From: owner-aml-list-digest@lists.xmission.com (aml-list-digest) To: aml-list-digest@lists.xmission.com Subject: aml-list-digest V1 #389 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 Tuesday, July 10 2001 Volume 01 : Number 389 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Sat, 7 Jul 2001 20:06:25 -0700 From: "Jeff Needle" Subject: [AML] Kenny KEMP, _I Hated Heaven_ (Review) Review ====== Kenny Kemp, "I Hated Heaven" 1998, Alta Films Press Paperback, 278 pages, $12.00 Reviewed by Jeffrey Needle Spoiler alert: in this review, I'll be revealing the plot, and the conclusion, of the book. If you're planning on reading this book, and don't want to know how it all works out, read Rachel Nunez's review instead. "I Hated Heaven" was one of the most unusual books I've ever read. I had some expectations about the book, but they were blown away by Kenny Kemp's odd, entertaining novel. How could I stay away from it? It takes place in San Diego county, and my town of Chula Vista even gets a mention! That alone would make me want to read the book. The premise: Tom and April Waring, and their son Josh, are a middle-class, working couple. He's in construction, she's a therapist. Tom is a believing Christian, but April is essentially agnostic when it comes to God and religion. A construction accident sends Tom to the hospital where, despite the best efforts of the doctors, he dies. The last thing he hears is April's request: if you find out there really is a God, come back and tell me. Upon arrival in Paradise, Tom is greeted by his spirit guide, a fellow named Jonathan. Turns out that Paradise is a cross between a military processing center and Club Med. Despite the pleasures of Paradise, Tom is compelled by his need to fulfill his promise: God really does exist, and he must go back to tell April. The problem: the bureaucracy in Paradise is far worse than any earthly institution. Jonathan, a bit of a snob and completely disinterested in Tom's desire to return to earth, tries his best to contain Tom's rebellious nature, but nothing seems to work. Hoping to dissuade him from his quest, Jonathan gives Tom the hundred-page form he must fill out in order to obtain a waiver to return to earth! When the application is denied, Tom storms the offices of "The Council," where the assembled grouchy old men read him the riot act and send him on his way. For Tom, Paradise is an awful place! One day, Tom meets up with a fellow named Stan. Stan is, to say the least, a piece of work. A smart aleck of the first order, he becomes a vexing presence for Tom. He sometimes acts like a child, sticking his tongue out and making rude noises. Other times he teases and plays with Tom, much to Tom's annoyance. (We learn later that Stan is very fond of Ding Dongs.) But Stan knows how to smuggle Tom out of Paradise so that he can fulfill his promise to April. They illicitly pass through, and begin an earthly adventure full of surprises and twists and turns. Jonathan, accompanied by guards, pursues Tom to earth and catches up with him in a hospital room where his earthly friend Chuck is dying. Jonathan takes both Tom and Stan into custody and returns them to Paradise where they are brought before the Council. The Council sentences Tom to eternal hell, no appeal, no excuses. And then one turns to Stan and asks, "What do you think, Lord?" Surprise! Turns out Stan is actually God. The Council breaks into broad smiles, all of them seemingly in on the joke. Jonathan is the only one who is unaware of Stan's true identity. With "Stan"'s approval, time is reversed, Tom is sent back in time to the day of his accident, the doctors revive him, and he never really dies at all. And everyone lives happily ever after. There, that's the plot. Now, a few observations. First, as Rachel wisely observed in her good review, this book is a Mormon novel only so far as one recognizes the scenes of Paradise (absent the objectionable bureaucracy, of course) as reflective of Mormon ideas of Paradise. But the non-LDS reader will, I think, never make any such connection. Paradise is almost never mentioned in Mormon discussions these days; the reader will simply find a pleasant and surprising love story. Additionally, I wasn't uncomfortable with the "Stan" character as was Rachel. A playful God is, in fact, a very Eastern concept. Students of Zen might have recognized Stan/God long before I did. In the context of fiction, I found this refreshing. Second, I have no idea why Kemp named the book "I Hated Heaven." Jonathan, the spirit guide, spared no effort in correcting Tom when he referred to Paradise as "heaven." "This is NOT heaven!" What Tom hated was Paradise. He would have no idea if he hated heaven or not -- he never made it there. I struggled for a better title, and remembered that the residents of