Revenge of the Gamer

As those of you who follow my blog know when I was sixteen I moved from New York to California.  It was a huge shift in my life.  I lost all my friends, my girlfriend, my dog and my home.  Everything I knew was gone in the blink of an eye.

I did what any teenager might do in that situation, I escaped.  Reading has always been my favorite hobby, and at that time in my life it was my only solace.  I read novel after novel as I escaped into other worlds to avoid my own.

Not long after arriving in California I met a boy in my Econ class who loved reading as much as I did.  His name was Eric Muhly, and while I’ve since lost track of him I’ll never forget him for one very important reason.  Eric introduced me to a series called The Wheel of Time, by a man named Robert Jordan.

The first book, The Eye of the World, was without a doubt the best book I’d ever read.  I followed the characters from the small village of Edmond’s Field and out into a larger world.  That book and the ones that followed gave me something to hold onto during a very difficult time in my life.

They also reaffirmed my desire to be an author, and my goal is to one day create a series as epic and rich as the Wheel of Time.  If I succeed half so well I’ll be ecstatic.

Every few years since high school a new book came out, and I bought every last one on its release date (well except for the last one).  Some of these books were amazing, some of them made me question why I was still reading the series.   After nearly twenty years and over 10,000 pages I am more invested in this series than any other I’ve ever read. 

In 2007 Robert Jordan passed away.  He was eleven books into his epic series, but wasn’t able to write an ending before he passed.  Instead he wrote down all his notes and told the entire story to his wife Harriet.

Harriet found an author she trusted to finish the series.  Brandon Sanderson agreed to finish the last three books of the Wheel of Time.  On October 27th the first of these will be released.

To help generate buzz about The Gathering Storm Tor books launched a book tour.  They were looking for volunteers to run the tour, and I was fortunate enough to be picked for the San Jose location.  Hence the nifty Storm Leader title.

I will have the opportunity to meet the wife of the man who’s series meant so much to me.  At long last I can offer Robert Jordan’s widow a belated thanks for everything I’ve taken away from the Wheel of Time. 

I will also get to meet his successor, Brandon Sanderson.  We’ll be going out to dinner, and I plan to pick his brain about writing.  Brandon has published a half dozen novels in addition to the Wheel of Time, and I want to know how he did it and how I can emulate him.

I’m excited.  This is both the fulfillment of a childhood dream, and a tremendous opportunity for me to meet the people who might be able to help me get my own novel published.  I can’t wait.

Thank you for everything Mr. Jordan.  Even after you passed away your legacy is still a big part of my life.