Brandon Mull

Update

noreply@blogger.com (Brandon Mull) — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 16:47:00 +0000

Summer is waning, and I made some goals, so here is the update.

One goal I had involved weekly blogging. That was my biggest failure. I was too absorbed in family, writing, and weight loss to get serious about blogging as regularly as I had hoped. So room for improvement there.

Another goal was writing Fablehaven 4, Secrets of the Dragon Sanctuary. That one has been going well. I'm on chapter 19 and should be done by mid-September. For a good chunk of the summer I've worked ten hour days six days a week. Fortunately, I've mostly enjoyed the work. The book feels really cool. I think readers will be very pleased when it releases in the Spring. I'll feel even better about it once I polish off these last chapters and can get to the editing phase.

I also had a weight loss goal. I've lost almost fifteen pounds over the summer, which is good but not incredible. I'd like to lose at least ten more. I broke the diet routine a few times over the summer, but the good part is I never totally lost the faith, and ended up returning to good eating and moderate exercise before I demolished my progress. Eating moderately has been a good thing overall, and helped me appreciate decadent food much more when I have it.

I spent the last week in Connecticut with my family. We did some fun things—hit a Connecticut beach, visited Mystic Seaport where we could tour old ships and shops, ate some delicious seafood, spent a day at Six Flags New England, and signed books at my dad's company picnic. We had the kids at Six Flags, and it was no Disneyland as far as entertaining little ones, but they had a nice time, and I really enjoyed the Superman roller coaster. Instead of loops or gimmicks like dangling from the track, Superman relied on crazy drops and high speed to generate the fun. The track covered a lot of real estate, so it didn't twist much, letting the riders hit the metal hills head on and really feel the plunges.

There is the latest. I'll keep you posted on my last few weeks writing FH4.

Writing For Charity Event

noreply@blogger.com (Brandon Mull) — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 17:56:00 +0000

I'm involved in a charity event on July 19. The event makes sense for aspiring writers who are within striking distances of Salt Lake City. The proceeds go to a really great cause. Here are the details:

Writing for Charity

This summer have unfettered access to professional children's authors,
all in the name of charity! Saturday, July 19 several local authors
will host a Writing for Charity event in Salt Lake City, with all
profits going to The Wheelchair Project. Come hear writers talk about
their process, how to write for a young audience, storytelling tips,
and the ins and outs of the publishing business. In addition, have
your picture book text or first page of your novel (the most important
page!) workshopped by professionals.

When: Saturday, July 19, 9 am to 1 pm
Where: Salt Lake Main Library, 200 East 400 South, Salt Lake City, Utah
Cost: $45 (should be tax deductible!)
Event breakdown: 9:00 am -- Registration
9:15 - 10:15 am -- Panel discussion in the auditorium
10:30 - 11:15 -- Break out discussions in topic groups
11:30 - 1:00 -- Small group workshops

Authors include Brandon Mull, Shannon Hale, Mette Ivie Harrison, Ann
Cannon, Kristyn Crow, Becky Hickox, Kimberley Heuston, Anne Bowen,
Aprilynne Pike, Ann Dee Ellis, Mike Knudson, and Wendy Toliver.

Space is limited, first come first serve.

To reserve your spot, mail in the $45 registration fee.
Mailing address: 1176 E 2620th N, Provo, UT 84604-4132
Make checks to: "LDS Philanthropies" (the organization that runs The
Wheelchair Project) and write "Wheelchair" in the memo line.
Also include: Your name, age, phone number, and area of interest--
picture book writing, fantasy novel, or realistic fiction novel.

On the day of the event, bring 15 copies of the first page of your
novel or picture book text (maximum word count: 300 words) for some
hands on workshopping.

100% of the proceeds go to The Wheelchair Project, a wonderful charity that donates new wheelchairs
to people in third world countries, many of whom have never had one. A
wheelchair can completely change the life of a disabled person,
offering mobility, increased independence, and a chance to go to
school or find employment. Because this charity is administered by
volunteers with LDS Philanthropy, there is no overhead and every penny
donated goes directly to purchasing wheelchairs. This is not a
religious charity--the wheelchairs go to the needy regardless of their
faith. Thank you for supporting this extraordinary cause!

Jerky Authors

noreply@blogger.com (Brandon Mull) — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 20:16:00 +0000

I keep hearing rumors that some authors are jerks, although I still haven't personally met a real prizewinner yet. A few have treated me indifferently, but nobody has been rude or openly arrogant. Still, talking to people in the industry, and to bookstore employees, and readers, I hear there are some really impersonal authors out there. Names have been named to me, though I will not repeat them here.

