This is the seventh of our Storm Leader reports we’ll be posting throughout the U.S. book tour for THE GATHERING STORM. At each tour location, Dragonmount and Tor Books recruited a select group of volunteer fans to help run the event, hand out promotional materials, and represent us to the fans. In return, they were given the opportunity to meet with Brandon Sanderson and (if present for their event) Robert Jordan’s wife Harriet. We will have a full report with photos and possibly video for each one of the tour stops. Prior Storm Leader reports can be found here.
Report by Joe Doc
There are a lot of words one can use to describe Brandon Sanderson. Friendly. Smart. Creative. Thoughtful. Observant.
But over during the five hours I, along with my Storm Leader brethren, spent with Brandon – or Mr. Sanderson for you young’ns – the word I would most associate with Brandon is “humility.”
When it was announced that Brandon was chosen to complete the works of the beloved Robert Jordan, many of us hard-core fans gasped. Frankly, we would have gasped regardless of which author was selected, but few of us knew of Sanderson’s work. (That is our mistake, which we’ve since corrected!)
In his remarks to the audience at the Washington D.C. signing Wednesday night – Ok, it was in Arlington, but close enough! – Sanderson took us through that morning he got the first call from Harriet, and his reaction to the news. His remarks are recorded and available for you to watch, so I won’t go into detail, other than to say it is clear to everyone that Brandon accepted his responsibility with honor and humility.
My Storm Trooper colleague Carolyn explains in her contribution below how Brandon reacted when he heard from his Tor media relations contact, Dot Lin, told him the news that his book is now atop The New York Times Bestseller List for hardcovers. Brandon was pleased.
But he wasn’t pleased for himself. He was happy for Harriet, who called a few minutes later, just before our delicious Thai appetizers arrived. He was happy for the legion of fans that have followed The Wheel of Time for years (in my case, 18 years). And he was happy for the legacy of Robert Jordan.
“This is not me,” he said, hanging up the fan with Dot. “It’s all about the Wheel of Time fans, and Robert Jordan.”
I did not arrive at the dinner as a wide-eyed fan. A father of three and a professional media relations officer myself, I wanted to know more about Brandon Anderson the man, no so much the author. How did he feel about the task of completing one of the most important fantasy series in history? How does his wife handle his long, 14-hour work days, and his trips far from home? How does he conduct himself when he’s not in the spotlight, sitting around with a couple of folks who just wanted to know more about him?
Humility.
Over steamed rice and assorted chicken and beef dishes – I had a Diet Coke, and the others had water – Brandon gave opened a window into his life. No, his wife isn’t a fan of the travel, but she understands it’s part of his career… it’s something he has to do. Yes, the long days are hard, especially when he’s juggling his own work along with The Wheel of Time commitments… but he’s working at home, and he takes time every day to be with his two-year-old. That’s important to him.
Where does he get his ideas? From life, from everything around him. People, events, books, news, the media… and that makes sense, because his writing feels real.
He’s a confident man. Not in the sense of arrogance – not even close – but he’s not introverted. His handshake is firm, and he looks you in the eye. I mentioned my name once, before dinner, and he remembered it five hours later as we headed to the empty parking lot at Border’s. He was gracious to the serving staff, said thank you more times than I can count. He took a moment to praise Paul, his local “press handler. Paul was visibly delighted with the compliment.
For some reason, I expected Brandon to be aloof, to be disinterested somewhat. I’m not sure why, other than it’s a stereotype I associate with successful authors. His emails and blog postings certainly gave no indication, but there it is. Turns out, he was just the opposite of aloof.
At the signing, Brandon took time to talk with every person who stood before him. Some folks were shy, so Brandon gently prodded them to ask questions. Some did, some simply said thank you after getting their book signed. Others were clearly excited fans, and had they been permitted to do so, would have flown with Brandon to his next signing event (Boston, I think), never allowing the poor guy to get in a word as they barraged him with questions about this character or that event.
I was amazed with the number of young men and women who stood in line for up to two hours to get a book signed for… someone else. Brandon was very appreciative to each of these folks, and took time to thank them for investing the time for their friend or loved one. (One guy had his girlfriend get to the store early to get a place in line, until he arrived from work. I convinced him to buy her dinner that night… she agreed heartily). Nobody left the store without sharing a word with Brandon, who greeted each person as if they’re the only fan there.
It was 10:45 pm when the final fan had his book signed, asked some questions – he was RAFO’d politely – and the folks from Border’s began closing the area down. The store had closed 45 minutes earlier, but they didn’t mind (two of the employees are huge fans!). It was then that I introduced Brandon to two of my kids – 14-year-old Kathryn, a budding homeschooling author, and 11-year-old Aiden.
After five hours of talking with people, shaking hands, signing hundreds of books and posing for dozens of photos, I was worried about bothering Brandon for one more photo with my kids. “The man has to be exhausted,” I thought to myself as Brandon slipped on his coat. But I asked anyway.
“Sure,” he said, without pause. “Where would you like to do it?” We walked down to the main level and posed by what had been shelves full of “The Gathering Storm,” but were now two-thirds empty. By Storm Leader colleague, Steve, snapped the photo… and I was now a gushing, wide-eyed fan who had JUST HAD HIS PHOTO TAKEN WITH BRANDON SANDERSON! And then Brandon thanked me for helping out with the signing.
Humility.
Brandon Sanderson is a good man, and we are lucky fans to have him complete the legacy of Robert Jordan.
About the D.C. Storm Leaders:
Steve provided the local logistics experience, having attended several Robert Jordan book signings at this particular Border’s. He also handled all photography and video recording. He did an outstanding job with both!
Carolyn was Brandon’s “minion” (self described!) and sat with Brandon throughout the book signing. Whenever Brandon needed something, she was there to help, doing a fantastic job.
Joe Doc provided comedic relief to those in line, helped gather names and emails for Brandon, took some of the video, and closed his ears when Steve and Carolyn asked questions related to TSG because Joe is re-reading the series and is still on Book 8!
Storm Leaders Nathan (sick) and Lauren (work) couldn’t attend, but provided valuable input into how to get the word out about the event.
By Storm Leader Carolyn
I’m not sure if it was excitement or boredom that overtook me in my criminal law class yesterday afternoon, but I quickly found myself entirely zoned out of the conversation concerning the required elements of self-defense justifications. Instead, I hopped onto Dragonmount, pursuing the forums and reading other Storm Leader’s reports – double checking to make sure our crew had everything under control. An email popped up in my inbox; one of our fellow Stormers had contracted swine flu and decided to forego the event in order to not contaminate Brandon Sanderson. I felt horrible for him, but of course, the show must go on!
