6 Questions about OCULUM ECHO answered ...

OCULUM ECHO, (DCB Young Readers, 2022), is my dystopia  for kids, about war, climate change, and community. What we can do now to support future generations on the planet? Can we choose technology that supports and sustains us?

With every new book, I do a Q&A here to answer the top questions I think readers will want to ask. Enjoy ...

Q1. What is OCULUM ECHO about?

OCULUM ECHO is book two in the Children of Oculum series, and is the sequel to OCULUM (2018, DCB). It starts where book one ends and continues the themes of climate collapse, pandemic, and adds the theme of war.

The story focuses on three main characters: Miranda1, Mannfred and Echo1, a new character and an AI from the past whose purpose is to check on "earth, the children, humanity and the Oculum domes." When the UnRuly show up with their bombs, the children scatter. Echo1 must find them.

This story is really a road story: one group of children heads north to safety, one group heads south to spy on the UnRuly, and one robot wanders the wasteland looking for all of them. What is the book about? Suffering I suppose, but also love, and how we are always better together.

Q2.  The story has climate collapse, revolution, and war in it. What was it like to write a speculative book for younger readers, which reflects reality?

Well, in many ways both the books are prescient. In OCULUM, which came out in 2018 but was written in 2015, I wrote a middle-grade dystopia which included pandemic and climate collapse. In OCULUM ECHO, I have also added war with a group called the UnRuly. The manuscript was delivered to my publisher in 2019, months before the latest war in Ukraine.

To be honest, it IS a little unsettling to write a book that starts out as speculative fiction, then pierces the veil of reality. But any writer paying even a tiny bit of attention to the world and historical events could see the climate was in crisis (even decades ago), and that humanity was way past due for the next pandemic. And sadly, as a species we are never far from war.

Plenty of writers wrote their "pandemic" book pre-COVID, only to have a real pandemic land in our laps. American author/pundit Chuck Wendig (Wanderers, 2019), wrote about that very thing: So You Wrote About A Pandemic. Canadian author Hilary St. John Mandel wrote about pandemic and society collapse, in Station Eleven (2014). Ken Oppel released his cli-fi children's series Bloom during the pandemic. There are other examples.

But an author's job is to point toward truth. To stay awake, watching, reading, throwing the bones, seeing the signs. Writers are nothing if not futurists. And as a children's author, it's my job to provide thinking about the world around us in an age-appropriate way, although in a slightly gentler form than Wendig and St. John Mandel provide it, plus with a dash more agency and hope. I think the next generation needs these speculative stories more than ever.

Q3: What are some of your influences for this story?

When I was a little kid, Mr. Spock from Star Trek (the original series) was my hero. He wasn't just a television character, he was alive for me (find out why here: Spocktoberfest).

I also loved Mr. Data in Star Trek/The Next Generation. The battle between Data and Lor, the "originator" story of Dr. Noonien Soong ... all so inspired by Mary Shelley and her delicious, heartbroken, flawed creation in Frankenstein. I also love Martha Wells' latest books about the self-actuated Murderbot (if you haven't discovered this series, it's pretty great). 

So I've always loved science fiction, and as a student of English Literature (two university degrees worth) I'm particularly fascinated with stories about self-realization, our responsibility to ourselves and to future generations. We are forever fascinated with our creations, right back to Prometheus. And the whole exploding world of AI, the question of sentience, is taking off right now. As an author (see #2 above) watching the signs, it's fascinating to see how we interact with our creations. 

Where will it all go? What IS the point of all our technology, anyway? 

Some early books that influenced me: The White Mountains trilogy by John Christopher (a dystopia I read at age 11); The Chrysalids by John Wyndham; The Hobbit/Tolkien; The Giver/Lowry; The Left Hand of Darkness/Le Guin; Paradise Lost/Milton; 1984/Orwell; The Handmaid's Tale/Atwood ... and so on. Lots of movies too, from 2001: A Space Odyssey (Kubrick) to I am Mother (Sputore), and everything in between.

My influences land on the science fiction and fantasy side, with questions of humanity, what makes us human, what are our responsibilities to ourselves, to our creations, to the next generation, at the core. 

Q4: Which character in the book is your favourite?

Well, after the information dump above in Question 3, I guess I have to say that I really love Echo1, my newest creation! Echo1 is a culmination of all the reading I've ever done, all the science fiction robots I've ever been intrigued by, all the books and movies that have ever moved me to tears or made me think deeply about what makes us human. What does being almost-human feel like (cue Mr. Spock and Mr. Data and Murderbot and Hal and so on)? 

Ultimately I wonder: what makes us us? Who or what are we?

Echo1 wonders the same thing on page 4 of the book and asks Guide (Echo1's inner voice), "What am I?" Guide answers: "You are a creation, but what you become is up to you Echo1. You will learn as you go. I will help you."

