Friday, November 30, 2007

Author Interview: Jennifer Stewart Griffith

My interview today is with Jennifer Stewart Griffith. She is the author of three novels, the latest of which is the newly released Delicious Conversation, from Spring Creek Book Company.

Welcome to my blog, Jennifer. What made you start writing?
When I had my first baby, my husband was working full time and in law school. He has always been a schemer, and he encouraged me to start writing some fiction. While he was at work and class, I took a few essays I had written for a class in college at USU and began working with them. Before I knew it, Gary’s scheming had rubbed off on me and I was trying to develop a plot to tie my short stories together. I think I would never have dared begin without his encouragement. I’m not much of a risk taker.

How long have you been writing? When did you sell your first book?
I have kept a journal since I was 12, when I wrote daily for about 6 years. Now I’m more of a weekly-entry person. My journals provide a lot of the details for my novel writing. They’re basically the jump drive for my brain’s memory (since it appears to not have any power of recall on its own.) It took me 6 years of polishing before I finally submitted my first book, Choosing Mr. Right, to Spring Creek, who published it in the spring of 2004.

What type of writer are you? Do you plan ahead/plot or do you simply fly by the seat of your pants?
That’s a good question. I have tried both ways. My second novel, A Little Sisterly Advice, simply seemingly appeared at the tips of my fingers when I sat down to type. I had very little idea where it was going when I began. All I had in mind was a title and a general conflict. The characters grew when they hit the page. It was a weird sensation.

On the other hand, my most recent book, Delicious Conversation, developed after I had an entire plot and all the characters (and their names and quirks and conflicts) outlined completely. It made the writing quite a bit easier.

That said, I threw together another novel last winter with the whole story outlined ahead of time, and it seemed to collapse under the weight of its own plot. So I don’t know which style works better for me.

How do you choose your characters' names?
There are a lot of names for babies that I like but my husband doesn’t. When I don’t get my way in baby-naming, I feel obligated to create a fictional character for the name I like. That, or else I have scoured the telephone book for eye-catching names.

What type of writing schedule do you have?
I wish I were like other, more disciplined writers who require themselves to crank out a certain number of pages or words per day, but I’m not. Instead, I find myself flitting from hobby to hobby. Sometimes I’m on a writing kick and I write like a crazy woman every night for a month or two. Then it seems I’ll get interested in genealogy and work on that for a while and then cooking or shopping online for shoes. My writing bug hits and misses.

How do you handle life interruptions?
Well, with 5 kids under age 10, life is one long string of interruptions. Have you ever found yourself wanting to say, “My name isn’t mommy right now”? Mostly I try to find a time to write when I’m less likely to be interrupted, like after the kids are in bed or when I have them safely sedated in the TV coma for an hour or two in the afternoon. The only interruptions I find myself resenting are when the telephone rings, so sometimes when I’m on a roll I take it off the hook.

Do you get blocked? Any hints on how to stave it off?
Everybody gets blocked. Sometimes I’m in a bad or gloomy mood and the part of the story I’m writing requires buoyancy of spirit, or vice versa. When that happens, I try to skip ahead in the story to a part that fits the mood I’m in, like a break-up scene. That’s when outlining the whole plot from the outset really comes in handy.

I don’t know if this would work for someone else, but when I’m blocked I try to sit down and make myself write anyway. If my fingers are on the keys eventually something will get typed. I may have to delete it all (or cut and paste it into my rejection document), but at least I have conquered the scary blocked feeling. Allowing myself to think I don’t have to have this part perfect helps me through it and takes the pressure off.

What have you always dreamed of writing, but haven't yet?
I suspect most people have a secret wish to write the Great American Novel. Not me. I mostly want to continue to write fluffy, happy, uplifting cotton candy for the LDS woman’s soul. Someday I might like to write something for another market, but for now I’m pretty content. I think I know what I am and what I’m not.

What one thing do you like most about writing? Least?
I love the creative rush I get when I’m coming up with a new story and characters and seeing the plot unfold. I think it must be how people feel when they are on drugs. Only better because it isn’t drugs. The hardest part is editing. I don’t like to have to cut away at things I’ve written, even when I know it’s for the good of the piece.

What is your next project?
Oh, I always have a lot more ideas than will ever come to fruition, but the one that’s playing around in my mind right now has to do with a girl who finds herself in a Congressional office full of dysfunctional employees and has to use her charm and brilliance to heal them all.

What is your advice for other writers?
This may not work for everyone, but my advice might be to write, write, write from start to finish, the piece you are working on. Don’t let yourself get bogged down by editing as you go. Just power through and get that first draft done. Then let yourself revisit what you’ve written. A lot of times what you have will be better than you thought and more useful. If you edit it away in the process of drafting you may lose some valuable pieces. Plus, by pushing through to the end you get the immense satisfaction of knowing you’ve finished something.

Tell us about your new book.
Delicious Conversation is light-hearted fun set in Salt Lake City. The plot is this: When Susannah Hapsburg was 20 she met John, the love of her life, but didn’t accept his marriage proposal because she thought she was too young. Now she is 31 and still single. The company where she worked for the past 8 years has just gone belly-up, so Susannah puts all her finances on the line and opens the Chocolate Bar near Temple Square.

Out of nowhere, Salt Lake’s most eligible bachelor Brigham Talmage starts pursuing Susannah with vigor. Meanwhile, her social life gets even trickier when John Wentworth comes back to town with intentions of marrying anyone but her.

Delicious Conversation is my favorite thing I’ve written so far. Maybe that’s because it centers on my two favorite topics: food and love.


Thank you for being my guest today, Jennifer.
Thanks, Marsha, for the interview. I really appreciate it!


Photo of Jennifer Stewart Griffith © Andrea Stanley

Tuesday, November 27, 2007

Writers, you must read this

Jeff Savage wrote a wonderfully insightful post about rejection and how to get beyond it. He's part of a group blog called Six LDS Writers and a Frog, that I read every day.

Check out Jeff's post.

Friday, November 23, 2007

Post-Thanksgiving Gratitude

I'm thankful for all the usual things in my life: children, grandchildren, a home, vehicle, friends, my religious outlook, and the like.