I dashed out of class once the Dean let us go, deposited all my legal books in my locker (I had readings to do, but knew myself well enough to know that none of it would get done that evening), and started to make my way to the Borders. We had all agreed to get there early to see if the store needed our help in any way. When we arrived, everything seemed under control, so we chatted with store employees about Sanderson and plot theories instead. Piling into my car, we drove to the designated Thai restaurant, arriving concurrently with Brandon and Paul his media guide.
I had read on Brandon’s blog that the New York Times rankings would be announced Wednesday night, so no sooner had we sat down than I asked him if we knew yet. He said no, but that he expected the call around 6, so during dinner. At 5:53, his phone started ringing, as Dot, Harriet, and his agent all called him in quick succession to announce that The Gathering Storm had hit #1!! We celebrated and congratulated him, while he deflected the praise – giving all credit to Jordan’s legacy and the fans.
He immediately tweeted the news, which led to an entertaining discussion about the pros and cons of various smart phones. (Brandon was jealous of my Envy2’s full qwerty keyboard). After ordering, we then had a chance to delve into more specific plot questions. We mostly got a string of (very politely worded) “read and find outs”, but there were some few hints and clarifications tossed in. (I’ll probably go post a list of those over on the forums in a little while—once I’ve caught up on my law reading.) My favorite dance-around RAFO of the evening, about whether or not a specific minor character had any further role to play in the books, was Brandon’s oblique: “She has a thread in the pattern and all threads in the pattern can yet be further woven in…”
I was actually a Brandon Sanderson fan before he was picked to finish the Wheel of Time. I had first read about him on Ken Jennings’s blog (the guy who won 75 times on Jeopardy! back in 2004). The two of them had been roommates in college. When I told Brandon this, he laughed, and said that their third roommate, Earl, often joked that it is now fate that Earl will also become a household name among the nerds of America, but isn’t sure how he’ll get there. I also mentioned how much I loved Brandon’s ability to write humor. Last summer, my roommate gave me a concerned-for-my-mental-sanity look when I started laughing so hard at one of the bantering scenes I literally fell off the sofa. Brandon, as he did with each and every compliment he received, thanked me profusely, saying that conveying humor is one of the absolute toughest skills to master as a writer.
When we arrived at the Borders for the signing, Brandon’s pre-remarks consisted of the oft-recited history of how Harriet picked him, and for those less familiar with the story, he told it with a humor and a charm that had many chortling in their seats. He described his love for the Wheel of Time, dating back from the very beginning when he was in middle school. When asked what his favorite volume in the series was, he responded it is Book 4, The Shadow Rising.
During the signing, I was Brandon’s personal minion – stuffing the books with fliers and handing them back to the fans. I also thanked a friend from earlier in the day for his foresight – he reminded me to have hand sanitizer on me for the benefit of Brandon as he shook hands. I hadn’t yet pulled it out when Brandon asked if anyone had some – and was highly appreciative when I promptly produced some. More than 200 people showed up, and I loved listening in on the conversations Brandon had with them throughout the line. We had a handful of Brandon Sanderson fans who had started the Wheel of Time because of his involvement in the project, and dozens of Wheel of Time fans who had developed a love for Brandon’s other work after the announcement. Paperback copies of the Mistborn trilogy sold rapidly, particularly after Brandon described the underlying premise as “I realized that these poor dark ones never catch a break. Some uppity young hero always swoops in at the last minute to overthrow them. What if the dark lord won?”
I was amazed at the sheer number of people who weren’t immense fans, or who had never read the series themselves, who came to the signing in order to get presents for their friends, siblings, and spouses. Multiple people announced their intention to ship the book to Iraq or Afghanistan, where a diehard fan was serving in the military. Others got the books signed on behalf of the friends who had introduced them to either Sanderson’s or Jordan’s works. With each of these, Brandon thanked them profusely for their patience, their friendship, their support, and that they too recommended the books to other friends. Word-of-mouth, after all, is the lifeblood of the publishing industry.
Some of my favorite people from the line included:
Paul, with a ta’veren license plate – and tattoo!
Harry, who had torn his ACL playing football, but waited on crutches for almost 2 hours anyway.
Eugene, an Albanian who said the Wheel of Time was the longest work he had ever read in English.
Cassy, who had attended the Baltimore signing last week, and came down to DC just to give Brandon magic cards she knew he would need for his upcoming duel with Jason.
Nathan, who called in “sick” on the release day in order to read the entire book.
Another guy (I didn’t catch his name!) who took the day off work to make a 3.5 hour drive (7 hours round trip) just to attend the event.
A “birthday present” for Brandon
“Who is your favorite WoT character?”
“I killed Asmodean”
There were also several young kids who asked sincere questions about the Alcatraz books, and Brandon gave hysterical answers. He said he wrote the books wanting to make glasses cool, and breaking things an asset. He also expressed his everlasting hatred of fish sticks, contrasted with his undying love for macaroni and cheese. Brandon told Coulter, aged 7, that he tries to order macaroni and cheese whenever possible, as he considers it a personal quest to identify the best macaroni and cheese in the world.
We also had several people talk about how they had been inspired to try writing because of Brandon’s works – and Brandon offered them genuine encouragement. When he used an “it’s like practicing the piano…” simile, one of the aspiring authors lit up in understanding, as he currently is a jazz music major. As he dispensed advice, I was awed by just how much Brandon practiced before he ever was published. I think I have been too quick to dismiss “good” vs. “bad” authors in my life as some sort of inherent talent, without paying attention to how much behind-the-scenes work they put into their craft. By Brandon’s count, he wrote 13 books before Elantris. I asked if we would ever get the chance to see any of them, and he laughed in embarrassment, saying he wouldn’t want to diminish his brand by attempting to sell inferior works. (He mentioned there was ONE book that might be salvageable, but he hoped the others never saw the light of day). He has no shortage of ideas, though! I counted him referencing at LEAST 17 distinct books he either expressly planned or hoped to write. When I called him on that, he enthusiastically remarked that he had far more books planned then he knew what to do with, and was everyday thankful that he had fans who enabled this compulsive writing addiction of his. I, for one, will long be grateful that he’s only 33, and will have such a long, long time to bring these ideas to fruition. I expect I’ll be continuing to buy his works the week they come out for as long as there are books to buy.