Echo1 then asks, "Am I alive?" And Guide says, "You have free will, Echo1. You decide what a life is, and what to do with yours." Pretty succinctly existential. I hope you love Echo1, too.

Q5: What is the main message you want this book to leave with young readers?

There are so many big themes in this book: climate collapse, pandemic, war, how technology can be a tool for both destruction AND survival (a big one). 

But the message that I really want to stay with readers long after finishing the book comes in the form of a question that Miranda1 asks Grannie: "I ask Grannie, what do we become? How do we grow? Why do we live? Grannie tells me much, about family, about protecting one another, about trying to be content and endure hardship together. There will be sorrow, but we should also welcome joy. And love too. She talks about how we must learn all that we can, to pass wisdom from one generation to the next, to live for each other." p. 78, Oculum Echo.

Author at Book City Toronto, 2022

More existential love. As I say above, the main message of the book is that we must love each other, and live for each other too. We're better together.

Q6: Final question, will there be more books in the Children of Oculum series?

I'm working on the third book, OCULUM SCRIBE right now. Thank you to my amazing publisher, DCB, for letting me tell the rest of the story. Stay tuned!

All posts about OCULUM ECHO and OCULUM on this blog.

INTERVIEWS & REVIEWS:

5-Star CM Review, Oct 2022

Guest Blogger, KickButt-Kidlit

"rich world-building and determined characters give it an originality that sets it apart" Quill & Quire

OCULUM is in the house! 5 middle-grade dystopia questions answered ...

OCULUM, 2018, DCB Available here

Today, March 7, 2024, this blog rolls over 200,000 views. That seems like a lot, and when I started this project in 2013, I had no idea that I would have so much to say. Scrolling through all 449 posts, I'm surprised at what a road-map it is to my life. 

Mostly about book and writing craft news, there are glimpses of my family, holidays, poetry, music,  losses and sorrows too. I wrote in this space through COVID and those early posts at the start of the pandemic are hard to read. We've all been through a lot these past 4 years.

My top blog post over the years is this one, "OCULUM is in the house," read 1000s of times, first posted in April 2018, last posted November, 2020. So, today in celebration of life's small successes, I repost it for you. Thank you for reading along with me.

Enjoy:

"All about OCULUM, my classic, science fiction, middle-grade dystopia. 

I wrote this book in 2016 (published in 2018), and it talks about children living in a world renewing itself after environmental collapse and pandemic. While my writerly crystal ball came up strangely accurate, more importantly, the story is full of hope for the future. The book is in print and still sells copies weekly. 

OCULUM award nods, thank you all:

Forest of Reading Silver Birch 2020
SYRCA Diamond Willow nominee 2020
Forest of Reading Kid's Committee Summer Reading List 2019

Plus, the book was optioned for audiobook and TV. Someone please pinch me.

Here's a re-post of "5 questions people are probably going to ask me about this book."  Enjoy!

Q: Elevator pitch: what is Oculum about?

A: Humanity is recovering from environmental collapse, and two sets of children, one living a life of luxury inside an insular domed world and one living in the rubble outside, must somehow combine the best of both their worlds.

Q. What does Oculum mean? 

A: Oculum (noun) is Latin for "eye." In architecture, a circular oculus allows light and air into domed structures like the ancient Roman Pantheon. Some modern domes use an oculus, too.

Q: Why did you choose "Oculum" for the title?

A: I chose "Oculum" as the title because I wanted a word that sounded slightly weighty and ancient, as well as modern and futuristic. Latin words do that well!

Half of the story takes place in a domed world, known as "Oculum" to its inhabitants. Similar to the ancient Roman Pantheon and other structures (like Rogers Centre in modern day Toronto for example), the circular top of the dome of Oculum is opened (and closed) to the sun and stars, using a simple but impressive mechanism. In this case, the opening and closing of the dome is managed by an army of robot keepers.

Also, this story takes place as humanity begins to recover from a plague, environmental disaster and general collapse. The words, "Oculum aperui" mean "I opened an eye." While the book isn't didactic, I like the idea that we need to "open an eye" to what we're doing to the planet. Generations past and future will be watching (keeping an "eye" on us, if you like), to see what we do to save and preserve our world now, and what we do if we get a second chance to rise from the rubble.

Q: What made you want to write a middle-grade dystopia? 

A: The idea for this book started with a vivid dream I had many years ago, of a mother with robot arms as she tucks a human child into bed. They weren't my arms (or my child), but the sweetness of the robot Mother's love for her human charge really stayed with me. I've always wanted to explore the idea of a middle-grade dystopia, since they are quite rare, and here was the kernel of the idea: a robot Mother's love.

