Amanda White – författare

What is the responsibility, or the task of the arts as we face environmental crisis? Ecologies in Practice is an edited collection of dynamic and multi-formatted contributions that explore the ways in which cultural production informs perceptions, communications, and knowledge of environmental distress in a Canadian context, pointing to the significance of the arts in the creation and sharing of crucial counter narratives and alternative possibilities. Ecologies in Practice identifies the arts as an important mode of inquiry for reimagining, and for public engagement and understanding of pressing environmental and social concerns, while acknowledging the ways in which it contributes important work to the growing interdisciplinary field of Environmental Humanities. Bringing together artistic perspectives from a range of lenses and voices, including artists, writers, scholars, activists, curators, theorists, and makers, Ecologies in Practice offers important tools for artists, scholars, students, and research-creators invested in arts and the environment. Contributors present artistic methods as alternative sites of understanding that contribute significant and affective work to environmental scholarship, while thinking outside of the disciplinary borders and confines of the artworld. Ecologies in Practice aims to initiate vital conversations among practitioners, and together with readers, consider what environmentally engaged arts lend differently to these conversations.

It is common knowledge that the ways of dragons are their own. Everyone knows this. But even so, when the citadel of Messhlun, the kingdom north of Dar, is overrun by dragons it isn't clear why or what exactly it is they want. What's even less clear is why the dragons won't negotiate with the local wizards. What's even less clear than that is why they've asked for Hol the Fortunetelling Wizard by name.   But, since it is equally common knowledge that the ways of wizards are also their own, it comes as no surprise to anyone that Hol and his tunic are curious and foolish enough to go find out.

It is common knowledge that young bull minotaurs cannot resist unclaimed labyrinths. While that is true, it is certainly less of a common practice for one of them to demand a city's heir as a sacrifice when he comes to claim his labyrinth rights. But a young bull minotaur has done just that. The deadline is dawn. The heir must be sacrificed or the minotaur will raze the city to the ground. As the time runs out, the city despairs. And yet, before the worst can happen, the wizard Hol arrives to stand in the heir's place. But what can a fortunetelling wizard do against a rampaging minotaur? With the labyrinth working against him and the nearby forest conspiring his demise, can Hol dissuade the minotaur from his destructive path or will Hol, his tunic, and the heir become the minotaur's latest casualties?

Lied to about magic and angry about it, an untrained and strong-willed witch is sent to learn from a teacher whose methods go against all her impulsive and fiery instincts.

If rock-throwing, magic-filled Sha-li didn't keep her promises, she'd abandon the witch she's apprenticed to and go hunt down the curse-wielding dragon she swore to find. But her word means something to her and she's determined to stick out her education.Everything is going fine. Just irritatingly fine until she's forced into a magical agreement with a seed-planting len from the north end of nowhere.The problem is, the terms for the agreement are vague at best and stupidly restricting at worst.She's not going to be tied to the len or her teacher forever, but the question is, does she have the magic it will take to break free without breaking her word or her promises?

If Sha had her way, she'd be out fighting manticores or tormenting dragons. At the least, she'd be curing plagues and taming pestilences.But no, her first act as a wizard is to chase down a stupid banshee vision.It's not like she can ignore it. Because there's the slightest chance the kingdom is actually being threatened. And she can't have that.Besides, if she doesn't handle it some other stupid wizard will sweep in and snatch the glory from her hands.She definitely can't have that.But being a wizard isn't at all what she'd expected it to be.The last thing she wants is another lesson from a witch, the banshees, or an interfering wizard, but what if she can't control the power she possesses?What if she ends up, as too many wizard-hopefuls have ended up, burned to ash and as nothing more than a cautionary tale?What if, by accident or on purpose, she's the one to destroy the kingdom?