liz Westbrook-Trenholm, Shades Within Us: Tales of Migrations and Fractured Borders, Laksa Media
“For A Rich Man to Enter” by Susan Forest, InterGalactic Medicine Show, Issue 62
“Gods, Monsters, and the Lucky Peach” by Kelly Robson, Tor.com Publications
Best Graphic Novel
Crash and Burn by Finn Lucullan and Kate Larking, Astres Press
FUTILITY: Orange Planet Horror by Rick Overwater and Cam Hayden, Coffin Hop Press
It Never Rains by Kari Maaren, Webcomic
Krampus Is My Boyfriend! by S.M. Beiko, Webcomic
Woman World by Aminder Dhaliwal, Drawn and Quarterly
Best Poem/Song
“Echos” by Shannon Allen, By the Light of Camelot, EDGE
“How My Life Will End” by Vanessa Cardui, Shades Within Us: Tales of Migrations and Fractured Borders, Laksa Media
“Osiris” by Leah Bobet, Uncanny Magazine
“Trips to Impossible Cities” by Sandra Kasturi, Amazing Stories Magazine, issue #2, Winter 2018
“Ursula Le Guin in the Underworld” by Sarah Tolmie, On Spec issue 107 vol 28.4
Best Related Work
By the Light of Camelot edited by J. R. Campbell and Shannon Allen, EDGE
Disabled People Destroy Science Fiction edited by Dominik Parisien and Elsa Sjunneson-Henry, Uncanny Magazine
Gaslight Gothic: Strange Tales of Sherlock Holmes edited by J. R. Campbell and Charles Prepolec, EDGE
Shades Within Us: Tales of Migrations and Fractured Borders edited by Susan Forest and Lucas K. Law, Laksa Media
We Shall Be Monsters: Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein 200 years on edited by Derek Newman-Stille, Renaissance Press
Best Visual Presentation
Bao, written and directed by Domee Shi , Pixar Animation Studios
Deadpool 2, written and produced by Ryan Reynolds, Twentieth Century Fox
Murdoch Mysteries, 2018 episodes, Peter Mitchell and Christina Jennings, Shaftesbury Films
Travelers, Season 3, Brad Wright, Carrie Mudd, John G. Lenic, and Eric McCormack, Peacock Alley Entertainment
Wynonna Earp, Season 3, Emily Andras, Seven24 Films Calgary
Best Artist
Lily Author, cover art for Polar Borealis Magazine #8, Dragon Lab
Samantha M. Beiko, covers for Laksa Media
James F. Beveridge, cover art for Tyche books
Roger Czerneda, cover for Tales from Plexis, DAW Books
Dan O’Driscoll, covers for Bundoran Press
Lynne Taylor Fahnestalk, cartoons for Amazing Stories Magazine
Best Fan Writing and Publications
Adios Cowboy, Adam Shaftoe
Books and Tea, Christina Vasilevski
Constructing the Future, Derek Newman-Stille, Uncanny Magazine
Mars vs. Titan, Ron S. Friedman, Quora
She Wrote It But…Revisiting Joanna Russ’ “How to Suppress Women’s Writing” 35 Years Later, Krista D. Ball
Travelling TARDIS, Jen Desmarais, JenEric Designs
Best Fan Organizational
Sandra Kasturi, chair Chiaroscuro Reading Series: Toronto
Derek Künsken and Marie Bilodeau, co-chairs, Can*Con, Ottawa
Matt Moore, Marie Bilodeau, and Nicole Lavigne, co-chairs, Chiaroscuro Reading Series: Ottawa
Randy McCharles, chair, When Words Collide, Calgary
Sandra Wickham, chair, Creative Ink Festival, Burnaby, BC
Best Fan Related Work
S.M. Beiko and Clare C. Marshall, Business BFFs (Podcast)
Kari Maaren, ChiSeries Toronto, monthly musical performances
Permanent link to this article: https://www.shardsofexcalibur.com/2019/06/17/my-podcast-the-worldshapers-is-an-aurora-award-finalist-for-best-fan-related-work/
Through Shadowpaw Press, I’ve released a new, revised edition of Spirit Singer, my young adult fantasy, first published in 2002, that won multiple awards: a Saskatchewan Book Award (the Regina Book Award for best book by a Regina author), an EPPIE Award for best electronically published young adult novel, and a Dream Realm Award (young adult category) for best electronically published science fiction, fantasy, or horror.