Who is she? Who made her? Why is she in charge of a human child? What's the child like who has only had cool, metallic arms to tuck her in every night? Do they talk of love? What kinds of love might survive the end of the world, anyway ...

Q: What challenges did you face writing a middle-grade dystopia, and how is it different from young adult dystopia?

A: When I started to look around the modern dystopia genre, I didn't find that much written for a middle-grade audience. There's plenty of great YA dystopia though, and while there's lots of overlap, there are also some subtle differences between YA and MG, mostly in the slightly gentler, more hopeful tone.

Could that be the reason for the relative lack of modern MG dystopia? It's hard to get the right dystopian message across in a gentler tone? I guess it's possible. Of course, if you know of good recent MG dystopias that I've missed, please let me know!


I read a few MG dystopias for younger readers as a kid, though, most notably John Christopher's "White Mountains Trilogy" from the '70s and John Wyndham's "The Chrysalids."

I think the shining example of middle-grade dystopia is Lois Lowry's "The Giver," which is an astonishing book and I urge you to read it asap if you haven't! Monica Hughes' "Invitation to the Game" is another great book in the genre (she was also a Canadian author).

There was the challenge. As a middle-grade author (Oculum is my 10th book for middle-grade readers), I wanted to see if I could explore a dystopia in a meaningful way with younger kids.

So, I set out to write Oculum. I wanted to touch on environmental ruin, collapse, how society might restructure itself as it renews, and what would we lose and what would we value in the new world? What would happen to books, art, literacy, music? Who would raise the children? What fragile symbol could I use to represent what we stand to lose if the planet dies forever? (A peach.) And finally, how to do this all in a slightly hopeful way?

It WAS a challenge!

In the end, I created a dystopia with two first-person voices. The first voice is Miranda1 inside the dome (at 13, the oldest girl in Oculum). The second voice is Mannfred (12), a boy living rough outside the dome in the rubble, with his friends and Grannie, who feeds and clothes them.

In Miranda's isolated world inside the dome with the robots and the younger children, the world is picture perfect, but there is no love or freedom. In the ruined City outside the dome, Mannfred and the other children know death, disease, hunger, and love, but they are fairly isolated without much social interaction. So that was one way to get into a middle-grade dystopia: with two voices from younger characters who have both been quite isolated.

And a few other MG tactics I used...

Violence: I wrote a gun into the story, but it plays a different role than it might in a YA dystopia (barter instead of destruction).

Language: Cranker, one of the main characters outside the domed world of Oculum, does swear but in a humorous way: "Festering gobs" and such (along the same lines as "sufferin' succotash" as my editor said). He was fun to write!

Romance: There is love in the story, but it's the love of friendship. The main characters in the dome, Miranda1 and William1, do hold hands and know that they will be together always, but romance is for the future.

Star-Trekking the Future: Gene Roddenberry wrote Star Trek in the '60s in part to reflect a better future for humanity, including characters rarely seen (a woman as a bridge officer, an alien alliance/Vulcan etc). In Oculum (my story, my party), I created a few characters you rarely see, including a strong older woman in Grannie. I also wanted to show a gentle, whole boy, in Mannfred. Older women can be tough and vital, young boys can be brave, but also loving.

Hope: Mannfred (Mann for short) is the main character outside the dome. He has the last word, and I loved writing the final chapter from his POV. He's a great character anyway, a big, gentle 12-year-old who is happy to carry the family's baby (and who has no stomach for fighting, although he always wins since he is so big). As for a hopeful ending ... you'll just have to read it to find out how I handled that!"

More about OCULUM on this BLOG 

Order your copy of OCULUM online
Free Teacher's GUIDE
QUILL & QUIRE REVIEW "Rich-world building and determined characters sets it apart"
CM Magazine Review HIGHLY RECOMMENDED 
Goodreads Reviews

OCULUM ECHO is a CCBC Best Book 2023!

 

What an honour to see my latest book, OCULUM ECHO, noted in the Canadian Children's Book Centre's BEST BOOKS 2023, thank you! You'll find the review in the Spring 2023 edition.

This book is the sequel to my middle-grade dystopia, OCULUM, which was nominated for the OLA Silver Birch award and the SYRCA Diamond Willow award, thank you to those nominating committees. The series is called The Children of Oculum.

It takes courage and skill to write a speculative dystopia for children, to explore big issues in an age-appropriate way. I think Lois Lowry's The Giver does that well, so do books like Ender's Game and even the first dystopia I ever read, The White Mountains (by John Christopher, a bit dated but still relevant). You probably have your own favourite middle-grade dystopia, and if so, please send me a line and share it with me.

OCULUM ECHO has had terrific reviews (including this 5-star review in CM magazine), and has been well-received, also getting the CBC nod for The Best Books for Kids in 2022. The book is relevant, close to what is happening in the world right now. I think that's our job as children's authors: to tell the truth, to be honest in an age-appropriate way, to get the next generation to think about the world we live in, and the world they'd like to create.