Paradise had pagers. So, "Pagers in Paradise" would have worked just fine. It's more accurate, and surely, as pager-carriers will agree, gives anyone a reason to hate the place. Third, I was intrigued that Kemp included some fairly explicit (by Mormon standards) scenes. Here's an example, a scene that describes the moments preceding a love-making session between Tom and April: When she slipped under the covers, a full moon shone through the high window, making everything blue. The sheets were cool. She shivered. Tom climbed in and pulled her to him. In the moonlight, her eyes were bright. She put her arms around his neck and they kissed. She felt her hand move slowly along her hips, then up, cupping her breast. She felt herself give way as he pulled her closer. He moved knowingly and time slowed as they traveled to a place where there were only the two of them. (p. 47) This is about as explicit a scene as I've ever read in a Mormon novel. Fourth, there were some parts that were at least mildly subversive. I was taken by a few places where Kemp seems to be poking fun at Mormonism itself! All in good fun, of course. Here are few examples: You remember Tom's friend Chuck. He was much into spooky spiritual stuff -- fortune-telling, astrology, etc. One day, while Tom is visiting Chuck in his home, he picks up a book titled "Seth Speaks," a title familiar to those who frequent the metaphysics section of the local bookstore. After reading a few paragraphs, Tom muses: Tom put the book down, shaking his head. He looked at the other books, more of the same, written by people who didn't like the simplicity of religion. "Love thy neighbor" wasn't enough for them, they needed some theatrical gimmick like space aliens delivering sacred writings on gold disks to some guy in a trailer park. (p. 49) Now, how much of a stretch would it be to change "space aliens" to "an angel," "gold disks" to "gold plates," and "trailer park" to "hill"? What exactly is Kemp trying to say here? In another place, after Tom manages, with Stan's help, to come back to earth, Jonathan, ever the efficient manager, finds his way into the Library of Paradise where everyone's Book of Life is maintained. Reading Tom's life and inner thoughts, he comes to an astonishing conclusion: I may have misunderstood Thomas Waring. He's a True Believer, someone for whom grace isn't just wishful thinking. He believes he is guided by the Spirit and such people are often unpredictable. This is worse than I thought. (p. 217) And so the fellow who breaks all the rules, who follows his own star, who thinks commitment supersedes bureaucracy, and doesn't mind working around the Powers-That-Be in order to do what he thinks is right, is termed a "True Believer"! Nothing short of subversive, if you ask me. Finally, a minor quibble. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is aware of the importance of using the correct name for the Church, and have made efforts to convince the media, and others, to properly identify the organization. I always hope that LDS writers will take the time to do the same for others. In Chuck's home are copies of the "Watchtower" magazine. Kemp terms them "Watch Tower." It isn't two words, but one. This is surely something he could have easily checked. "I Hated Heaven" is a dandy book. There are some dry spots, to be sure, and Kemp can become tedious in the way he draws out some of the scenes. But for those who want a good summer read, this novel fits the bill just fine. - - AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature http://www.xmission.com/~aml/aml-list.htm ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 8 Jul 2001 08:21:45 -0700 From: "Kenny Kemp" Subject: [AML] Kenny Kemp Signs Deal: Alta Films & Press News Release ALTA FILMS & PRESS NEWS RELEASE: July 9, 2001 - ----------------------------------------------------------------- BUILDING ON SUCCESS: KENNY KEMP SIGNS A THREE BOOK DEAL WITH HARPERCOLLINS SAN FRANCISCO, CA -- Kenny Kemp, author of Dad Was A Carpenter, has been signed to a significant three-book deal with HarperSanFrancisco, the inspirational imprint of HarperCollins Publishers, the world's largest English language publisher. "We are very excited about this project," says Gideon Weil, Kemp's editor at HSF. "Kenny pitched it to us last spring and everyone here agreed it was a truly inspired idea. I wish I could tell you more about it, but the idea is so incredible that we've all agreed to try to keep it under wraps for now." However, Joe Durepos, Kemp's agent, did reveal that the book series will be a historical fiction set in Palestine. "It's an incredible concept and Kenny is the perfect guy to write it." Durepos also disclosed that the deal was in the mid-six figure range. Kemp says the concept came out of his pondering of the Bible. "I'm