What I'm most grateful for right now is that I didn't have seconds yesterday. My firsts were temperate, too. I've worked hard this year to lose the 40 pounds that I've shed, and it's a great joy to see that my habits, indeed, have moderated. After eating, I even took a walk! It felt very good.

Wednesday, November 21, 2007

Now for a bit of blatant self-promotion

People ask how to get autographed copies of my novels. That's pretty easy if you live near me, as I have a stock of books at home and gladly scribble my "Marsha Ward" in the front when you buy one.

For those of you who don't live near me, I've put a link on my website to the catalog from my company, WestWard Books. You can go there to order my exciting Western novels for Christmas gifts for the man or woman in your life. Don't forget to read them yourselves, because both men and women enjoy them. These novels will make you laugh, touch your heart, and introduce you to people you will come to care about deeply. At least, that's what people tell me, so I'm passing that along.

Okay, now I'll crawl back into the woodwork like a good little mouse. At least I've done my book promotion for the week.

That Christmas Contest

I'm not the originator of the Christmas Contest, I'm merely providing a prize for it. The hostess is LDS Publisher, whose blog post with all the contest rules is found at ldspublisher.blogspot.com. Please send her your stories at ldspublisher@hotmail.com.

Thanks!

Tuesday, November 20, 2007

Oh. My. Gosh!

You've got to read Robison Wells' terrific Thanksgiving Forum here. I laughed so hard I'm afraid the neighbors are coming to check on me any minute.

Monday, November 19, 2007

LDS Publisher's 2007 Christmas Story Contest

The blogosphere can be such fun.

I'm please to announce that I'm the sponsor of the "Reader's Choice: Published Author" category in LDS Publisher's 2007 Christmas Story Contest. My novel, The Man from Shenandoah, will be the prize for that winner.

Submission Rules:
  1. Write a Christmas story in any genre.
  2. Maximum word count: 1500
  3. Stories published anywhere other than your personal website or blog are ineligible. (That includes books, magazines, e-zines or other contests.)
  4. Stories submitted for last year's contest are also ineligible.
  5. Paste entire story into an e-mail. NO ATTACHMENTS, please.
  6. In your e-mail, indicate whether or not you are a published author. "Published" is defined as someone paid you money (or comp copies in the case of magazines) for your story or book. (So either a publisher paid you, or you self-published and people bought your book.)
  7. You may submit more than one story. Send each submission in a separate e-mail.
  8. SUBMIT your story any time between now and Saturday, December 15th.
Go here for information on voting.

Make your language clear!

Maybe I'm picking at nits because of a sense of outrage and grief at news I received this morning, but do you find problems in the following sentence, as reported by the Arizona Republic, Arizona's newspaper of record?

"A 26-year-old LDS church in Mesa nearly burned to the ground early Monday morning, fire officials said."

To me, the wording connotes that major damage was somehow averted, that there was a close call, but the peril of devastating fire was avoided.

What happened is that the building indeed did burn, and is a total loss, with exterior walls still partially standing. Perhaps this sentence more clearly reflects what happened:

A 26-year-old LDS church in Mesa burned nearly to the ground early Monday morning, fire officials said.

I know, I know, I've overdoing it. I have attended meetings and events in the building in question several times over the last 25 years, so I'm probably shell-shocked. I'm taking my rage out on a pair of reporters who misplaced a modifier.

But, my question to you, gentle readers, is this: which sentence more accurately tells the story, the original or the one I altered?

Friday, November 16, 2007

Free Meals in My Park

Yesterday as I was taking my garbage to the collection bin, I saw the oddest sight!

It being Thursday, the Waste Management truck was doing its pickup. I was grateful that I'd have an empty bin to toss my junk into. As I walked toward the road that leads to the bin, the truck was backing up. A movement caught my eye. Up on top of the 12-odd foot tall truck was what at first I thought was a very fat striped cat. Then I realized it was a well-fed raccoon!

The 'coon ran along the black garbage bags to the rear of the truck, then leapt off into space. It hit the ground with a thud, momentarily stunning it. However, it got its wits back quickly, and ran off before the rear tires could squish it. I looked around for it later, but it had disappeared.

Days before, someone had asked me if the raccoons were still in the garbage bin. That was the first I'd heard of them scavenging here. Now I knew it was true. The rascally creatures like a free meal as much as does any other sentient being.

Thursday, November 15, 2007

Author Interview: Janet Kay Jensen

My guest today is LDS author Janet Kay Jensen, who has written an intriguing novel, Don't You Marry the Mormon Boys, which has just been published by Cedar Fort, Inc. She is also the co-author, with Shaunda Kennedy Wenger, of The Book Lover’s Cookbook, Recipes Inspired by Great Works of Literature and the Passages that Feature Them.

Welcome, Janet. What made you start writing?

I always enjoyed my writing assignments in school. And my mother was a meticulous proof-reader. My parents were readers and educators. Mom was a librarian, so reading was always an important factor in our family life, too. From an early age, though, (9th grade), I knew I wanted to be a speech therapist. I don’t know how I knew it, I just did. And I realize that knowledge was a gift. I have seen so many college students flounder when trying to decide on a major. I just jumped into my major with both feet. Whenever I could, though, I always took a literature class.

My career as a speech-language pathologist was fulfilling in many ways, and I could certainly be creative with my therapy (new approaches, adapting materials to the needs of the client, etc.) But the writing had to be clear, concise, accurate, and logical. And when I supervised graduate students, their reports had to be edited and proofed, and evaluations had to be detailed and documented. And every year it was the same routine – a new crop of students who had to be taught the same skills. It’s challenging but didn’t foster creativity for me. I really felt something was missing.

How long have you been writing? When did you sell your first book?

I began writing seriously about ten years ago when I read a terrible book and though I liked the story, I knew I could write it better. So I played with that and really enjoyed the process. Then, a couple of years later, I saw an ad in the paper. The Cache Valley Chapter of the League of Utah Writers was meeting at the Logan library. I went to the meeting with apprehension, not knowing what to expect, not knowing if I belonged. I must say, there were some strange people at the meeting. Someone asked me what my genre was and I nearly replied that my sexual orientation was none of his business. I left the meeting thoroughly confused. But I decided to attend two more meetings, to give it a chance. I’m happy to say that at the next few gatherings there were some “normal” people there, whose comments made sense. I began to share some of my work and was thoroughly schooled in point of view. My mentors were wonderful and very patient.

