Utah

Reading changed these authors’ lives, now they want the same for Utah’s youth

Published

3 weeks ago

March 1, 2026

Reading changed these authors’ lives, now they want the same for Utah’s youth

SALT LAKE CITY — “If you don’t think you’re a reader yet, it’s because you haven’t found the right book.”

Utah author Sara B. Larson believes there is a book out there for everyone that can make someone love reading. She and dozens of other authors gathered at StoryCon this weekend to teach and inspire young kids to love reading and writing.

“It’s hard to see the drop in literacy that has happened, but it’s also encouraging to see so many people banding together to try and combat it and help our youth,” Larson said.

StoryCon is a literature conference that brings together authors, educators, teens, tweens and everyone in between to focus on the power of literacy. Around 3,500 people flocked to the Salt Palace Convention Center for workshops on writing concepts, shopping for book merchandise, author signings, and even panels about Brandon Sanderson’s famed fantastical universe known as the Cosmere.

Sanderson, one of the most well-known fantasy authors to come out of Utah, said writing can feel isolating because it is such a solitary activity. He attended a conference similar to StoryCon in Nebraska when he was 18, and the opportunity to connect and meet with real authors was “so invigorating.”

“It was so powerful to just have a community. So I’ve always tried to do what I can to support communities, particularly for young people,” he said.

Aspiring writers don’t need to stress about writing the perfect book immediately, Sanderson advises. While some authors get lucky, like Christopher Paolini, who wrote “Eragon” at just 14 years old, most of the time writing is about exploring genres and just improving your skills over time, he said.

Brandon Sanderson speaks to thousands of people who attended the 2026 StoryCon literacy convention at the Salt Palace Convention Center in Salt Lake City, Saturday. (Photo: Cassidy Wixom, KSL)

Sanderson himself didn’t love reading at first until between his eighth and ninth grade years.

“I went from being a C student to an A student because of books. This was partially because I found myself in the books; I had a reason to care, but your reading comprehension going up helps in all aspects of life,” he said. “Having a fluency with reading, reading for the love of it, which will just build those muscles in your brain, is extremely important.”

Brandon Mull, author of the “Fablehaven” series, said he also didn’t like reading as a kid until he read “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe,” which made a “light go on.” He now feels he owes C.S. Lewis the credit for how his life turned out.

“When I learned to read for fun as a kid, it changed the trajectory of my life,” Mull said. “I’m a practical example of how big a difference learning to love reading can make for someone.”

Authors Sara B. Larson and Brandon Sanderson speak to StoryCon CEO Jennifer Jenkins at a meet and greet during the 2026 StoryCon literacy convention in Salt Lake City, Saturday. (Photo: Cassidy Wixom, KSL)

Mull focuses on children’s literature and said he tries to write stories that children and families can enjoy. Reading fiction helps children develop “a rich inner life,” learn how to be empathetic and develop their minds to be a place ideas can be explored.

The Utah author will soon be celebrating the 20th anniversary of his book “Fablehaven,” which will include a special illustrated edition of the beloved children’s book, a dramatized full-cast audiobook, and the premiere next year of a film based on the novel. He also will be releasing a new series this year called “Guardians” that he believes is some of his best work.

With so many things competing for kids’ attention every day, it’s crucial to teach them to read, Mull said.

“If we don’t get kids to learn how to read a book and turn it into a story in their head, they are missing an aspect of education that makes them good consumers of information and good consumers of stories,” he said.

Larson agreed with that sentiment, saying people’s brains are being “hijacked” and getting stuck in a loop of only having a 3-second attention span because of social media. Larson has written more than eight fantasy books, including the popular “Defy” trilogy.

“This phenomenon that is happening to our kids, they are losing the ability to focus, losing the ability to even think with any sort of deep analytical process. It’s so vital to get to these kids and help them realize you have got to put down the phone and pick up a book and train yourself to focus,” she said.

There is wealth, knowledge, joy, happiness, peace and calm to be found when you put social media away and instead dive into a book, she said. Reading helps children grow up to be successful adults who can pursue goals, constantly learn and successfully contribute to society.

StoryCon CEO Jennifer Jenkins said it has been overwhelming to see the success of the event. StoryCon was created by the nonprofit Operation Literacy last year and has become the biggest literacy-focused event in Utah.

Growing up, she felt there wasn’t a place for writers compared to athletes or dancers who always had camps and conventions, so she helped found Teen Author Boot Camp, which evolved into StoryCon.

“Kids need to know they are being taken seriously. They need to be validated and know they are being encouraged,” she said. “That’s the why behind all of this. We really want to put them before anything else. These kids are the heart of everything we do.”

The Key Takeaways for this article were generated with the assistance of large language models and reviewed by our editorial team. The article, itself, is solely human-written.

