5 Take Aways from Writing a Middle Grade series ...

The Weird Stories Gone Wrong series, 2014-2019

YES, it's almost Halloween, so here is my re-post about Weird Stories Gone Wrong, and how to write a spooky series for kids:

"4. My advice for anyone writing a  children's middle-grade series?

Write it your way from the start, however weird, different or strange it may seem at first (hey, I wrote the first book about a giant’s hand buried in a farmer’s field, if that isn’t weird, what is?). Your series template is your personal calling card, your style, your vision. Make it memorable and unforgettably yours from the first word to the last."

The above is an excerpt from my post about Quinn and the Quiet, Quiet on the Dundurn Blog, October 31, 2019. Quinn is the sixth and final book in the award-winning Weird Stories Gone Wrong series.

What's my favourite memory from this 5-year journey? What's my favourite book? How do you end a series? Did I know I was going to write 6 books when I started out? (No, on that one!)

Full blog post here: Philippa Dowding on the Dundurn Blog

It's true, the sixth and final book in my award-winning, middle-grade horror series has just been published. It's Quinn and the Quiet, Quiet, an environmental dystopia which will introduce kids to the idea of resistance, imbalance of power, and self-determination. I'm pleased with this book, something I've wanted to write for a long time.

It's hard to say goodbye to a series, but it's been an incredible joy and pleasure to create the Weird Stories Gone Wrong series over the past 5 years. The books have been called "Goosebumps from north of the Border" by Kirkus Reviews, and they've garnered three national nominations, and won honour book at the 2017 Forest of Reading celebrations in Ontario. I couldn't be more proud of all the books, or more surprised at how fast the time has flown by while creating them!

I guess time really does fly when you're having fun.

Here's my favourite illustration from Quinn:

Clem looks into the Quiet, Quiet, Illustration by Shawna Daigle

I had a wonderful publisher, thank you Dundurn Press. And a terrific illustrator, many thanks to Shawna Daigle, we've had such fun together and have vowed to find something to work on again.

More to come on Quinn, but for now: 

CM Magazine Recommends Quinn and the Quiet, Quiet
All posts about Quinn and the Quiet, Quiet on this blog
Book Trailer

CM Magazine Recommends Alex and The Other

"The realities of middle school life combined with a creepy mystery adventure story make Alex and the Other a fun and fast-paced tale that fans of spooky stories will enjoy. RECOMMENDED" 

-- CM Magazine, Feb/2018

This review for my creepy, middle-grade, doppelganger horror story, came out this time last year. Alex and The Other is book 4 in the award-winning Weird Stories Gone Wrong series, and is being showcased at an upcoming Battle of the Books event for schoolkids in Ontario (April, 2019).

Still a great review!

Here's the complete review: 
Alex and The Other

Resource Links Review (E for Excellent, and Kid Summer Read List Selection)
More Reviews on Goodreads
Here's the Booktrailer with illustrations by series illustrator Shawna Daigle
ORDER Alex and The Other on Amazon

All Posts about Alex and The Other and Weird Stories Gone Wrong on this blog.

Kids predict what happens in Alex and The Other!

Last week I got this great letter in the mail:

"Dear Philippa!

A grade 4/5 class in my school has been completely taken over by “Alex and The Other” in your latest installment of the series Weird Stories Gone Wrong!

I showed them the cover and read them “This part is mostly true” and “Chapter 1” and stopped … many groans erupted so I threw them a challenge: to predict with from the cover or from what they heard, what this “Weird Story” could be about.

Enclosed are their eager responses. The Teacher was amazed at their enthusiasm ... I am tickled they are this anxious to write their thoughts to you!

Thank you for taking time to read them!"

Thank you to the wonderful teacher-librarian for sharing this, and thanks to the kids for sending their thoughts! I absolutely loved reading their responses. Some of them got pretty close to what happens next, like this one ...

"I’m wondering if the two figures in the background have to do something with the fog. The cat has green eyes, maybe because it might have looked at the two figure’s eyes."

This student has the right idea too: "I think the guy in the mirror is Alex because it winked at him."

And this student: "I think when he looks in the mirror that’s gonna be his double-ganger (sic)!"

Here are some more wildly inventive possibilities:

The Optimist: "I think that Alex is going to go to school but everyone is going to like him because the Alex in the mirror is going to go at night and make everyone be his friend."

The Pessimist: "My guess is that he will get sucked into the mirror because the mirror is doing weird things."

The Realist: "I think that Alex lives in the house because why else will she add that in the story? I also think that the two figures have something to do with the mirror."

Predicting is fun! They're going to be pretty surprised when they read a little further ...

Alex and The Other is NOW AVAILABLE
CM Magazine Review  
Goodreads Reviews
Recently Read Teacher-Librarian REVIEW
Well Worth A Read REVIEW
Geekreads Kids REVIEW
See the BOOK TRAILER 
More About ALEX AND THE OTHER on this BLOG

Alex and The Other is coming in March!

Beware the haunted bathroom mirror at school! Beware tall strangers whispering in the trees!
But most of all ... BEWARE THE OTHER!

It's coming soon, Alex and The Other, my next book in the award-winning Weird Stories Gone Wrong series, horror stories for middle-grade readers. Alex has an evil twin trying to take over his life, a missing cat, and weird strangers whispering his name in the trees. He needs help!

But help does arrive from the last people (if they are people), you'd suspect.

Pre-Order your copy of Alex and The Other now.
Read Goodreads reviews.
Review Alex and The Other on NetGalley (until Feb/2018)
Watch the Book Trailer (with illustrations by Shawna Daigle)
More about the series on this blog

Reviewers! Alex and The Other is now on NetGalley

Beware the haunted bathroom mirror at school. Beware strangers in overcoats and dark glasses whispering in the trees. But most of all ... BEWARE THE OTHER.

Hello Early Reviewers!

My next book, Alex and The Other, is up on NetGalley for review.
The book comes out in March/2018 but you can get a sneak peek for review here now: Alex and The Other

This is book 4 in the award-winning Weird Stories Gone Wrong Series, and is a middle-grade horror story about a boy with an evil twin. I love doppelganger stories, and writing a compelling middle-grade tale in the genre was uniquely challenging (can you think of another one? If so, please let me know!).

Later this year, Alex and The Other will be followed by book five, Blackwells and the Briny Deep, about three kids shipwrecked on a spooky enchanted island. Both new books in the series will be illustrated again by the wonderful Shawna Daigle.

Pre-Orders available now.

Watch the BOOK TRAILER here.

Read More about Alex and The Other and the other award-winning books in the Weird Stories Gone Wrong series on this blog.