Four of us then formed a small critique group that met every two weeks. We would read a portion of something we’d written, and then the group would give feedback. It was so constructive and helpful. I always left feeling energized, with more ideas.

I started writing Don’t You Marry the Mormon Boys in 2000, I think. But then something else took priority. A member of the chapter came to me with a proposal: a literary cookbook. We would find passages in literature that mentioned food and come up with original recipes to match. It sounded like an interesting project, so I agreed. For the next year I was reading and cooking and reading and cooking. And building up large fines at the library. My partner decided (boldly) to contact a few writers and see if they would contribute anecdotes or recipes. The first to sign on was Barbara Kingsolver. That added tremendous credibility to our project. When other authors heard she was on board, they were willing to participate. By the time it was published more than twenty authors had sent us recipes or anecdotes. They were wonderful. The result was a once-in-a-million experience: my partner caught the interest of an agent, we sent the entire manuscript to him, and he agreed to represent us. Within two weeks he had sold it to Ballantine.

Then our work became very intense. Though we had thought the manuscript was complete at that point, we still found more passages and recipes to add to the manuscript. And because it was organized like a traditional cookbook – soups, salads, main dishes, etc., we worked very hard to balance each section with a variety of foods. And we had to rewrite recipes according to a set formula, which made sense.

We learned, to our surprise, that it was our responsibility to obtain permission to use published works, and that we were also responsible to pay the fees the publishers required. That process was very challenging. My partner negotiated the agreements (172 of them) and I did the background research to find who owned the copyright. That’s not always easy, as many older companies don’t exist anymore.

We continued to add to the manuscript until the deadline, as we continued to find great literature and recipes we wanted to include. The Book Lover’s Cookbook, Recipes Inspired by Great Works of Literature and the Passages that Feature Them was published in October 2003 in hardback and March 2005 in paperback.

A large publisher has great influence; our book was reviewed by several national newspapers and other publications. But the best publicity came when an independent bookstore owner from Florida mentioned our book on National Public Radio, when asked for Christmas gift recommendations. She said it was one of her favorite new books, even though she didn’t cook. Then she read several selections from the book. NPR has clout. Immediately, sales on Amazon were astonishing: at one point, for an hour or so, our book was ranked as high as #6. It stayed in the top 30 for a couple of weeks. Checking our ranking on Amazon became compulsive; I would visit Amazon every hour or so to see how we were doing.

What type of writer are you? Do you plan ahead/plot or do you simply fly by the seat of your pants?

I like to have a story in mind. I’ll think it through and leave it simmering on the back burner for a while. It’s always there as I go about my daily routines, and once in a while ideas come to the forefront and I add them to my mental outline. My first novel developed fairly logically in my mind and then I started to write it. I had a general idea about my main characters, settings, and plot. Then something interesting happened. I had a minor character, a Healer in Appalachia, who became a major character. I inserted her in various scenes I’d already written, as she added color and humor and wisdom. I researched natural remedies so she could prescribe them to other characters. Some remedies and superstitions were so delightful, I inserted them at the beginning of each chapter that took place in Kentucky. Miss Carolina became a solid fixture and I loved her. Actually, she is based on my husband’s late aunt, a woman who faced life unflinchingly and with great humor and wisdom.

I took a portion of the manuscript to Writers@Work. Everyone else in our class of fifteen students had brought first chapters; mine was near the middle. We discussed several students’ work each day. I was terrified. I knew I’d be thoroughly attacked for not establishing characters, setting, etc., elements you normally include in a first chapter. Fortunately, the teacher was a compassionate and tactful man, and he introduced my manuscript as a “set point – something you don’t often see in current literature.” It’s a scene that shows what the character is all about, even though it doesn’t necessarily move the story forward. I’d never heard the term, but it described my work accurately. Therefore the class was forgiving and evaluated it accordingly.

However, I met with an editor for an evaluation and that was a memorable interview. My book is about modern day polygamy and he was a New Yorker who had no idea what was happening west of the Mississippi. He didn’t know polygamy even existed in America. My manuscript contained a chapter where my main character tells tall tales about polygamy to his new neighbors; he eventually apologizes and tells them he was just playing a joke at their expense.

The editor began his remarks by saying that he was a New Yorker and an atheist/agnostic/Jew. He added, however, that he was taught to never make fun of anyone’s religion, and that my manuscript was highly offensive to him. I explained that polygamy is part of the culture where I live, and is part of my own heritage. I felt, as a member of this culture, that I had the right to poke a little fun at all of us. I mentioned black comedians who joke about black issues, and Jewish comedians who focus on the quirks of Jewish people, redneck comedians, etc., and that we accept them because they belong to the community that is the subject of their jokes. The editor didn’t buy it. He didn’t want to address my writing skills or my style, either. He couldn’t get beyond his gut reaction to my subject and how I addressed it. I ended the interview by thanking him, shaking his hand, and walking away with the appearance of dignity. Later, I learned that every student he met with was offended in some way, and he was even more patronizing to some of them than he had been to me. In my workshop evaluation I stated that a protective order should be placed on this man, keeping him a hundred yards away from any new writer.

Then The Book Lover’s Cookbook took center stage for about three years. We made more than fifty presentations. Book clubs in Cache Valley (and there must be more than a hundred of them!) invited us to come to their meetings. Many people cooked recipes from the book. Response to the book was wonderful. We made a couple of brief TV appearances and did several radio interviews. We also worked hard on publicity by contacting local and state newspapers, radio stations, etc. So Don’t you Marry the Mormon Boys sat on the shelf for quite a while.

How do you choose your characters' names?