interested in reducing the distance between God and man. I struggle to feel more connected to God, and my writing reflects that desire. And as a kind of "faithful skeptic," I've found my experience is also that of a great number of people for whom traditional religion is very confining." Kemp's previous book, the memoir Dad Was A Carpenter, won the Grand Prize in the 1999 Writer's Digest Self-Published Book Awards and was soon snatched up by HarperCollins and re-released this last May to great acclaim. Kemp was invited to Book Expo in Chicago this last June, and was one of several writers feted at a party given by Jane Friedman, HarperCollins president. He also participated in a very successful book signing at the convention. "This deal is a reflection of how we feel about Kenny," said Gideon Weil, Kemp's editor. "We've been wanting to make him a house author because he is that most rare combination: a great storyteller who touches the heart lightly but powerfully. And we are hopeful that this new project, the first volume of which is tentatively titled The Welcoming Door, will establish Kenny as a major American inspirational writer. Dad Was A Carpenter has been successful for us and we are confident he will not disappoint with his next book." Kemp is also a contributor to Writer's Digest magazine, which will feature an article by him about his self-publishing experiences in this summer's annual self-publishing issue. - --- Alan Smithee, Jr. - - AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature http://www.xmission.com/~aml/aml-list.htm ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 09 Jul 2001 11:07:49 -0700 From: "Christopher Bigelow" Subject: RE: [AML] Sex in Literature Responding to Amelia Parkin: <<>>=20 As far as religious tools go, they have typewriters, we have computers. = Yeah, you can get some similar overlapping results using both tools, but = the computer is much more powerful and opens revolutionary new horizons. = People who can't recognize that aren't bad, but they are generally limited = in their thinking and in their religious imagination. It plays into what = Pres. Hinckley often says to members of other faiths, something like, "Let = us add to the good you already have." I'm sorry, but I do pity people who = continue using typewriters when they could use a computer. I don't like fiction that exists mainly to proselytize people into the = Church, but on the other hand I don't mind if things like this typewriter/c= omputer comparison come out, even explicitly. Like in my own writing, it = comes out in the form of "Yeah, but even computers have a downside and can = be tiresome. . . " Hey, I think I just wrote something orthodox-sounding. Chris Bigelow - - AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature http://www.xmission.com/~aml/aml-list.htm ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 09 Jul 2001 11:22:09 -0700 From: "Christopher Bigelow" Subject: RE: [AML] Where to Advertise? The place that you advertise to the LDS audience is through Deseret Book's = cooperative direct mailings. They told Publishers Weekly that they have = 720,000 names in their database, and they regularly send out packets that = include flyers from different publishers and kitsch manufacturers (with = even an occasional food storage flyer thrown into the mix). This seems to = have replaced any other printed form of advertising to the LDS world. The = mailings are a fascinating way to keep up on LDS pop culture and commercial= ism. As far as getting in, I don't know how much it costs, but I've = recently inquired (I'm hoping they might give AML/Irreantum a nonprofit = discount or something, but it would probably still be too expensive). Chris Bigelow - - AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature http://www.xmission.com/~aml/aml-list.htm ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 09 Jul 2001 11:21:50 -0600 From: Steve Subject: Re: [AML] Fiction in Church Mags on 7/7/01 10:02 PM, Annette Lyon at annette@lyfe.com wrote: > While I have whole-heartedly agreed with the dismay everyone is expressing > over the removal of fiction from the church mags... (snip) > > Just a few thoughts as to the "whys" of the whole situation, although I'm > still in mourning like everyone else. I couldn't be happier to have fiction cut from official church magazines. I like fiction a lot--it's 90% of what I do read, but I don't want it in my church magazines. I read them for different reasons. Steve Perry - -- skperry@mac.com - - AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature http://www.xmission.com/~aml/aml-list.htm ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 9 Jul 2001 13:50:09 EDT From: Higbeejm@aol.com Subject: Re: [AML] Writing About "Good" Mormons > Lauramaery (Gold) Post writes: > > [Quoting