New Video Book Club Episode Features Author Christopher Paolini on Borders.com

ANN ARBOR, Mich., Sept. 2 /PRNewswire/ -- Although Christopher Paolini's
upcoming fantasy tale "Brisingr" doesn't officially go on sale until Sept. 20,
starting today, customers can visit www.bordersmedia.com/paolini and watch an
unscripted hour-long discussion between Paolini and his fans on the "Borders
Book Club," the retailer's popular video book club program. The eagerly
anticipated "Brisingr" is the third installment in Paolini's Inheritance cycle
about the farm-boy-turned-Dragon-Rider Eragon who must save the world from an
evil king. Borders expects the book to be one of the hottest selling young
adult titles of 2008. The retailer has been taking
pre-orders for "Brisingr" since January.
(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20060208/BORDERSGRPLOGO )
Borders teamed with Shur'tugal ( www.shurtugal.com ), the world's most
comprehensive Inheritance cycle fan site, to select nine Paolini fans to
participate in the book club discussion. Paolini traveled to Chelsea, Mich. to
talk with the fans personally about the stories behind the books in the
Inheritance cycle, among other themes. Paolini and the participants talked
extensively about his creating "Eragon" and "Eldest," the first two titles in
the Inheritance cycle, including how he developed the characters' names and
their unique languages. Paolini even wowed the book club by reading from
"Eldest" in one of the fictional foreign tongues he developed for his stories.
Participants shared their theories and predictions about what they think will
happen in "Brisingr," and peppered Paolini with questions about the upcoming
book, some of which had to go unanswered until the book's release. Beyond
discussing his books, Paolini also shared advice for young and aspiring
writers, highlighting the importance of writing every day-and reading
extensively.
"We couldn't be happier to have Christopher Paolini on the 'Borders Book
Club,'" said Borders Group's Merchandising Director Diane Mangan. "His episode
truly adds another dimension to the excitement building around 'Brisingr.'"
With a first printing of 2.5 million copies by its publisher Alfred A.
Knopf Books for Young Readers (an imprint of Random House Children's Books),
"Brisingr" has the largest initial print run ever for a Random House
Children's Books title. "Eragon" and "Eldest," both of which topped the New
York Times bestseller list, together sold a total of 15.5 million copies
worldwide.
About Borders Group, Inc.
Headquartered in Ann Arbor, Mich., Borders Group, Inc. (NYSE: BGP), is a
leading retailer of books, music and movies with more than 28,000 employees.
Through its subsidiaries, the company operates more than 1,100 stores
worldwide primarily under the Borders(R) and Waldenbooks(R) brand names and
recently launched Borders.com for online shopping. For more information, visit
www.borders.com/aboutus .
SOURCE Borders Group, Inc.

Mary Davis, Borders Group, Inc., +1-734-477-1374, Mdavis4@bordersgroupinc.com