It varies. Sometimes I just pick names I like. Andy McBride was named after my ancestor, Thomas McBride, who was killed at Haun’s Mill. It was a way of paying tribute to him. Louisa is a name from my genealogy, too, and it fit a woman from an old-fashioned community. Obadiah, as I pictured him, simply needed a biblical name. He’s tall and gangly and he has a booming voice, but he also plays classical guitar by ear. Miss Carolina, the Healer, needed to be addressed as “Miss” out of respect, I think. My fictional polygamous community was originally named Zion’s Creek; then the TV series Big Love came along and used Creek as part of its community’s name, so I changed Louisa’s town to Gabriel’s Landing. Hawthorn Valley, Kentucky, was named after the hawthorn tree. You have to live with names to be comfortable with them, I think. I remember naming our three sons – it was very difficult to agree on a name we both liked, and then to start calling this little person by a name, that’s strange, too.

What type of writing schedule do you have?

Mornings usually work best for me. I’ll often be writing in my pajamas, as I’m doing right now. Bad habit if someone rings the doorbell. Sometimes an idea will come to me just before I go to sleep and I’ll jot it down. I can’t write too late at night- then I’m too wound up to sleep. Writing The Book Lover’s Cookbook and some related articles had me up at all hours. It was largely my choice to write on such an erratic schedule and it wasn’t healthy.

How do you handle life interruptions?

We are empty nesters, so it’s generally pretty quiet around our house. I’m sure I have fewer interruptions than many writers.

When I am under time constraints or feeling particularly creative, I’ll turn off the phone and ignore the doorbell. A few people know my cell phone number, if I remember to turn it on, and anyone with a real emergency can find my husband at work. I do have a very bad habit of checking my email frequently while I’m writing.

The biggest life interruption for me was injuring my back and having major surgery a year ago. It takes a full year to recover. I discovered that I absolutely could not be creative for over a year-- first, because of the injury, and then because of the surgery. Pain and fatigue and stress just took over. Mormon Boys was finished by then (other than some minor changes I made later), and I had made a major effort to send out queries before the surgery, (all rejections) but everything else in my writing life basically came to a halt.

Do you get blocked? Any hints on how to stave it off?

I do. Suggest a scene and I can probably write it. It’s coming up with the idea for the scene that can be difficult for me. I have difficulty visualizing my storyline as a diagram. I don’t go by formulas, which is probably to my detriment. One colleague read chapter one and said, “Now you need to introduce a threat: the other man!” It didn’t feel right for me, so I didn’t do it.

Meeting with my critique group helps immensely. When I’m stuck they’ll make good suggestions. My sisters are always a phone call away to brainstorm with me. My immediate family is supportive of my writing, but they have not read my novel, not a page of it! Maybe they will when it’s published in a few months. Who knows? There are some people who are very helpful in the process, and can think along the same lines, and others who just don’t operate that way. My husband is an attorney and usually reads nonfiction when he has a chance. My three sons are away at universities, studying medicine, exercise physiology, and computer engineering. When it comes to reading and writing, they’re just not kindred spirits. That’s okay; I just find help elsewhere.

I love the theater and I read quite a bit. I’m hoping some of those influences will find their way into my style. Maybe I should just sleep with a good book under my pillow.

What have you always dreamed of writing, but haven't yet?

Hmmm. Yesterday I set a goal to publish at least ten novels. What have I dreamed of writing? Something more literary, I think, several notches above my current level.

A writer in my group called me the Robert Kirby of Northern Utah. What a compliment. I really would like to develop more humor in my writing. When I do write humorous pieces, it really is fun. I think my best piece so far is an essay, “You’re Never Fully Dressed Without a Speedo,” about my second son’s one and only bodybuilding competition. Some experiences are so dreadful, they’re actually funny. Oddly enough, it’s my second son who’s inspired many of my humorous pieces.

I plan to attend the Erma Bombeck Humor Writers Workshop in April 2008. It’s held in Dayton, Ohio, where Erma was born, and since my son, his wife and my new granddaughter live in Dayton, and it’s taking place on my birthday, karma is telling me I must go. So I need to gear up on humorous writing when I complete my current novel.

I am starting this second career later in life than most, but hopefully I can integrate life experience and wisdom into my work. Still, I plan to have a long and satisfying run at it.

What one thing do you like most about writing? Least?

Most? When the creative juices are flowing and I’m moving forward. When I can read my work and get a laugh in response. When I feel productive.

Least? When I’m blocked, when the process is slow as tar, and when I get rejection letters. And it’s generally not healthy to compare myself to other writers who turn out several books a year. At this point, that just isn’t a feat I could accomplish. My work needs to mellow and I’m constantly revising and polishing to make the words flow more naturally, and to make the images more vivid. Leaving it for a while and then returning with fresh eyes is always helpful, too.

What is your next project?

I am about two thirds into the sequel to Mormon Boys. It’s titled Zina. Louisa in the first book has a sister, Zina, who leaves during the night; she overhears her father agreeing to let an older man court her, and she can’t bear the thought of plural marriage. So she simply leaves, and they don’t hear from her for ten years. Her story was originally part of Mormon Boys, but I had to take her out and promise her a book of her own. It was too difficult for me to write two storylines that were not chronologically compatible. I think it can be done but I don’t have the skill yet. So I’m writing Zina’s story now. I haven’t found as much humor to put in it, however, so at this point it has a darker, more sober tone than Mormon Boys.

I’ve also started a novel addressing illiteracy and the lengths people will go to in order to hide it. I’m an adult literacy tutor and I have learned so much from my student. He’s inspired me to develop a story around the concept. And I plan to quote him directly, if he approves.

I also have a trilogy on the shelf. It’s one of my earlier efforts. I think the story concept is viable and since I have developed into a better writer since then, a rewrite is just the ticket. It takes place in Ireland and New England and it follows several different characters whose lives intertwine.

The above novels, Grace Will Lead Us Home, and O’Connor’s Honor, do not have LDS characters or themes at all. I hope they’ll be acceptable to a larger market, though LDS readers shouldn’t find anything offensive in them. It is truly a challenge to write for the LDS market. We need good LDS fiction, but it also has to be believable. And honest.

One element I always seem to add to my writing is animals. I have two dogs, and their unconditional acceptance and affection are wonderful additions to stories. They are social ice-breakers and sometimes they are heroes. They are also a good source of humor.

Since I spent years reading books to find descriptions of food, I include food descriptions in my books. It’s a strong sensory experience for the reader, hopefully. And who knows, I might include a recipe or two.

What is your advice for other writers?