The story has a non-binary AI, Echo1, a sweet amalgam of all my SF influences, from Frankenstein's creature to TNG's Data, Martha Wells' Murderbot, even ChatGPT and more. The book also further explores the themes of climate collapse, pandemic, and privilege from the first book. That book, OCULUM, was published in 2018 and written in 2015, long before many took the climate crisis very seriously or had ever heard of COVID19.

In another stroke of prescience (and what are writers if not futurists?), in OCULUM ECHO I also included a warlike group called the UnRuly, who have found an ancient weapon but have no idea of its power. Again, I wrote this book mostly in 2020 and 2021, long before the latest war erupted in Europe. Will there always be war? Maybe. Was it a stretch to create this element of the story? Not really, looking at our recent and distant history.

I think children need this book right now, and other well-written dystopian books like it. They need funny books, and scary books, and light-hearted books too, but they also need someone to guide them through some of the big issues with characters they trust. I hope Miranda1, Echo1, and Mannfred are those voices, offering guidance, courage, and hope to the next generation of readers.  

There is a third book in the series, OCULUM SCRIBE, the end of the trilogy. The first draft is finished, so stay tuned!

More about OCULUM AND OCULUM ECHO on this blog

My first in-person OLA SuperConference in 3 years ...

The Ontario Library Association SuperConference is coming, and for the first time since February 2020, I'll be there!

Where: Cormorant Booth, Exhibitor's Hall
When: Friday, February 3rd, 2023, 11:20 a.m.
What: Signing free copies of OCULUM ECHO (2022) 

Author with her
publisher, 2019

This annual librarian and literacy conference is held at the Toronto Metro Convention Centre from February 1-4 this year, and it's an incredibly important event for publishers, authors, educators, and librarians. There are talks and seminars about all things books, libraries, literacy and more.

It's also a fantastic place for authors to catch up with our friends and peers. It's been three long years since we last met in person, let the joyful reunion begin! If you're at the convention, please come and say hello!

Here's a complete list of all the author events at the OLASC this year: 
OLA SuperConference Authors

 

OCULUM ECHO is a CBC Best Canadian Book for Kids 2022

So honoured to say that OCULUM ECHO has been selected for the CBC Best Canadian Books for Kids 2022 list, thank you!

This CBC list comes out once a year, and names the top 20+ books over three categories: picture books, middle grade (that's me), and young adult. If you are buying books for young readers this year, this list is a good place to start, plus they are all Canadian writers. 

Here is the full list: The CBC Best Canadian Kids Books 2022

Please support your local bookstore if you can, and if you read any of these books and enjoy it, please review it somewhere (reviews help sales).

Happy Holidays!

Echo1 becomes an endearing character ... BOOK REVIEW!

"With unmatched compassion for those he wishes to save, Echo1 becomes an endearing character you surely will admire...Readers are rewarded with an unpredictable plot that moves along swiftly. 

The pair of books would make a perfect gift for the science fiction loving kid in our present world." -- Always in the Middle, US Blog, Dec 16, 2022

OCULUM ECHO has been out for 6 weeks now, and the reviews are starting to roll in. This is just a lovely review from US Blogger Greg Pattridge, thank you!

Here's the full review: OCULUM ECHO reviewed

OCULUM ECHO is recommended by The International Educator

 

"The setting is vivid and the main characters are compelling [in] their drive towards their goals of protecting the children of their world from an impending war. The story, written from multiple perspectives is rich and [with] descriptive language and multiple twists..."

-- The International Educator, blog, Dec/2022

What a lovely review for OCULUM ECHO from The International Educator (TIE) this month. My post-apocalyptic story about the children of Oculum is one of four books from around the world chosen in this month's Global Book Recommendations, thank you! 

OCULUM ECHO addresses issues of climate collapse, war and technology, and introduces young readers to one of my favourite new characters, an AI named Echo1 (on the cover).

Here's the TIE link: Global Book Recommendations

Find a copy of OCULUM ECHO here (and a review = book love!):

Independent bookstores near you

Indigo

Amazon

It's a 5 Star Review for OCULUM ECHO!

 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

"A very well-written and an imaginative description of a future world struggling to survive, the story ends on a positive note and a hint, at least to this reader, there could be more to come. 5/5, HIGHLY RECOMMENDED"

CM Magazine September 30/2022

Well, a wonderful review for OCULUM ECHO is out, and it's a FULL 5/5 STARS! 

Thank you to CM Magazine, a review site dedicated to reviewing Canadian books for young readers. In 13 years of publishing books, this is my first 5/5 star rating from them. Although I've come close before, it's pretty special to get a top shelf rating from them, they seldom give five stars.

