By Alesha Woods
Rowan Public Library

I have always been enchanted by fantasy stories of dragons, wizards, knights and unlikely heroes who go on grand adventures to save the world. As a young teen, I first discovered and journeyed through the fantastical world built by J.R.R. Tolkien in “The Lord of the Rings.” I quickly read all the books my library had in circulation that centered around Tolkien’s Middle Earth. When I started looking for other authors who could bring more worlds of magic and adventure to life, a friend suggested I try “Eragon” by Christopher Paolini. This story centers around a farm boy named Eragon and his newly hatched dragon, Saphira, who must escape the clutches of an evil king seeking to end all Dragon Riders. I was immediately drawn to the story and continued reading the other novels in “The Inheritance Cycle” series. That is why I am ecstatic to announce that Rowan Public Library’s Virtual Author Talk series will feature international bestselling author Christopher Paolini.

Fellow fantasy readers and interested viewers are invited to join the Virtual Author Talk with Paolini on Thursday, March 14 at 4 p.m. by visiting bit.ly/RPLVirtualAuthorTalks. Paolini will chat about his return to the world of “Eragon” in his latest novel, “Murtagh,” which follows Dragon Rider Murtagh and his dragon, Thorn. The world is no longer safe for Murtagh and Thorn who have been exiled to the outskirts of society. They find themselves on a mission to locate and outwit a mysterious witch who is much more than she seems.

Rowan Public Library’s Virtual Author Talk series is part of the Library Speakers Consortium. If you enjoy podcasts, author talks, and hearing about behind the scenes details, then check out the archive of available videos. Author Talks are accessible for free at bit.ly/RPLVirtualAuthorTalks. Registration is optional. Library card numbers are not required to watch live or archived Author Talks. To learn more about Virtual Author Talks or to check out books by Christopher Paolini and other fantasy authors, visit www.RowanPublicLibrary.org or call 980-432-8670.

Alesha Woods is communications associate at Rowan Public Library.