My last comment of the day is that I noted lots of people asking him “what do I read next?” or “what are your favorite books?” throughout the evening. So I compiled a list of every book, whether young adult or adult fiction, Brandon referenced in a positive light. Many of them I had already read, but there were several I had never even heard of. So here, my fellow Dragonmount friends, is an official list of Brandon Sanderson Recommends ®
Patrick Rothfuss: The Name of the Wind (Sanderson must have sold several copies of Rothfuss’s book last night. He practically ordered one guy to take his signed Gathering Storm, walk downstairs, and buy Name of the Wind off the shelf before leaving the store.)
Barbara Hambly: Dragonsbane
Jane Yolen: The Pit Dragon Trilogy
Melanie Rawn: Dragon Prince (he once set this one on fire, surreptitiously reading it by candlelight after his mom had turned out the lights and sent him to bed.)
Terry Pratchett: recommends starting with Guards! Guards!
Vernor Vinge: A Fire Upon the Deep
Jim Butcher: The Dresden Files
Robin Hobb: various trilogies, including the Farseer and Tawny Man Trilogies
Stephen Brust
Adam Rex
By Storm Leader Steve
When I first heard that Brandon Sanderson had been asked to complete the Wheel of Time series, my first thought was, “Who?” I went online, and was pleased to find that Brandon is a very e-author. He is constantly online and interacting with his readers. Between his blog, Twitter, his forums, and the Writing Excuses recordings, he seems to be active all the time. In fact, I can’t imagine how he has time to write given his other activities and the responsibilities of a father. I read an early draft of Warbreaker online before it was released, and was pleasantly surprised. I then bought and read Elantris, and truly became a fan.
Having now met Brandon and shared a meal with him, I can say that I am even more impressed than before. He is a very engaging man. He showed an interest in everybody he met last night. Brandon asked questions of many of his fans, wanting to get to know at least something about his readers, then incorporating those things into his book personalizations. He did this for me, referencing a story I told him over dinner on the cover page of my Warbreaker hardback. Whether it was talking to women who husbands are serving in Afghanistan, or agreeing with a little boy about how much he dislikes fish sticks, Brandon was always engaged. This is no small task, as he met several hundred people last night.
Brandon was also great at answering questions. He occasionally gave a RAFO answer, but he tried very hard to answer questions if there was any way to do so. Over dinner, I asked him a question about the final scene in The Gathering Storm as it relates to one of Min’s visions from The Eye of the World. Brandon asked me to rephrase my question several times so that he would be able to answer it without saying “RAFO.” Eventually, I came up with a version he felt comfortable answering. His answers combined the most intriguing aspects of Robert Jordan’s mysterious answers with a youthful eagerness and passion for the material and the readers.
He was also passionate about the characters. When asked about why Matt somehow seems different in tGS than in the earlier books, Brandon explained that the changes were intentional. How, he asked, could Matt have lived through the events in his plotline at the end of Knife of Dreams and not come out a changed man?
This is just one example of how Brandon seems to have a vision for A Memory of Light. Although he credits nearly all of the book’s success to Robert Jordan, Harriett, and Maria, he clearly has strong opinions about how to achieve Jordan’s vision. Based on my first reading of The Gathering Storm and my experience with Brandon last night, I think Harriett made a wise choice — the conclusion to the Wheel of Time is in good hands.
The Gathering Storm, the twelfth book in the Wheel of Time series, debuted at the number one spot on the prestigious New York Times bestseller list. This is the fifth WoT novel to hold the spot, and the first time that author Brandon Sanderson has been there. Gathering Storm’s appearance on the list ended a six or seven week reign that Dan Brown’s The Lost Symbol had been holding onto.
Congratulations to Brandon Sanderson and “Team Jordan” for this outstanding effort and accomplishment. And of course, congratulations as well to the late Robert Jordan, who’s book this truly is.
Babel Clash: “It cruises by at a breakneck speed, with frightening hairpin turns and shocking jolts.”
Nethspace’s Review: (Ken is one of our Storm Leaders): “The series is on the right track and Sanderson has proven to me that he deserves to be in the driver’s seat. 9 / 10″
OF Blog of the Fallen: “… [The Gathering Storm] is one of the faster-paced, better-written volumes.”
This is the sixth of our Storm Leader reports we’ll be posting throughout the U.S. book tour for THE GATHERING STORM. At each tour location, Dragonmount and Tor Books recruited a select group of volunteer fans to help run the event, hand out promotional materials, and represent us to the fans. In return, they were given the opportunity to meet with Brandon Sanderson and (if present for their event) Robert Jordan’s wife Harriet. We will have a full report with photos and possibly video for each one of the tour stops. Prior Storm Leader reports can be found here.
The Storm Hits Denver!
Report by Janet Houck
It was with some trepidation that I left my house to take the light rail train into historic LoDo Denver, as the city had been blasted with a three-day long snowstorm earlier that week. Luckily, the day was perfect, with sunny skies and clear streets.
I got to The Tattered Cover early to pick up my copy to get signed at our brunch meet-up beforehand. The man behind the register was not as impressed as I thought he should have been at my proud announcement of not needing a number for the signing; I’m a Storm Leader! I then met up with Joanna at the bookstore, while my husband was giving me spoilers as to the ending of the book. (Before you ask, he had permission.) We headed over to Dixon’s Downtown Grill to wait for Brandon and the rest of the group.
We didn’t have to wait long. As soon as we got our drinks, Josh and Micah arrived with our shirts. Mine was a little big, but I wasn’t drowning in it or anything. Denver Brandon arrived with a stack of books to get signed, as he’s a long-time fan of Brandon Sanderson. Then with ninja-like stealth, Author Brandon snuck into a chair at the table. I was impressed. Chris was the last one to the table, but he was so good-natured about it, we couldn’t give him a hard time.
The food was good, but the conversation was better. Some spoilers may or may not have been discussed, as we had decided as a group beforehand that we wanted to talk about TGS at the brunch, as we knew we wouldn’t be able to do that at the signing. As it happened, the majority of us had finished the book by then (courtesy of the snowstorm canceling school and work for three days), or were close to the finishing line. I tried my best to give Brandon some time to eat and just relax, as it was clear that this had been a pretty hectic week for him, but the hour-and-half just flew by.
Hurried over to the bookstore, we got our bumper stickers, bookmarks and flyers ready to go. Josh worked on getting us a video feed, while Denver Brandon got photos and some camcorder footage. Joanna had a stack of quotes and trivia questions, so we got the waiting crowd warmed up, with stickers as prizes. Out of the 150 people in the room, a surprising majority were frequent re-readers of the series, clocking at more than thirteen times, so hardly any questions were missed by the crowd. Tor had kindly given us a promotional poster to raffle out as well, so we distributed tickets while Brandon made the transition from Q&A to the signing.