someone else] > >>But what's wrong with writing about good people. They're > >>interesting too. > > > >I can think of no fictional character about whom that is true. > > For starters, how about Galadriel, Atticus Finch, Alyosha > Karamazov, Prince Myshkin, Father Brown, Joe Pendleton from > "Heaven Can Wait", Mrs. Cummings from Douglas Thayer's _Summer > Fire_, most of the people in Eric Samuelsen's _Singled Out_, > Ransom from C.S. Lewis's space trilogy, the fictionalized C.S. > Lewis character in "Shadowlands", or the fictionalized Thomas > More character in "A Man for All Seasons"? Too bad, too boring, > or both? > > Chris Grant "Too bad, too boring, or both?" My question exactly. And to this list I would add the names of three of my all-time favorite fictional characters: Jane Eyre, Scout Finch, and Jem Finch. Good, kind, sometimes wise, generally flawed, multi-faceted, complicated people who would also be great company at a dinner party. (I think Jane Eyre is one of the most well-rounded charaters in English literature, intellectually, emotionally, and spiritually. And I wish somebody would write a story about Jem and Scout as adults. I'd love to see how they turned out.) Let's see, who else...? Jean Valjean. Jo March. The protagonist from Richard Russo's _Straight Man_, whose name I can't remember at the moment. Pastor Stephen Kamalo from _Cry, the Beloved Country_, who is one of the most genuinely "good" men ever written in fiction, but who also doubts his faith, acts out of anger, and grieves over his weaknesses. And I've got stacks and stacks of non-fiction featuring real people who were fascinating and complicated as well as good. Including Mormons. Including my family and friends. Including my neighbors from the Provo, Utah ward I grew up in--statistically the most active ward in one of the most active stakes in the church, and peopled with poets, painters, musicians, politicians, attorneys, cultural revolutionaries, scientists, steel mill workers, high school shop teachers, and famous gospel scholars. Faithful latter-day saints who took the gospel seriously and remained devoted to the church through personality conflicts with church leaders, divorce, drug abuse, child abuse, teenage pregnancy, homosexuality, poverty, and riches. Among other things. A limitless number of stories there. All happening in the few city blocks within our ward boundaries. If I were writing fiction, I would model my characters after them. I'm willing to bet all of us know "good" people interesting enough to be worthy of a full-length novel. Write about them. Janelle Higbee - - AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature http://www.xmission.com/~aml/aml-list.htm ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 09 Jul 2001 12:00:10 -0600 From: "Marianne Hales Harding" Subject: Re: [AML] Article on Sister Songwriters in the Church What a neat article, Steve! Thanks for sharing. Marianne >From: Steve >Reply-To: aml-list@lists.xmission.com >To: >Subject: [AML] Article on Sister Songwriters in the Church >Date: Sat, 07 Jul 2001 09:39:57 -0600 > > >Hi Listers, > >Here is the URL to an interesting article on LDS sister songwriters by Ron >Simpson, Utah Songwriter Advocate and General Manager of BYU's Tantara >Records. > > http://www.meridianmagazine.com/music/010705simple.html > >Steve Perry > >-- >skperry@mac.com > > > > > >- >AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature >http://www.xmission.com/~aml/aml-list.htm _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com - - AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature http://www.xmission.com/~aml/aml-list.htm ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 9 Jul 2001 07:58:20 -0700 From: "Jeff Needle" Subject: [AML] _Ensign_ Article on Mormon Romance (was: McCLOUD, _Kirtland_) > > The other day I picked up an old Ensign magazine at DI that had an > > article > > on the writing of romance fiction. I haven't read it in its entirety > > yet, > > but skimming it, I see the writer questions the quality of LDS romance > > fiction. > > This was in an Ensign?? Which issue was it? This would be an interesting > article to read online. > > Thanks for your comments! > > --Katie Parker > It's in the February 1987 issue. It's by Marilyn Arnold and it's very insightful. Is it on line someplace? It's almost worth typing the whole thing in, but it would be a tremendous lot of work. Read it if you can find a copy. It echoes a lot of what we've been saying here on this list. [Jeff Needle] - - AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature http://www.xmission.com/~aml/aml-list.htm ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 09 Jul 2001 13:20:13 -0600 From: luannstaheli Subject: Re: [AML] Realistic Newspaper Reporters Unless you're set on major newspaper