Write, write, write; find other writers who will be honest and supportive; enter your work in contests; join writing groups; and read, read, read. Read good books and bad books. Read classics and decide why they are classics. Read bad books and analyze what makes them bad (how did they ever get published in the first place?). Read books out of your genre. Writing is a solitary profession, so you need to get out and interact with other writers. Keep abreast of what is happening in the writing world. Attend workshops several times a year; they’re vital to keep you inspired and improve your skills. Subscribe to writing magazines and read them.

Do not pin all your hopes on one agent or publisher that you know is just perfect for your project. You’ll be crushed when it doesn’t work out. Keep sending multiple queries and refine your work as you get feedback. Write blurbs of fifty, one hundred, and two hundred words. Write a synopsis of one page. Two pages. Proof your work. Proof, proof, proof. Have others proof your work; they’ll find mistakes you haven’t noticed.

Tell us about your new book.


The prospect of one wife is more than enough for Mormon bachelor Andy McBride, until he falls for fellow medical student Louisa Martin—a product of polygamy, a way of life Andy cannot embrace and Louisa cannot escape.


Can a man and a woman from two antagonistic cultures (mainstream Mormon vs. fundamentalist polygamist) overcome the daunting barriers that would deny them a life together? What sacrifices will each have to make in order to be together? What impact will their choices have on family, friends, and even whole communities?

Andy yearns to share every facet of his life with Louisa, including his medical practice, and he dreams of having a family with her. The consequences of this union would be major, however, as the two come from cultures that are mutually opposed. Each will have to sacrifice in order for Andy and Louisa to have a life together. Are these sacrifices too great? The reader will finish the last page with a greater knowledge of the two cultures and belief systems, compassion and tolerance for different beliefs, and hope that in the end, love and acceptance can change hearts.

Set in the striking red mountains of southern Utah, cosmopolitan Salt Lake City, the rural Smoky Mountain region of Kentucky and the beautiful, forest and lake-studded country of Finland, Don’t You Marry the Mormon Boys deals with engaging characters from two contrasting lifestyles with honesty and humor.

One objective I had in writing the book was to emphasize that Mormons are not polygamists, and polygamists are not Mormons. I wanted to address the confusion and misunderstanding that many people have about Mormons and polygamy. And with polygamy hitting the news regularly and Mitt Romney running for president, it’s a relevant topic.

It's been a pleasure to interview you, Janet. Thank you for being here.


Thank you!

Wednesday, November 14, 2007

The Comfort of Flannel Sheets

I used to live in a hot climate, and didn't know anything about flannel sheets. Oh yes, I think I was aware that they existed, but why I'd ever need them was beyond my comprehension.

Then I moved into a tin can on the side of a mountain, and the first winter I spent there, without a whole-house furnace, was miserable. My nose was cold, my legs were cold, my toes were cold, everything was cold all night long. I didn't sleep very well, even though I piled on the blankets and quilts. The weight was pretty suffocating. There had to be a better method of staying warm!

Before the next winter came, I bought a couple of sets of flannel sheets, and when the nights turned cold, I put one of them on my bed. As I recall, it was the cowboy sheets, really suitable for a youngster, but who cared! I was the only one I had to please with my bedding choices.

That night was heavenly! I slept warm for the first time, and loved it. I got better rest, and so much appreciated not shivering all night.

Yesterday I changed my sheets and put on the flannels. This set features pine trees, but they don't have rough bark or prickly needles or stickery cones, so I'm satisfied. Last night was bliss! I was warm, comfy, and secure, and slept through the night. I should have made the change two weeks ago!

Does this have anything to do with writing? Not a bit, except for general well-being. I'm sure that's all tied together.

Friday, November 09, 2007

Author Interview: Sherry Ann Miller

My guest today is multi-published author Sherry Ann Miller, who has become known as "The Writer of Miracles."

Welcome, Sherry Ann. What made you start writing?

I've been writing since childhood. I don't know that anything made me start writing, but someone did: my dad enjoyed writing. He often critiqued what I wrote, so he started me on the writer's path when I was very young.

To increase the family's vocabulary, he used to sit down with us (his wife and eight children) in the evenings and some Sunday afternoons and open a huge dictionary he owned. We'd all gather around him as he'd open a page at random and give us the definition of a word he located on that particular page. It became a great family game. We would not only have to guess the word, but we would also have to spell it, and we worked in teams and earned points. It was better than television (which we didn't even purchase until I was fifteen . . . and then we were only allowed to watch the evening news, and other programs that fell on Friday night or Saturday morning . . . and of course, General Conference).

If we children needed nearly any question answered, and asked Dad about it, he would often refer us to the dictionary or the encyclopedia for our answer. I suppose his keen love for words rubbed off on me, and when I wrote poetry or short stories as a child, his appreciation for words always showed through in my writing.

I learned to love the dictionary more than any other book (scriptures excepted) because Dad taught me to love words . . . and understand them. Today, I have several dictionaries, some quite old, and others new . . . as well as a great one on my computer.

How long have you been writing? When did you sell your first book?

I began writing to publish in 1969. I took a writing course offered through the mail and my teacher gave me good marks and strong encouragement. Although I didn't have a typewriter back then, I did have pads of paper and an ink pen and spent a great deal of time writing short novellas.

In 1974, hubby and I moved our family from Iowa to Utah. By this time, I had six young children and an older daughter we later adopted. I bought a used typewriter and began taking private writing classes from an English Professor who praised my talent. Soon afterward, I joined the Salt Lake Chapter of Romance Writers of America. By 1980, I was attending regular writing classes taught by Bethany Chaffin, another English Professor who taught out of her home (she died several years ago). I loved her classes; she always made me feel that I had the talent, skills and the discipline necessary to become a published author. However, by 1984, I had received so many rejection letters on manuscripts I'd written that I began to doubt my abilities.

We moved from West Valley, Utah, to North Ogden, Utah that same fall, and I turned my attention to writing screenplays and musical productions. One of my screenplays caught the attention of a Hollywood Agency and was optioned for a minimal amount. After two years of failing to place the screenplay with a producer, my agent gave up . . . and so did I.