The Q&A seemed so short, but then again, we had just had been picking Brandon’s brain for the last two hours. He told the audience that RJ had been an inspiration to write when he was a teenager, that RJ taught him the power of point of view perspectives. He never got to actually meet him; the closest he got was seeing him from afar at WorldCon one year as a star-struck fan. While he was totally terrified at the idea of taking over the WoT series, he felt that he was the best author to do it, because he was a fan who knew the books inside and out, and had grown up and grown along with the series, going from his favorite character at age sixteen being Rand, to understanding and emphasizing with Moiraine as an adult and father.
Brandon made it a point to emphasize that much of these three novels are straight from RJ’s notes; he’s just providing the connecting text to get us from plot point to plot point. RJ left a very detailed ending and conclusion for the characters after The Last Battle, but if RJ’s notes left open the fates of people and places, Brandon would like to finish those up. The portion of the prologue in TGS involving the borderlander farmer is actually straight from RJ’s dictated text on his death bed, and he wishes that one day, we can all hear that audio, as it is so much more powerful than it is on paper.
Brandon then read a selection from the first chapter, and opened the floor up to the audience, a quarter of which were avid readers, as in, have read the entire series over thirteen times. Needless to say, many of the questions were rather precise. First off, the usual Asmodean question, which was given the new usual answer (“It’ll be made clear in the next book(s).”). One person asked if he wanted to change anything in the story. Brandon said he wouldn’t really, as it’s RJ’s story, but he would remove the spanking scene, as it’s just not his own style, which got many laughs.
Will the next book continue with the fast pace of TGS? Yes, as we have to catch up with what the other characters were doing during TGS. And in regards to cover artwork, for TGS, Harriet picked the piece, and Brandon wrote out a description of the scene for the artist. To ensure that they have artwork from the same artist (Darrell K. Sweet *cough*) for the remaining two books, Brandon has already supplied scene descriptions for those books’ covers, so presumably they are already in existence or will be soon.
Were there any scenes that were difficult to write? Difficult for him as a fan, yes, but not as an author, a craftsman at work. But surely as long-time fan, you *must* have certain biases towards and against characters! As a fan, yes, but as a writer, no. His job is to write RJ’s story, not to ghostwrite it. Brandon as a writer has his own style, which focuses more on having points of view from side characters, less on elaborate descriptions. Brandon also talked about how RJ’s experiences in Vietnam affected his writing, whereas Brandon has absolutely nothing close to that in his own life experiences.
In terms of the possible prequel novels, Brandon is flat-out against turning the WoT series into an expanded universe farce of the original books, with multiple authors exploiting RJ’s universe with their own original characters. However, in regards to the five books that RJ had been contracted to write before his death (The Outriggers trilogy, the Tam novel, and a novel centering on Moiraine and Lan’s adventures in Dragon Reborn hunting), Brandon said if Harriet asked him to write them, he would. However, she is currently leaning towards keeping those stories unwritten. As it is, his own writing is on hold until the remaining two WoT books are finished. He estimates that Towers of Midnight will be turned in January 2010, as he has started already started that one, and the last book will be turned in January 2011. However, for the last novel, he will take as long as he has to in order to make sure it’s written well.
Brandon repeated that the excellent scenes involving Egwene and Rand in TGS are so strong because of all of the lead-up in previous books, books that he had nothing to do with. If there is anything to say about Brandon, it is that he’s a very humble man, passing all praise for TGS back to RJ and the universe he created.
After the Q&A, we went immediately into the signing, which lasted for two hours. He made sure that everyone got every book that they brought signed, and thanked people for buying his books and giving his work a try. A number of the audience hadn’t read WoT at all, and just came out to support their favorite author. Several of these people Brandon called by name, obviously having a close relationship with his long-time readers.
Micah and Chris stuffed books with flyers and bookmarks, while Josh took down names and opened books. Denver Brandon took care of photos, and Joanna talked with the folks in the line. I kinda ended up overseeing at the table, mostly out of curiosity at the whole signing process, and how you get people’s stories while they talked with Brandon. One girl brought her NaNoWri journal to get signed, to get her motivated to write this year. A couple brought their signature book, filled with autographs from various WorldCons and other conventions. It was a lot easier than carting around a ton of books to get signed, they explained. We had an asha’man come to get books signed, complete with black coat and sword and dragon pins. He teased us about being mere Storm Leaders, and we all had a laugh. One lady brought Brandon some packs of Magic: The Gathering cards, while another fan brought an herbal remedy for aching hands and acupuncture needles. Overall, the atmosphere was very relaxed, as Brandon is very easy to talk to.
As it was, he had about 10 minutes after the signing before he had to go to catch a plane home for a few days. (Yay!) He spent it sitting down with a few die-hard fans and our group for a more intimate Q&A session, albeit a really short one. The guys asked much of the same questions we had back at the restaurant, and they got pretty much the same answers. After that, the Storm Leaders went their separate ways, kinda sad that we aren’t going to be meet up against any time soon, but hopefully in a few years when Towers of Midnight is released.
As I rode the train back home, an elderly man got onto the seat across from mine. “Storm Leader, huh?” he said. “Well, good thing the storm’s passed now!” I smiled, and that was all that needed to be said.
This is the fifth of our Storm Leader reports we’ll be posting throughout the U.S. book tour for THE GATHERING STORM. At each tour location, Dragonmount and Tor Books recruited a select group of volunteer fans to help run the event, hand out promotional materials, and represent us to the fans. In return, they were given the opportunity to meet with Brandon Sanderson and (if present for their event) Robert Jordan’s wife Harriet. We will have a full report with photos and possibly video for each one of the tour stops. Prior Storm Leader reports can be found here.
Report by Chad Quibodeaux (DM Handle: “Quibby”)
Greetings from Da Frozen North! The signing in Minneapolis drew an impressive crowd of nearly 200 people, the first of whom, Eric, showed up at about 6:00 am after working a night shift.
Crowd
Eric and Brandon
The event opened with a reading by Brandon from the first chapter of “The Gathering Storm,” which was followed by a short Q & A session. In true Wheel of Time tradition, the first question, shouted quickly and loudly from the crowd, was, “Who killed Asmodean?” Brandon also spoke of his introduction to the series, citing that “The Eye of the World” was an investment for him (”A lot of words for my money.”). When asked about the most difficult character for him to write, Brandon replied with Aviendha and Tuon, as both characters are from “weird” cultures. There was a moment of worry when one of the guests asked whether we should be afraid that a writer could get into the head of the obviously unstable Rand. “People going bonkers are fun to write,” answered Brandon.
