Orson Scott Card

Author Orson Scott Card is one of Greensboro's most famous residents. He lives in Greensboro with his wife and their youngest child Emily. In addition to writing novels, Card writes a column for our local Rhino Times; he teaches a college writing course and, among other things, runs an annual literary boot camp. He is a devout Mormon-- also known as the Church of Jesus Christ Latter Day Saints-- having servied his missionary duty in Brazil and having graduated from Brigham Young University in Utah.

The above photo was taken during a recent book-signing at Barnes and Noble Booksellers. Card orchestrates a book signing with the authority and confidence of an assistant principal in the bus line at a large public school. In other words, he knows what works best to keep the book signing running smoothly and his word is THE word. He directs his audience to have books open to a certain page to accommodate his large signature. If you want a photo, you teach the person behind you in line how to work your camera BEFORE your turn. If you have a baby, you come to the front of the line so that the baby will not tire and cry. If you are in a wheelchair you come to the front of the line.  Card remembers how helpful front-of-line privileges were for the Card family when navigating places like Disney World with son Charles who had cerebral palsy and was in a wheel chair. If you have every book he has ever written, he will only sign a few. However, if you are purchasing new books for gifts for different people, with dedications to different names, he will sign them all because he says "I like for people to receive my books as gifts." 

When you get your 40 seconds with him for a signing, he makes every effort to be personable and establish rapport. For every quick story you have to tell, he shares one that relates to his life. He asks about names and nicknames, about the person who will receive the book. He smiles for the picture, thanks you, and then greets the next person-- courteous and gentlemanly, yet efficient. While he was there to promote his latest novel Pathfinder, he also made it clear that he is particularly fond of Lost Boys and his Christmas tale, Zanna's Gift-- which is apparently hard to acquire these days.

While he has not yet written an autobiography, if you want to know more about Orson Scott Card, read his books or visit his personal website! 

Comments

[Greensboro Daily Photo]

On blogs, we are inclined to read only the present day's post; however, a local reader, Emily, has left great comments on the University General Story, Tate Street Coffee, and Jefferson Village. You might want to scroll back and review! Our dream for this blog is to get more locals sharing comments so that we can learn something too! Thanks, Emily, keep the comments coming!

Jan & Dave
GDP

[Emily]

I am learning so much I didn't know about Greensboro from GDP! Thanks for having this place to share with the world our fair city.