From: owner-aml-list-digest@lists.xmission.com (aml-list-digest) To: aml-list-digest@lists.xmission.com Subject: aml-list-digest V1 #247 Reply-To: aml-list Sender: owner-aml-list-digest@lists.xmission.com Errors-To: owner-aml-list-digest@lists.xmission.com Precedence: bulk aml-list-digest Saturday, February 3 2001 Volume 01 : Number 247 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Thu, 01 Feb 2001 13:44:35 -0700 From: Margaret Young Subject: Re: [AML] YOUNG, _I Am Jane_ (Performance) Thanks for the congratulations, Marilyn, but I have little to do with keeping this show in the public arena. The cast members--who are so dedicated to telling this story--are the ones keeping it alive. It is a very personal mission for each of them. Nobody has ever gotten paid (and two of us have incurred some hefty debts to do the show), but pre-show prayers have always talked about the MISSION of the play. To take it a level deeper, one of the players sent a cast-wide e-mail which said, "This started out as Margaret's show. But it's not hers now. It belongs to all of us, and it's ours to tell." So I'm not even being unduly humble here. I primed the pump, but they're the ones working it now, and I am SO PROUD of them! I will be in the audience, not even onstage--and this will be my first time to actually see it! [Margaret Young] - - AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature http://www.xmission.com/~aml/aml-list.htm ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 1 Feb 2001 12:29:14 -0700 From: "Sharlee Glenn" Subject: Re: [AML] Brady Udall Query > Here are the bio lines from the book: "Brady Udall, born and raised in the > Indian country of northeastern Arizona, is a graduate of the Iowa Writers > Workshop and a Jams Michener Fellow. He was the winner of the PLAYBOY > fiction contest in 1994. His stories have been published in GQ, STORY, THE > PARIS REVIEW and THE MIDWESTERNER, among other places. He now lives in Idaho > with his wife, Kate, and young son, Finn. For what it's worth, wife, Kate, is my cousin. I don't know much about Brady, but Kate is about as Mormon as you can get. Sharlee Glenn glennsj@inet-1.com - - AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature http://www.xmission.com/~aml/aml-list.htm ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 01 Feb 2001 15:19:52 -0700 From: "Christopher Bigelow" Subject: Re: [AML] Handling Agents Margaret Young wrote: <<>> My stance as a writer and as a person is "I believe in Mormonism but don't = like it," which has all kinds of conflict both for my writing and my own = real life, and which is a stance that could bring in more national readers = than "I believe in Mormonism and you should too." I think Mormon writers = need to find a way to explore Mormon spirituality and belief in ways that = don't make people feel proselyted. It's possible to both throw bones to = those who want to continue disbelieving and provide insights and thought = triggers to those who aren't completely skeptical. I don't hold my = missionary memoir up as a great manuscript yet (it's reportage, not art, = hopefully with a unique enough marketing angle to get bought), but here's = an example of one way I approach belief: "Some people say things like = science fiction and psychedelic drugs are counterfeits for true religion, = but I think they helped me develop the otherworldly mindset I needed to = get interested in religion." Responding to that line, someone could say, = "Okay, Mormonism is just another mental crutch for trying to transcend = this planet's reality," but others might think, "Hmm, what an interesting = way to compare those things. I wonder if this guy finds more satisfaction = in the Mormonism than in the sci-fi and drugs, which I've tried too and = didn't find spiritually fulfulling." (A possible problem with that line is = that it was written by my 34-year-old self to crystalize what I now see = looking back at my 19-year-old self, but I probably wouldn't have able to = articulate it that way then, although the seeds of the concept are in my = REAL journals.) Frankly, I'm more worried about the manuscript's narrative = arc and structure, because it's in diary/letter format and may still = contain too much day-to-day material, plus I don't think the style is = anything magical, though hopefully a compelling picture of the Mormon = psyche emerges and the episodes and characters are interesting.