Author, publisher, and podcaster Edward Willett is tackling an ambitious project: an anthology, Shapers of Worlds, that will feature stories by some of today’s top authors of science fiction and fantasy, many of them international bestsellers. To fund the anthology, he launched a 30-day Kickstarter on February 28, with a goal of $13,500 Can. (about $10,000 US).
All of the featured authors were guests during the first year of Willett’s podcast, The Worldshapers (www.theworldshapers.com), winner of the 2019 Aurora Award (Canada’s top award for science fiction and fantasy) for Best Fan Related Work.
Willett is himself an award-winning author of more than sixty books of fantasy, science fiction, and non-fiction for readers of all ages. His latest is Master of the World, his 10th novel for DAW Books, Book 2 in his Worldshapers series. In The Worldshapers podcast, Willett, a former newspaper reporter and editor, and radio and television host, chats with science fiction or fantasy authors for an hour about their creative process.
Willett also owns Shadowpaw Press (www.shadowpawpress.com). Inspired by a presentation on crowdfunding at a publishing conference last year, Willett reached out to the authors who had been guests in his first year of podcasting to see who might be interested in contributing a short story to a new anthology. While not all were available, all expressed support. Eight authors committed to contributing new short stories to the anthology, and another six to contributing reprints. (See the complete list on the next page.) Several also donated special rewards, including bestselling author David Weber, who is offering six backers the opportunity to be “first readers” and receive his books in manuscript form as they’re submitted to his publisher.
In a Kickstarter, no funds are released unless the goal is reached by the deadline. If the anthology funds, about half of the $13,500 Can. will go to pay the authors, and the rest to book production and fees. At $15, backers receive an e-book version of the anthology; at $25, the trade paperback version. At higher levels, there are a multitude of additional rewards.
The Kickstarter campaign’s URL is https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/edwardwillett/shapers-of-worlds
Edward Willett is available for interviews, media appearances, speaking engagements, and/or book review requests. Please contact mickey.creativeedge@gmail.com by email or by phone at 403.464.6925.
