Why you don’t want to miss a Brandon Sanderson Event

In June I went to my first Brandon Sanderson signing. In twenty-five years of bookselling and publishing I had never seen anything like it. Yes the crowd was big but I have seen big crowds at signing events. Yes there was love in the room but I have been to Anthony Burgess signings, Keith Richards signings, even Joe Abercrombie signings. No, what I have never seen before is the level of commitment from both fans and author when a US author has come over to the UK for the first time. It’s easy to fall in love with a writer’s books. Easy for a writer to appreciate the enthusiasm of their fans. But to see Brandon Sanderson come over to the UK and establish such a rapport face-to-face with fans from another country from a standing start was pretty special. I don’t know an author who works harder to make each and every fan at an event with 200 people in attendance feel as if it is they, the individual fans, who are the most important people in the room.

Brandon did an impromptu reading, he answered questions courteously and as fully as he could without spoilers. Arcane plot points were discussed, plans for series yet to be written discussed. He pulled everyone in. There was laughter and countless photos. Everyone who wanted a book signed got a chat. And Brandon stayed until everyone had been chatted to and everyone had had everything signed. And there was a lot of everyone. The signing took a long, long time (the wonderful Danie Ware from Forbidden Planet was delighted but, truth be told, increasingly nervous) but I don’t think a single fan went away feeling like they hadn’t wanted to be there for every minute.

In short Brandon Sanderson is the nicest guy you could hope to meet. He’s also fantastically professional. No-one works harder for his fans, cares more about them. Maybe you’ve come to an event of his already. If you love his books you may well be thinking of coming to see him on his new tour. Maybe you like his books and are wondering whether one of these events would be worth attending. Maybe you’ve never read him but are intrigued about how he got to be so successful. Either way, come along. He’s worth it.

Brandon will be in the UK from the 19th – 25th November to celebrate the publication of The Alloy of Law.

Saturday November 19, 2011
1pm – Signing
Forbidden Planet
179 Shaftesbury Avenue
London
WC2H 8JR

Monday 21 November, 2011
12.30pm – Signing
Waterstones
71-73 High Street
Guildford GU1 3DY

6.30pm – Talk and Signing
Waterstones
Midsummer Place
Milton Keynes MK9 3GA

Tuesday 22 November, 2011
12.30pm – Signing
Waterstones
24-26 High Street
Birmingham B4 7SL

7pm – Talk and Signing
Waterstones
1/5 Bridlesmith Gate
Nottingham NG1 2GR

Wednesday 23 November, 2011
12.30pm – Signing
Waterstones Liverpool One
12 College Lane
Liverpool L1 3DL

7pm – Talk and Signing
Waterstones
91 Deansgate
Manchester M3 2BW

Thursday 24 November, 2011
12.30pm – Signing
28-29 High Ousegate
York YO1 8RX

6.30pm – Talk and signing
Waterstones Edinburgh West End
128 Princes Street
Edinburgh EH2 4AD

Friday 25 November 2011
6.30pm – Talk and singing
Waterstones
Emerson Chambers, Blackett Street
Newcastle NE1 7JF