Stories that spark change.
A New Memoir From Entourage Media
Whoa Nellie
The funnier side of autism
The challenging, messy, magical, funny story of raising a daughter with severe autism.
by Debbie Bounds
“No one can prepare a parent for an autism diagnosis. And no one on earth could have prepared me for Nellie.”
Whoa Nellie is Debbie Bounds’s unflinching, laugh-out-loud, tender account of raising her daughter Nellie — a firecracker of a girl with severe (Level 3) autism, a genius for escape, and a sense of humour that has saved her family more times than they can count.
About the Book
A true story about paying attention
Nellie was born Kaitlin in 1995 and renamed herself Nellie when she was good and ready — which tells you a fair amount about her right away. Diagnosed at two with profound autism and OCD, she is, in her mother’s words, “a runner.” Over more than two decades, Debbie and her husband Bill built a whole life around Nellie’s needs: the moves, the meetings, the caregivers who became family, and the small daily victories that never fit neatly on any form.
This is not a tidy story about overcoming. It is an honest one about paying attention — about trusting your gut over the paperwork, finding the laughter inside the chaos, and spotting the magic that makes the hard parts bearable. For any family raising a child with autism or special needs, especially in Canada, it is a book that says, plainly and warmly: you are not alone.
- Parents and families of children or adults with autism or special needs
- Caregivers, support workers, and educators
- Anyone who loves someone on the spectrum — and could use a laugh and a little hope
Autism is a challenge that comes with a big learning curve and a lot of unfiltered chaos. It’s when you find the humour and spot the magic that you will see that there’s beauty in all of it, too.— Debbie Bounds
About the Author
Debbie Bounds
Debbie Bounds lives in Ontario, Canada. Whoa Nellie is her tribute to her daughter and to every family walking a similar road — written so that Nellie’s story could be shared with the world in Debbie’s own voice, exactly as she has always told it in person.
While writing this book, Debbie was diagnosed with terminal cancer. She finished it anyway, comforted by the thought that Nellie’s story “gets to go on, even when I’m not around to tell it.”
You’re Invited
The Whoa Nellie Book Launch
Saturday, October 3
2:00–4:00 PM
1443 River Road West, Wasaga Beach, Ontario
Join us for a meet & greet with author Debbie Bounds, snacks and beverages, and first-edition copies of Whoa Nellie.
Save Your Spot
Come celebrate Whoa Nellie
Seats are limited. RSVP for the Wasaga Beach launch on Saturday, October 3, and be there when Debbie shares Nellie’s story in person.
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- books@entouragemedia.ca
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