Local author Brandon Mull inspired students at Mapleton Junior High School on Thursday, February 23rd. His message to the student body; never give up on your creative interests. Mull, known best for his Fablehaven series, told students a little about his life, gave them a behind the scenes look at how Fablehaven was created, gave a sneak peek at his latest novels, and reminded students that creativity can take them wherever they want to go in life.
Fans of Mull's Fablehaven series were on the edge of their seats as Mull shared how the idea for the series developed. The first novel, which took Mull five months to write, drew largely from the experiences and places Mull remembers from his youth, especially his junior high years. The series has now been published in 30 different languages, and fans were excited to hear that plans have been made to eventually turn the first novel into a movie.
Avid Mapleton Junior High readers also perked up as Mull describe his new series, The Beyonders. The new three-book series, which focuses on heroes from another world, has already been written. While only the first book has been published, students were excited to hear Mull describe the final book in the new series as the best writing he's produced.
Mull didn't visit Mapleton Junior just to talk about his books. He also came with a message. Besides giving aspiring writers tips on improving their writing, Mull also encouraged the entire student body to never give up on creativity. He reminded the students that all the life-changing inventions in the world are the result of creative minds. Mull also shared how grateful he is that he can do what he loves for a living. The students at Mapleton Junior High School walked away from his presentation with their imaginations churning.