From: owner-aml-list-digest@lists.xmission.com (aml-list-digest) To: aml-list-digest@lists.xmission.com Subject: aml-list-digest V1 #962 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 Friday, January 31 2003 Volume 01 : Number 962 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Wed, 29 Jan 2003 18:16:46 -0600 From: Major Productions Subject: [AML] Genesis Group Query Where can I find out more information about the Genesis group referred to a number of times on this list? Thanks for any info. Robbin Major. Missouri City, TX - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 29 Jan 2003 19:31:08 -0500 From: RichardDutcher@aol.com Subject: Re: [AML] Singles Ward > Richard Dutcher wrote: > "My first movie, "Girl Crazy" was garbage. I like to think I've grown a bit > as a filmmaker." > > Oooo, Richard, you've piqued our curiosity now. Is there ANYWHERE or WAY one > could see this piece of garbage, just to place historical context, you know, > as we follow the development of what promises to be a > brilliant career? Unfortunately, "Girl Crazy" is no longer available to the American public. The owner of the copyright (me) refuses to screen it. To his chagrin, there are still a few video copies floating around which were taped when the movie was shown on HBO and Cinemax. I know who has one, but you couldn't torture me enough to tell. But I promise you this: if I ever feel in the mood for a near fatal dose of public humiliation, I'll host a public screening. Richard Dutcher - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 29 Jan 2003 17:01:19 -0800 From: "Jerry Tyner" Subject: RE: [AML] R-Rated Movies D. Michael, Next time we are in Utah please let us know what week you are teaching. = I would love to sit in on your lessons!! We as a people need many more = people who make us think as we leave Church rather than just say: "That = was a wonderful lesson/sermon." (fill in the blank) Jerry Tyner Orange County, CA - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 29 Jan 2003 18:49:37 -0700 (MST) From: Ivan Angus Wolfe Subject: Re: [AML] Zen and Mormonism > This and the fact that the language of > "letting go" is in the final line makes me wonder if this story didn't > begin as a Buddhist tale which was later co-opted for Mormon use. FWIW, > this is my amateur exegetical analysis. > > Peace, > > John Remy > UC Irvine I have, in fact, heard this story dozens of time in my life - and every time it was two zen monks. I have never heard of it applied to Mormons. To me, it reads odd when applied to Mormon missionaries. But that may just be me. - -ivan wolfe - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 29 Jan 2003 19:16:57 -0800 From: Kathy and Jerry Tyner Subject: Re: [AML] Effects of DB Policy Exactly what we feared. And having read your manuscript, I can say unequivocably, it deserves to be published and well promoted. Kathy Tyner Orange County, CA - ----- Original Message ----- From: "D. Michael Martindale" > Here's a definitive answer to this question. I submitted my book > _Brother Brigham_ to one of the top four LDS publishers. Here is an > excerpt of their response: [snip] - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 29 Jan 2003 20:42:40 -0700 From: Marny Parkin Subject: [AML] Re: Writing Contest at LTU&E Kathleen wrote: >Three questions: > >Is the contest open to everyone, or only to those who have not been published? > >Who is going to be doing the judging? (Professional author(s), BYU English >professor(s), professional editor(s), LEADING EDGE staff, anyone who wants to, >or who?) > >Are there prizes for the winners, and if so, what are they? Here is what I've learned: >Hopefully, I can answer a couple of these. The contest is open to anyone but >only unpublished works will be accepted. (Categories are: adult writing for >adult, adult writing for children, authors in 7-12 grade, and authors in 5-6 >grade) > >I don't know who we are getting to judge it yet. Possibly the Leading Edge >staff, but it is usually committee members who end up judging it. > >Prizes are still under debate BUT we are considering $25 for first place, $10 >for second, and $5 for third. These will be awarded in each category IF we >get enough entries. Categories MAY be combined if we don't. > >Does that help? >Aleta (Have them email Dragonwrite@aol.com if they have more questions and I >will try to answer them) Occasionally _Leading Edge_ has published the winners (I think, but I'm not sure). If you have any other questions, contact Aleta. Marny Parkin - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 30 Jan 2003 15:40:21 -0700 From: Melissa Proffitt Subject: Re: [AML] Nominations for AML Awards [MOD: I'd like to add my own words here to Melissa's. Please keep in mind that everything done by the Association for Mormon Letters, including the awards process, is done strictly by volunteers. This takes time away from paying jobs, not vice versa. There's always a need for more helping hands. In general, if you notice something worthy that's not being done by AML, it's not due to any deliberate intent to snub, but simply too much work to go around. Sometimes, things don't happen because the people who would be most interested in seeing them happen aren't among those who are doing the work. So feel free to put your shoulder to the wheel!] On Wed, 29 Jan 2003 08:19:56 -0700 (MST), Fred C Pinnegar wrote: >I wonder why the short story, biography, children's lit, and doctrinal = studies >genres are not included on the categories list. All of these forms of = writing >are certainly part of the LDS literary effort, and to exclude them seems= to be a >serious oversight or deliberately shortsighted.