Shapers of Worlds Volume IV
Fourth entry in powerhouse anthology series features short fiction by some of today’s top writers of science fiction and fantasy and original artwork by Alberta artist Wendi Nordell
Shapers of Worlds Volume IV, the fourth in a series of anthologies featuring short fiction by some of today’s top writers of science fiction and fantasy, releases everywhere January 23, 2024, from Shadowpaw Press in Regina, Saskatchewan.
Edited by Edward Willett, award-winning author of more than sixty books of science fiction, fantasy, and non-fiction for readers of all ages, the anthology was successfully Kickstarted earlier this year. Like the previous three volumes in the series, the anthology features work by authors who were guests on Willett’s Aurora Award-winning podcast, The Worldshapers (www.theworldshapers.com), which focuses on the creative process of writers of science fiction and fantasy. For the first time, the anthology also features artwork, with each story receiving a unique black-and-white illustration by Calgary-based artist Wendi Nordell.
Shapers of Worlds Volume IV features new fiction from David Boop, Michaelbrent Collings, Roy M. Griffis, Sarah A. Hoyt, Sherrilyn Kenyon, Noah Lemelson, Edward M. Lerner, David Liss, Gail Z. Martin, Joshua Palmatier, Richard Paolinelli, Jean-Louis Trudel, James van Pelt, Garon Whited, and Edward Willett, plus reprints by James Kennedy, Mark Leslie, R.S. Mellette, and Lavie Tidhar. Among those authors are several international bestsellers, as well as winners and nominees for every major science fiction and fantasy literary award.
From the farthest reaches of our galaxy to the cozy-yet-mysterious spaces under beds and behind sofa cushions, from mystical realms of fantasy to the here-and-now and the very near future, these nineteen authors offer readers a kaleidoscope of fantastical adventures in the company of unforgettable characters.
The editor of a tyrannical bestselling author thinks she’s finally escaped their hellish relationship when the author dies . . . but she couldn’t be more wrong. A retired ghost-hunter’s life takes an unexpected turn when an immensely valuable magical vase from the nineteenth century is brought to her attention. At the end of a millennia-long journey to the edge of the galaxy, a man who has lived a hundred lifetimes is reunited with his first true love in the midst of a battle for survival. Scarecrows that appear overnight on a lonely man’s lawn prove to be far more than the teenagers’ prank he thinks them to be. A man travels back in time to confront the attacker who destroyed his life, only to make a horrifying discovery. The Monster Under the Bed finally meets his match . . .
Travel into the past, the present, and the future in stories set in our world, in deep space, in worlds scattered across the multiverse, and in worlds that exist only in the imagination.
An unforgettable journey awaits. All you have to do is turn the page.
About the editor
EDWARD WILLETT is the Aurora Award-winning author of more than sixty books of science fiction, fantasy, and non-fiction for readers of all ages, including twelve novels for New York’s DAW Books. A past president of SF Canada, he is currently vice-president of SaskBooks, the professional association of publishers in Saskatchewan. He lives in Regina, Saskatchewan.
About the artist
WENDI NORDELL has been drawing for as long as she could hold a pencil. It has always been a favourite pastime and eventually became an occasional job. While her three children were growing up, she painted many murals, including the pediatrics wing in a hospital, a school entrance, and in many homes. She also attended festivals and craft shows, selling hand-drawn gift cards, bookmarks, and illustrations. Now that her children are grown, she has pursued an illustration career, illustrating a dozen books in the last five years, mostly for children, but also including Edward Willett’s science-fiction and fantasy poetry collection I Tumble Through the Diamond Dust. Recently, she returned to the Alberta University of the Arts, pursuing a degree in illustration.
About Shadowpaw Press
Shadowpaw Press was founded in 2018 by Edward Willett. A member of Literary Press Group (Canada) and the Association of Canadian Publishers, Shadowpaw Press publishes an eclectic selection of books by both new and established authors, including adult fiction, young adult fiction, children’s books, non-fiction, and anthologies. In addition, Shadowpaw Press publishes new editions of notable, previously published books in any genre under the Shadowpaw Press Reprise imprint.