=20 Chris Bigelow - -------- For a sample copy of IRREANTUM, a Mormon literary quarterly, send $4 to = the Association for Mormon Letters, 262 S. Main St., Springville, UT = 84663. - - AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature http://www.xmission.com/~aml/aml-list.htm ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 1 Feb 2001 17:10:16 -0700 From: "J. Scott Bronson" Subject: Re: [AML] Historical Fiction (BYU Universe) > As body of LDS historical literature grows, Y professors issue > caution > By Kathryn Dougall [snip] > Although the impact of historical fiction has generally been good, > authors must take care to make their works historically accurate, > said Richard Holzapfel, associate professor of church history and > doctrine. [snip] > Holzapfel posed questions to evaluate the impact of historical > fiction. > > "Have authors been responsible? And have they generated interest in > scriptures, doctrine and history?" he said. This is not what fiction is for. I've had this quote taped up in my office for awhile. It's from _Teachings of Spencer W. Kimball_. There is available a wide selection of books which will give development to the aesthetic and the cultural. Music, drama, poetry, fiction, and other cultural fields are available to everyone. The contributions come to us from great minds and great hearts and great sufferers and great thinkers. In addition to all the serious study there should be time for just plain reading for pleasure. Here one needs assistance to select that which is pleasurable in a worthwhile way. *There are countless works of fiction which help us to understand ourselves and others better,* and to get real pleasure in the learning. This is a perfect example of someone with a keen understanding of the difference between history and fiction. Let the historians get the facts straight and not depend on novelists or dramatists or poets to be a second witness for them. Historical literature is an attempt to understand the PEOPLE of history -- whether actual historical figures or archetypes of a specific era -- which does not require the artist (insert your definition here) to glue themselves to the facts. In order to try to understand ourselves and others better, the writer must use her imagination in creating characters and their inner lives. She may ask questions like: "Would someone in ancient Greece react to poverty the same way I would? If not, why so?" "How does a nineteenth century woman accommodate herself to a polygamous situation?" So the historians will say, "Then invent your own nineteenth century woman and leave the real people alone." My question then is, Why should I? If we have an actual representative from history with a few things we already know about her, the real learning comes with trying to invent a character within the known facts ... and then speculating. People just need to learn ... or be taught ... that fiction -- even historical fiction -- is an examination of people, not history. J. Scott Bronson--The Scotted Line "World peace begins in my home" - -------------------------------------------------------- "Anybody who sees live theatre should come out a little rearranged." Glenn Close - - AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature http://www.xmission.com/~aml/aml-list.htm ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 01 Feb 2001 18:15:08 -0600 From: Ronn Blankenship Subject: RE: [AML] SODERBERGH, _Traffic_ (Movie) At 13:24 31-01-01 -0700, Scott Tarbert wrote: > > How about a novel that portrays Mormonism as spiritual survival > > of the fittest, which is what it is when you look past all the > > Christian paradoxes? > > > > Chris Bigelow > >We're graded on some sort of heavenly curve? Of course! BYU students are graded on a curve, and it's His University! (This thought is not original with me.) - -- Ronn! :) - - AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature http://www.xmission.com/~aml/aml-list.htm ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 1 Feb 2001 19:38:51 -0600 From: Larry Jackson Subject: [AML] MN Hallmark Adapts LDS Artist James Christensen's "Voyage of the Basset" for TV: Greenwich Workshop Art News From: Kent Larsen To: Mormon News Date: Mon, 30 Jan 2001 22:45:00 -0500 Subject: MN Hallmark Adapts LDS Artist James Christensen's "Voyage of the Basset" for TV: Greenwich Workshop Art News 29Jan01 A2 [From Mormon-News] Hallmark Adapting LDS Artist James Christensen's "Voyage of the Basset" for TV GREENWICH, CONNECTICUT -- LDS Artist James C. Christensen's "Voyage of the Basset" has been made into a TV movie by Hallmark Entertainment and will air on the Odyssey Channel in early March. The film adaptation, renamed "Voyage of the Unicorn," features actors Beau Bridges, Heather McEwen, Colin Heath, Kristian Ayre. Christensen also recently introduced a new painting, "All the World's a Stage" in commemoration of the 40th anniversary of the Utah Shakespearean Festival. Originally published in 1996, "Voyage of the Basset" was called a "magical journey proves that 'one's imagination is where science starts.'" The critically-praised book tells the story of professor Algernon Aisling and his daughters, who set out in search of mythical creatures aboard the H.M.S. Basset, pledging allegiance to the ship's motto, "By Believing, One Sees." The Hallmark Entertainment adaptation will air on the Odyssey Channel in two parts, on March 2nd at 9pm and March 3rd at 8pm. Most recently, Christensen produced a new piece of art for the Utah Shakespearean Festival, the third time he has produced artwork for the Festival. "All the World's a Stage" shows Shakespeare more than fifty characters from all 38 of his