What do you think?
Rate this book
Visions
Twin brothers Rob and Mark are helping their scientist mother with her institute's muskox-observing mission. No one can figure out why no muskox can be found - until Rob and Mark get some strange information that leads them to a mysteriously etched human bone and an old Inuit man who seems to have appeared from nowhere to entrance them with eerie folk legends. Then the brothers find themselves suddenly speaking fluent Inuktitut and having nightmare visions...
- GenresCanadaYoung Adult
206 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2000
2 people are currently reading
43 people want to read
About the author
Eric Walters
157 books909 followersEric was born in Toronto in 1957, which makes him "real old". But, as Eric says, "Just because I have to grow old doesn't mean that I have to grow up!" In his many roles as parent, teacher, social worker, youth sports coach and writer he is in constant contact with children and young adults. He draws from these experiences and feels that this helps him to capture the realistic interaction between young people—the conflicts, tensions, stresses and interests that make up their lives.
Eric began his writing as a teacher. He taught in classes from kindergarten up and his stories often reflect the curriculum that he was teaching. He always read stories—picture books and novels—to his students and this helped him to understand what children liked, responded to, and were inspired by. He enjoys the enthusiasm of his students and often looks at them to provide him with the inspiration to pursue a particular topic in both the classroom and in his writing.
Eric tries to write every day. When he has a story idea he starts with research. This could involve reading books, watching a documentary, or trying to experience the things that his characters are going to go through. This could include rock climbing or riding white water (for Stars), spending time in a wheelchair (Rebound), playing and walking with tigers (Tiger by the Tail), hanging around a tough biker bar (Diamonds in the Rough), standing out in his backyard in a blizzard wearing a T-shirt and shorts (Trapped in Ice), or traveling to Africa (Alexandria of Africa).
"The most important thing anybody ever told me about writing was to write what you know . . . and the only way to get to know things is to do your homework and research before you write," Eric stated.
Once the writing begins the story is always playing around in his head. He takes any opportunity, even if it's just a few minutes between presentations, to put things down, either with pen and paper or on his laptop.
Prior to entering teaching and writing Eric was a social worker (B.S.W., M.S.W., B.A.Hons—specialized major psychology). He worked in a variety of settings including child welfare, private practice, a mental health centre, and, for twenty years on a part-time basis as a Crisis Social Worker in an emergency department. He stopped teaching 4 years ago and left the ER only last year.
The majority of Eric's time is spent in the company of his wife, children and dogs (Lola a big standard poodle and a little white dog named Winnie the Poodle).
Eric began his writing as a teacher. He taught in classes from kindergarten up and his stories often reflect the curriculum that he was teaching. He always read stories—picture books and novels—to his students and this helped him to understand what children liked, responded to, and were inspired by. He enjoys the enthusiasm of his students and often looks at them to provide him with the inspiration to pursue a particular topic in both the classroom and in his writing.
Eric tries to write every day. When he has a story idea he starts with research. This could involve reading books, watching a documentary, or trying to experience the things that his characters are going to go through. This could include rock climbing or riding white water (for Stars), spending time in a wheelchair (Rebound), playing and walking with tigers (Tiger by the Tail), hanging around a tough biker bar (Diamonds in the Rough), standing out in his backyard in a blizzard wearing a T-shirt and shorts (Trapped in Ice), or traveling to Africa (Alexandria of Africa).
"The most important thing anybody ever told me about writing was to write what you know . . . and the only way to get to know things is to do your homework and research before you write," Eric stated.
Once the writing begins the story is always playing around in his head. He takes any opportunity, even if it's just a few minutes between presentations, to put things down, either with pen and paper or on his laptop.
Prior to entering teaching and writing Eric was a social worker (B.S.W., M.S.W., B.A.Hons—specialized major psychology). He worked in a variety of settings including child welfare, private practice, a mental health centre, and, for twenty years on a part-time basis as a Crisis Social Worker in an emergency department. He stopped teaching 4 years ago and left the ER only last year.
The majority of Eric's time is spent in the company of his wife, children and dogs (Lola a big standard poodle and a little white dog named Winnie the Poodle).
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
February 23, 2019
This was a book that I needed to read.....but didn't know that until I read it.
July 2, 2013
It has come up on several different conversations lately that young adults have discovered a new writer recently. The myth that young people are not reading has been shattered and a look at Eric Walters' Visions needs to be looked at here.
Page 13
I looked back at Mark, sleeping peacefully. He did look younger. Since Dad had been gone not only did he have trouble sleeping, he also didn't seem to eat right. He was always getting colds or a stomach ache or sniffles or something. We used to be exactly the same size and weight- used to compare ourselves against each other to see if one of us was a hair taller or an ounce heavier. We were competitive about everything: every sport, every subject in school, everything. We could make a competition out of watching TV.
I was bigger and stronger. We still had similar characteristics . . . the same blue eyes, dark hair and facial features. We still looked like brothers. I just looked like I was Mark's older brother. it was like he'd stopped growing and then just stopped competing, or maybe it was the other way around. Now it was just "whatever" before returning to the music blaring out of his headphones or the horror movie on TV. Some of them weren't bad, but it was all he ever seemed to want to talk about: ghosts, supernatural beings, aliens, the paranormal and the occult. Sometime it seemed like those things were more real to him than the people he lived with.
Of course, I didn't believe any of that stuff. Facts are facts and science is science. If you couldn't see it, hold it, feel it or prove it, then it was fake. The only reason I watched those movies or read any of the books was to spend time with Mark.
link to my review.
Page 13
I looked back at Mark, sleeping peacefully. He did look younger. Since Dad had been gone not only did he have trouble sleeping, he also didn't seem to eat right. He was always getting colds or a stomach ache or sniffles or something. We used to be exactly the same size and weight- used to compare ourselves against each other to see if one of us was a hair taller or an ounce heavier. We were competitive about everything: every sport, every subject in school, everything. We could make a competition out of watching TV.
I was bigger and stronger. We still had similar characteristics . . . the same blue eyes, dark hair and facial features. We still looked like brothers. I just looked like I was Mark's older brother. it was like he'd stopped growing and then just stopped competing, or maybe it was the other way around. Now it was just "whatever" before returning to the music blaring out of his headphones or the horror movie on TV. Some of them weren't bad, but it was all he ever seemed to want to talk about: ghosts, supernatural beings, aliens, the paranormal and the occult. Sometime it seemed like those things were more real to him than the people he lived with.
Of course, I didn't believe any of that stuff. Facts are facts and science is science. If you couldn't see it, hold it, feel it or prove it, then it was fake. The only reason I watched those movies or read any of the books was to spend time with Mark.
link to my review.
March 16, 2013
I enjoyed the slightly creepy atmosphere of the book that involved traditional creatures from the Inuit mythology. At first I found the dialog a little bit stilted, but soon either the dialog got better, or I got so involved with the story that I didn't notice it any longer.
October 8, 2010
It was a good book, but it was odd
May 14, 2013
Love this book slow at the start but it's great I just love it
December 31, 2015
I really like this book but I have a project on it and I was wondering if anyone could tell me the main message?
October 27, 2010
Loved it =)
April 30, 2017
having read this book once already i have to say that reading books a second time really makes a difference. seriously. while the little twist at the end still catches me by surprise i cant possibly get enough of it
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews