My Letter to Christopher Paolini
Question 1) What inspired you to start writing? Painting, carving wood, metal work, being outdoors, writing poems and short stories were all activities that inspired me. Some other things that inspired me were the Beartooth Mountains and the Yellowstone River because they helped with the setting of my books.
Question2) How old were you when you started writing your first book? 15
Question 3) How do you get your ideas? The idea for the Inheritance Cycle came from my love for the magic of stories and how they can transport the reader into fantastical places. Also I got ideas from Jeremy Thatcher, Dragon Hatcher, by Bruce Coville, the story of a boy who buys a “stone” from which a dragon hatches.
Question 4) What were your major influences growing up? Question 5) What are your favorite subjects to write about? Fantasy
Question 6) Can you tell me some of your background? I was born November 17, 1983 in Southern California. I have lived most of my life in Paradise Valley, Montana. I was home-schooled by my parents and as a child I wrote short stories and poems, made frequent trips to the library, and I read widely.
Question 7) What advice do you have for someone who wants to be a writer? Write every chance you get, read widely and study how authors compose their sentences, improve your grammar aand vocabulary; they are the tools of the trade, find a mentor who can help you grow in writing. These are the tips I have for you.
Question 8) How were your grades in school?
Question 9) What books do you read?
Terry Brooks: The Magic Kingdom of Landover Series
Edgar Rice Burroughs: Tarzan and many others
Orson Scott Card: Ender’s Game
Bruce Coville: Jeremy Thatcher, Dragon Hatcher
Roald Dahl: anything he’s written
David Edding: The Elenium Trilogy
Andreas Eschbach: The Carpet Makers
Raymond E. Feist: Magician
Ursula K. Le Guin: The Wizard of Earthsea Trilogy
Seamus Heany Translation: Beowulf
Robert A. Heinlein: Podkayne of Mars, Farmer in the Sky, Starship Troopers
Frank Herbert: Dune
Anthony Horowitz: Alex Rider Series
Brian Jacques: Mossflower
Madeline L’Engle: A Wrinkle in Time
Anne McCaffrey: Dragon Riders of Pern Series
Andre Norton: A variety of her early works
Brian Selznick: The Invention of Hugo Cabret
Gary Paulson: Hatchet
Philip Pullman: His Dark Materials Trilogy
J.R.R Tolkien: The Hobbit
Jane Yolen: The Pit Dragon Chronicles
Tad Williams: Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn Trilogy
Question 10) Do the books you read ever give you ideas to use in your own writing? Yes
Question 11) What is an average day for you? I get up, eat breakfast, write until late afternoon-with a short break for lunch-exercise, then eat dinner and relax with a movie. I often write again in the evening.
Friday, May 30, 2008
Brian Jacques
Brian Jacques is the English author who has written the well-known Redwall Series. Brian was born in Liverpool, England, growing up near the Liverpool docks. Brian showed his initiative as a writer when he was young.
He started attending St. John’s School at age ten. He was given a writing assignment about animals and he wrote about a bird that cleaned crocodile teeth. It was very well written and his teacher was amazed. Brian the figured out that he had some potential in writing. At age fifteen he left St. John’s School to be a sailor.
His book, Redwall, was originally written for the children of the Royal Wavertree School for the Blind. His books became famous after his friend, Alan Durband, showed the book to his publisher without telling Brian. The publishers loved the book and they called Brian down to London and they gave him a contract to write the next five books in the series.
The characters from Redwall are based on real people. Gonff, the “Prince of Mouse Thieves” was based on a young boy from the docks of Liverpool, Mariel is based on his granddaughter, and Constance the Badgermum was based on his grandmother.
Brian Jacques novels have sold more then twenty million copies and have been published in twenty-eight different languages. Right now there is nineteen books in the series, but there is most likely more to come. His stories are so engaging that you forget that the characters are animals and not humans.
Brian Jacques is the English author who has written the well-known Redwall Series. Brian was born in Liverpool, England, growing up near the Liverpool docks. Brian showed his initiative as a writer when he was young.
He started attending St. John’s School at age ten. He was given a writing assignment about animals and he wrote about a bird that cleaned crocodile teeth. It was very well written and his teacher was amazed. Brian the figured out that he had some potential in writing. At age fifteen he left St. John’s School to be a sailor.
His book, Redwall, was originally written for the children of the Royal Wavertree School for the Blind. His books became famous after his friend, Alan Durband, showed the book to his publisher without telling Brian. The publishers loved the book and they called Brian down to London and they gave him a contract to write the next five books in the series.
The characters from Redwall are based on real people. Gonff, the “Prince of Mouse Thieves” was based on a young boy from the docks of Liverpool, Mariel is based on his granddaughter, and Constance the Badgermum was based on his grandmother.
Brian Jacques novels have sold more then twenty million copies and have been published in twenty-eight different languages. Right now there is nineteen books in the series, but there is most likely more to come. His stories are so engaging that you forget that the characters are animals and not humans.
Lord Brocktree
A Tale From Redwall
By Brian Jacques
Lord Brocktree by Brian Jacques is the first book in the Redwall Series. Every body thinks Redwall, is the first book in the series, but truly it is Lord Brocktree because he wrote Redwall first. In this book Jacques introduces Dotti, a young haremaid and Lord Brocktree, a mighty badger-warrior. Together they set out to the great mountain, Salamandastron. This is their story of a of a mighty quest to get to the great mountain, Salamandastron and liberate it from all evils!
A Tale From Redwall
By Brian Jacques
Lord Brocktree by Brian Jacques is the first book in the Redwall Series. Every body thinks Redwall, is the first book in the series, but truly it is Lord Brocktree because he wrote Redwall first. In this book Jacques introduces Dotti, a young haremaid and Lord Brocktree, a mighty badger-warrior. Together they set out to the great mountain, Salamandastron. This is their story of a of a mighty quest to get to the great mountain, Salamandastron and liberate it from all evils!
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