With any gathering of Wheel of Time fans in one place, strangeness is bound to occur. One guest, David Salchrow, asked us about the “I killed Asmodean” bumper stickers, which had disappeared as fast as they arrived. When he was informed of our lack of the stickers, he asked whether we had any that said “Cadsuane is a sexy beast.” Another guest, Evan, braved the strange soil of America (and a blizzard) to snatch the prize for the longest distance traveled for the signing- 7 and a half hours from Winnipeg, Manitoba. Finally, the grand champion of Wheel of Time reference at the signing was a young woman named Erin Kelly, who brought with here a real, true-to-life game of Snakes and Foxes, winnable only by cheating. This Brandon signed with gusto.
Evan, from Winnipeg
Snakes and Foxes
Even Brandon couldn’t resist the call…
To balance these moments, though, were moments of greatness. The book poster that was sent out by Tor was won by Jay Erdahl. Last but certainly not least, guest Michael Ditmore told us that “The Eye of the World” was the first book he ever read, which stands as testament to the greatness of this series, and the ability it has to affect people’s lives.
Tonight Brandon is signing books at one of his favorite bookseller locations: Sam Weller’s in Salt Lake City, Utah. Once again, our Storm Leaders have setup a live feed for the event.
Every once in a while, Brandon will pause his signing to take a question from the internet. If you have a question you want him to answer, the preferred method of submitting it for this event is to use Twitter. Send your questions to @Theoryland. If you don’t use twitter, you can email them to Tamyrlin@theoryland.com.
The Storm Leaders from Denver have setup a live feed for the book signing at the Tattered Cover. It’s already underway, but if you happen to be online for a few more hours, you can view it as it happens.
We just heard that the Storm Leaders have setup a live feed for the Minneapolis book signing. It’s already underway, but if you happen to be online for a few more hours, here you go.
This is the fourth of our Storm Leader reports we’ll be posting throughout the U.S. book tour for THE GATHERING STORM. At each tour location, Dragonmount and Tor Books recruited a select group of volunteer fans to help run the event, hand out promotional materials, and represent us to the fans. In return, they were given the opportunity to meet with Brandon Sanderson and (if present for their event) Robert Jordan’s wife Harriet. We will have a full report with photos and possibly video for each one of the tour stops. Prior Storm Leader reports can be found here.
Report by Heather Johnson
On October 29th THE GATHERING STORM hit Baltimore … and what an evening it was!
Around 5:30pm the four Storm Leaders – Susan, Mike, Matt, and Heather (me) – met up with Brandon, Harriet, and their media escort, Paul, for dinner. We were supposed to meet at 5:15pm but the restaurant staff seated us in two separate places so each group was wondering why the other was late. (A great way to start the evening, no?) Dinner was a real treat for us Storm Leaders; simply to be sitting at the table with Brandon and Harriet was fantastic, but of course we had some great conversations as well. There was definitely no lull in the chatter!
After our meal we walked through the mall to the Books-A-Million store. Our entourage was spotted by the large crowd gathered in the bookstore café and applause broke out at the site of Brandon and Harriet. After Brandon said a quick hello to the fans, we headed to the back of the store. While our two celebrities were being interviewed by other media, we Storm Leaders reviewed our notes and tried to contain our excitement. Then it was 7:00pm and time to get started.
“For those of you here today, the Wheel of Time needs no introduction.” Standing at the podium, I was thrilled to be speaking to WoT fans and honored to lead them in a moment of silence honoring Robert Jordan. After that I introduced Brandon and Harriet … and inadvertently referred to Harriet at Brandon’s wife rather than Robert Jordan’s. *flushes with embarrassment*
Brandon stood to thank the fans for coming and then asked Harriet to read a selection from the book. She took the floor and read a portion of the Prologue, the part from the Prophet’s point of view. (That’s video 1 in the playlist.)
Then it was time for audience questions. Fans wanted to know how Brandon was chosen to complete the series and his reactions to that choice, which characters were the most difficult to write, the fate of the prequel and outrigger novels Jordan planned to write, and more. We captured the entire Q&A on a series of videos so you wouldn’t have to miss a thing. (Check out videos 2-6 in the playlist above.)
Around 7:30pm Brandon and Harriet moved to their table at the back of the store and fans began lining up to get their books signed. Line numbers had been given out starting at 9am so it was easy to organize the fans in numerical order. This guy got the very first spot in line – I think he was pretty happy about it!
Storm Leader Mike spent the first hour or so stuffing bookmarks and other promotional material into the books after Brandon and Harriet signed them. Mike had a front row seat for the wonderful interactions between our celebs and their fans. Here’s his report from the trenches:
At the front of the signing line the over 200 enthusiastic fans each got a chance to meet Brandon and Harriet. And both were as gracious and friendly as they could be, answering questions, posing for photos, and sharing their own thoughts about The Wheel of Time.
The first person in line was already halfway through The Gathering Storm and had been reading the series since The Eye of the World was first published. He and Brandon talked about how Rand, Perrin, and Mat were like high school friends to them. He asked Harriet how much time had passed in the timeline of the story, and when told only two years, responded “I didn’t figure they had aged along with me!” The coolest interaction at the signing table came near the end of the night, though, when a young boy asked if he could show Brandon his Magic cards… It was quite adorable…
As he spoke with fans throughout the night, Brandon talked about learning to turn off his inner fanboy during his final Wheel of Time read through (Harriet called this “getting into editorial thinking”), encouraged aspiring writers to get their stories down on paper, and repeatedly apologized for his atrocious handwriting (but it’s definitely not!). Also, if your name is Tom or Matt, be prepared to be asked “Do I spell that with an ‘h’?” or “One’t’ or two?”
It was truly touching to be able to witness the mutual exchange of heartfelt gratitude between the fans, Harriet, and Brandon. The excitement was palpable. It made me proud to be part of this awesome community of WoT fans. All in all, a wonderful evening…
If you’d like to see some of Brandon and Harriet’s interaction with the fans be sure to check out videos 13-14 in the playlist.
While Mike was busy at the signing table, I was chatting with fans farther back in line and also taking some videos (videos 7-12 in the playlist). I must admit that I was rather jealous of those who got to stand in line and simply read; I had just picked up my copy of TGS that afternoon and had not yet been able to read a single page. *sigh*
Some things I learned while taking videos and watching them afterward:
The “average” fan at this event has been reading WoT for about 10 years.