Spirit Singer was first published in 2002 by Awe-Struck E-Books, and brought out in a print edition by their offshoot, Earthling Press. In 2013, a new edition, published by Tyche Books, was released. I regained the rights to the book last year and decided to make it the third title released by Shadowpaw Press, in the hope that a new generation of readers will find and enjoy it.
I also took the opportunity to make some minor revisions, cleaning up the writing with the benefit of another twenty years’ of experience since it was first drafted. The result is a book I’m proud to re-release into the wild.
Spirit Singer is available in in all ebook formats now, either directly from Shadowpaw Press or your favorite online retailer, and the new 244-page paperback edition will be available April 30, again through all online bookstores or through your own local bookstore–or direct from Shadowpaw Press.
Here’s the synopsis:
AMARYNTH IS A SPIRIT SINGER, gifted – or cursed, as she sometimes thinks – with the ability to lead the spirits of the dead from the Lower World through the Between World to the Gate of the Upper World and the Light that lies beyond it.
While she is still an apprentice. her grandfather and tutor is slain by a mysterious creature in the Between World, an evil Beast blocking access to the Upper World’s Gate. Without a Spirit Singer, her village cannot survive, so Amarynth embarks on a hazardous quest to find out what the Beast is, how it can be defeated, and how she can become a full-fledged Spirit Singer – a quest that takes her not only from her tiny seacoast home to the city of Havenheart and the haunted mountains of the south, but across the even more rugged terrain of her own soul.
It had some nice reviews when it first came out (and later):
“…deserved the Saskatchewan Book Award it won. Aimed for the early to mid-teen group, Spirit Singer is a strong, well-written book with great adventure and sympathetic characters. Willett’s book has fast-paced adventure, sword-play, ghostly help, kidnappings, automatons who serve pure evil, royalty and brave commoners…Spirit Singer holds more than just solid characters and an exciting plot. It is about deception, both external and internal, in the eternal search for love and acceptance. It is about the need to accept oneself to be able to move forward and achieve great things and the need to be wise and discerning about others.” – Lynn (J.R.) Wytenbroek
“This is a fast-paced, spiritual quest book, full of narrow escapes, evil masquerading as good, good appearing in nasty people (just like in real life!), adventure, dreams and bits of wisdom. The writing is spare and the words well-chosen, so that complex characters and interesting places emerge full-blown in the reader’s mind, and the plot moves apace. I felt always in the story, and not a mere spectator/reader. Written for teenagers, but this 50-something guy had a great time.” – David Waltner-Toews
“Clearly defined characters, setting & plot carry a reader eagerly from page to page through adventure-filled chapters that deftly conclude with cliff-hangers…The plot is fast-paced and clever, the writing never disappoints and the author clearly keeps his target audience in mind. A great read from start to finish.” – Shirlee Matheson
“…a fun novel with engaging characters and having all the basic elements of a good fantasy…young readers would likely get much more out of this book in terms of good succinct plotting and writing than they’d ever be likely to from the droves of role-playing game tie-ins and fat fantasy trilogies.” – Georges T. Dodds
“This book takes the reader on a magical journey to a mystical land, and all within a hundred pages…It is a quick, but very satisfying read; I spent any free time I had reading over the two days it took me to read the story. I recommend this book for anyone that is in the mood for an adventure…Spirit Singer definitely does not disappoint.” – Amy Mehta
“Spirit Singer is a magical, mystical journey…very satisfying. The talented Mr. Willett has given us a well-written fantasy that you won’t want to put down. I highly recommend Spirit Singer to young and old alike.” – Carol Durfee, Senior Editor
Buy a copy for yourself or get one for a young person in your life!
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