Waiting for reviews of your new book is always a study in patience and fortitude, so I'm very appreciative and grateful for this review for OCULUM ECHO. Thank you to my wonderful publisher DCB Young Readers, for inviting me back into this world!

Author signs copies at Book City, Oct 2022
(Toronto, Bloor West)

As the cover suggests, ECHO is an intelligence created by us, a robot, part Mr. Data from TNG (iykyk), part Shelley-an creation, part Murderbot, part every AI I've ever met or read in a lifetime of reading, watching and absorbing literature and science fiction. I hope you are fascinated and moved by Echo1, Peregrine (Echo's video drone falcon), and Guide, Echo's teacher and well, guide.

Call me Echo ... and I only am escaped alone to tell thee. I'm feeling very cryptic today!

Here are all posts about OCULUM and OCULUM ECHO on this blog, books 1 and 2 in The Children of Oculum series.

 

OCULUM ECHO is a CBC Canadian Middle Grade Book to Watch For ...

 

OCULUM ECHO is on the CBC Fall list of Books to Watch for!

"Will the children of Oculum survive the violent, destroyed world outside the dome? The explosions come in the night. Miranda1, Mannfred, Grannie, and the one thousand children of Oculum must flee their farm, chased by the UnRuly. But there is hope: an old friend sends word of a book that may hold the secret to their survival." CBC

I'm SO honoured that CBC has chosen my latest book, OCULUM ECHO, as part of its fall list of Canadian Middle-Grade Books to Watch. Thank you to them! There are 36 books here for kids aged 9-12, all by wonderful Canadian authors, a perfect start for gift-giving. Go check out the list, and enjoy.

Here is the CBC book page for OCULUM ECHO.

All posts about OCULUM ECHO on this blog.

Enjoy an excerpt from OCULUM ECHO, available now...

 

OCULUM ECHO is out today! October, 1 2022!

It's book two in The Children of Oculum series. Book one, OCULUM, was published in 2018 and was nominated for the OLA Silver Birch and the SYRCA Diamond Willow awards. It's also been optioned for a television series. Thank you to my wonderful publisher, DCB Young Readers, for inviting me to revisit this world.

Please allow me to introduce the charming ECHO1, and to share a little of Echo's first chapter with you:

"ECHO1 

Wake, Echo1. 

I wake.

Open your eyes, Echo1. 

I have eyes. I open them. Light. 

Now try your hand, Echo1. 

I lift my hand. I have never had a hand before. 

The voice in my head speaks again, Hello, Echo1. This is Guide. Are you ready? 

Yes, Guide, I am ready. I can answer Guide inside my head! 

Then there are more instructions from Guide, the voice in my head. 

Find your feet, Echo1. 

I lift my boot. I take two shaky steps. 

Jump, Echo1. 

I jump. 

Touch your nose, Echo1. 

I touch my finger to my nose. 

Speak out loud, Echo1. 

I say, “Call me Echo.”

Then I do many physical and mental tasks, as Guide requests. 

When I am found to be functioning well, Guide says, Echo1, are you ready for your journey? 

Yes, Guide, I am ready, I answer in my head. 

Then step outside and leave your outpost, Echo1. I open the door. 

I step outside. It is very different from inside. There are trees, a small mountain, and clouds in the sky above me. I blink in the sunlight. My outpost is a hard, domed metal shell slightly larger than me. The silver letters above the door read “ECHO1.” 

There are many words and ideas that I understand, but I also have many questions for Guide. 

Guide, how long have I been asleep? Guide answers, Eighty-three years. 

Who put me here? Guide answers again, The Makers.

 Where am I? Guide says, Your birthplace, the ECHO1 outpost. 

What am I? Guide doesn’t answer right away, then says, You are a creation, but what you become is up to you, Echo1. You will learn as you go. I will help you. 

Am I alive?"

I'll stop there, but you can read the rest of Echo1's first conversation with Guide here. This is a middle-grade, post-apocalyptic story about climate change, war, technology, and a near future that I hope no one has to live in. There is love, friendship, and sacrifice in this story, it is age-appropriate, yet the main message is something like, "technology may be one of our greatest achievements, but at what cost? And where will it lead us?"

Order OCULUM ECHO here. For media copies, interviews, events, please contact DCB. I'll be holding a book launch soon, stay tuned for details on that.

All posts on this blog about OCULUM and OCULUM ECHO.

OCULUM ECHO is in the house ...

 

OCULUM ECHO is coming out on October 1, 2022, you can preorder now!

What happens to Miranda1, Mannfred, Cranker, Grannie and the other children of OCULUM? You'll be able to find out on October 1, when my latest book is available in stores. You can preorder it too of course (preorders = love). There will be a launch too, more information to come on that. 

