Christopher Paolini is the author of the book Eragon. The book quickly became a very popular movie. Learn some interesting facts about this young author.
How many 15-year-old boys do know have written a best-selling book for tweens and teens, had his movie turned into a major motion picture, and earned a six-figure income before the age of 21? Not many...but this is the life of Christopher Paolini, who started writing Eragon at the age of 15.
If your tween has read Eragon, then they are one of the thousands of kids who have. The book is about a 15-year-old farm boy from a lineage called Eragon. He finds a mysterious sapphire-blue stone that turns his life into a wonderful journey of magic and power. He quickly forms a bond with the dragon, Saphira, and learns about loyalty and determination. Of course, there are plenty of monsters, elves, and enemies as well.
Christopher is a homeschooled student who graduated high school at the age of 15. When his parents felt that he was too young to make the college scene, Christopher decided to write a novel for his own entertainment. Writing is one thing that he enjoyed immensely. When his family read the book and realized that it was really well written, as well as the story being unique and interesting, they self-published Eragon. He even drew the maps and the cover of the book himself. Christopher sold copies of his novel by going from town to town making sales. He managed to sell over 10,000 copies on his own.
Once Eragon was discovered by Alfred A. Knopf, a publishing company in New York, Christopher was made a mid-six-figure deal for rights to the book. This happened not long after the book was optioned for a movie. Read Eragon: A Review for more about the film's success. Eragon is the first in a trilogy to be written by Christopher Paolini. The second book is titled, The Eldest, which was released in August 2005. The third, and final, book in this trilogy is in the works with no release date announced at this writing.
Christopher was inspired to write Eragon by other authors, such as J.R.R. Tolkien, E.R. Eddison, Octavia Butler, and many more. He has always been interested in fantasy worlds, and found it natural to write such a novel himself. Christopher enjoys reading thrillers, mysteries, and the classics. You can read more about him in an interview at Teenreads.com.
This is definitely a success story that can give any tween or teen hopes of aspiring their dreams with persistence and discipline.