WoT fans know the answers to the most obscure trivia questions.
There are phrases I say WAY too often, like “very, VERY cool” and “alriiiight!”
When I record all the videos that means I’m not IN any of the videos. Go figure.
Speaking of obscure trivia, Storm Leader Matt outdid himself with the pop quiz questions he came up with to entertain fans in line.
Here’s Matt to tell you all about it:
The combination of over 200 people and Brandon and Harriet’s sweet penchant for taking the time to talk to every fan made for a very loooong line. Enter the Wheel of Time pop quiz and interviews!
After everyone had been given their complementary swag (one of 3 bumper stickers), a couple of the Storm Leaders spent the rest of the evening engaging the line with interviews and pop quiz questions. (Check out videos 9-12 in the playlist.)
The quiz questions ranged from freebies (“Name Rand’s two living blood relatives.”) to the tricksy (“The Head Clerk is the head of which Ajah: Gray or Brown?”) to the downright mean (“Cadsuane has 8 hair ornaments, 5 of which have known uses. Describe these ornaments and their abilities.”)
Normally, questions were answered by a hand-raising quick draw, but some of the tougher and multiple answer questions forced the line to group up and share knowledge come up with the right answers.
Of course there were the Smarty-pants of the lines that knew all the answers (I’m looking at you, Beardface! (in video 12)), but all in all it was a wonderful experience and I think everyone truly enjoyed themselves while they waited for the main event.
Storm Leader Susan kept busy as well. She spent the first half of the event talking up JordanCon to all the fans in line. She had flyers to hand out, and since she actually attended JordanCon this year she had lots of info to share about it. I think I overheard something about belly dancing lessons being offered … must find out more about that! For the second half of the evening she took over Mike’s stuffing job at the signing table, a job I also got to sample near the end of the night.
Toward the close of the evening Brandon and Harriet signed the TGS promo poster (Harriet said she’d sign on Aviendha’s bosom but I guess she thought better of it …) and chose a random winner from the entries we’d collected. (Watch Harriet draw the winning name in video 15 in the playlist.)
I spoke to the winner by phone the following day and she was very excited about her prize!
By 10:00pm about 215 people come through the line and the store was almost empty. One fan was still there though. Our Perrin look-a-like was # 70 in line but he wanted to take a few more photos with Brandon and Harriet so he waited around (reading contentedly) until everything else was finished. Since we were all calling him Perrin, Harriet suggested that they howl like wolves while taking the photo, which she then demonstrated – how I WISH I had that on video. I did catch our Perrin howling though (its video 16 in the playlist).
At this point Harriet was ready for her escort to take her to the hotel so we said our goodbyes. Speaking for all the Storm Leaders and the fans as well, we were incredibly honored to have Harriet at this event and we are very grateful to her for coming.
After Harriet left we helped Brandon sign store stock of TGS (if you are local, be sure to pick up a copy before they’re all gone!), and thanked the bookstore staff for having us. The store manager was thrilled with the event, as were we. She even provided us with complementary snacks and drinks from the café before we left.
As a side note, I never thought of myself as particularly short, but compared to these guys, Susan and I might as well be Cairhienen!
The four Storm Leaders headed outside with Brandon … where we left him, all alone, waiting for his escort to return. Seriously. We all offered to stay but he seemed to want some peace and quiet (I wonder why?) so this was our last view of Brandon.
The Baltimore Storm Leaders are so tremendously grateful for the opportunity to help out with this event. We truly enjoyed our time with Brandon and Harriet and all the WoT fans. Personally, I had a strong desire to go down the line hugging people to share my excitement … but I restrained myself. We all agree that this was a fantastic evening and that we were privileged to be a part of it. A huge thank you goes to Tor and Dragonmount for allowing us to participate and to report back to all of you.
The Wheel of Time turns and the next tour date draws ever closer … so be sure to get to your nearest event – it is definitely worth it!
This is the third of our Storm Leader reports we’ll be posting throughout the U.S. book tour for THE GATHERING STORM. At each tour location, Dragonmount and Tor Books recruited a select group of volunteer fans to help run the event, hand out promotional materials, and represent us to the fans. In return, they were given the opportunity to meet with Brandon Sanderson and (if present for their event) Robert Jordan’s wife Harriet. We will have a full report with photos and possibly video for each one of the tour stops. Prior Storm Leader reports can be found here.
Report by Peter Binkowski
I wrote a post on my blog site entitled “The Storm is coming to Chicago: A Storm Leaders take on one of the most highly anticipated novels of the last four year” I thought it was rather creative at the time, two days ago, so this is a sequel if you will. Originally I wasn’t even supposed to write this post. The “First Among Equals” in our storm leader group, known on dragonmount as “Barmacral” was going to, however, time constraints and a few communication difficulties, and I’m here!
I was also the note-taker for the event, originally saying that I would be happy with any of the jobs that would be presented.
I mentioned in my earlier blog that I was near giddy with excitement to be actually doing this, I had never been to a book signing, and I was going to be a Storm Leader and this was THE GATHERING STORM! Nearly blew my mind. I have no idea how I finally fell asleep the night before, I was reading the spoiler forum on DM and suddenly I’m waking up to my blearing alarm clock on Wednesday.
I trudged through my day, eager to be finally getting the book into my hands, I’m sure anyone looking saw my eyes intense in concentration staring at the spoiler forum in my 9am Chem lecture, ignoring the mundane of stoichiometry.
I stopped at my brother’s house, he applied as a storm leader, yet was not chosen, however, he was allowed to be part of the festivities. Next stop, my parent’s house, where we argued with my sister just how great this book is going to be.
Finally, we were off, taking less than expected time to get to get to the borders, I arrived with my brother at 3pm at Borders, three hours earlier than the scheduled meeting with Brandon at Six. So like any decent, raving mad fan, I ran to get my copy, waited patiently for my Americano from Seattle’s Best coffee, and proceeded to plop down at a table a read, I had been waiting four years you should remember. One brief change of setting happened when we went to a hotel lobby to wait for the rest of the storm leaders to show up.
We get together and find that two are missing, Greg and Renae. Greg, I get ahold of and he is in a cab coming, Renae, however, we try multiple times to get ahold of and no response. Sadly she was not able to make it to the event.
Brendan and Meesha go pick up their copies of the book and in we walk to the restaurant to meet with Brandon. Heart pounding. We walk in and there sits Brandon, Greg (who just arrived as well), and Brandon’s media escort, Judy.
