Sometimes the Magic Works

In 1977, the New York Times Trade Paperback Bestseller list--back then the exclusive province of self-help guides, cartoon collections, and any number of cat books--played host to its very first work of fiction: The Sword of Shannara, an epic quest through a mythical land, by first-time author Terry Brooks. Nineteen New York Times bestselling novels later, it would be easy enough to just say: ". . . and the rest is history." But when it comes to quests, everyone knows that getting there is half the fun. Now, Terry Brooks tells the story of how he got there--from beginner to bestselling…