This post will address a burning question which seems to be on the minds of a few interested followers.

Is the 1984 in the title a reference to Orwell?

The short answer is no, there is no reference to Orwell.

The “however’s” are as follows:

1. I am aware of the fact that people will probably have a recall of Orwell’s work upon reading the title.
2. I am not concerned by this because my story sits in a completely different realm to his work.
3. I am by no means trying to say that my piece should sit in the same echelon of literary prowess by using the date in the title.
4. I am, in one sense, counting on people to find curiosity about my book by recalling Orwell’s work when they read the title. The more curiosity the better, I figure. When people who read the story because of a curiosity with the title they will find Our 1984 very different from Orwell’s work and would be hard pressed to find any intentional similarities.

So what does the title mean?

It is chronological, I was 7 in 1984 and my brother was 9. As I stated in a previous post, the story is somewhat autobiographical…1984 was a year of great significance in our lives. I find it much easier to write about what I know so I’m writing from my experiences as I relate them to that year. The book is about these two boys and how they journey through life together in their waking, sleeping, eating, playing, fighting, imagining … everything. (Obviously not everything will be touched on in one book — thus the hope that the first book is successful so I can continue the series beyond Shelter)

There is a second tier to the meaning of the title that I hope people will connect with. It is my intention to invite those of my generation to relate to the title through their own experiences of that year and era. I hope to strengthen this by way of the references, styling of clothing, background objects and spaces. It’s my desire that some of us with young children today can pick up the book and feel elated to have an artifact which we can share with them. An artifact that speaks to our experiences from that era. I hope that when they read the title Our 1984, they feel in part it is Their 1984.

I hope that takes a little of the mud off your windshields. Thanks for asking, let’s keep the conversation going.