OCULUM ECHO is the sequel to OCULUM, which was nominated for the OLA Silver Birch and SYRCA Diamond Willow awards. The first book has also been optioned for a television series.

I

Author and her 
book baby,Aug. 2022

t's been a summer filled with great joy (kids finished university!), and sorrow and deep loss, too. But today, my new book baby is in the house. That's something to celebrate, for sure.

I can't wait for you to meet ECHO1, a new character who is inspired by every AI I've ever met, from Data to Murderbot to Mary Shelley's creature. Every dystopia needs its hero, thanks to my wonderful publisher, DCB Young Readers, for letting me create mine.

Please contact DCB for interviews and media or review copies.

Here's the gorgeous cover for OCULUM ECHO, coming October 2022!

This new book baby went to press last week! WELCOME OCULUM ECHO!

"From the Governor General's Literary Award-winning author of Firefly.

The explosions come in the night. Miranda1, Mannfred, Grannie, and the one thousand children of Oculum must flee their farm, chased by the UnRuly. But there is hope: a voice from the past sends word of a book that may hold the secret to their survival.

Just as they begin their journey through the wasteland, Echo1 wakes up after an eighty-three-year sleep and is given a mission to find the four domes of the children of Oculum, and to find the First One, whatever the cost."

What gorgeous covers for OCULUM ECHO, thank you to artist Emily Weedon. The book will be out in the world fully on October 1, 2022. I'll be holding a book launch, or a signing depending on the state of the pandemic I guess, stay tuned for more. As always, thank you to my fabulous publisher, DCB Young Readers, for letting me tell this second story in The Children of Oculum series! It was a gift to go back into this world, and explore what happens to the children next.

It's not a simple story, but I am glad that I wrote it and that you'll get to read it. Once again, the children face pandemic, climate crisis, and this time war (sadly prescient on all three) ... but there is hope in this story. Kindness. An effort made to mitigate at the last minute. And a new character. Can't WAIT for you to meet Echo1.

SOON!

To request a copy for review, an author interview or more, contact DCB Young Readers.

 

Introducing OCULUM ECHO, coming October 2022

 

What happens to Miranda1, Mannfred, Cranker, Grannie and the other children of OCULUM now they're outside their domed world?

Robots, freedom, war and FatRats. And ECHO.

I'm SO happy to reveal the cover for my next book, OCULUM ECHO! It's book 2 in The Children of Oculum series.

PRE-ORDER NOW. 

Coming from DCB Young Readers in October 2022, it's the sequel to OCULUM (2018), my middle-grade dystopia, which also features pandemic and climate change. 

In OCULUM ECHO, the story of the children of OCULUM continues. There is still pandemic and the planet is slowly recovering from climate collapse, but now there is also war with the UnRuly. (I was sadly prescient on this one, I'll be writing more about that in upcoming posts, just know that the story offers hope, glimmers anyway.) 

BUT ... there is also a voice from the past. There is also ECHO.

More to come soon, but for now I'm just really excited to reveal the cover of my next book! Thanks to my publisher DCB and to cover artist Emily Weedon, for the great new book cover.

OCULUM was nominated for the OLA Silver Birch Award and the SYRCA Diamond Willow Award and is optioned for a television production.

More about OCULUM on this blog.

OCULUM has a sequel coming September 2022, OCULUM ECHO!

 

SEQUEL NEWS! I could NOT be happier to announce that my 2018, multi-award nominated title, OCULUM, has a sequel coming in September 2022. 

Welcome OCULUM ECHO!

Here is the full announcement in Quill & Quire.

Many, many thank yous to my wonderful publisher, DCB Young Readers (the children's imprint of Cormorant Books). They are a terrific publisher, and I'm very lucky to be part of their family of great writers. 

It's been an interesting experience, writing more about the post-apocalyptic world of Oculum, a world which has fallen due to environmental collapse and pandemic, during well, climate crisis and pandemic.

Life imitating art, again. Art imitating life, again. A mobius loop of story.

More to come on OCULUM ECHO but for now, here's a video of me answering 30 questions about OCULUM in 30 minutes. Thanks to the PEEL District School Board for the YouTube video, from June 2020. I start at @43 minutes: Enjoy: Philippa answers kids questions about OCULUM

All Posts about OCULUM on this BLOG

FREE Teacher's Guide for OCULUM, online resources for parents and kids, and more

Silver Birch 2020 nominee;
SYRCA Diamond Willow 2020 nominee 

Hi all, since school is starting again for most Canadian kids this week, I've re-posted this for everyone keeping kids engaged and inspired at home during this global crisis. 

EXTENDED FOR 2021! Free Licensing Agreement for Read-Aloud Canadian Books Program with Access Copyright. 

