K. H. CANOBI IS A WRITER OF FICTION FOR CHILDREN AND YOUNG ADULTS
Huge thanks to Queensland Writers Centre for longlisting my new middle grade mystery project for the 2022 PUBLISHABLE program
WHO CAN YOU TRUST WHEN NOTHING IS AS REAL AS VIRTUAL REALITY?
Eila is in the running to star in a global marketing campaign for a new virtual reality skinsuit. But a fierce battle is raging for control of her mind. Secrets and deceptions abound. Activists reveal a murderous plot. Then someone fills her head with a stranger's thoughts.
Who are Eila’s true allies? And how far will she go to protect innocent lives?
Published by
Longlisted for Queensland Writers Centre ADAPTABLE
Longlisted for YA Davitt Award, Sisters in Crime, Australia
Distributed by NEWSOUTH BOOKS
Available in many Australian/NZ bookstores. Or order from:
Australia: Amazon, Angus&Robertson, BooksDirect, Booktopia,
Boomerang Books, Dymocks, Robinsonsbooks, QBD
Barnes and Noble (ebook only), Googleplay (ebook only), Kobo (ebook only)
New Zealand: Fishpond
Please rate/review MINDCULL on Goodreads
Mindcull cover art by KatArt Illustrations
K. H. Canobi is a cognitive developmental scientist who writes fiction for children and young adults. She works as a research fellow in the Faculty of Education at Melbourne University. MINDCULL is her debut novel.
Interviews and articles
Radio 3RRR Zero G, Rob Jan & Meghan McKeough
Radio 3CR Published Or Not, Jan Goldsmith
Eavesdrop on Experts Podcast, Andi Horvath
Paperbark Words blog, Joy Lawn
Australian SF Snapshot Project, Tehani Croft
The Great Raven, Sue Bursztynski
Operation Awesome, J Lenni Dorner
Teacher notes: FORD STREET PUBLISHING (contain spoilers)
Thank you all for making 30/5/19 launch at Robinsons Bookshop so special.
Reviews
"Mindcull is clever, with twists that feel organic and unpredictable. . . . Tech-savvy readers searching for sophisticated YA science fiction with a contemporary cyberpunk twist will find Canobi’s debut a must-read." Catherine Moller, Books + Publishing ★★★★☆
"Mindcull is a fast-paced, intelligent, high-concept science fiction novel that is completely impossible to put down." Marie Alafaci, Magpies Magazine
"I believe any young reader will be swept up from the moment that the silver car slows behind Eila. The novel balances its fast-paced action with the compelling sci-fi fascination with the ethics of VR and Eila’s emotional narrative and in the process provides a thrilling and thought-provoking experience." Venus Fultz, Antipodes
"Mindcull is a great young adult future thriller with a touch of romance. It is an exciting and fast paced book with a strong, flawed female protagonist and deals with issues such as family loss, technology addiction and mental health." Libby Boas, Reading Time, Online Journal of Children's Book Council of Australia
"a thrilling read . . . I strongly recommend Mindcull to anyone looking to be thrown into this immersive, incredibly detailed world. Rating: 9/10 " Zoe Male, Ozkids Magazine
"'It's always refreshing to read science fiction thrillers with strong female lead characters . . . combined with relatable characters and fast-paced action make for an enjoyable read."