plays. Christensen even added a self-portrait in the piece, dressed in the guise of Julius Caesar. Christensen earlier produced "Shakespeare's Island' for the Festival's 25th anniversary in 1986, and "The Greenshow" for the following year. Both pieces appeared on the Festival's souvenir program cover, as will his new work. Sources: Video of James Christensen introducing "All the World's a Stage" Greenwich Workshop Art News 29Jan01 A2 http://www.greenwichworkshop.com/news/news_archive.asp James C. Christensen Artwork Celebrates 40th Anniversary of Utah Shakespearean Festival Utah Shakespearean Festival Press Release 22Dec00 A2 http://www.bard.org/SectionPress/pressChristensen.html >From Mormon-News: Mormon News and Events Forwarding is permitted as long as this footer is included Mormon News items may not be posted to the World Wide Web sites without permission. Please link to our pages instead. For more information see http://www.MormonsToday.com/ Send join and remove commands to: majordomo@MormonsToday.com Put appropriate commands in body of the message: To join: subscribe mormon-news To leave: unsubscribe mormon-news To join digest: subscribe mormon-news-digest - - AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature http://www.xmission.com/~aml/aml-list.htm ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 1 Feb 2001 19:19:17 -0700 From: "Richard R. Hopkins" Subject: Re: [AML] Michael RITCHEY, _Disoriented_ (Review) This is a fabulous explanation of how to write a good ending! (And I'm making no excuses for that exclamation point.) I hope everyone on the list takes note. Thanks for this Laurel. Richard Hopkins PS. I'm looking forward to this approach for the ending of Lydie! Hee hee! - ----- Original Message ----- > . What's wrong with everything turning > > >out okay, resolving all the consequences? Personally, I feel an author is > > >sloppy if he or she doesn't tie up the loose ends in a fictional story. > > I haven't read the book--but here's my take on this question, Richard: we > don't necessarily want everything to always turn out "okay." What we want is > for things to turn out better than okay--okay, but in a way we didn't > expect, in a way we didn't forsee, in a way that is completely natural and > honest, and was there all along but we didn't notice. [large snip] > > Laurel - - AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature http://www.xmission.com/~aml/aml-list.htm ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 1 Feb 2001 21:24:13 -0700 From: "Annette Lyon" Subject: [AML] Re: Michael RITCHEY, _Disoriented_ (Review) Richard wrote: What's wrong with everything turning out okay, resolving all the consequences? Absolutely nothing, provided that those are the natural consequences of the plot lines. Not having read the book, I can't say for sure, I'd guess that some readers feel the neat and tidy ending here is forced, made that way by for the sake of a happy ending, not because it was the inevitable result of the character's actions and other elements. As a reader myself, such endings are not satisfying. I'd rather have a few loose ends or even an unhappy ending any day over one that rings false. Annette Lyon - - AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature http://www.xmission.com/~aml/aml-list.htm ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 1 Feb 2001 20:27:54 -0800 (PST) From: Darlene Young Subject: Re: [AML] Brady Udall Query Thanks to everyone who provided information about Brady Udall. I haven't even finished the book yet but I definitely recommend the experience of reading his stories to anyone who hasn't done so. I see a little similarity to Levi Peterson's characters in his characters--kind of quirky and rural. ===== Darlene Young __________________________________________________ Get personalized email addresses from Yahoo! Mail - only $35 a year! http://personal.mail.yahoo.com/ - - AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature http://www.xmission.com/~aml/aml-list.htm ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 01 Feb 2001 22:21:58 -0700 From: Steve Subject: [AML] Off to Africa... Hi Listers, I'm signing off the list for a month and will miss reading you all. I'm heading to Nairobi, Kenya for three weeks of volunteering with "Reach the Children," an organization begun by some LDS folks in Salem, UT, some years ago. They run three schools in the outskirts (read "slums") of Nairobi. I'll be helping develop a music curriculum and songs to go with their values-based education system. Also building an irrigation system for fruit trees on the grounds, and building a new boarding school in an outlying area.) I know in the past there has been discussion on a cultural level about whether some types of indigenous (sp?) music might eventually be incorporated into the services of a world-wide church. I'm excited to hear how the hymns sound in the branches there, but also curious, given the pictures accompanying the article on Kenya in the new February _Ensign_ magazine, about whether there IS any music