Teachers, librarians, parents: you may now post video readings of many books through a temporary license agreement with publishers and Access Copyright until June December 31, 2021. Simply goodwill required. You'll find OCULUM on the list, under my publisher, Cormorant. (All of my books are now available to read aloud, check also Dundurn Press.)

READ VIDEO LICENSE AGREEMENT HERE

ALSO, below are free Teacher's Guides from my publisher, with critical thinking, discussion and more activities parents and teachers can use to inspire kids. These focus on my books, but most authors and publishers provide free resources for readers and teachers, just check their websites.

Here are links to the Ontario Library Association and the Canadian Children's Book Centre, with more links to Canadian author pages, resources for at-home learning, games, puzzles, and much more. 

AND here is a link to the Peel Virtual Forest of Reading celebration in June 2020, where I answer 25 questions about OCULUM from kids, in a live 30-minute Q & A. You will also hear from excellent authors Helaine Becker and Zetta Elliot. I begin @43 minutes.

These are free curriculum resources for you created by publishers, authors and educators. I hope this information helps you in the months ahead.

FREE TEACHER'S GUIDES for my books:

OCULUM Teacher's Guide, DCB Young Readers
A middle-grade dystopia, ages 10-13 (grades 5-8)

Sample question:

Q6. Grannie can remember Cambridge and the boys’ choir there. How old does that make Grannie? How far in the future must we be? (38) (See author's answer HERE)

FIREFLY Teacher's Guide, DCB Young Readers

A young girl escapes a difficult life with her mother, to live with her aunt in a downtown Toronto costume shop.

Sample question:

"Of all the costumes that Firefly wears, which is your favourite? Why?"

For all other Teacher's Guides, please VISIT 49th SHELF for free downloads of the following:

Weird Stories Gone Wrong series, Teacher's Guides

Alex and The Other, Teacher's Guide (doppelganger, evil twins)
Carter and the Curious Maze, Teacher's Guide (time travel)
Myles and the Monster Outside, Teacher's Guide (anxiety, road trip)
Jake and the Giant Hand, Teacher's Guide (urban legend)

An award-winning series of horror stories for middle-grade readers.
Great for reluctant readers, or hi/low readers. Ages 8-12.

The Night Flyer's Handbook Series
Family, flight and magic realism, a young girl realizes that her family history as a Night Flyer can bring clarity and a new community to her life. Ages 10-13. Nominated for the OLA Red Maple Award.

The Lost Gargoyle Series (2009-2012)
A young girl befriends a gargoyle lost in downtown Toronto. Series garnered 8 international awards, and has been optioned for television and film. Ages 8-12.


MORE EXCELLENT FREE RESOURCES FOR YOU:

FOREST OF READING: 

Register for the Forest of Reading, a children's reading program from the Ontario Library Association, which is now free for everyone as a response to COVID-19. They provide LOTS of great resources to keep kid's reading, author talks (including mine) and much more.

For my Forest Friday 1-hour talk about OCULUM, click here: FOREST FRIDAY WITH PHILIPPA DOWDING (you will need to download AdobeConnect at the prompt). There are so many Canadian authors here talking about their award-winning novels, please check it out.

THE CANADIAN CHILDREN'S BOOK CENTRE: A growing list of free resources from Canadian authors and publishers, check the new READ CANADIAN AT HOME resource guide from Canadian Children's Book Centre. They have links for many author's websites, book talks, and more added every day.

YOUTUBE: Here is my YouTube video channel, with book trailers for some of my books, and a few videos of me talking about writing and more. Ask your child to make their own book trailer for a favourite book, it's fun! Also, most authors have book trailers, youtube channels or livestream readings going on, visit their websites to check.

MUSIC: Also, visit my Bandcamp account for free book music (downloadable) and book readings by me. I'll be adding more readings and music in the weeks ahead.

WEBSITE: Also, visit my website for more free information and ideas. I'll be updating and putting more information on this blog and on my website regularly.

MY PANDEMIC MOTTO: 

We can't hold each other right now, but until we can, it might help to hold a book.

PD

OCULUM is a great summer read for kids, thanks Innisfil Library!

Me with OCULUM, 2018
Thanks to author Lucy Falcone for the photo!

"Maybe you prefer dystopian adventures? Philippa Dowding’s Oculum is for you!"

--BarrieToday, August/2020

Thanks to the librarians at Innisfil IdeaLAB and Library, they have selected OCULUM as one of their TD Summer Book club picks for kids! 

Read the whole article here, with lots of great book selections for young readers: OCULUM in BarrieToday

Keep your kids reading this summer, everyone. I've said it before, and here it is once again: we can't hold each other right now, but until we can, it may help to hold a book.

More about OCULUM on this blog

OCULUM is featured on CBC BOOKS, livestream event and more!

IMAGE of author and OCULUM from CBC Books, click image for link.