or investigative report-type, you might go with a character like my neighbor, a housewife who is going back to school to get a degree in journalism and she writes at least half of the weekly news in the Spanish Fork Press. A bit different from the typical "newspaper reporter." I used to freelance with the Herald covering women's basketball at UVSC. Lots of other options out there to explore. Good luck. Lu Ann Stephen Goode wrote: > I am taking up my pen (word-processor) again to work on a novel that I keep > procrastinating. > > Most of my characters I know, but one I don't. What I mean is that most of > them have identities I know something about. It would be silly for me to > populate a story with people I don't understand, but it would also seem dull > to leave out the characters I don't understand. I have one character who is > a newspaper reporter, but I know nothing about newspaper reporting. I don't > want to make him cliche, because there is much about him that is not at all > stereotypical. The interesting things about him not related to his job I can > handle, but when I show him doing his job, how do I make it believable > without making him a caricature of every other newspaper reporter I've ever > read about in a novel? > > Any newspaper reporter here want to give me an assist? > > Rex Goode > > _________________________________________________________________ > Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com > > - > AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature > http://www.xmission.com/~aml/aml-list.htm - - AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature http://www.xmission.com/~aml/aml-list.htm ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 09 Jul 2001 13:24:22 -0600 From: luannstaheli Subject: [AML] Steed Family (was: Fiction in Church Mags) Gerald Lund often comments in talks he gives about writing that once a woman came up to him and said she had been praying for the Steed family. That's the only real references i've heard heard to such a comment. Lu Ann Melissa Proffitt wrote: > > As a matter of interest, I'd like everyone who's actually heard someone cite > the Steed family (or any of the other characters from The Work and the Glory > series) as real historical figures to respond here. First-hand accounts > only, please, and I don't care if it was in a talk or in conversation. I'd > like to know how serious the problem really is. > - - AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature http://www.xmission.com/~aml/aml-list.htm ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 09 Jul 2001 19:43:53 -0000 From: "Tami Miller" Subject: Re: [AML] Realistic Newspaper Reporters I realize that this is not a direct response to your question, but, when I read your post Writers Digest 101 Best Websites for Writers immediately came to mind. The 2001 version contains much about journalism, newspaper reporting, etc. etc. I thought it might be helpful in your research. It's online at writersdigest.com., and I would begin by looking under the media section. Best of luck on your writing venture! Tami Miller - - AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature http://www.xmission.com/~aml/aml-list.htm ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 09 Jul 2001 13:31:05 -0600 From: luannstaheli Subject: Re: [AML] Fiction in Church Mags Annette, Let's not forget what happened to Paul H. Dunn when people found out some of his stories were actually more fiction than fact. Gasp! - - AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature http://www.xmission.com/~aml/aml-list.htm ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 09 Jul 2001 14:02:28 -0600 From: "D. Michael Martindale" Subject: Re: [AML] LDS Publishers vs. National Publishers Darvell Hunt wrote: > I write for passion first, to sell > second. I would rather write something that I'm passionate about and sell > only a few copies than write something I don't give a darn about and sell a > million copies. (Oh wait, did I say a million? Maybe I would for a million! > ;) ) I don't know why you can't do both. Are you saying you are only passionate about overtly LDS things? There is nothing universal to humans in your life that you are passionate about? Why can't you write about passions that are universal--not strictly LDS--and sell millions, then write about passions that are strictly LDS, and sell hundreds? You know, like Card does. > It's part of being true to yourself. There are mainstream LDS writers out > there who don't put any LDS material in their writing. Doesn't that kind of > feel like they sold "us" out? Ouch! Back to dictating what other authors should write about. > (And there are writers like Orson Scott Card, who do write about LDS material, > but yet in the mainstream market. No, he didn't--not