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Brandon Mull is the author of the popular Fablehaven series. Fan Rebecca Laney sat down with him for this cyber
interview. Enjoy!
The Edge of the Forest: What inspired you to write the Fablehaven series?
Brandon Mull: Once upon a time I lived in Connecticut, and my house was surrounded by trees, and I would sometimes
daydream about freaky creatures lurking in the woods. Somehow this led to the idea that it would be cool if there were
hidden wildlife refuges for magical creatures hidden in our real world; a system of preserves managed by human caretakers.
The Edge of the Forest: Were you ever discouraged and frustrated? What kept you going? What kept you motivated?
Brandon Mull: As I tried to get my first stuff published I was endlessly discouraged and frustrated. For the sake
of my sanity, I resigned myself to the possibility that writing might only be a highly time-consuming hobby. But I am full
of stories. I feel like writing is what I was born to do, and so I kept going. I have much, much more in me than readers
have seen so far. It also helped that my wife believed in my talent and helped me find time to write.
The Edge of the Forest: Who has been your biggest supporter or mentor along the way?
Brandon Mull: My wife has been the biggest supporter. As a dad with a full-time day job, I would never have found
time to write without her help. When I doubted myself she would encourage me. And my sister Summer has also been a major
supporter. She coordinates my touring and travels the country with me.
The Edge of the Forest: Seth and Kendra are an unforgettable one-of-a-kind team. What makes them work—in my
opinion—is their authenticity. Are these characters inspired by anyone? Did they just pop into your head one day? Or
did they evolve slowly over time?
Brandon Mull: Seth embodies many characteristics found in myself and my younger brother. Kendra has many
characteristics of my sister. Kendra and Seth are not exactly anybody I know, but I feel comfortable in their shoes. I
can think how they think and therefore I can bring them to life. Kendra being thoughtful and cautious but also brave in
contrast to Seth who is more obnoxious and reckless creates some dynamics that I understand through relationships in my
family.
The Edge of the Forest: When you started obviously you couldn't predict (though you could certainly hope) that the
series would be so successful, so popular. Did you know that this was going to be a multi-book series? How many do you
have planned? Do you have an idea where the series is heading, what you want to ultimately happen?
Brandon Mull: I had high hopes, but could never have predicted that the books would resonate with so many readers so
quickly. It has been a vast relief to find others agreeing that the stories are worth telling. From the outset, I hoped
Fablehaven would do well enough to become a series. It will be five books. I have a plan, although I make
additions and adjustments as I go.
The Edge of the Forest: Do the comparisons to Harry Potter and J.K. Rowling flatter you, inspire you, or intimidate
you?
Brandon Mull: Flatter and inspire. I read the first three Harry Potter books in college, and they made a
big impact on me. I liked the fact that I enjoyed them, and so did my mom, and so did ten-year-olds. Those books proved
to me that I could write a book that I enjoyed and make it accessible to kids. That is a big part of my goal with
Fablehaven—not to rewrite Harry Potter, but to write for a similar audience. To create a book that
parents and kids all sincerely enjoy.
Part of doing that has been to try to write the kids like kids and the adults like adults. This helps everybody find
characters they can recognize and relate to. I love when an adult tells me Seth drives her crazy, and then a kid tells me
Seth is his favorite character. That tells me I wrote Seth right.
The Edge of the Forest: What do you love about writing? What do you find the easiest? What do you find the
hardest?
Brandon Mull: I love inventing stories. I've done it for fun ever since I can remember. It is where my mind
naturally goes when I get bored. So making up the characters and the settings and the problems they will face is the fun
part. The hard part is how to depict the story. Choosing where to start each scene and where to stop it. Finding the
most interesting way to reveal information. Transitions are pretty tricky for me sometimes. I like to keep things
moving, and that means getting those transitions right. I'm getting better the more I do it. I plan to always get
better.
The Edge of the Forest: Seth says in many places that he doesn't like reading. In fact when he's caught reading, he
says it was "emergency reading" that it wasn't for fun, it was by necessity. What would you say—what would you want
to say—to encourage boys to read for pleasure? Do you think there is anything that parents and teachers can do to make
reading "fun"? Or do you think that unknowingly perhaps they are part of the problem?
Brandon Mull: I spend a big chunk of my year doing assemblies at elementary and middle schools to convince kids they
should read for fun. You have to prove to kids that it should be on their entertainment menu. A big part of it is getting
them to read, or reading to them, a book they connect with. That is the proof they need. Reading a book lets you use your
imagination to create your own personal vision of a story. No matter how good the effects or the actors are, a movie or
television show is always somebody else's vision. Helping kids see the benefits of reading and then proving it can be fun
is key. I have had a lot of success flipping reluctant readers into eager readers with my presentation and my books.
The Edge of the Forest: Slightly related, I've always heard that boys are unwilling to read books narrated by
girls—that there is a reluctance on their part to read a "girl" book. (A generalization I admit. The other side of
that being that girls are definitely more willing to read both "boy" and "girl" books.) Your Fablehaven novels
are narrated by the brother-sister team of Seth and Kendra. I'm curious how intentional this was. (Silly question I know!)
Were you hoping to break this stereotype? To show that a good book is a good book regardless of the gender of the narrator?
Or perhaps to show that girls can be just as strong, just as adventurous, just as brave as boys?
Brandon Mull: I deliberately wanted to give boys and girls a character they could relate to. And I also wanted them
to see the book through the eyes of a character of the opposite sex. As you read the books, I think it is clear that I
think both Kendra and Seth have a lot to offer.
The Edge of the Forest: What do you hope readers gain from reading your books?
Brandon Mull: First, I hope the books take readers them on a fun ride. I hope readers care about the characters
and find the trouble they face imaginative and interesting. I also hope that as with any good fiction, the choices the
characters make and the consequences that follow inspire readers to contemplate real-life principles. That is part of the
reason we throw some discussion questions in the back.
The Edge of the Forest: What have you heard from fans? Do you have any stories to share?
Brandon Mull: I get great feedback. Lots of stories of reluctant readers discovering that reading can be a blast.
People who have been inspired to create their own fiction. Moms who like the books as much or more than their kids. I
wish I could think of something outlandish and specific.
The Edge of the Forest: Whose work has influenced (or inspired you) most?
Brandon Mull: The Narnia books opened a door in my imagination as a kid. That door never closed.
Lord of the Rings widened the door. I love lots of books in many genres, but fantasy has always most inspired and
tickled my imagination.
You can read more of Rebecca Laney's interview with Brandon Mull here at Becky's Book Reviews.
Check out Brandon Mull's beautiful Fablehaven site!
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