Philippa Dowding's Blog - Posts Tagged "magic-realism"

For all of you who have ever wanted to fly ... here's a beautiful book trailer for my forthcoming title, The Strange Gift of Gwendolyn Golden, available January 2014. Many thanks to the talented George Panayotou for the transcendant video design.

Enjoy the flight!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tW5lI5...

It's a bit of a hall of mirrors in goodreads sometimes, but if you like magic realism and middle grade novels, here's a newsflash for you: right now you can request, read and review a digital copy of my forthcoming novel, Jake and the Giant Hand.

It's available on Net Galley for a limited time (probably a week?) here: https://www.netgalley.com/catalog/sho...

If you like, you can read more about the book on my other blog, here:
http://phdowding.blogspot.ca/2014/07/...

If you request a copy, thank you and I hope you enjoy it!

Big news today! I am so honoured to announce that my 2014 middle grade title, The Strange Gift of Gwendolyn Golden, has just been nominated for a Red Maple award by the Ontario Library Association, as part of their reader's choice Forest of Reading awards.

A heartfelt thanks to the OLA for supporting, promoting and introducing Canadian authors to Canadian children. Also, many thanks to my publisher, Dundurn Press, for going on this strange little magic realism ride with me, and believing in a story about a flying girl.

Really, I'm so delighted and frankly, a little surprised! This is my third Forest of Reading nomination (gargoyle books two and three were Silver Birch express nominees in 2012 and 2014), but this is my first Red Maple nomination, which is for grades 7-8.

It's such an honour, plus I'll finally, finally, get to meet Ken Oppel! How cool is that?! Congratulations to all.

Here's a blog post on my other blog, with more info: http://phdowding.blogspot.ca/2014/10/...

It's solstice today. The sun just low-slanted through the front window in a way it does only at this time of year, and shone on the star at the top of the Christmas tree. I was too astonished to take a photo, so you'll have to see it with words.

Quite lovely, and Druidic.

I've posted my annual holiday story over on my longer blog: http://phdowding.blogspot.ca/2011/12/...

Happy holidays, and may you too find your tin foil fairy in 2015.

"Do we all think we're being chased by deadly entities, I wonder? Probaby, but how many of us actually are?"

It's Giveaway time for my forthcoming sequel, Everton Miles is Stranger than Me. This is the sequel to my Red Maple 2015 shortlisted title, The Strange Gift of Gwendolyn Golden.

If you like fantasy, magic realism, YA novels about angst-ridden teenagers trying to figure out life ... or if you like fallen angels, doomed father figures, redemption, enormous 800-page medieval, illustrated handbooks ... this might just be the book for you!

Here's the Goodreads Giveaway link: https://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/sh...

Contest is open to U.S. and Canadian readers, and closes July 1/2016. Good luck!

"Dowding offers a charming sequel ... a page-turner that is funny, magical and entertaining."--Kirkus Reviews, July/2016



Well, that's a wonderful first review for my next book, Everton Miles is Stranger than Me, the sequel to The Strange Gift of Gwendolyn Golden, which was shortlisted for the OLA Red Maple award, in 2015.

Thank you, KirkusReviews! It's always a bit nerve-wracking waiting for your first review of a new book. The word "tenterhooks" comes to mind! (A kind of sharp nail, used to attach cloth to tenters, according to Merriam Webster.)

Together, the books are called The Night Flyer's Handbook Series.

If you'd like to read the entire review, here's the link: https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-re...

And here's a link to my longer blog post about the series: http://phdowding.blogspot.ca/2016/08/...

Everton Miles is Stranger than Me is forthcoming from Dundurn Press, October 2016.

It's BOOK LAUNCH time, and naturally, my book friends are all invited. Hope you can make it!

Book: Everton Miles is Stranger than Me
Everton Miles Is Stranger Than Me: The Night Flyer's Handbook
Where: Yonge/Eglinton Indigo (Toronto)
When: Saturday, October 22
Time: 12 pm -3 pm (author reads at 1 pm)

Join me for the coffee, cookies and magic realism!

Here's a longer blog post about the launch: http://phdowding.blogspot.ca/2016/10/...

This week is BLOG TOUR week for my forthcoming title, Everton Miles is Stranger than Me, which lands in stores on Oct. 15 (book launch, Oct. 22, Yonge/Eglinton Indigo).

All week, I'll be talking about the book on different blogs, answering fantastic questions from great bloggers, and trying to get the word out.

One of my favourite questions was from blogger Helen Kubiw: what's the nature of forgiveness and mercy in the story?

Had to think about that one!

Another great question from blogger Michelle at FabbityFab: how do you create a mythical fallen angel like Abilith the Rogue?

That one took a while to answer, too (and included a list of books I re-read and shows I watched, from Milton's Paradise Lost to Star Trek's Enterprise franchise, for the early Vulcans.)

Here's the complete blog tour schedule, hope you'll join us: http://phdowding.blogspot.ca/2016/10/...

Teachers & librarians! There's a wonderful new classroom activity guide for my newest book, Everton Miles is Stranger than Me. It also happens to be free, courtesy of publisher, Dundurn Press. This book is the sequel to The Strange Gift of Gwendolyn Golden, which was shortlisted for the OLA Red Maple award in 2015.

A few of the guide questions ...

Pick a Friend for the End of the World: what qualities would you want in a friend to the end?

My Therapist is Killing Me: make a list of 3 things you'd talk to a therapist or counsellor about, then 3 things you'd NEVER discuss. What would it take to talk about the second list with someone?

Draw like a 15th Century Visionary (or just draw something): The Night Flyer's Handbook is in part illustrated by an (imaginary) 15th century artist named "T. Bosch." Pick an illustration as described in the book, and draw!

Take a look at the free activity guide now: https://www.dundurn.com/sites/default...

Themes: family, isolation, grief, loss, friendship, community, high school, fitting in, bullying, therapy, brothers and sisters

Here's a longer blog post about the guide: http://phdowding.blogspot.ca/2016/12/...

"A must-read for Gwendolyn Golden fans, this latest addition to the Night Flyer's Handbook series will not disappoint."

Thank you to the Canadian Children's Book Centre and the inestimable Amy Mathers, for the very lovely review of my latest book, Everton Miles is Stranger than Me. It's book 2 in the Night Flyer's Handbook series, following The Strange Gift of Gwendolyn Golden, a Red Maple nominee in 2015.

If you enjoy magic realism, YA, flying teenagers, fallen Rogue Spirits and stories where the answers to life's mysteries can still be found in enormous 800-page handbooks, read on: http://phdowding.blogspot.ca/2017/01/...