The Dinner was nice; we were still all getting our bearing and were on the quiet side. We obviously talked about the books. However, as most of us had not read them yet, we didn’t get too much into spoilers. I did find out that I am the least self-controlled out of everyone, I spoiled myself, and knew just about every major plot arc in the book. Brandon himself confided in us that he absolutely hates spoilers. I felt slightly inadequate.
As the time approached seven (the signing was scheduled for seven thirty) we wrapped up conversation, which I believe was now on the topic of Brandon’s own Mistborn series, and headed over to the Borders.
Immediately we split up, my brother and I went in back to stack pre-signed books, and the rest went to set up and pass things out to the rather large crowd.
In the back with Brandon, we simply continued the discussion on his own books, including something things about future books.
We promptly began at seven thirty, striding out of the backroom, one of the Borders employees started off with an intro from one of the borders employees. Explaining Robert Jordan’s death and how Brandon got to be chosen.
Then Brandon started to speak, cracked a few jokes to the crowd started and proceeded to do a reading from the book.
“The Wheel of time turns and Ages come and pass, leaving memories that become legend. Legend fades to myth, and even myth is long forgotten when the Aged that gave it birth comes again.”
Saying he has never read that passage out loud before, Brandon read through a portion of the first chapter. Brandon did do a quick Q&A Section.
Q&A Section
1. What is the setup for the prequels?
Brandon responded that he is not sure, He states that he doesn’t want it to be an eternal series, and suggests being very careful. He will go with whatever is the will of Harriet. Also possible to do outriggers, again depends on Harriet. There is a chance of both, Tom Doherty wants them both, so in the end it will be up to Harriet and BS will go along with whatever she wants and decides on.
2. What are the new chapter symbols?
Harriet names the chapters actually, so she sent over a list of all symbols and chapter, and wanted me to pick out symbols to go with the chapters, BS pushed for new symbols. He wanted a symbol to show the pattern unfurling. So that’s what you get with chapter. Also Brandon chose Perrin’s black smith puzzle for his own symbol on the author page.
3. Which character do you most identify with?
Brandon said that it depends on when he read the series through. When he first started reading he really was identifying with Rand, simply because they were both teenagers, so he naturally connected with how he felt. Then he started feeling for Perrin, slightly more mature, also because of the similarities in personality. This last time he read through the series for TGS, he most identified with Moraine, and Nyneave, because he, as a father in his 30’s, can see the wisdom and guidance that they have to impart, and how better things would be if the boys just did what they were supposed to, unlike when he was younger when he would simply wish that they would stop butting in all the time.
4. How do you keep from being burnt out?
Brandon said that he switches projects continually. He wrote 13 standalone books before he ever got one published, that being Elantris, his 6th novel, “I write compulsively” that’s where Alcatraz came from, he needed a break from Mistborn, and so he stopped for a time and wrote a light YA novel. He would often take a Saturday off in the middle of a project, and write something completely different, something he wasn’t necessarily supposed to.
Let the Signing Begin!
Who wants a bumper sticker?
The line wrapping around the book store
Brandon Signing for fans
Here are some fan questions and Brandon’s quotes from during the signing.
“There are a surprising amount of deaths in the notes, so I get to play headsman” -Brandon
Q: “Is Mat’s humor changing?”
A: “His world turned upside down. Usually, he’s the guy who leaves, he doesn’t know how to handle someone he loves leaving him.” – Brandon
Q: If you could kill one character gruesomely (with out regard to plot) who would it be?
A: “Cadsuane” – Brandon
When asked about his favourite part of writing this series in specific: “The Characters feel like old highschool buddies.” – Brandon
On going into Robert Jordan study: “It felt like wondering into davinci’s workshop seeing his unfinished work” picking up RJ’s notes.“ -Brandon
Whats most difficult in the writing process?
“Keeping track of everyone” “I was confused about who was with Perrin, so I ask Charleston for a file with every one of the two river, whose with them, then send over a file of a complete list of two rivers folk with Perrin, most of whom hadn’t even been mentioned, and it had things like they’re names, relations, and most of them what they did in the army.” -Brandon
How do you keep sane? “Writing compulsively. Actually, I’m not sane, I’m a writer” – Brandon
More Photos
An Asha’man showed up for the latest book.
Honorary Storm Leader, Michal Binkowksi, presents Brandon with a Fan’s huge stack of books to sign.
Brandon posting a Tweet for a fan.
Fan, Matt Sweeny, won an autographed poster of TGS
And finally a shot of Brandon and the Storm Leaders! From left to right: Brendan Oxford, Brandon Sanderson, Myself (Peter Binkowski), Michal Binkowski, Greg Andrus, Meesha Meserole, and Brian Gyrion
Thanks to: Brendan, for organizing this crazy mess, and being the point of contact.
My Brother who was my ride and stepped up to help in Renae’s absence.
Greg for organizing the raffle, and being so knowledgeable about the books,
Meesha who I texted late at night to get the pictures (she was the photographer)
Brian, for making sure all the supplies got to us and for folding to supplies up to stuff into signed books.
Special Thanks To: Tor, for agree to take a swing at the storm leader shindig,
Jason and Jennifer of Dragonmount, who organized and set this all up,
Brandon Sanderson, for being such a great guy and author,
Border Bookstore in Oakbrook, thank God we got a signing stop in Chicago.
This is the second of our Storm Leader reports that we’ll be posting throughout the U.S. book tour for THE GATHERING STORM. At each tour location, Dragonmount and Tor Books recruited a select group of volunteer fans to help run the event, hand out promotional materials, and represent us to the fans. In return, they were given the opportunity to meet with Brandon Sanderson and (if present for their event) Robert Jordan’s wife Harriet. We will have a full report with photos and possibly video for each one of the tour stops. Prior Storm Leader reports can be found here.
By Storm Leader Evan Diebold:
My friends and fellow Travelers, I have been given a remarkable task – to share the events of the Charleston book signing and release party for The Gathering Storm. Where to begin?? Well, at the beginning of course (although we all know that there are neither beginnings nor endings in the weaving of the Wheel of Time!). I’ll try to keep this report as factual as possible, but I also intend to try to capture some of the magic and feel of that evening…so please bear with me.
We’ll start with the facts: the Charleston book signing was held on October 27th at the Barnes & Noble located at 7260 Rivers Ave, Charleston, SC 29406 from 7 – 10 pm (we ran a little over…but more on that shortly). In attendance: Brandon Sanderson, Harriet McDougal, Alan Romanczuk, Maria Simons, and your faithful Storm Leaders. Brief recap for new fans – Harriet is the wife of Robert Jordan, Brandon is the author that Harriet selected to continue Jordan’s legacy and finish the series after his death from amyloidosis, and Alan and Maria (Go Team Jordan!) were Jordan’s assistants and are helping Brandon complete the work.