=20 The original announcement inadvertently left out picture books and young adult literature as well as short fiction, and a revised version was posted...it may still have left out short fiction. All three categories = are being recognized this year. (And speaking of categories, please remember that the deadline for nominations is Feb. 1. Please send nominations directly to me.) There are some categories which do not receive an award every year; for example, devotional literature was not recognized last year, but this = year the award will be drawn from all works published in 2001 and 2002. We = have never, to my knowledge, included doctrinal studies in our awards. My apologies for our shortsightedness. :) While the reason has never been articulated, my understanding is that in recognizing works of a doctrinal nature, the AML could be perceived as promoting the doctrine contained within, and that's not our purpose. As to being deliberately shortsighted...them's fightin' words, pal. The truth is that the AML Award is a cash award and our cash is extremely limited. We are not able to recognize everything that's worthy and wonderful in the world of literature. If you examine the historical = record of the awards--located at www.aml-online.org on the sidebar under "Awards"--you'll see that it's never been a consistent process. Even the award for Novel, which I think is the most prominent one today, wasn't awarded until 1980, and hasn't been awarded every single year since then. In recent years, the AML Board has become more committed to streamlining = the awards process and letting it reflect a more unified vision of what the = AML stands for. We are very proud of the work that's been done in the past. The stories, novels, plays, poetry, criticism, and so forth which have received our award are of very high quality. We intend to continue this tradition as we also try to make the selection process easier. This is the first year we have called for nominations from the public. = Our greatest difficulty has always been a question of gathering a complete = list of eligible titles, particularly from nationally published presses; HarperCollins doesn't exactly stamp "Mormon" on the spines of its picture books. I appreciate the nominations that have come in so far; they have made our job easier. We will continue making this request every year, = and I encourage all of you to keep track of the books, stories et al. that you read, to pass along to our judges when the time comes. The titles and authors alone are sufficient, but if you have comments to make, that's = even better. >We would not want >to construct LDS literature too narrowly, especially since we seem so = willing, >at times, to laud the literary achievement of apostates and the = disaffected. I'm not exactly sure how these two statements go together, unless you're construing the omission of certain categories as a further dismissal of faithful saints and their work. But the best way to keep this from happening is, as always, to constantly raise questions and to volunteer = your time in various AML activities: helping at the conferences, proofreading Irreantum, volunteering whatever time you can. It would probably = surprise you how seriously the Board takes the input of people on this List. Melissa Proffitt AML Secretary - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 31 Jan 2003 12:25:29 -0700 From: Margaret Young Subject: RE: [AML] Genesis Group Query You can e-mail LDSgenesis@aol.com. Darius actually gets the posts, so it may be awhile until he responds. We will detail the origins of Genesis in Book 3 of the trilogy. Meanwhile, I'll attach an article we did for the 25th anniversary of Genesis. ANYONE can receive the newsletter. Just request it at the above e-mail address. Genesis is Church sponsored and funded, so the newsletter is free. ________________ Margaret Young 1027 JKHB English Department Brigham Young University Provo, UT 84602-6280 Tel: 801-422-4705 Fax: 801-422-0221 [MOD: Sorry; the attachment didn't come through. NO attachments come through to AML-List...] - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 30 Jan 2003 08:17:22 -0700 From: "Elizabeth Walters" Subject: RE: [AML] Singles Ward 1941 was Spielbergs lone attempt at full fledged comedy. The movie does have some cult status although plotwise the movie was a mess. The silver lining in the movies