The Portal Weaver Series

The greatest adventures begin when we least expect them.

Luan thought he was heading out for an ordinary morning on his father’s fishing boat. Then he pulled a mermaid from the sea, and everything he believed about the world began to change.

Fantasy adventureFriendshipFound familyAges 12 and up
Buy the bookDiscover the story

Click to enter the Otherworld

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Cover of The Portal Weaver and the Otherworld by Jules Dickson

Now available

The Portal Weaver and the Otherworld

She was never meant to be caught. He was never meant to find her.

On a random Monday morning, twelve-year-old Luan pulls a mermaid named Surf from his fishing net. She needs his help returning to the magical world of Loselliaha. Luan needs hers too. His mother is terminally ill, and Surf’s world may hold the only cure.

To save the people they love, Luan and Surf must cross worlds, face impossible magic and discover why their meeting was never an accident.

Buy on AmazonMeet the characters

A free preview

Catch the mermaid to unlock the first three chapters.

Surf is fast, but if you catch her, she will show you where the story begins.

Click Surf when she swims past
Or open the free chapters here
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Cover of The Portal Weaver and the Otherworld by Jules Dickson

Book one · The Portal Weaver Series

The Portal Weaver and the Otherworld

She was never meant to be caught. He was never meant to find her.

Fantasy adventureMermaids and magicFriendshipAges 12 and up

Okay, so this is going to sound insane, but I swear it’s true. I caught a mermaid.

Her name is Surf, she calls Earth “Otherworld,” and she needs help returning to the magical world of Loselliaha. Somehow, Luan gets pulled into helping her.

But Luan needs Surf’s help too. His mother is terminally ill, and if there is even a chance that Surf’s world holds a cure, he will risk everything to find it.

Buy on AmazonRead three chapters free

Step through the portal

A story for readers who still believe the impossible might be real.

A warm, chaotic fantasy adventure about courage, loyalty and the people who make us feel understood.

01

Impossible magic

Mermaids, portals, magical creatures and a world that has been waiting to be discovered.

02

Found family

Two young people from different worlds discover what it means to be truly seen by someone.

03

A dangerous quest

Saving the people they love may require Luan and Surf to leave everything familiar behind.

Begin for free

Not sure yet? Open the first three chapters.

Meet Luan, catch a mermaid and discover how an ordinary morning becomes the beginning of an impossible adventure.

Start reading

Meet the travellers

Every portal begins with someone brave enough to cross it.

Meet the young people at the heart of The Portal Weaver and the Otherworld, each carrying a different kind of courage.

Illustrated character collage for Luan Baslit
“Okay, so this is going to sound insane, but I swear it’s true. I caught a mermaid.”

The boy from Otherworld

Luan Baslit

Almost thirteen · Nova Scotia · Baseball pitcher

Luan lives in a small Nova Scotia fishing town, plays pitcher on his baseball team and spends summer mornings on Papa’s boat. He does not feel like he fits in with the kids at school, and he wishes his stutter would disappear.

Then Luan catches a mermaid in his fishing net. When he learns that her magical world may hold a cure for his terminally ill mother, courage becomes something much bigger than being fearless.

LoyalObservantSelf-doubtingBrave when it matters
What he wantsTo save Mama, no matter what it costs.
What he fearsThat he will not be enough when someone needs him.

The mermaid from Loselliaha

Little Surf

Thirteen · Coral Coast · Dreamer and outsider

Little Surf, who prefers to be called Surf, is a thirteen-year-old mermaid from Loselliaha. She sees magic in small things, follows her heart quickly and refuses to accept the life other people imagine for her.

Surf’s mother vanished almost a year ago. Even when the entire pod dismisses her, Surf knows Mummy was taken. She will cross worlds to find her, and meeting Luan means she may not have to do it alone.

Kind-heartedImaginativeImpulsiveFiercely devoted
What she wantsTo find Mummy and uncover the truth about the portals.
What she fearsThat being different makes her a monster instead of magical.
Character artwork for Little Surf
“If you’re shaped like a starfish, you’re probably a starfish. No point in squeezing inside of a goby’s hole.”

Their journey begins

Two worlds. One impossible friendship.

Discover what happens when a boy who feels misunderstood meets a mermaid who has spent her whole life feeling the same way.

Read their story
Jules Dickson

Author · Illustrator · Artist

Hello, I’m Jules.

Jules Dickson is a Canadian author, illustrator, artist, movement teacher and dharma teacher with a love of fantasy, adventure and magic.

Through The Portal Weaver, Jules writes for young people who have ever felt different, misunderstood or unsure of their place in the world. Her stories celebrate imagination, friendship and the courage to trust who you are.

Jules is available for media conversations, school and library presentations, book clubs, festivals and creative collaborations across Canada and internationally.

Email JulesFollow on InstagramAuthor visits

Get in touch

What would you like to create together?

For general inquiries, media requests, speaking opportunities or collaborations, send a message below. Jules will reply as soon as possible.

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Author visits · Schools · Libraries

Bring the magic of The Portal Weaver to your school.

An imaginative, interactive presentation with Canadian author and illustrator Jules Dickson, designed to inspire young minds to feel good being themselves, trust themselves and love themselves. This is more than an author presentation, it is a human to human inspiration.

Grades 5–8High school45–60 minutesIn person or virtualFall 2026 bookings open
Invite Jules to your schoolView presentation rates
Click to request a visitOpening
the Portal

The presentation

Opening the Portal:Turning Imagination into a Story

Jules takes students behind the scenes of The Portal Weaver and the Otherworld, from the first spark of an idea to a finished fantasy novel. She invites them to begin building a world of their own to help unleash their own creativity and inner workings.

01

Imagination

Students discover how ordinary places, personal questions and wild “what if?” ideas can become portals into original stories.

02

Story craft

They explore characters, magical worlds, obstacles and revision through clear examples from the making of the novel.

03

Different minds

Jules shares how being neurodivergent and having learning disabilities shaped her path to becoming an author. They did not stop her.

What students experience

More than an author talk.

The session is warm, honest and participatory, with room for both enthusiastic storytellers and students who may not yet think of themselves as writers.

  • The real story behind becoming an author and illustrator
  • A lively reading from The Portal Weaver and the Otherworld
  • An interactive portal and fantasy-world-building activity
  • A practical look at drafting, revising and publishing a book
  • Questions and answers about writing, creativity and author life
  • Optional book sale and signing arranged with the school
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Presentation rates

Choose the visit that fits your school.

Each visit can be adapted in conversation with the teacher or librarian to suit the students, space and learning goals.

Most popular

In-person visit

$300

One interactive 45–60-minute presentation for Grades 5–8.

Request a date
Same school · same day

Two presentations

$500

Two sessions for different grades or groups at one school.

Request a date
Anywhere

Virtual visit

$200

A live online version of the interactive author presentation.

Request a date

All prices are in Canadian dollars. Travel outside Toronto is quoted separately. Library events, book clubs, festivals and custom workshops are welcome. Please inquire.

The portal is open

Let’s create a visit your students remember.

Include your school, grades, approximate number of students and preferred dates. Jules will reply with availability and the next steps.

Book an author visit

Author visit inquiry

Open the portal to your school.

Tell me a little about your students and the visit you have in mind. I’ll review your request personally and reply with availability, travel details and the next steps.

Grades 5–8In person or virtualToronto and beyond
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