Best selling author empowers imagination during book tour

Imagination may start as a creative outlet, but it grows into empathy and phenomenal potential — at least, that’s what New York Times Best Seller Brandon Mull said.  

On Oct. 26, 2021, Mull released the fifth and final installment of his “Dragonwatch” series. “Dragonwatch” is an add-on to Mull’s best-selling series, “Fablehaven.” According to Mull, “Dragonwatch” is the second half of the “Fablehaven” protagonists’ story.  

“Dragonwatch: Return of the Dragonslayers” brings this beloved series to a gripping finale. According to Mull, this will be the last book where Seth and Kendra, the Fablehaven protagonists, are showcased.  

“I want the books to generally put more light than darkness out into the world,” Mull said. In his Fablehaven and Dragonwatch books, Mull’s characters reflect that desire — when they defeat evil, they bring more light to their world.  

For Mull, a novel release means a book tour. On Nov. 10, 2021, Mull visited students at Adams Elementary School in Logan.  

The elementary school library was filled with laughter during Mull’s presentation. Students giggled as Mull showed pictures of his goofy family and told embarrassing personal stories. He talked to the kids about his writing experience, showcasing his imaginative talents in a live writing workshop using volunteers from the crowd.  

Together, Mull and three students created a new world with bumpy ground and poisonous flowers growing on trees. But Mull’s reasoning for this imaginative create-your-own-world demonstration goes far beyond fun.  

“Life can beat you down. Life can wear you out,” Mull said. “Having a rich internal inner life is the best gift anyone can give to themselves.” Mull’s inner life is rich — and he owes it all to his imagination.   

“I’ve always thanked myself when I’ve made room for letting my imagination be strong. For me, it very directly opened up the best opportunities in my life,” Mull said. Imagination, Mull said, is equally as important as intelligence. 

“I think imagination is the most important resource our country has,” Mull said. “It’s where innovation comes from.”  

But that imaginative innovation can often be stifled when children go to middle school. It’s not cool to make up stories in your head and daydream during lunch. So, the flame of imagination flickers. For some, it burns out.  

Mull is changing that one book at a time.  

“I get 20 somethings and I get parents coming in saying, ‘You’re the reason my kid reads,’ or like, ‘You’re the reason I read books. I read Fablehaven,’” Mull said, choking up.  

Mull now lives in Utah with his wife, Erlyn, and 11 kids. He has been able to make his dream a reality, but his life has not been without struggle. 

His first novel was never published. And in workshops throughout his life, Mull struggled to discern which criticisms he should take and which he should ignore.  

“If I start trying to write for the people, I’ll be writing with judgment that is not my own. I’ve got to write from that compass inside myself,” Mull said. “I’ve got to write something that I think is good.”  

Mull is fully aware that aspiring writers around the world struggle with workshops just like he has.  

“If you have a tough experience in workshops, it doesn’t necessarily mean that you’re not a good writer,” Mull said. “Getting feedback on your books is vital, but not everybody who gives you feedback will be on your wavelength.” 

In his early years, Mull studied at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah with an emphasis in public relations — but his heart was always partial to writing. 

“In the end, I really love writing,” Mull said. “I think I’d be miserable if I didn’t give this a real try. So, I just did.” But Mull didn’t start as a full time writer. He worked as a comedian, patio installer and copywriter, writing novels on the side.  

With hard work — and a lot of imagination — his books grew in popularity. After the success of the first book in the Fablehaven series, the publishers wanted more, giving Mull more pressure than he was used to. 

“You can get frozen by the expectations,” Mull said.  

According to Mull, that pressure can be a blessing and a curse; learning to write under that kind of pressure can be hard, but fulfilling. With his success on the rise and pressure for more stories, even more started to change in Mull’s personal life. 

Darkness crept into Mull’s life during his divorce. According to Mull, his mind was broken.  

“I was drowning in pain,” Mull said. Writing came to a halt.  

“I needed that escape into fantasy and into make believe,” Mull said. “I couldn’t generate it at the time and escaped into other people’s fantasies.” During these times of darkness, Mull found comfort in books like “Harry Potter” and “Percy Jackson.” He found hope in fantasy and he encourages others to do the same.  

Read, write, imagine and create — that’s Brandon Mull’s message. 

“Be true to what you like,” Mull said. “You’ll be more likely to end up happy.”