What blows my mind is that of all professions, fiction writers should be the most personable! Why? Because to do what we do, we have to understand what makes somebody likeable or despicable, heroic or cowardly, friendly or abrasive, nice or jerky. We make our living by creating characters, and making those characters relatable to readers. How can writers who thoroughly understand what makes somebody smart, or kind, or likeable proceed to behave another way? By the way, if I'm ever a jerk, feel free to quote this back to me.

The bright side so far is that my personal experiences with other authors have been mostly quite positive. Through book conferences and other opportunities, I've had a chance to meet some pretty successful authors, and most have been very personable, including some big names like Neil Gaiman and Christopher Paolini. I hear that authors for younger audiences have a reputation for being nicer, and those are largely who I meet, so maybe that is part of it, although some of the friendly authors I have encountered write for adults. Guys like Orson Scott Card, who generously gave me some very helpful advice when I was brand new.

Not that you have to be famous to be jerky. I can easily conceive of the semi-famous or non-famous jealous jerk variety. So easily that I may have even glimpsed a couple.

Speaking of personalities, on a lighter note, somebody forwarded me a Fablehaven personality test. I have no idea who created it. I took the test, and apparently I'm Lena. Who knew? If you want to check it out, here is a link: http://www.allthetests.com/quiz25/quizpu.php?testid=1214937487

That's all for now. I'm almost done with chapter 6 of Fablehaven 4. Feels like a lot of fun so far. I'll keep you posted.

Goals

noreply@blogger.com (Brandon Mull) — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 15:42:00 +0000

This is my summer of goals. I'm not usually Mr. Goal Maker Guy, but my time has gotten squeezed lately, forcing me to be more active about the things I want to accomplish. Somebody once said that a goal is just a wish until you write it down. So apparently most of the stuff I've accomplished in my life so far has been wishes coming true. But now here I am, writing down some actual goals.

Of course the main goal at the top of my list this summer is writing an outstanding fourth Fablehaven book. That means about two chapters a week, and I think I should be able to swing it. I'm currently on chapter 4. The story already feels exciting. I can't wait to get deeper into it. Sometimes I wish I had a machine that would automatically translate my thoughts into words that artfully relate the story I have in mind. Then I realize that's a lazy man's wish. The closest I'm likely to get is a machine into which I can type my words. I'll keep you posted as I progress deeper into Secrets of the Dragon Sanctuary.

I also have a weight loss goal. I'm aiming to lose about 20 pounds by the end of the summer. This is actually a momentous occasion—I've lost and gained weight in my life, but never as the result of a strict, focused diet. My wife Mary is organizing what I'll eat and helping me count calories and make good choices. Hopefully as I add my willpower to her organizational and culinary skills I'll be able to shed some of the pounds I've put on as I travel around the country on book tour eating at restaurants. I definitely have the appetite of a very fat man, so the time has come to fight back!

I've lost about five pounds so far. At the outset the hunger made me grouchy. Then I got used to eating reasonable portions of healthy food, and usually I suffer less than I did at the outset. I'm getting on the treadmill a few times a week and messing around with Wii Fit as well. Hopefully if I can hang in there I'll be able to live better for a longer portion of my life. I had to do something before I swelled into that level of obesity from which there is no return!

One thing I have learned is that as I diet, food tastes better. Suddenly fruit actually tastes sweet and almost like dessert. And desserts taste like explosions of taste. Hunger really is the best gravy.

Yet another goal I have made is to blog at least once a week, so here I am fulfilling one goal as I talk about others!

A mini-goal I have is figuring out a fun family vacation. We're currently debating between Sea World and a cabin north of Glacier Park.

So many goals, so little time. At least it is summer, and I'm home writing, so I'm more in control of my time than usual. Hopefully sharing these goals publicly will give me a little extra incentive to stick to them!

Key to the Library

noreply@blogger.com (Brandon Mull) — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 17:48:00 +0000

Yesterday I attended a Fablehaven party at the American Fork library, not far from my home. They had lots of people in costume and set up many fun activities. The Utah dairy counsel brought out their "Got Milk?" banner and were taking milk moustache pictures in harmony with the "drink the milk" theme in Fablehaven. There were witches handing out curses, fairies healing curses, water fights, live chickens, and I signed tons of books. The event was ticketed and sold out, which is why I didn't mention it here beforehand.