at first. He wouldn't touch anything LDS until he became well established. > And yet if he wants to write about real > LDS themes, he has to publish under LDS labels. No, he doesn't. He just has to be more subtle about them. And by doing so, he reaches many people with LDS concepts that you never will with your overtly LDS writing. > So, as I see it, this is the bottom line: Writing for the LDS market > greatly limits your audience and circulation, but may provide more > satisfaction. Satisfaction is in the eye of the beholder. I would say there's nothing satisfying about writing what I am passionate about if I have to add or remove all sorts of elements that I feel are false or destructive to the story. This can happen in the national market--but for heaven's sake, you don't think it happens in the LDS market too? In the national market, they want me to pretend LDS people don't exist. In the LDS market, they want me to pretend life is a vending machine: put your money in and your consequences pop out. But that's how heaven works, not mortal life. Rebel in heaven against God and WHAMMO! you're cast out. But the whole purpose of mortal life is to _delay_ the consequences of sin so we have time to repent, says the Book of Mormon. This results in a very messy earth life that just doesn't follow the tidy rules Mormons wish would exist, and will require the wisdom of God to sort out in the end. Maybe that's why Mormons like tidy literature: wish fulfillment. Certainly not reality. It's a dangerous thing to assume that, because an author chooses the national market, he's selling us out. There are myriad ways to do good in the world. If an author chooses a different way than you, that doesn't mean he has chosen a less good way. > It's kind of like bearing your testimony. It may be an appropriate thing to > do in sacrament meeting "among friends," but you certainly wouldn't do it > in a national medium, like on TV. It's just not the right place to express > your innermost, honest feelings. It's not???? Why not? Just because you don't start with "I'd like to bear my testimony..." and include lines out of "The Pamphlet of LDS Testimony Catch Phrases" doesn't mean you can't bear your testimony. - -- 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: Mon, 9 Jul 2001 16:51:14 -0400 From: "Tracie Laulusa" Subject: Re: [AML] Fiction in Church Mags I've never heard anything from the W&G quoted as doctrine--but I have heard a lot of other fictional, or unresearched stories presented as true. I can't even begin to count the number of times I've heard something from "Saturday's Warriors" taught as doctrine. However, I can't be sure the doctrine taught originated with SW or if it was being taught before SW as well. I never saw it as a teen-ager, but I had friends who saw it, and listened to the record (ouch) and looooooved it. They really latched on to all that romantic/pre-existence/made for each other stuff. They really believed it, at least at the time. How many of you have heard the "Seminary Donuts" story? I saw it come across my e-mail no less than 6 times (not all of them because of my involvement with CES) and heard it presented in two different classes. Is this story truth or fiction--who knows. I don't like it very much presented as a true story. None of the versions I saw had any kind of verification. However, it's a decent parable if it is presented that way. I never heard any hullabaloo about Together Forever, but I can imagine it happening. I don't see how anyone could really think those were real people--if I remember right the film used a lot of flash-back and film effects. Did they really think those were actual people replaying real events from their lives? But, I can believe that a lot of people thought they were true stories. And I can see why they would have felt somehow betrayed. I seem to remember one couple being interviewed--I think that's the one where a child dies--and the interviewee sitting there with tears rolling down her checks as if she were really the person recounting a personal story. So, here you are getting all emotional over someone's pain, and you find out that it's not really true and feel like a chump. I can see that happening even though I don't think there is any real thinking involved in that kind of attitude. The stories are all probably things that have happened over and over again in the lives of people who are members of the church. And I get emotional about fiction all the time, so what difference does it make if the fiction originates with the church or not. I guess all I am saying is that, yes, I believe members of the church believe stories that they hear presented in any church related way to be true even if they are labeled as fiction. Sometimes that means they accept things as doctrine that isn't. Now, whether