Source link

Related Topics:Cars classifieds education Entertainment Featured homes jobs literature Local news radio salt lake Sports television traffic Utah weather

Click to comment

Utah

Sixers-Jazz: What we learned from Saturday’s crucial win against Utah

Published

3 hours ago

March 22, 2026

Press Room

Sixers-Jazz: What we learned from Saturday’s crucial win against Utah

The undermanned Sixers pulled away late in the fourth to take a 126-116 win over the Utah Jazz.

With the win, the Sixers jump all the way from ninth to seventh in the NBA’s Eastern Conference standings. Quentin Grimes led the Sixers with 25 points, and rookie VJ Edgecombe added 22, along with a team-high 13 rebounds.

“We stayed the course,” Sixers forward Trendon Watford said postgame. Watford would finish with 20 points. “It was an up-and-down game; they took the lead, and then we’d take the lead. We just had to grind it out, and that was big.”

Here’s what we learned from a late night in Salt Lake City…

» READ MORE: Andre Drummond fined for making an ‘objectional gesture’ during Sixers-Kings game

Dominick Barlow leaves the game

Barlow left the game in the first quarter with a leg injury that was later determined to be a left ankle sprain. He limped off the court and into the locker room, replaced by Jabari Walker. He played just four minutes and scored one point on Saturday before the injury.

The forward started the season on a two-way deal, and quickly worked his way into a regular role in the rotation. His contract was converted to a two-year standard contract on Feb. 5.

Barlow has averaged 8.3 points and 4.8 rebounds in 59 games this season. The Sixers announced in the second quarter that Barlow would not return after he suffered an ankle sprain.

The news nearly got even worse after Edgecombe also left the game late in the second quarter with an injury. He appeared to be off-balance heading into the locker room after taking an elbow to the face from Utah’s Kyle Filipowski.

But Edgecombe returned to the game out of halftime and put up another solid performance. The Sixers rookie finished with 22 points and 13 rebounds playing a team-high 38 minutes.

Turnovers blemish a win

The Sixers might have won the game, but they still didn’t play particularly well, especially against a team focused more on improving their lottery odds than winning.

They turned the ball over ten times in the first half, with three each from Watford and Grimes. Those turnovers left the Sixers behind the ball defensively, adding to the fact that four players sat on three fouls at halftime. Utah scored 16 points in the first half off 10 turnovers, compared to the Sixers’ two points off four turnovers.

Cam Payne’s coming along

Since returning to the Sixers and the NBA, Cam Payne has put up the best single-game performance of his career. However, since that game he’s also struggled to find consistency, especially from deep, now thrust into a larger role than he might have expected after injury to All-Star Tyrese Maxey.

After his 8-for-8 game from three in a 32-point outburst against the Memphis Grizzlies on March 10, Payne has shot just 24% from three over the last five entering Saturday’s game in Salt Lake City, as the Sixers collectively continue to struggle from behind the arc. But on Saturday, Payne found his shooting touch, going 3-for-7 from three and scoring 16 points in the win.

Next up…

The Sixers head back to Philly in preparation to host Oklahoma City at Xfinity Mobile Arena on Monday (7 p.m., NBCSP).

» READ MORE: Watch: Sixers team up with Bank of America to host youth clinic

Source link

Utah

The behind-the-scenes drama that led to Kyle Whittingham bolting Utah for Michigan

Published

16 hours ago

March 21, 2026

Press Room

The behind-the-scenes drama that led to Kyle Whittingham bolting Utah for Michigan

Kyle Whittingham wanted to stay.

Yet two weeks after beating Kansas and completing a 10-win regular season, he announced his resignation from the University of Utah and just a couple of weeks later signed a deal to become the head football coach at the University of Michigan.

Documents Yahoo Sports uncovered through public records requests show how the plans changed and how a relationship between coach and school soured in Utah.

Whittingham is the all-time winningest coach in Utes football history, a tenure that began in December 2004 for a coach who had been a member of the staff since 1994.

After finishing the regular season and before a date in the Las Vegas Bowl, Whittingham — who was the second-longest tenured head coach in the FBS — relayed to the school through agent Bruce Tollner that he wished to remain in the job and included a litany of requests.

According to Yahoo, Whittingham wanted his salary to jump from $7.4 million to $9 million, $20 million in NIL funds and an increase of $2 million in a pool for his coaching staff.

Head coach Kyle Whittingham of the Utah Utes watches a replay of a touchdown during the second half of their game against the Cincinnati Bearcats at Rice-Eccles Stadium on November 1, 2025 in Salt Lake City. Getty Images

Three days later, according to the report, Utah sent Tollner an offer for a one-year, $8 million deal that included several stipulations — notably that the 66-year-old would begin to cede some control to defensive coordinator Morgan Scalley, who had been announced as Utah’s coach in waiting in July 2024 and whose presence loomed over Whittingham’s exit.