Harriet was gracious enough to invite the Storm Leaders to come visit and tour the house and study where Mr. Jordan wrote the books we have all come to love. My primary assignment was/is to convey how it felt to walk through the rooms, see the sights, and meet the people, but my initial reaction was exactly what I told Harriet upon meeting her: “I have no words” (but I will still give an earnest effort to describe everything to the best of my meager writing ability).
After meeting at the bookstore, where 12 fans were already in line (at 4 o’clock) and reading voraciously while waiting for the event to begin, the other Storm Leaders and I met to carpool to Harriet’s house. In an effect to protect the privacy of Harriet and her family, I will not divulge any information regarding the house’s location. However, I will say that it is located in a beautifully historic section of Charleston. The house itself is a wonder – built in the late 1700s, full of Southern charm with a long veranda, brilliant pastel colored walls (complete with a stunning portrait of Harriet), and Mr. Jordan’s study/office (converted at some point from a carriage house).
Upon our arrival, we were greeted by Alan and Maria. Alan and Maria, both warm and kindhearted people as well as gifted storytellers in their own rights, provided a tour of Mr. Jordan’s office. Maria was naturally wearing her brown-fringed shawl, looking every part the Aes Sedai (although much more welcoming and affable). My first observation was the sheer number of books it contained – row after row, floor to ceiling, stacked everywhere (including the closets!). Alan later told me the office alone held over 15,000 books! Mr. Jordan’s personal library included every conceivable subject: languages, history (and military history), philosophy, fiction and non-fiction works, etc. When asked how one man could read (and write!) so much, Alan told us how Tor (the publisher of the WOT books) would send boxes of new books over daily – and that they continue to send books to Harriet even to this day. Mr. Jordan would not always read the new additions from cover to cover (his collection includes a vintage Encyclopedia Britannica), he would often read a few chapters or section from each book. Even so, the sheer magnitude and history held in such a small area was astonishing. And the artifacts! Even now, the office holds memorabilia of all shapes and sizes: weapons and armor, figurines, sculptures, paintings and pictures, and numerous others. Not to mention a collection of vintage pin-up girls!
This lead to one of the single most surreal moments I have ever experienced – sitting in Robert Jordan’s chair, behind the desk where he worked! If you are reading this, you are most likely a fan of the series and understand how truly amazing it felt to sit behind that desk.
After touring the office, Alan and Maria led us to the house itself, where Harriet was holding a small gathering of family, friends, and loved ones (and the Storm Leaders). Harriet exemplifies what you would expect of a graceful Southern lady – she was polite, charitable, and very interesting! She shared a story with me about a time she and Mr. Jordan were having “what the marriage counselors would call a ‘creative disagreement’ only to find a fan that had somehow discovered their house standing on the front porch!” I found myself at a loss for words upon meeting her – but I had no doubt that she truly understood and appreciated how much our inclusion in the event meant to all of the Storm Leaders. Another delight was spending time listening to Wilson, Jordan’s brother/cousin/fishing partner, who shared a number of stories about Mr. Jordan which were often hilarious and always entertaining. I later heard Wilson describe himself as a “writer of fables … [he] work[s] in marketing” – and a more apt description I could not possibly pen. Wilson gave us a tour of the house and grounds, including the coy pond where Mr. Jordan would walk, smoking his pipe, trying to come up with new ideas to further the story. On a small stone on the walkway towards the pond, there was a painting of the Green Man (Wilson confirmed it to be so!). Rachel (one of my fellow Storm Leaders) was kind enough to show me a corner of the sitting room holding shelves filled with countless translations of the WOT books.
Following the tour and party, Team Jordan and the Storm Leaders returned to the bookstore, to find a line of fans weaving in and out of over 7 long rows of books, each eagerly awaiting the arrival of Brandon and Team Jordan. The fans were not kept waiting long, and Brandon arrived right on schedule and signings began promptly at 7 pm. Jennifer Liang (fellow Storm Leader, Director of Wheel of Time programming for DragonCon, Chair of JordanCon and Special Projects Manager for Dragonmount.com) introduced everyone and the event started!
It bears mentioning that at this point, Brandon was working on 1 hour of sleep – however, throughout the entire event he somehow mustered the energy to not only greet every fan, but also to truly listen to them and make connections. His efforts were nothing short of heroic. I overheard Brandon discussing the virtues/vices of a degree in Creative Writing, encouraging a young aspiring writer, asking to see WOT tattoos, and generally enjoying the company of numerous fans. I was in awe – he was clearly exhausted, but pressed on with a cheerful attitude that illustrated that he was honored to be signing. Brandon, Harriet, Alan, and Maria signed over 250 copies, and Brandon signed countless copies of Elantris, Warbreaker, and the Mistborn series. As the first few hours passed, the line moved at a good pace, but the continuing addition of new fans kept the line the same length and often extending it.
Throughout the event, Storm Leaders moved throughout the crowd interviewing fans, taking photos and videos, asking about the many WOT theories, favorite characters and moments, and where everyone was from. Heidi, the first person in line (there since 9 am!) had already made it over halfway through the book; when I asked what she thought so far, her response was a beaming smile and that “It’s seamless!” Many of the fans (who ranged all ages) were local, from Summerville, Goose Creek, Spartanburg, and other nearby South Carolina cities. However, we also found fans from , Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina, and Galveston, TX. The very last person to arrive was a fan that came all the way from Toronto, ON (Canada)! In fact, Brandon, Harriet and the rest of the team actually stayed longer than scheduled to wait so that the Canadian WOT fan (whose flight was delayed) wouldn’t miss getting their signatures. Everyone was eager to discuss the WOT books, but the vast majority of fans struggled to name a single particular favorite character or moment (a testament to the series). As one fan put it, “They are just all written so well! I couldn’t possibly pick one!” At one point, Wilson, also attending the event, removed his Dragon lapel pin to present it to a young man serving in the Navy, thanking him for his service and explaining that servicemen were extremely important both to him and Mr. Jordan. There was even a fan dressed in full Asha’man garb (although Brandon pointed out that without the Dragon and Sword pins he was really just a Soldier)! The event was indisputably a smashing success!
A large number of pictures and videos from the event are available here and here. My friends, the Wheel weaves on, and we march to Tarmon Gai’don. Onward!
The Eye of the World
The Great Hunt
The Dragon Reborn
The Shadow Rising
The Fires of Heaven
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