in these services. Must be some--they're Mormons after all--but likely a capella at this stage? See you in print in March! Steve - -- skperry@mac.com P. S. You can see a little about RTC at http://www.reachthechildren.org, or on my website, newly revamped: http://stevenkappperry.com - - AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature http://www.xmission.com/~aml/aml-list.htm ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 02 Feb 2001 00:30:51 -0700 From: "D. Michael Martindale" Subject: Re: [AML] Historical Fiction (BYU Universe) > As body of LDS historical literature grows, Y professors issue caution > By Kathryn Dougall > Although the impact of historical fiction has generally been good, authors > must take care to make their works historically accurate, said Richard > Holzapfel, associate professor of church history and doctrine. > Audiences often create images caused by our culture, he said. But they must > filter through these images to understand what is historically accurate, he > said. > > "We live in an age where pop culture must be taken seriously. We can't be > academic snobs," he said. "We need to encourage authors to be historically > accurate." Isn't this the wrong approach, telling authors what they have to write? Wouldn't it be better to educate the audience that fiction, after all, is fiction, and they shouldn't be getting their history lessons from fiction? > Holzapfel posed questions to evaluate the impact of historical fiction. > > "Have authors been responsible? And have they generated interest in > scriptures, doctrine and history?" he said. This to me is the positive result of historical fiction for educational purposes. Not that they present all the facts to the audience, but that they generate an interest so members of the audience go learn the facts for themselves. I think half the fun of historical fiction is to go find out what "really" happened. Find out where the author was accurate, and where he used some literary license. I did it with Shogun, with Jesus Christ Superstar. Our family did it together after seeing Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. Someday I'll get around to doing it with Braveheart. I don't need to do it with Oliver Stone movies, though. Except for the character and place names, those are totally fiction. - -- D. Michael Martindale dmichael@wwno.com ================================== Check out Worldsmiths, the new online LDS writers group, at http://www.wwno.com/worldsmiths Sponsored by Worlds Without Number http://www.wwno.com ================================== - - AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature http://www.xmission.com/~aml/aml-list.htm ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 02 Feb 2001 00:31:09 -0700 From: "D. Michael Martindale" Subject: Re: [AML] Influence of Mormon Literary Tradition William Morris wrote: > In other words, do > we learn how to write from the masters of the idiom(s) > and then graft something Mormon-like-in- substance > onto it, or does our writing grow slowly out of our > homegrown traditions? I don't try to do anything. I as a Mormon and as a science fiction reader write what I want to write. If it comes out mainstream, then it's a mainstream book. If it comes out uniquely Mormon, then it's a LDS book. If I'm lucky, it may come out both, and become a mainstream book about the Mormon culture. That's when I'll ask Chris Bigelow for his list of agents. But I wouldn't try to write a mainstream book that grafts Mormon stuff into it. Sounds like a disaster to me. > I guess what I'm really asking is do we need to > familiarize ourselves with both the Mormon literary > tradition and the canonical tradition of the genre > we're writing in? If I want to write Mormon spy > thrillers do I need to read Orson Whitney and Eliza > Snow and Maureen Whipple and Clinton Larsen? Or is it > enough to read Le Carre and company? Do we only need > to familiarize ourselves with the Mormon literary > canon if we want to write 'literary' fiction? It depends on how good you want to write. A writer can't read too much. The more he reads, the more he has to draw from in crafting his own writings. If you want to write something that people will say, "It's like that Heimerdinger stuff," then I guess all you'd need to read is Chris Heimerdinger. If you want people to start recommending other stuff because it's like the things you write--in other words, they think of you as the standard model for a type of writing--you'll probably have to broaden your reading experiences so you have the depth to write original things. - -- D. Michael Martindale dmichael@wwno.com ================================== Check out Worldsmiths, the new online LDS writers group, at http://www.wwno.com/worldsmiths Sponsored by Worlds Without Number http://www.wwno.com ================================== - - AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature http://www.xmission.com/~aml/aml-list.htm ------------------------------ End of aml-list-digest V1 #247 ******************************