So honoured to have OCULUM featured on the CBC Books site this weekend! Thanks to my publisher DCB Young Readers, the Forest of Reading, and CBC Books.

Here is the featured page: OCULUM on CBC Books

OCULUM is nominated for the Forest of Reading Silver Birch award this year, which is the largest reader's choice award in Canada, with over 250,000 children between kindergarten and grade 12 engaged in reading! Due to COVID19, all festivals and celebrations were cancelled this spring, however, CBC Books partnered with the Ontario Library Association and now there will be an online celebration and a winner announced on June 16. 

UPDATE: Here are the Forest of Reading Winners (I'm in the Silver Birch category): 

FREE JUNE 2, 1:15, LIVESTREAM EVENT!

Also, I will be live-streaming on the Peel District School Board Youtube channel on Tuesday, June 2/2020 at 1:15, reading from the book and answering kids' questions about OCULUM. Here's the link, I hope you can join me: OCULUM LIVE STREAM (I start at @ 43 minutes; author Helaine Becker is before me; author Zetta Elliott is after me)

On stage at Harbourfront in Toronto, celebrating
Forest of Reading in 2017 with Illustrator
Shawna Daigle (left)

Our book, Myles and the Monster Outside,
won Silver Birch Express Honour book!
A great day. Image courtesy Riley Murray

They are streaming more Forest of Reading nominated authors all week, so check out the PDSB Youtube channel for more great free events!

I hope you can join in on June 2, June 16 or some other time, and celebrate Canadian authors, books and kids. If you read a book and enjoy it, please consider posting a review online, giving a copy to a friend, or telling the world somehow. Canadian authors need your support more than ever!

My motto these days: we can't hold each other right now, but until we can, it might help to hold a book.

More about OCULUM on this blog including free teacher's guides, 5 Questions about OCULUM 
answered, free read-aloud licensing agreement
and much more.

Writing in the time of Coronavirus

Dear Friends,

It's March 2020, and the world is in the grip of a pandemic. No one alive today has been through anything like this, the last similar virus was in 1918, over 100 years ago.

So we're all watching the news, reading the reports, trying to stay calm in the face of the worst kind of news imaginable: this virus is a super-spreader, it kills somewhere between 2% and 6% of those infected, older people aged 60 and up are more likely to develop serious illness and die. If there is any good news, children are largely unaffected, but remain a reservoir of disease, so should avoid older people.

In Canada, and in Toronto where I live, we've all been asked to self-isolate for two weeks, even though the numbers of infections in Canada remain low at least for now, at under 200 confirmed cases and one death in B.C. (a man in his 80s) as of today. Schools are now closed, large gatherings, conferences, sports events, libraries, and much more are closed down. We are living in our homes, hoping we have enough frozen vegetables to last the storm which authorities assure us is about to come.

We believe them. Just look at poor Italy, South Korea, and China. It's coming, all we can do is hold on. The idea now is to "flatten the curve" of infection by self-isolating, so hospitals don't become overwhelmed with the sick.

I lived in Toronto when SARS came through and claimed 44 lives in 2003, but this is much worse. It's worse because it is ALL of us. Everywhere.

Oh Earth, what have we done to ourselves?

As a writer, my job is to look around me and make predictions about what I see. In 2015, five years ago, I started writing a dystopia for children, ages 10 and up. I wanted to tell a story about love, and equity, and also about the collapse of our society through environmental crisis, loss of bees, and yes ... pandemic.

My book is OCULUM (2018, DCB), which has been nominated for two awards (thank you SYRCA and OLA) and has been optioned for television and audio-book. In this story, two separate groups of kids interact 80 years after the collapse of society. They either live a comfortable life inside a domed, dystopian world with robots and peaches, or they live a hardscrabble existence outside the dome in the rubble of the cities.

This may seem gloomy for children, but the main message of my book is one of hope and love. The story is a very loose echo of Shakespeare's Tempest, which is ultimately, a story of love and community.

OCULUM is a story about how we have each other, and we are better together, no matter what happens. The final words of the book come from one of the first-person narrators, Mannfred (Mann for short). He is dreaming about the orchards he is going to plant once he gets to the farm.

He says, "It'll take a long time, my whole life and then some, but I got only one wish: one day, when I'm a man, me and my friends, my family, everybody there is, will pick peaches big as barrels, sweet as honey, from trees tall as the sky."

That's my wish for all of us today and in the weeks to come: that we may plant, grow, and enjoy the bounty of this amazing planet together again one day soon.

In the meantime, I'll be reading, writing, and thinking about spring. Hold fast everyone, hold each other, just hold on.

With love for all of you,

PD

More about OCULUM
FREE Teacher's Guide for OCULUM
Goodreads Reviews
More about Oculum on this blog