David Farland didn’t have the best childhood.
When he was 11 years old, his grandfather, who was in the mafia and believed young Dave wanted to follow in his footsteps, tried to explain the best ways to commit crime.
Millions of people around the world are grateful the boy didn’t take the advice.
Farland, born John David Wolverton, is the author of over 50 novels. His latest book, “Nightingale,” was the winner of the International Book Award for Young Adult Fiction and the grand-prize winner of the Hollywood Book Festival, according to nightingalenovel.com.
In addition to writing novels and short stories, Farland has been a mentor to some of the most famous writers today, including Brandon Sanderson (Mistborn series); Stephenie Meyer (Twilight series); Jessica Day George (Dragon Slippers series); James Dashner (Maze Runner series); Dan Wells (I Am Not a Serial Killer series); and Brandon Mull (Fablehaven series).
But Farland’s path to becoming an author — and a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints — was lined with challenges.