Inspiration hit author Brian Anderson for a young adult fantasy novel series, The Godling Chronicles, when his then 7-year-old son approached him with a story idea.
"He's always been a very creative young boy," Anderson said. "He came up for the idea for the main characters and I thought it was such a great idea that I realized it would make a great series."
Anderson said the prologue for the first novel of the series is action for action what his son, Jonathan, described to him. Because of his son's crucial role in the creation of the stories, each book cover bears his name.
June 1 at (time), Anderson will be reading this prologue at Gnu's Room followed by a book signing and a question and answer session.
Book one of the Godling Chronicles was published in November 2011, and since then has sold more than 60,000 copies.
"I have to say, I'm amazed by the response that it's gotten, especially to be the independent writer that I am," Anderson said.
For Anderson, however, one of the most amazing outcomes the book has produced hasn't been his personal success, but the positive change it created for a child with special needs living in Great Britain.
Several months ago, Anderson received an email from a foster mother living in Great Britain named Helen telling him of the impact his novels have had for her special needs foster daughter.
Helen's foster daughter, who is referred to as K throughout the email, is afflicted with 'Attachment Disorder' along with several other conditions, according to her email. Part of K's routine involves Helen reading to her before bed each night. When Helen began reading the Godling Chronicles to K, she associated with one of the female protagonists of the novel and began to emulate her characteristics.
"These books have made such a huge change to K that I told her social workers," Helen said in an email to Anderson. "K's school has remarked how she appears to be 'maturing', without so many outburst this term, and she floats around school helping lesser able bodied children - she appears to be taking on a 'protector/nurturer' role now, instead of being the aggressor."
Helen also noted that K learned from problem solving skills displayed by the main characters.
"She also is getting an idea that when people don't agree, they can work it out by talking instead of trying to pull someone's head off," Helen said.
Anderson said that he never expected this kind of reaction, especially from someone living so far away from where the book was produced. Because of this, book three of the series is dedicated to Helen and K.
"When you write a story, especially a fantasy fiction, you expect it to be an entertaining read," Anderson said. "My goal was to let people enjoy it for a few hours out of their day, nothing more than that. When you hear that it actually had a positive impact on somebody's life, it's just unbelievable."
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