By Christopher Graham
The success of the Harry Potter books has made J.K. Rowling a household name among avid readers, but like many authors she had to tread the same difficult path to notoriety. With thousands of writers trying to get their stories into the limelight, the chance for one author to catch the ?golden snitch? of fame is slim.
Becoming a published author can be a trying experience, sometimes leading authors through many of the same pitfalls, challenges and triumphs that they put their characters through.
Brandon Mull, a BYU graduate in public relations with a minor in English, has struggled for years to get his stories published. With the recent acceptance of his young-adult fantasy book ?Fablehaven? by publisher Shadow Mountain, he?s taking his first step to climbing aboard the proverbial magic broomstick, which could help him soar above the rest.
?Trying to get published is a frustrating process,? Mull said. ?As a new writer you?re trying to put your material in front of decision makers, but the filtration process is designed to keep unpublished writers out and keep people from succeeding easily.?
Mull said endurance and persistence is paramount in the battle for publisher?s attention. He said the rejection process has actually been helpful as he has tried to improve his ability as a storywriter and at the same time improve his chances of getting published. His latest book, ?Fablehaven,? was created in an effort to satisfy Shadow Mountain?s search for a fantasy adventure story aimed at younger audiences.
Fablehaven is about a girl and her brother who take a mandatory vacation to their reclusive grandfather?s estate where they soon find he is hiding a fantastic secret. They discover that he is a caretaker of mythical creatures, and has created an environmental preserve as a sanctuary for these endangered magical animals. Fablehaven is a dangerous place where both good and evil creatures reside and the children find themselves in the middle of many mystical escapades.
?I hope Fablehaven will take readers on an entertaining journey,? Mull said. ?It takes you to a fun place that you would be excited to revisit. I can?t think of anything quit like it.?
The tentative date for the book to be published is August 2006. Mull said if the book does well he has enough material to make the story into a trilogy. The book will have a nationwide distribution and will be marketed to the same audience as ?Leven Thumps,? another Shadow Mountain book that has had relative success around the country.
Mull said he is excited that his book has been accepted and that he will have the chance to help with its creative development and polish it up as it gets ready for release in the coming year. Mull said the phone call he received from the publisher telling him they would pick up his book made him feel something he won?t experience many times in his life.
?It?s like simultaneously reaching a finish line and a starting line,? Mull said. ?There is a huge sense of relief knowing I?ve made it to this point, but I?m also excited and nervous at the new problems it poses.?