FROM
CHRISTOPHER:
Kvetha Fricäya! Greetings Friends!
This
is my final newsletter before I go on book tour for
Eldest. I look forward to meeting many of
you in person! Because I’ll be traveling so much,
this may be the last time I can write to you until
November.
The past few weeks have been a frenzy
of interviews, photo shoots, and preparations for
my trip. Two events, however, deserve special notice:
First,
I completed the dragon painting for Random House’s
poetry contest and selected the winners. It was difficult
for me to choose from so many creative entries. Despite
the challenge, I’m delighted to announce that the
grand prize winner is Alex L. Congratulations Alex,
you wrote a great poem!
I hope you enjoy the painting.
Second,
I was fortunate enough to be asked to review Harry
Potter and the Half-Blood Prince for Entertainment
Weekly magazine. Wow, what an experience! I never,
ever, thought that I would have a chance to do such
a neat thing. It reminded me of the book reports that
Mom used to make me write back in the dim mists of
time. . . . The only problem was that I had to read
HP 6 in just a few hours, which meant that I couldn’t
spend as much time savoring it as I wanted.
Several fans have asked where the
black ring I wear on my right hand comes from. Well
. . .
Many
moons ago, in late 2002, Dad and I were in Seattle,
marketing the self-published edition of Eragon.
My first event was the Northwest Bookfest, a convention
of booksellers, publishers, authors, librarians, vendors,
readers, and fans.
I had a small table in the huge unheated
warehouse where I stood in my medieval costume, trying
to keep my teeth from chattering while I described
the book to potential customers. When we packed up
for the day, I stumbled across a small metal band
lying on the asphalt parking lot. I had no idea where
the ring came from, but it fit my finger perfectly,
so I took it back to the hotel. That evening we received
the first e-mail from my editor-to-be, Michelle Frey,
saying that Random House/Knopf was interested in publishing
my entire trilogy. I have worn the ring ever since,
as a memento of that important occasion.
Sitting
here at my desk, on the eve of my trip, I started
thinking about everything that has happened to my
family and me because of Eragon. It delights
and humbles me and leaves me shaking my head in mute
amazement. I have been incredibly fortunate, and for
that, I have you and every other reader to thank.
Atra du evarínya ono varda.
May the stars watch over you.
Christopher Paolini
p.s.
For those of you who want a sneak preview of Eldest,
I’ll say this:
Two die, one is reborn, and one is
renamed.
Flowers sing, birds speak, and ants wage war.
And a hammer sails through the eye of a boar.
A sword, a dragon, a half-answered
riddle.
A scar, a blood oath, a celebration.
He who was broken must be made whole,
Before blood may meet blood in the field of battle.
