”The True First Edition”
The Self-Published Book Tour
The first books arrived in November 2001, this would be the start of a massive book tour that extended all the way into early 2003. Chris did over 135 signings. The entire tour was done in the family car, carting books across Montana and Texas. The whole time, Christopher wore a medieval outfit that he got from Museum Replicas Limited. During the Northwest Book Festival on October 24th, 2002, the Paolinis received an email from Michelle Frey, an editor at the Alfred A. Knopf publishing company, wanting to publish Eragon. Chris would still tour well after this, promoting the Self-published edition, he would eventually stop in early 2003.
“We started by doing signings in bookstores, but quickly learned that no one shows up for an author they have never heard of. I was very determined, and would stay for eight hours straight and talk to every person who came in the store and try to sell them a copy. On a good day, I might sell forty books. That’s not bad for a signing, but it’s a lot of work. I then learned that if I went into a school and did a presentation, in one day we could sell 300 books or more, and simultaneously inspire students to read and write, so I concentrated on that. We also started charging a fee for the presentation, to help cover travel expenses.
My dad and I made two trips to Houston, where my grandmother lives. I called numerous school librarians and spoke to them about Eragon and my presentation. They didn’t know who I was, so it took a bit of persuading, but I managed to arrange to visit several schools, along with a few bookstores, that first trip. One of the librarians posted an enthusiastic recommendation of my presentation to an online teachers’ forum, so by the time we returned home to Montana, my mom already had a second trip to Texas planned, and I didn’t have to do any cold calls. That second trip was a solid month long, with three or four hour-long presentations every single day.” - Christopher Paolini
“I always scheduled an event at a public library. I then called local newspaper, radio, and TV stations to see if they would like to interview me, which many did. My family and I tried many ways to reach people. And I was persistent in making calls to schedule events and media interviews. Yes, it was scary and uncomfortable, but it worked. Over the period of about a year, I did over 135 presentations in bookstores, schools, and libraries, speaking about my book and inspiring young people to read and create stories of their own.” - Christopher Paolini
Luling Junior High School, Luling, Texas. February 11, 2003.
Related article on paolini.net
Hastings bookstore, Bozeman, Montana, USA, 2002.
Barbers Hill High School, Mont Belvieu, Texas, USA, 2003.
On the shelves, Hastings, Moscow, Idaho, USA, 2002.
Anahuac High School, Louisiana, USA, 2003.
Calallen High School, Corpus Christi, Texas, USA, 2003.
Barjon's Bookstore, Billings, Montana, USA, 2002.
Books being moved from one place to another.
Hastings bookstore, Bozeman, Montana, USA, 2002.
East Helena, Montana, USA, 2002.
East Helena, Montana, USA, 2002.
Judy Salisbury, East Helena school librarian, Montana, USA, 2002.
Texas, 2002.
Klein Intermediate School, Harris, Texas, USA, 2003.
Brazos Elementary School, Orchard, Texas, USA, 2003.
Helena Public Library, Montana, USA, 2002.
Anahuac Elementary School, Louisiana, USA, 2003.
Hastings bookstore, Bozeman, Montana, USA, 2002.
A fan in Honolulu, Hawaii, USA, 2002.
Belgrade Public Library, Belgrade, Montana, USA, 2003.
Yellowstone Public Radio interview, Bozeman, Montana, USA, 2002.
Memorial Middle School, Kingsville, Texas, USA, 2003.
Montana.
East Helena, Montana, USA, 2002
Living room floor.
Northwest Bookfest, November 2002.
Corvallis Middle School, November 2002.
MisCon 2002.
Memorial Middle School, Kingsville, Texas, USA, 2003.
Kleb Intermediate, Spring, Texas, USA, 2002.
Radio interview, Helena, Montana, USA, 2002.
First signing in a Barnes & Noble bookstore, Clear Lake City, Texas, USA, 2002.
Emily. Corpus Christi, Texas, USA, 2003.
A fan in Paris, France, 2002.