Donella Reed, ReadPlus Blog
"Focusing on virtual reality and spying, this gripping novel is scarily like real life. With a badass main character, Eila, and a strong villain, this one is sure to become one of your favourite technology-gone-wrong stories pretty quickly!" 20 Must-Read YA Books Written By Australian Authors. The Nerd Daily
"A spectacular, fast-paced read! . . . Rating 5/5" Chemicalbookdragon
"incredibly fast paced book that made me *really* want a headset or skin suit!" imosshelf, insideadog
"K H Canobi has crafted an action imbued tale of suspenseful turmoil that crackles with tension and doubt." Dimity Powell
"Pacy, thought-provoking, eye-opening," Michael Pryor
"WOW! There is so much packed into this taut, thoughtful, engrossing YA science fiction thriller. The society is fascinating and well thought out, extrapolated from current trends in virtual reality, augmented reality and social media. . . .Aussie YA SF at its best!" George Ivanoff
"A fabulous debut novel that sets a fast pace to keep the pages turning and doesn't stop until the end!" Melissa Wray
Recent speaking events include:
YA Showcase, State Library of Victoria; Success Panel, CYA Conference, Brisbane; presentations at Bayside College - Williamstown and Altona South campuses; Emmaus College; Ivanhoe Girls Grammar; Mt Eliza Secondary College (with interactive workshops); Local Author Showcase Phillip Island Library, Cowes (online and in person), Mindcull Launch, Robinsons Bookshop, Glen Waverley; Author's Corner, Bunjil Place Library; Book Week talks at Mount Waverley Secondary College, Waverley Christian College - Narre Warren South Campus (with interactive workshops in person and via zoom); International Women's Day Talk at Haileybury, Keysborough, Launched Gamers series by George Ivanoff at Ford Street HQ, Writers Webinar with Alfred Deakin High School organised by Embassy of Panama in Australia.
EVENT FEEDBACK
"My students loved your [zoom] workshop. They were very engaged and were chatting (via the chat function in Zoom) throughout the lesson. I think the Zoom workshop was a wonderful alternative to a face to face workshop!"
Eliza Bunston, Year 10 Coordinator, English and literature teacher, Waverley Christian College, Narre Warren South.
"Katherine Canobi spoke to various groups at our school over our book week. She had a workshop with our Year 9's wherein she inspired the students of the benefits of reading, had them working through the process of publication and shared delightful anecdotes of her own experience in creating a published work (the great and also the challenging moments); she finished this time with a question and answer session. Katherine then spoke to our cohort of Year 7-9 students as one large group where she encouraged imagination and creative writing skills whilst exploring different aspects of her own journey in developing MINDCULL . . . . thanks again for being so open to share with our students, many of them have really found it invaluable and inspirational"
Chad Robertson Year 9 Coordinator, Waverley Christian College, Narre Warren South .
"Thanks Katherine for a totally engaging and interesting talk today. Students and staff found it both informative and amusing. What an inspiring start to our day!" "Quotes from students: 'It was a great session!', 'I thought she was really cool.'”
Mary-Jane Boughen, English teacher, Mt. Waverley Secondary College.
"The presentation was really interesting, with a great Powerpoint and best of all lots of interactive activities. You left us all feeling inspired for International Women’s Day. We had loads of fun and left feeling very enthusiastic to keep reading!"
Lisa Burger, Director of Library & Information Services, Haileybury College
"The final workshop was with a new author to the literary world, Katherine Canobi. She took us on her journey of publishing her newly released book Mindcull and all of the failure and attempts that went into creating the futuristic novel. It was a great experience and it would have been fantastic for any authors in the making, to show where persistence can lead and the fact that what you think is your best, can always be improved further."
Quote from Year 9 student supplied by Lynn Swannell, Librarian, Mt Eliza Secondary College.
I was immediately hooked, not only by the author’s passion for the subject, but also by her warm and refreshing approach. . . . I will definitely reach out to Katherine next year to organise more workshops for my budding writers.”
Irene Treadwell, English teacher, Mt Eliza Secondary College.
Katherine Canobi runs interactive workshops and gives presentations in person, online, and via video conference. She is keen to talk to groups of all ages and sizes about topics such as writing Mindcull, creative writing tips, building future worlds, the writing process, story structure, starting out and persevering as an author, experiences of the publishing industry, creativity and imagination in reading and writing, and the impact of technology on how we develop. If you would like her to speak at your event, school, library, or writing group, please contact terrie@creativenetspeakers.com.
(No agency fee applies.)
If you would like to get in touch, I would love to hear from you. Please use this form.
Website designed by Matthew Canobi & K Canobi