In 1987, my mother passed away. Dr. Russell M. Nelson had been Mom's cardiologist and surgeon through four of her five open-heart operations. When he was ordained an apostle, our whole family wept with joy because we knew the man and trusted him completely to carry out this service to the Lord. I kept in touch with him after mom died, and at his request I updated him on our family's progress.

In the mid nineties, after writing Elder Nelson another letter regarding the family's progress, he wrote back to me and one of his observations was, "You are an excellent writer." To this day, I don't know what prompted him to say that, but I recall thinking to myself, If an apostle of the Lord thinks I'm an excellent writer, what do publishers know anyway? His words spun me around, and I returned to writing novels.

I wrote One Last Gift (first installment in the award-winning Gift Series) in 1997/1998 and sent it out to several publishers, then waited to hear from them. After several rejections, I finally heard from Granite Publishing, who telephoned to say they were going to publish my book. One Last Gift debuted in August 2000 . . . and the rest is history.

What type of writer are you? Do you plan ahead/plot or do you simply fly by the seat of your pants?

I plan ahead only to the extent that I have a clear picture in my mind of what my story will be about and who will become its main characters. I write only a brief description of my characters, giving them strengths and flaws that will enable them to grow through the pages of my book; and a very brief synopsis of the storyline. The entire plotting with characterization is never more than two pages long, and is often only one page. From that point onward, I begin the first rough draft and do not stop (except for Sundays, meals, restroom breaks and sleep) until the entire story is finished, often writing from 7 AM to midnight, 6 days a week. Depending on the size of the manuscript, I take between one week (for novellas under 40,000 words) and two weeks (for novels over 75,000 words). Then, I put the story aside and do not begin the rewriting phase until I have let it rest a couple of weeks.

When I start rewriting, I go through each chapter over and over again until I feel the story has enough action, drama, color and characterization. I smooth it out, refine it, hone it, color it until I almost can't stand to read it anymore (perhaps twenty to thirty rewrites). By this time, I'm sick of it. Disgusted with the story, I set it aside another couple of weeks while I work on something new.

Finally, I give it one last reading. This time, I am not looking so much for typos or grammatical errors, I am looking at how the story flows and whether or not it leads me along like you would a bull with a nose ring. If I find myself riveted to the story until the very last word, I send it to two editors who review it for me. One of these editors is very nit-picky; also, very kind. She leaves little yellow sticky-notes with a comment here or there. She's very good at spotting typos or misspelled words that my spell-checker has missed. My second editor is brutal. He rips my story to shreds every time he edits for me. When I receive these two edits back, I consider the words or phrases circled and scrawled upon. If I agree with them, I make the change. If I disagree, I do not make the editors' change (sorry to say, but at least 90% of the corrections have merit). After I've finished with all their corrections, I send a clean manuscript to my publisher.

That is an amazing process! How do you choose your characters' names?

Naming a character is one of the most difficult challenges an author faces, and I am no exception. I agonize over the name. I look up name lists. I think of the characters' strengths and flaws and debate whether or not the name I've chosen suits them. I often refer to the names in my genealogical database (now well over 60,000) and try some of them on my characters' shoulders.

What type of writing schedule do you have?

I spend eight to twelve hours in my library about four days a week. More than half of that time I am gathering names for my PAF files, preparing family names for temple submissions. The remainder of that time I am writing. Except when I am in the creation phase of the first rough draft, I am able to put my manuscript aside and work on genealogy without any qualms whatsoever.

How do you handle life interruptions?

I don't. When I had six children at home, the interruptions were endless and my stories never flowed. I lost continuity within the paragraphs and my stories were disjointed and jumbled (it's no wonder they were rejected). Fortunately, my children grew up and moved out of the home. If I had the 70's and 80's to do over, I would take a week's break from family, hole up in my dad's fifth-wheel trailer and write.

When I am in the creation phase of a story, my hubby handles all the meals, the laundry and the cleaning. When I am rewriting, I handle those chores. Fortunately, hubby only has to take over the household about four or five weeks a year. During the creation of a story, I don't answer telephones. I don't do the marketing, I write. Period. My kids don't like it when I am on such "writing retreats" but they've learned to adapt, thank goodness. If I lose the flow of the story due to an interruption, it takes days to get my momentum back.

Do you get blocked? Any hints on how to stave it off?

I'm sorry, but I've never had writer's block. I always have at least three or four stories floating around in my head at any given time. I would, however, like to learn how to block them off so I can function more easily doing other things like household chores and gardening. Any suggestions?

[Laughter] No! What have you always dreamed of writing, but haven't yet?

My father's story. He was an amazing man, but if I wrote his entire story, everyone would think it was fiction. I have begun writing one small portion (18 months) of his life, but even that part is so fantastic, I fear no one will believe it.

What one thing do you like most about writing? Least?

I like creating a world where I can go anywhere, do anything, say anything. Since I am retired from the general work force for medical reasons, my activities are fairly limited. But, in my mind, I can travel to any (and every) spot in the world . . . or the universe, or beyond.

For me, the least likeable task in writing is the rewriting. If we could all just sit down and write, and get every word perfect the very first time, we would all be amazing writers. But writing, like any other job, takes hard work. Editing my own writing is tedious, time-consuming and toward the end . . . a bit boring. It takes perseverance, skill and motivation. I can't go to bed at night and say, "Ah, by morning the manuscript will be perfect." I know I'm the one who has to make it perfect . . . and after the creation phase is done and ninety percent of the rewriting is done, rewriting becomes more chore than pleasure.

What is your next project?

I am working on a middle-grade reader series about a ten-year-old girl, her brother and their friend. It is entirely fantasy . . . but I love the creation process and am currently working on book two. Book one is with my publisher.

What is your advice for other writers?

Never give up on yourself. I gave up in the eighties and wasted over a dozen years when I could have been a productive and published author. Don't do that to yourself. Your manuscript will never sell as long as it sits on a shelf in your home. Write it, rewrite it, perfect it, hone it, color it and market it. You can be the greatest author in the world, but if you don't continue to market your manuscript, you will never sell it.

Tell us about your new book.

