Christopher Paolini

Christopher Paolini is proof that sometimes the self-publishing route can pay off.

Paolini, author of the popular Inheritance young adult fantasy novels, began writing Eragon as a hobby at age 15, never planning to get it published. He spent a year writing it and then another year revising it. He showed it to his family, who decided they should help him self-publish it.

For two years, he and his family self-promoted the book at schools, libraries, and bookstores. His break came when a young man showed it to his stepfather-an author by the name of Carl Hiaasen. Hiaasen then took the book to his publisher, Alfred Knopf. They bought the first book and the rights to the rest of the trilogy.

Paolini is no stranger to doing things in an unconventional fashion. Born in 1983 in Southern California, he was home-schooled and graduated at age 15. His family spent a few years in Alaska and most of the rest of his childhood in Montana. He spent a lot of time in the library even as he began writing his own works. He dallied among the pages of such writers as Bruce Colville, Frank Herbert, Philip Pullman, Anne McCaffrey, Jane Yolen, Brian Jacques, David Eddings, and Ursula K. LeGuin.

Eragon enjoyed such widespread popularity among young people that movie rights were quickly snatched up. The film was released on Dec. 15, 2006.

Bibliography

Eragon

Eldest