failure is that many of the typical Spielberg elements that have made him a household name were first used in this movie. I didn't care much for Cape Fear. Perhaps that's because I prefer the original. But most of Scorcese's movies I do like. - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 30 Jan 2003 09:49:56 -0600 From: "Linda Kimball" Subject: [AML] _The Marketing of Sister B_ (Marketing Comments) 1/21/2003 9:21:59 PM, "Andrew Hall" wrote: >I noticed some posts from Linda Hoffman Kimball recently, I haven't = noticed=20 >you on the list before Linda, welcome (sorry if I am dense, and you = have=20 >been here a while). >You recently published your second novel at Signature, The Marketing of = >Sister 'B'. I wonder if you could tell us anything about the process. = How=20 >was Signature to work with? They have a reputation for taking a long = time=20 >to publish, and not publicizing their novels much, how are they doing = with=20 >you? Thanks, Andrew, for the welcome and invitation. I wrote Sister B in two = big gasps - the first half while I was living in Boston and the second = half after we'd settled in a bit following a move to the Chicago area. I = was delighted that Signature accepted it. Apparently they'd known for a = while (a few weeks at least) that they wanted it, but no one had yet = told me. It took a call from me to ask about its status to find out. = (Kind of like having distant relatives know you're pregnant before you = see the test results yourself.) My exchanges with the folks there have = been friendly, fine and fun. They have treated me with gracious = hospitality and included me at a festive "Women of Signature Books" = signing at Sam Weller's Book Store in Salt Lake in December. Sister B = was on the first page of one of their recent catalogues - a wonderful = surprise to me. Apparently it was offered as a premium for donations to = Sunstone. I don't believe I've been anyone's "premium" before. Since I = heard about the book's acceptance early in 2002 (I think) and it came = out in November 2002, I consider that a tremendously FAST publication = time. They welcomed and incorporated my tweakings for marketing blurbs = and did an exceptional job with proofreading and tightening. No = complaints. Well, there is that significant issue that it came out JUST = at the time that Deseret Book became touchy about what material they = would sell in their bookstores, even though - as Jeff Needle noted - it = would certainly pass any moral bar. This will make it pretty dicey to = market The Marketing... Even here in Illinois the local LDS bookseller = hadn't ordered it as of last week, although if y'all call them and ask = them I think they could be swayed (New Words of Wisdom bookstore in = Glenview, IL, 888-447-9306)! A book group I'm part of will be reading it = next fall. Personally I think pitching it to book groups would be a = smart idea, if I could figure out how to do that beyond my own turf. = Lots of other books might do well that way. Any suggestions? Thanks again. Linda - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 31 Jan 2003 18:01:40 -0600 From: LDS Film Festival (by way of Jonathan Langford ) Subject: [AML] LDS Film Festival Newsletter MAILBOX NEWSLETTER #1/2003 http://www.ldsbox.com feedback@ldsbox.com IN THIS ISSUE: 1. WINNERS OF FEATURE SCRIPT COMPETITION 2002 2. "BEST OF 2002" TOUR IN SACRAMENTO ON SATURDAY 3. BRING THE FESTIVAL TO YOUR CITY, STAKE OR WARD 4. ANDREW BLACK AND JARED HESS WIN AT SLAMDANCE 5. LOST EMAILS - ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 1. WINNERS OF FEATURE SCRIPT COMPETITION 2002 - ---------------------------------------------------------------------- The winners of last year's Feature Script Competition have finally been determined and can be looked up at http://www.ldsbox.com. The winning script, "The Last Hope," was written by Emily Stephens, a recent BYU graduate who lives in Los Angeles. 2nd and 3rd Place went to Ben Gourley and Hubbel Palmer. We applaud all the finalists for their great work and congratulate the winners! In the future, all winners will be announced on the final night of the festival. - ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 2. "BEST OF 2002" TOUR IN SACRAMENTO FEBRUARY 1 - ---------------------------------------------------------------------- On Saturday, February 1, the "Best of 2002" program will be showcased in Sacramento, California, at the Mesa Verde Performing Arts Center. The program starts at 3.30 p.m. and includes a screening of "Roots & Wings," a captivating drama about religious conversion. At 7.00 p.m. a screening of Ryan Little's "Out of Step" follows. For more info call Dana Sanders at (530) 367-3450 or email at danasongs@earthlink.net. For ticket info call Robin Kraus at (916) 989-5748 or email at rkraus81@attbi.com. If you would like to organize a screening of the "Best of 2002" program, go to: http://www.ldsbox.com/cgi-bin/tour.php - ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 3. BRING THE FESTIVAL TO YOUR