The Refiner's Gift is the fifth and concluding story in my award-winning Gift Series. Tom Sparkleman confessed to a brutal crime eight years ago, and he has been paying the price ever since. Parents shun him and women want nothing to do with him. As Tom agonizes over questions in his mind and heart, he asks the Lord, Am I still a child of God? Is there no miracle in store for me? In answer to his prayer, a raging flash flood sweeps Tom's tainted world aside . . . setting in motion events that will shape the man Tom is yet to become. He is astounded at just how much the Refiner is truly mindful of him. In The Refiner's Gift, Tom learns God carries each of us during our most difficult trials, while giving us courage and strength to lift the burdens of others.

What other work of yours has been published?

Granite Publishing & Distribution, LLC, has published all my novels and the biography.

The five-book Gift Series:
One Last Gift 2000
An Angel's Gift 2004
The Tyee's Gift 2005
Charity's Gift 2006
The Refiner's Gift Debuting for Christmas 2007

The two-book Warwick Saga:
Search for the Bark Warwick 2004
Search for the Warwick II 2005

Love Notes Collection:
Oregon Flame 2006
Scottish Legend 2007

Other novels:
Gardenia Sunrise 2002

Biography:
Mama's Lemon Pie 2007

Family History, FDM Enterprises:
Harold Theodore and Rosetta Emily (Brenneman) Miller 1990
John B. Miller and his Ancestors 1991
David and Martha (Haws) Timothy 1995
Leo Clark and his Ancestors 2005

Thank you for being my guest today, Sherry Ann. It has been a pleasure interviewing you.

Thanks for allowing me to participate, Marsha. It's been fun to answer your questions and see where you're taking me through the interview.

Thursday, November 08, 2007

Barbara A. Quinlan 1923-2007

My friend Bobbe died this morning.

I had planned to visit her in the hospice this afternoon, but I woke up Tuesday wanting to make the trip to the Valley to see her. I talked to her daughter, and decided that Bobbe probably would last until I could get down on my regularly scheduled trip today.

It didn't happen. Sometimes you just should go with your gut reaction, and not rationalize your way out of doing the right thing.

Bobbe was twenty plus years older than me, so you may wonder why we attended plays together, went to dinner, yard-saled, and the like.

We were both writers.

I think our first link was through the Mesa Writers Club. I attended for several years, and helped members put together "chapbooks" of their work, 5 1/2- by 8 1/2-inch booklets. I charged a small fee for my work, and Bobbe was one of my customers.

We lost track of one another, then made contact through another writing group. From that time onward, I took Bobbe to meetings of one group or another, to the doctor, shopping, and of course, eating out, attending plays and musicals, and even going on picnics. I looked on her as a surrogate mother.

Then we had a falling-out. Bobbe discovered that I dedicated our time together to the concept of serving her in place of the time I had not had with my own mother, who was killed in an accident before that era arrived for us.

Bobbe was offended. Her life had been hard, raising six kids--oftentimes by herself--and working outside the home. She had not been taught, she could not grasp, the idea of serving others with joy, a concept I had learned in my home and religion. She must have thought I looked on being with her and taking her places as a chore. That was never true. But words were said and hearts were wounded, and although we finally patched things up, our relationship was never quite the same. Besides, I moved away.

By ignoring my gut feeling, I lost the chance to say goodbye to Bobbe. I still must learn to trust my first impressions. That said, I bid farewell to a good friend, a fun companion, and a true character, Bobbe Quinlan.

Sunday, November 04, 2007

He Knows My Name

In the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we don't have a paid ministry. Our clergy is called from among the members of the local congregation to serve until they are released. Likewise the leaders and teachers of the auxiliary organizations for the instruction of the children, youth, and women's and men's groups are called to serve from the membership.

I live in a small congregation known as a branch. We've had about 60 members, mostly retired people without children or teenagers. During the summer, our locality is a destination for camping, hunting, and hiking. We would get children and youth among our visitors. We had teachers who were called to give gospel instruction to this segment of our visitors.

Very soon after I moved here from the big city, I was called to be the Young Women President. My only duty was to prepare a lesson for the girls between the ages of 12 and 18, when they came.

All this changed in October. Members of our branch were invited to attend a joint meeting with two other congregations, both "wards," that is, larger congregations of the church. The geographical boundaries of our branch were extended to include Star Valley, a town outside Payson, Arizona. This bumped up our membership numbers to 224, including children and youth. We're still a branch. We must have 300 members to become a ward.

The duties of my calling as Young Women President changed overnight. A full service president is in charge of the spiritual growth and achievement goals of all the girls, plus holding weeknight activities, plus girls camp, plus . . . the list is pretty long. Not having a need to do so, I have never learned the ins and outs of the full program, nor have I worked in a Young Women position before, except as a teacher for a short time soon after Noah landed in the Ark.

I was stunned at the magnitude of the responsibilities that lay before me. Where was I going to find the time to do all of them, let alone learn about them? A two-hour phone call with the "stake" leader who has oversight of my branch consolidated my anxieties as I learned of conflicts between what I already was committed to do in my professional life and upcoming Young Women activities. I expressed my concerns about my time to the leader, and she said to talk to my branch president (a branch's equivalent to a ward's bishop).

My nature is to be a nurturer. I hate conflict and confrontation. I knew what the branch president was going through in having to get our adult branch staffed for the changes in demographics. He had said there were not going to be changes in existing positions. I didn't want to approach him.

Some wise friends buoyed me up, and today I went to church with a mental list of why I was too snowed under to continue serving in this altered calling. I was one sentence into my preamble. Then the loving branch president told me that he had been praying about the position of Young Women President. He said a name had come to him as one who had more time available and would welcome the calling, and that as soon as he could talk to this woman and offer her the position, and as soon as she accepted, I would be released from my responsibilities. It happened today. The weight of the calling has been lifted from my shoulders.

I believe in continuing revelation from God. I believe this man was humble enough to seek for answers and to listen to inspiration. I believe that God knows my circumstances, and as a loving Father, he is concerned that I not be distraught at my inability to function in the capacity of a full-service president. I have other callings that I can fulfill. I am so grateful for humble, receptive leaders and for a Heavenly Father who knows my name. I testify that He does. He knows your name and loves you, too.

