Brandon Mull on Help from Publishers

Warren Workman: Hey, welcome back. I have Brandon Mull here for our part two of our interview. He is a New York Times' best-selling author of Fablehaven, and The Candy Shop Wars.

Did your college education help you in your writing style? And, what did you do to help prepare yourself to start writing?

Brandon Mull: You know, my goal was always to have writing become my full time job. Um, for a long time I knew it might be a hobby my whole life. I knew sometimes, I might not get that break that I needed to get, um, to get the book out there in a way that would let it become my full time job. But my goal, I wanted to always work to try to, to try to let it be that.

And so, uh, with Fablehaven, it was really, it was like it was a kind of a gradual process. As the book first came out, and it seemed to prove that as it, as it reached its first batch of readers, it seemed to be the kind of book that people liked and recommended to friends. As the publisher saw that happening, they became more and more interested in kind of pushing it harder and harder. Sending me out to do more and more grass roots stuff. Where I would go, just travel to different cities, and speak at book stores, and schools and libraries. And give opportunities for small groups of people to get introduced to the books, in the hopes that it would continue to spread.

Fortunately, it's been the kind of book that as people read it, it has spread. And so, these hot spots around the country have kept growing. And, uh, we fan the flames all, doing everything we can, as far as, um, creating events and talking to local media. And uh, and, and, and one thing that has helped as well as the fact that as, like, a big publisher, Simon & Schuster, love the book. And so they wanted to get on board, and help do the paperbacks. That gave us a little bit of extra publishing clout when Simon & S-s-s-schuster want to do the paperback. My hardcover publisher, Shadow Mountain, isn't enormous. They don't have the same kind of clout that Simon & Schuster has. Even though Shadow Mountain does great marketing, and does a good job.

Warren: Now, I noticed that Shadow Mountain seems to be more based in Utah. Is that correct?

Brandon: Um, traditionally, Shadow Mountain has done a lot of Utah stuff. But they have a few authors they are pushing really hard nationally. They have extra channels in Utah, extra clout in Utah, just because they're more lo..., they...This has become the region where they've, um, done a lot of their work, done a lot of their books. But, uh, um, fortunately there has been a few authors they have pushed really hard nationally. And they've had a lot of success, pushing them nationally. I am lucky enough to be one of 'em.

Warren: Hey, be sure to tune in for episode three as we conclude our conversation here with Brandon Mull, New York Times' best-selling author of Fablehaven, and The Candy Shop Wars. This has been Tips.Net.