STAKE, WARD OR TOWN - ---------------------------------------------------------------------- The "Best of 2002" tour program is offered to wards, stakes, institutes, private parties, high schools, university campuses, media arts centers, museums, libraries and independent theaters across the country and abroad. Organizers are free to charge admissions. The program is available for a rental fee of $46.00 (includes shipping). Additional screenings are $19.00 each. The program is only available in English an on VHS. Screenings can now be scheduled. The "Best of 2002" program is a collection of 12 short films and is 135 minutes long. The program includes comedy, drama, documentary, and experimental films. It is enjoyable for all ages and can be appreciated by members and non-members alike. If you are interested in organizing a screening of the "Best of 2002" program, go to: http://www.ldsbox.com/cgi-bin/tour.php or email us at feedback@ldsbox.com. - ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 4. ANDREW BLACK AND JARED HESS WIN AT SLAMDANCE - ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Here's an indication for the quality of the LDS Film Festival and BYU's film program: Two films of the "Best of 2002" program were selected as finalists for the prestigious 2003 Slamdance Film Festival in Park City, Utah. Out of 2000 entries, only 12 films were selected. Andrew Black's short film "The Snell Show" won the highest award for shorts: the Grand Jury Award for Best Short Film! This is a tremendous success, and we congratulate Andrew and his cast and crew! You can look up the film's website at http://www.thesnellshow.com The second film that made it into the competition was Jared Hess' "Peluca," a low-budget short film made for only $500. Jared is now working on his first feature film, a sequel to "Peluca" titled "Napoleon Dynamite." You can find more info on "Peluca" at http://www.peluca.net Both "The Snell Show" and "Peluca" received Honorable Mentions at the LDS Film Festival 2002 and are part of the "Best of 2002" tour program. You can organize a screening of the "Best of 2002" program in your city, stake or ward. For more information, go to: http://www.ldsbox.com/cgi-bin/tour.php - ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 5. LOST EMAILS - ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Due to a technical problem, we lost dozens of emails that were sent to us between April and December 2002. If you have an open request or question, please remind us at feedback@ldsbox.com . Thank you! - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 30 Jan 2003 12:11:22 -0600 From: "downing" Subject: Re: [AML] Sacred in Writing I'm a little late in picking up this thread and I admit I haven't read a single Memoir post, so I'm not entirely sure what brought all this up. Still I'd like to put in my 2 cents because I think that this topic (particularly as it relates to the temple experience) is extremely important for the LDS writer. Behind my computer I have hanging Chekhov's comment, "The obligation of the artist is not to solve the problem, but to state the problem correctly." As we write about the Mormon experience (at least in a literary genre), how can we state correctly our struggles without commenting on the ties (or covenants) which bind us so intimately to our religion and our faith? Should we write about the temple? If it is an important and intricate part of your character's life, yes--if you want to be an "artist" anyway (as Chekhov would define one). I personally don't want to be an "artist" enough to break any vows, but I'm also one of those people who feel that the scope of what we covenant not to reveal is extremely limited. While the "sacred/secret" part of the endowment ceremony may have many symbols to tempt a writer, it seems to me that there are other symbols within our culture which are not covenantally (okay writers, is that a word?) off-limits. How far will I go? As far as my character needs to go, but the operative word here is "need." As the writer, I have the creative power to pick and choose where and how my character has his life-altering events. I choose not to write about someone who turns anti-Mormon and reveals all in some tract he prints in his basement because I could not write this honestly without breaking covenants. However, I don't believe anyone can truly discuss the whole of the LDS experience without touching the temple. I am working on a novel now and know that this particular character must enter those temple doors with the reader or the reader will not understand the character. That doesn't mean I intend to take the reader through the entire ceremony--just a snipet that will demonstrate what I need to demonstrate. Others may be uncomfortable with this. So be it. Is this "dangling a carrot to the national audience?" I don't think the national market is anywhere near as interested in the temple ceremony or temple clothes, etc, as they are in stories about homophobic, child-beating Mormons having elicit sex with