that makes the church obligated to not ever present anything fictional is another issue altogether. The Savior used fiction extensively in his teaching. Tracie Laulusa - - AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature http://www.xmission.com/~aml/aml-list.htm ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 9 Jul 2001 17:00:19 EDT From: OmahaMom@aol.com Subject: Re: [AML] Literary LCD Interesting to read the comments on the Broken Covenant. It had me in tears much of the way through the book at the problems that heroine was going through with her marriage. Our circumstances are different, yet there was much the same. My path wasn't her ultimate path, but I could see why she made her [wrong] choices as she did based on what she was experiencing. It was more realisitic in some ways than some of Weyland's (but I enjoy reading Jack Weyland--which is often lighter in scope), and certainly "fixing" things wasn't easy. But rarely is the fix as easy as the break. Karen Tippets - - AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature http://www.xmission.com/~aml/aml-list.htm ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 9 Jul 2001 17:04:09 EDT From: OmahaMom@aol.com Subject: Re: [AML] Fiction in Church Mags If it comes to that, one of the things that irks me is the number of times I have heard the gospel taught according to the Reader's Digest. It isn't happening so much now, but several years ago, a lot of people were using the magazine for "inspirational stories" to include in their talks. Surely we can do better than that. Karen Tippets - - AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature http://www.xmission.com/~aml/aml-list.htm ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 9 Jul 2001 14:24:56 -0700 From: "Wheeler, Jeff M" Subject: RE: [AML] Where to Advertise? I have the state demographic data for church membership, but nothing on a local level. In the business world, gathering a database of consumers is the real magic (like the Living Scriptures one). Companies pay good money to have access to it. I'm working on my MBA in marketing right now (will finish in December). There is no mountain with a guru. Everyone, including Deseret, is trying to figure out best to tap into their market. Focusing on Irreantum and building your own database would probably be the most effective. Publicity campaigns, that sort of thing. Jeff Wheeler AMBERLIN BOOKS www.amberlin.com - - AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature http://www.xmission.com/~aml/aml-list.htm ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 09 Jul 2001 16:59:16 -0600 From: Barbara Hume Subject: Re: [AML] Literary LCD At 11:10 PM 7/6/01 -0600, you wrote: >Yes, I think LDS fiction has come a long >way. And it does deal more with real issues. I guess what I'd like to >see is >more real characters dealing with them in a more real way. I may have mentioned this book on this list before, but I recommend JoAnne Jolley's Secrets of the Heart. It isn't at all as sappy as the title sounds. (Covenant seems to specialize in sappy titles.) The protagonist has a definite edge to her, and she has to deal with major issues. I like books that show the struggle. I do insist on seeing a successful conclusion to the struggle, though! I like the way Dutcher mingles the good outcomes with the not-so-good in his stories without leaving you feeling glum. In fact, you feel pretty dang good coming out of his movies, even though you've seen that not everything always turns out right. Barbara R. Hume barbara@techvoice.com (801) 765-4900 - - AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature http://www.xmission.com/~aml/aml-list.htm ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 10 Jul 2001 14:26:38 -0500 From: Jonathan Langford Subject: [AML] Moderator Note Folks, I feel the need to insert a note of caution here for the Sex in Literature thread and several others (not directed toward anyone's comments in particular). Some relevant quotes from the AML-List Guidelines: 1. BEHAVE Avoid flaming or name-calling. Reply to posts, not people. The motives of other subscribers are off-topic. Respect the integrity, opinions, and beliefs of others. 2. THE TOPIC IS LITERATURE It is not politics, pet peeves, the general authorities, or the doctrines or policies of the LDS Church (except as they affect how Mormons read and write). State your opinions frankly, but stick to literary judgments. A post may be bumped: If it goes too far in *substituting moral terms for critical ones.* People frequently use words like "immoral" or "dishonest" when they mean things like "politically incorrect" or "facile." Because the convention is widespread, AML-List tolerates this as long as it's clear a personal attack on the author is not intended. Even then we discourage it because of the inference that those who like the work are complicit in something unethical. If it *veers too far into Church doctrine, policy, or the opinions of the general authorities.