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.

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.