a dozen wives and maybe a sheep on the side. I'd be happier if the world wanted to read about Mormons who are following the commandments (e.g. attending the temple) instead of Mormons who are breaking them. I'm afraid the unfortunate truth is that the national audience would find an expose on the LDS temple ceremonies a dull read. Perhaps (and forgive me for this but it is the thought that pops into my mind) writing about the temple is a little like writing about sex. A "tease" can be much more intriguing than the details. How should we treat the sacred in writing? Perhaps I am liberal in this regard, but I consider writing to be a pursuit of truth. I consider the pursuit of truth to be sacred. As I stated, it is imperative that the "artist" be honest about what the character experiences, about what builds this particular human being into the person he is. If this requires the writer to tread on sacred ground then he must. LDS writers do this all the time: Consider all the personal revelations we've made up. We don't seem to feel hesitant about putting words into God's mouth, so to speak. I always feel uncomfortable if I have to write a scene about a character receiving inspiration from the Lord; it seems presumptuous. Should we fictionalize personal revelation? We have to--because personal revelation is a valid, life-changing part of our experience and a writer ought to represent that. But then, so is the temple. Lisa Downing - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 30 Jan 2003 12:23:36 -0700 From: Margaret Young Subject: [AML] Email Help Needed Etc. [MOD: Please reply directly to Margaret Young on this.] Okay, I'm on a new e-mail system, and I don't know how to use it. I need help from Paris Anderson and Cathy Wilson, both of whom know about how to help with seizures. All of my past e-mail has been nuked. I'm gone all of next week, but Paris, please re-send the phone number of the man you sent before, and Cathy, if you could tell me anything about the herb "lobelia", or how your work helps control seizures, please do. ________________ Margaret Young 1027 JKHB English Department Brigham Young University Provo, UT 84602-6280 Tel: 801-422-4705 Fax: 801-422-0221 - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 30 Jan 2003 15:39:40 -0500 From: Tony Markham Subject: Re: [AML] Zen and Mormonism John Dewey Remy wrote: > The punch line ("Elder, I let go of that girl down when we got to her car. > I suggest you do the same.") is especially appropriate when considered in a > Buddhist context. Where Christians emphasize the concept of sin keeping us > out of heaven, Buddhists focus more on attachments which keep us bound to > this world and the cycle of rebirth. "Letting go" of passions and desires > (even some that we might consider good in our own tradition) is a (perhaps > the) fundamental principle of Buddhist teachings, and this tale emphasizes > the junior companion's "attachment" to the woman they helped, rather than > on overt sin or temptation. This and the fact that the language of > "letting go" is in the final line makes me wonder if this story didn't > begin as a Buddhist tale which was later co-opted for Mormon use. FWIW, > this is my amateur exegetical analysis. > > Peace, > > John Remy > UC Irvine Well, if we're performing exegesis here, as I was composing the Monk/Missionary story for the post, I was only going from memory, so when I heard the story first it may well have been two Buddhists and the old "Swiss head Cheese" effect kicked in and I got the source scrambled. I write fiction. Facts don't concern me. I used the "based-on-a-true-story" modifier as a kind of joke, because someone had said that maybe R-rated films that were based on true stories had some kind of dispensation. I guess there's been funnier jokes, but I was amused. And for the punch line, I originally wrote: "I put that girl down when we got to her car..." but just didn't like the way it sounded so re-wrote it: "I let go of that girl [down] when we got to her car..." except forgot to delete the "down" portion of the particle verb. Then when I saw the post, kicked myself. Stupid, stupid! Proofread your work. All that aside, I can vouch that both the post and myself have Zen/Buddhist inclinations. How can one be a serious martial artist and not? Koan! I used to work at the Church Office Building and was scurrying off to a wedding between two of my dojo members. For their wedding I had bought them a nice statue of the smiling Buddha, but it had not yet been wrapped. A little old lady stopped me in the lobby and pointed in horror at the statue--"What's that doing in here?" "It's a wedding present for two of my friends." "I think it's awful that people who believe in that Buddha thing don't believe in Christ." "Yes ma'am, but I think it's even worse that people who believe in Christ don't believe in Buddha." And that's a true story. Tony Markham Delhi, NY - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ End of aml-list-digest V1 #962 ******************************