Included in this offer, according to Yahoo, was that Scalley would be the program’s general manager and have “full and final” oversight in decision-making regarding recruiting, player personnel and staffing decisions that would affect the school beyond 2026. Additionally, athletic director Mark Harlan would be in charge of approving some staffing decisions made by Whittingham.

This deal was never inked. On Dec. 12, Whittingham announced his resignation and signed a deal with Utah in which he would receive $13.5 million in three installments over two years as a “transition bonus,” according to Yahoo.

“As consideration for the transition bonus,” reads the separation agreement, “Coach Whittingham agrees that he will work with the University and its Athletics Department to facilitate a smooth and successful transition of the Football Program to the incoming head coach of the Football Program and his coaching staff.”

A man with gray hair and a black shirt holding a microphone with — Head coach Kyle Whittingham of the Michigan Wolverines talks to the crowd during a basketball game between the Southern California Trojans and Michigan Wolverines at Crisler Center on January 2, 2026 Getty Images

On Dec. 26, Whittingham joined Michigan and brought a number of staff members with him, including offensive coordinator Jason Beck and strength coach Doug Elisaia. Whittingham also flipped four-star defensive back Salesi Moa from a Utah commitment to join him in Michigan.

Utah apparently felt this violated its $13.5 million agreement, though a letter from Harlan to Whittingham that Yahoo obtained shows the university followed through with an $8 million check in January.

“This represents the first payment of a Transition Bonus to be paid in three installments over the next two years under the Fourth Amendment to your Employment Agreement,” the letter reads. “As you know, the University was disappointed by your actions last month. The University felt that your involvement with recruiting our football coaches and staff to Michigan was contrary to the terms of your employment agreement which requires you to assist with a smooth and successful transition of the football program to the new head coach and his coaching staff. Your position was that this provision only prohibited non-disparagement. We have determined that a fight over this issue would not be in the long-term interests of the University and its football program or your legacy as our long-time football coach. We have decided to look to the future and we hope and expect that you will do the same.

“Future payments of the Transition Bonus will be paid pursuant to the ongoing terms of the Fourth Amendment. We wish you well.”

Source link

Utah

Utah Fought Hard, Fell Short Against Anaheim | Utah Mammoth

Published

1 day ago

March 21, 2026

Press Room

Utah Fought Hard, Fell Short Against Anaheim | Utah Mammoth

That consistent belief and confidence in this team will keep the Mammoth in tight games and help them pick up points not only this season, but in the future as well. It also speaks to the pride and identity this team has.

“It’s important,” Guenther said. “I think showing that drive throughout the full 60 (minutes) is huge and it speaks to our character. You can’t win them all, but it was a solid game.”

Guenther’s goal opened the scoring in the first two minutes of the game. It was the result of hard work and making quick plays. After Guenther couldn’t connect with Peterka’s shot for a tip-in, the forward went to the weak side. Durzi recovered the puck and quickly passed to Guenther, whose one-timer soared to the back of the net. The tally was Guenther’s 34^th of the year.

“It was a nice play, even in his own end,” Guenther said of Durzi. “I think he got the puck out, we got a three-on-two, and Durzi is really good with the puck. He is really smart, and he is always looking for other guys. I was over there on the weak side, and he made a good, hard pass. It is good to start the game that way.”

The Mammoth will have an opportunity to rest and recover after a tough back-to-back against the two of the top teams in the Pacific Division. On Sunday, Utah will play its third game in four nights against a team chasing them in the standings, the Los Angeles Kings. In addition to bringing the effort and fight Utah did tonight, the Mammoth will look to finish on more of their chances after the team scored one goal on 30 shots.

“I think our push was great; we just didn’t finish,” Sergachev explained. “We had a lot of chances, a couple of breakaways, a couple going against the goal in front of the net, and we didn’t finish. That was the difference in the game.”

“Solid effort, back-to-back, they had a good push, we had a good push, and we just got to bear down a little bit more on some plays,” Guenther shared. “I mean, it’s right there, so I think there’s some positives.”

Additional Notes from Tonight (per Mammoth PR)

Guenther has scored six goals in his last eight games. He has also tallied 22 points over his last 22 contests (13G, 9A).

Jack McBain continued to bring a high level of physicality tonight. He dropped the gloves with Jeffrey Viel in the second period, earning his sixth fighting major of the season and 22^nd of his NHL career.

The Mammoth closed the 10^th of their 11 back-to-back sets in 2025-26. They have now earned a 4-4-2 record in the first game and a 3-6-1 record in the second game of back-to-backs this season.