On Friday, Jan, 19, a rare sight was observed in Southern Utah County. Spanish Fork High School was swarmed with word devourers of all ages. Many were laden with stacks of books so tall they could hardly see over the tops of them, as they maneuvered their way to the main theater.
Why would so many of these generally introverted, library loving, deep world diving, bookish souls descend on such a place? Well you see, a certain man was scheduled to appear. At the behest of Spanish Fork books store Poppy Book and Gifts, Christopher Paolini, a powerhouse of modern fantasy and science fiction, came to town.
The world-renowned author made the scheduled stop in Spanish Fork to promote his latest book, “Murtagh,” which is a follow up novel to his first and most well known fantasy series, “The Inheritance Cycle.”
Roughly 260 people gathered to listen to Paolini speak on a variety of topics ranging from how he got his start as an author, to upcoming and in progress projects that include additional books and a television series in development with Disney +. During his presentation, he spoke candidly about his experience, highlighting the importance of passion and heart, tempered with consistency and careful planning.
During the Q and A section of the evening, he answered questions from fans ranging in topics from the color of HIS dragon (purple), to if Eragon will ever get the girl (no comment). He gave practical advice to those who asked about writing, including, “Embrace the suck” when it comes to revising, and how important it is to get outside your comfort zone, to ask for help and to be thankful when it is offered. He genuinely thanked his fans for their support, reminiscing about his 20 year writing career and how much he loves what he does.
After his presentation, fans were dismissed in groups to join a book signing line where each person was able to get one personalized signature with no cap on how many additional books he would sign. Christopher was patient and kind, taking time to talk to each fan and pose for pictures as they reached the table.
The well organized event put on by Poppy Books and Gift was a highlight for many fans who had never had the opportunity to meet such a well known author in person before or in such an intimate setting.
“His talk was so good and I loved his interaction with the crowd,” Tiffany Foran, a participant at the event said. “The event was a great chance for people to meet their favorite author, meet others who share their passion for fantasy and sci-fi while supporting a local business.”
For more information on Poppy Book and Gift including upcoming events, check out their website at www.poppybookssf.com, or stop in at 56 W 200 N in Spanish Fork between 10am and 7pm Monday through Saturday. Find them on Facebook.
