My books do not happen through my efforts alone. Writing and promoting my books take me away from my family more than I prefer. I thank them for their support and patience. My wife, Mary, and my eldest daughter, Sadie, also read my books and provide feedback. Mary is always my first editor and her reactions to my chapters proved very useful once again.
I also have professional help. As he has done before, my agent, Simon Lipskar, shared some sage insights that helped me really bring this story into focus. Liesa Abrams, my editor, did a superb job with feedback as well, even though she was approaching the due date for a child. Fiona Simpson gets a big thank you for stepping in when Liesa had her son. (Congrats, Liesa!)
I’m very grateful to Simon & Schuster as a whole for believing in me enough to embark on a new series with me. Lots of people helped this book get produced and helped get the word out about it. Bethany Buck, Mara Anastas, Anna McKean, Paul Crichton, Carolyn Swerdloff, Lauren Forte, Jeannie Ng, and Adam Smith all played critical roles. And big thanks go to Owen Richardson for the terrific cover art.
My team of early readers did a great job on Sky Raiders. Jason and Natalie Conforto gave helpful responses and opened my eyes to some cool story possibilities that will show up later in the series. My uncle Tuck and my mom provided useful feedback, along with Cherie Mull. Liz Saban provided some of the first sparks that ignited this whole idea, and loaned me the names of a couple of her boys. Paul Frandsen made a couple of good catches near the end. Thanks, everyone!
I owe thanks to Brandon Flowers and the Killers for letting me use a line from one of their more poignant songs at the start of this book. I thought the line really fit the story, and am grateful they granted permission to use it.
Finally, I owe huge thanks to you, the reader! The books of mine that you read, share, and buy let me do this for a living. Without your support, I’d still be writing on the side, and there would be far fewer stories. Thanks for taking the time to go on this adventure. There are four more books coming, and you’ll soon see that things are just getting started. I’m excited to share more of this series. Read the note that follows for more on that.
One down, five to go. I’m happy that you’ve been introduced to one of the Five Kingdoms. Just wait until you see where the story goes in the coming books! I don’t think I’ve ever planned a series with as much variety as you’ll find in this one. If you liked this first book, get ready for a great ride. I’ll keep them coming as quickly as I can. Books Two and Three should come out within a year.
Because my writing schedule is packed, and because I go on book tours a lot, and because I have four kids, I can be hard to reach. If a letter or e-mail has gone unanswered, please accept my apology. If you sent it, I probably got it, but I’m an absentminded, disorganized person, and I’ve fallen way behind in responding. I still hope to get caught up one day. I save the messages I get, and randomly respond to as many as I can manage.
If you want to be in contact with me, I suggest following me on Twitter (@brandonmull) or my author page (Brandon Mull) on Facebook. I routinely post in those places, so you can get news if you want it, and posting comments there sometimes leads to responses. You can also try emailing me at autumnal-solace@gmail.com (an address that comes from one of my Fablehaven books). Whether or not you get an answer is a roll of the dice.
I hope that someday I’ll figure out a system that will let me respond to everyone without neglecting my job and my family. If it is any consolation, part of the reason I am disorganized about practical things is because my mind spends a lot of time making up stories. So if nothing else, at least I can communicate with you through my crazy books. And if you really want to meet me, just keep an eye on my tour schedule at brandonmull.com. Whenever a new book comes out, I hit the road and have many events around the United States.
For those of you who have just discovered me, here is a quick guide to my other books:
Fablehaven is a five book series, and probably my most balanced, with a good mix of adventure, humor, and discovery. It deals with secret wildlife parks for magical creatures, and the overall feel is probably the closest fit to my Five Kingdoms series. I have plans to start a sequel series to Fablehaven around 2016.
Beyonders is three books long, and is my most epic series. It starts out kind of weird and mysterious, then builds into a grand story about heroes trying to save an imperiled world. You’ll meet creatures and magical races you’ve never read about before, and I think the ending of book three is my biggest finale so far.
Candy Shop War is lighter than my other stuff, but full of imagination. It happens in a normal neighborhood with normal kids. Magicians come to town sharing magical candy that can give people powers. When it turns out some of the magicians are up to no good, things get interesting. There are two books in that series so far. Both feel like complete stories, without any real cliffhangers.
Spirit Animals is a series I created. Readers will discover a world called Erdas, where kids and animals can sometimes form powerful bonds. It is my fastest-paced story, and maybe my best for readers who are just getting used to a thick book. Though I outlined the whole series, I only wrote book one. Six other authors will write the six other books.
And lastly, if you’re into picture books, I have two Pingo books about a boy named Chad and his imaginary friend. You can find more about all of my books at brandonmull.com.
If you made it all the way to the end of this, congratulations for finishing what you started. Thanks for reading. See you in the Outskirts!