* It may be appropriate to discuss these in relation to specific literary works, market conditions, etc., but when the conversation turns to establishing just what those doctrines and opinions are, or whether you think they're justified, that discussion belongs on another list. It is never appropriate to attack or belittle the religious beliefs of another, or to use religious beliefs to condemn or suppress the opinions of another. I've been interpreting these rules fairly loosely, in the interests of keeping the conversation going. However, I think the discussion has reached the point where a more strict interpretation may be needed. I therefore request that all of you go ahead and state your opinions, but that you do it in a way that (a) relates first and foremost to literature; and (b) avoids anything that could reasonably be seen as commenting on the motives or righteousness of other List members. Thanks for your help. Jonathan Langford AML-List Moderator - - AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature http://www.xmission.com/~aml/aml-list.htm ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 9 Jul 2001 18:58:14 -0500 From: Jonathan Langford Subject: Re:[AML] LDS Publishers vs. National Publishers The whole discussion of publishing with national vs. LDS publishers reminds me a little bit of the conversation that took place (if I recall correctly) in a creative writing class with Marion K. Smith at BYU, on whether it was easier to write science fiction or fantasy. (It was a class specializing in the two genres.) His response: in a way, it's irrelevant, because from what he had seen, people write what's in them to write, whether science fiction, or fantasy, or both. I think there's some truth to that general principles as it applies to us who are both (a) Mormon and (b) writers (at least would-be). Some people, like Thom Duncan and Eric Samuelsen, seem most motivated to write stories that are directed to "our own people," whether orthodox or not. Others feel driven to write stories directed to a different audience and purpose. I don't think most Mormon authors make a conscious choice about what type of story they want to tell (although, if they have many different story ideas, they may select among them those which they think are most likely to prove financially successful). Rather, I think they tell the stories they feel driven to tell. In some cases, that will be about explicitly Mormon experience from a perspective that is intended for sharing with others who understand that experience. In other cases, it may be about the Mormon experience, but from a perspective that is suited toward sharing with outsiders (in a cultural sense). In still other cases, the Mormonness of the story may lie entirely in the largely subconscious worldview that it reveals, and in no explicitly LDS elements at all (for example, in Dave Wolverton's science fiction). And different types of stories, directed toward different audiences, will be more likely to see the light of day and reach those audiences with different publishers. AML-List founder Ben Parkinson wrote an excellent little essay a few years back on "Deseret School" and "Missionary School" fiction, arguing that we need more high-quality literature in both fields, and that those of us who are practitioners (or appreciators) in one field need to be careful, in our appreciation of what we love and/or do, not to try to elevate either category above the other. Relating this to our current conversation, I think we need to be extremely careful when we start talking about either "selling out" (on the one hand) or "not good enough for the national market" (on the other). I'll take this a little further. Many of us, I think--myself prominent in that number--are inclined to complain not only that there's not enough of the stuff we like out there, but that there's too much of the stuff we don't like. But I'm not sure this serves a useful purpose, particularly within the world of Mormon letters. Do we really want fewer voices, fewer publications? I'm not convinced that bad fiction drives out good fiction, or that more money spent on Jack Weyland equals less money to support Margaret Young and Alan Mitchell. Of course, I'm talking now largely about the Deseret School work (to use Ben's term). No one is saying that there's only room for one major Mormon sf&f writer, so Scott Card should move over and let Dave Wolverton/Farland have his chance! Jonathan Langford Speaking for myself, not the List jlangfor@pressenter.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 #389 ******************************