As part of the event, the mayor of American Fork presented me with the Key to the Library. I knew the key was ceremonial, but deep down part of me was excited that maybe I could now sneak into the library after hours to do some research or at least use the restroom. The event marked the first time a political official has given me the key to anything. I put the key in my office.

The event reminded me how word about Fablehaven and The Candy Shop War continues to spread. I was pleased and surprised by the mix of kids and adults who have been enjoying the series. I must admit, the event made me feel some extra pressure to make book four the best it can be. If I really nail it, maybe I'll get the key to some more libraries!

BEA

noreply@blogger.com (Brandon Mull) — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 18:32:00 +0000

I was at Book Expo America in Los Angeles this past weekend. It is the big national event where all of the publishers are showcasing their upcoming books to all of the retailers. The convention is also attended by librarians and other book enthusiasts. It was my third time attending the event. The previous one was in New York.

I was there to help more people discover Fablehaven and The Candy Shop War, and I think I had some good success. I was pleased with how many people were already aware of my books. Probably the funnest part was some of the authors I met and hung out with.

Most of the time I was hanging out with other Shadow Mountain guys. This includes Obert Skye, James Dashner, and Jason Wright. Also my editor Chris Schoebinger. They're all cool guys. I knew James the least, but now I know him better, and we all had a nice time together, except when James got carsick and ended up jumping out of the car to dry-heave at a greenbelt in Beverly Hills. Poor guy. He was a trooper. I passionately hate getting nauseated.

I spoke briefly with Brandon Sanderson, who writes the Alcatraz books and lots of great adult fantasy. I think he's a really good writer and I like him a bunch.

I also met Dean Lorey, who writes the Nightmare Academy books. He was a nice guy, and we roamed around and chatted for a while. He has a fascinating background writing for TV and film. I expect we'll cross paths again.

I signed books at the same time as Christopher Paolini, who writes Eragon and Eldest and has Brisingr coming out soon. We were able to have a good chat before the signing started. I wasn't sure what to expect from him. Having had so much success so young, I could picture him being spoiled by that, but happily that did not seem to be the case. He was very nice and friendly, so we had a good talk. We have the same agent, who introduced us.

I was probably most geeked out when I got to meet Neil Gaiman. He has written all sorts of things, including Stardust and Coraline. He spoke at a breakfast I attended, and I wanted to meet him there, but the crowds were too big. But then I went to a party at CAA, the agency that handles my movie rights, and Neil was there. So I tried to put on a brave face and approached him. To my vast relief he was very friendly, and we had a decent chat. He had an aura of cool around him, but maybe that was just because I have huge respect for his imagination.

Overall, the book expo was a chance to mingle with lots of people who are into the same stuff I love: writing and reading books. I had a great time, and am already looking forward to next year when the expo is back in New York.

IF YOU MISSED IT GLENN BECK INTERVIEW

noreply@blogger.com (Brandon Mull) — Wed, 21 May 2008 18:04:00 +0000

Here is the Glenn Beck interview in full if you missed it.

Radio and TV Appearances

noreply@blogger.com (Brandon Mull) — Mon, 12 May 2008 17:18:00 +0000

On Tuesday May 13th, I'll be doing an interview on the Blog Talk Radio show Book Bites For Kids at 2:00 p.m. Central Time. They will be giving away some great Fablehaven Prizes. To listen to the show click this link. Also, during the show you can call 1-646-716-9239 to ask questions, make comments, and win the Fablehaven prizes. They will also save the show as a podcast, so you can't listen live you can tune in later. http://www.blogtalkradio.com/bookbitesforkids

And on Thursday May 15th I will be interviewed by Glenn Beck on his CNN/Headline News Show. The show starts at 7:00 p.m. Eastern Time, but will replay several times that evening.

Busy Weeks

noreply@blogger.com (Brandon Mull) — Wed, 07 May 2008 20:00:00 +0000

Well, we did it. My sister Summer and I visited 12 cities in 14 days as part of the Fablehaven: Grip of the Shadow Plague launch festivities. That first week we often had to settle for an hour or two of sleep each night. Some of our signings lasted until after midnight (we started them at 7 p.m.) and then we had to catch early morning flights the next day in order to keep appointments in the next city. It felt ludicrous to check into hotels at 2 a.m. only to check out at 3:30 a.m. But a pathetic hour and a half in bed felt better than nothing. By checking into a hotel, at least we had the illusion of normal sleep.

The whole first week was an interesting exercise in sleep deprivation. We should have invited researchers to monitor us. Despite feeling a bit stretched, I managed to keep it together during multiple presentations throughout each day and for long signings in the evening. Summer experienced some moments on the edge of blacking out, but all in all we stayed healthy and made it through.

We didn't catch much sleep the second week either, but three or four hours a night felt pretty good after one or two the previous week.

On some days, libraries became my home away from home. We often booked our hotels near the airport, so it usually didn't make sense to return to the distant hotel between daytime appointments and signings. We killed as much time as we could getting dinner, and otherwise found ourselves without anyplace to go. Libraries made a good haven because I could browse, we could get wi-fi, and I could get on a library computer when needed (we only had one laptop, and Summer needed it to keep booking future engagements).

Summer was awesome for hanging in there with me during such brutal weeks. I can't believe how well she kept us on track despite her fatigue. Now we both get to rest from touring for the coming week. I'll be getting ready to pound out my fourth Fablehaven book, and Summer will be readying our final tour visits before summer hits.

We had the awesome reward of learning that on May 11, Fablehaven will be posted at #3 on the New York Times bestselling children's series list. That is the highest we've ever hit!

I'll be doing a couple of signings in Utah on Saturday, May 10. Check Fablehaven.com for details.

Hope you guys are liking book three.

Brandon

Awesome Launch Party

noreply@blogger.com (Brandon Mull) — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 16:31:00 +0000

I’ve been zipping from town to town during the last week. Portland on Monday, San Francisco Tuesday, Los Angeles Wednesday, Phoenix Thursday, Salt Lake Friday, and Boise Saturday. There have been great signings at every stop, but the launch party in Salt Lake City was one of the highlights of my writing career so far.

My publisher rented a big auditorium and we filled all but some of the upper balcony seats. Well over 2,000 people showed up. There was an amazing energy in the room. Several of my friends from my comedy troupe days warmed up the audience, and then I came on stage and had a lot of fun talking about the book 3 launch, the origins of some of my ideas, and where the Fablehaven series is headed.

We had people from all over the state of Utah in attendance. I became aware of people who flew and drove in from Idaho, Wyoming, Nevada, California, and Ohio. I played foosball against Noah Powell, who won a contest and was flown to the event from California. He was a really cool kid and we had fun.

At the end, at least a thousand people stood in line and we blazed through hundreds and hundreds of signatures. The illustrator for my books, Brandon Dorman, was in attendance as well, signing books and posters. I normally like to take enough time to get to know every person in line, but that would have made for a 14-hour signing, so I blazed through only signing my name and chatting briefly, while people from my publisher kept cracking the whip to keep me on task. Even so, the signing took over three hours. If you were in that line, sorry I was in a rush, but it was for everybody’s good. The people at the back of the line might have resorted to cannibalism. Catch me on another night and we’ll get a better chance to chat!

Overall, the launch party was one of those nights that I will never forget. It was amazing to have so many people who have been enjoying my books under one roof with a party atmosphere.

Now I’m gearing up for a flurry of Eastern cities: St. Louis, Chicago, Grand Rapids, Washington D.C., and Enfield, Connecticut.

My sister Summer (who tours with me) and I should be running on fumes by the end. Wish us luck!

Fablehaven 3 Launch Week

noreply@blogger.com (Brandon Mull) — Sun, 20 Apr 2008 01:11:00 +0000

Well, Fablehaven 3 launches on Monday (April 21). The novel will be in most major bookstores nationwide, as well as at amazon and bn.com and all that. I'm excited and scared. Excited because I think readers are going to love the book. Scared because I'll be visiting 12 far-flung cities in 14 days. Lots of travel, lots of late nights, lots of early mornings. I'm praying that flights don't get cancelled, that I don't accidentally sleep in, and that I avoid major illnesses.

My little girl Rosalyn is now over a month old and as cute as can be. I'm sad to leave my family, but glad that summer is around the corner. During the summer I'll mostly be at home writing the fourth Fablehaven novel.

Anybody who really wants to help the Fablehaven cause should get their books within the next two weeks. Books within that timeframe will really help our attempt to climb the bestseller lists.

Hopefully I'll see a bunch of you when I'm on the road. You guys make the traveling worth it!

My tour schedule is available at Fablehaven.com.

Rosalyn Mary Mull

noreply@blogger.com (Brandon Mull) — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 06:47:00 +0000

My wife Mary and I just had our third baby, Rosalyn Mary Mull, who we plan to call Rose. Forgive me if I'm out of it for a few days. Mommy and baby are doing well, but the whole family is sleepy and distracted.

I'm psyched that the third Fablehaven book, Grip of the Shadow Plague, will be out in less than a month!