Thursday, November 01, 2007

Author Interview: Alison Palmer


Today's author interview is with a terrific writer, Alison Palmer. She writes in a variety of forms, many of which deal with children, especially working with children in the Primary department of congregations of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Alison is a wife and mom, and a member of LDStorymakers.

Welcome, Alison. I'm so happy to interview you. What made you start writing?

I discovered writing in Junior High and loved it. Of course during such a hormonal time I wrote mostly poetry but I’d defiantly caught the bug. I had a secret dream to become the youngest published author. Sadly, the frivolities of youth got in the way of that one. My thoughts and dreams have always been full of stories that need to be told. I believe my writing talent is a great gift from God and the thing I like most to do with it is inspire others. The written word can lift me to such great heights, and feeling His love as I practice my craft is a great blessing. If I can return the gift by lifting someone else, or helping them succeed with their own dreams and goals, all the better.

How long have you been writing? When did you sell your first book?

When it came time for me to go to college I wanted to major in writing. My parents wondered how I’d make a living writing. I became a nurse instead.

When I was pregnant with my third child I was placed on bed rest for an extended period of time. Suddenly I had lots of time on my hands and I remembered I wanted to write. However, it wasn’t until about late 2002 or early 2003 that I finally put my foot down and took the first real step at calling myself a writer. The first thing I did was sit down and write a children’s fantasy novel from beginning to end in about two months. It was a wonderful release. It felt like I’d finally found my wings and the view was beautiful. Then, I settled down and tried to figure out what I had to offer that was truly unique to who I was. I looked toward my religion. I sold my first two books to Horizon Publishers that year.

What a great start! You have published mainly non-fiction works. It sounds like you have fiction projects inside you, too, right?

Oh definitely. I have a fiction work right now that’s just itching to be finished. It’s women’s religious fiction. I’m also working on a fun picture book and still want to brush off that original fantasy. I love my non-fiction, but in a lot of ways, I am a storyteller at heart.

How do you decide what topics to write about? Does your publisher make suggestions?

My publisher doesn’t really suggest ideas to me; I generally take it to them instead.

It’s hard to describe exactly how I choose my topics. As any writer can tell you, there are always a million thoughts and ideas floating around my brain. As they appear I try to jot down a few notes about what I’m thinking in a running log of ideas that I keep. Even writing that little bit will generally clear my mind. I know I can come back to it when I’m ready for it. If I find myself going back to it again and again, wanting to add just one more note, I know it’s not going to leave me alone until I do something about it. That can be a little frustrating because I can’t keep up with my brain and all it wants to write. It’s a feeling, a warmth, a love for an idea, and a hope that it can touch someone else as much as it has affected me. It’s the thoughts that take over my entire being and make me a happier, better person just for their presence that get written first.

How do you research your topics?

That gets a little bit sticky with the type of non-fiction I do. I like to keep a general idea of what my competition is doing but I also try not to look too closely. When I’ve got a topic I need to write out I let it simmer while I look toward the scriptures, the official church resources, and especially music to help me focus on what I want to express. Sometimes I sneak into my own ward’s Primary just to see what they’re up to. When I visit other places I itch to peek in on their Primaries as well. I get funny looks sometimes, but I’m a people watcher. Some of my best research is just sitting back and watching children and the adults that interact with them. I try to be very careful to stick close to the gospel and the guidelines of the Church while engaging the children’s interest. To me the feel and simple messages of a lesson are very important.

What type of writing schedule do you have?

Schedule? What schedule? Honestly, it varies from day to day. Some days I’m on the computer from 9-4 (while my children are away). However, I am by nature a night owl. Sometimes I take advantage of the fact that the house is empty and go back to bed after the morning rush. I may get in an hour or two while they're gone and sneak back to the key board after the rest of the world has gone to sleep and the voices in my head won’t let me go to sleep.

I do try to make sure that I write every day. I try to make sure I connect with every open project at least once a day. I take a notebook or my mini-computer with me anywhere I think I might be able to steal another moment. I even write on Sunday. I won’t work on my general or paying projects but because inspiration is such a great part of what I value about my writing, when I’ve been inspired by something from my Sunday meetings or my own gospel ponderings that day, I write it out. If it is a specific inspiration about how the Lord wants me to phrase or explain something, I write it down as it is given to me. I won’t push it though. If I write on Sunday I write because of specific inspiration.

How do you handle life interruptions?

As you can probably tell, I’m a pretty easy going person. I try to take life as it comes, although I have a sneaking suspicion it’s trying to dog pile me most days. It’s hard. I’ve learned that for me writing has to be a priority. My family is very understanding of that. When life gets too crazy they’re apt to check in with me and see if I’ve written anything that day. I’m very blessed that way. I screen all of my calls and have been known to ignore the doorbell as well. My biggest challenge comes at deadline time for the Primary curriculum. That’s a race in pure insanity! Essentially, I receive the outline from the Church and I generally have a grand total of 6 weeks (if I’m lucky) to go from nothing to done and awesome. During that time everything is an interruption and everything gets put on hold. Thank goodness for cable, husbands and the vitamin fortified cereal that my children have to eat three times a day.

What have you always dreamed of writing, but haven't yet?

Oh goodness. I think some of my best work has yet to be written. One that I hope to get to soon is a guide for leaders and teachers on how to work with special needs children. I have an autistic son and I know what a challenge it can be to know nothing about a child’s difficulties and still be expected to somehow inspire and lead them. My husband has also made me promise to write our story for him before he dies. That one I don’t think I’ll ever try to publish, but I do look forward to writing it someday.

What one thing do you like most about writing? Least?

The inspiration. The feeling of being loved by my Heavenly Father as I realize that I just wrote something that can bring tears to my own eyes or light into the eyes of someone else is just awesome. I love the creativity and the process of creation. I love who I am when I write. It’s still fun to see my name in print and see the looks on people’s faces when they say, “Wow, you wrote that?!” I don’t mind rejections as much as some writers do. To me, they’re just part of the package. It does bother me a bit more when I think it’s something powerful that I’m supposed to find a home for and I can’t. What I like the least is self-promotion. I’m not a very social person. It’s hard to put myself out there instead of hiding behind my book cover. I dream of the day when I can be that mysterious writer who makes tons of money but nobody really knows what they look like!

What is your next project?

I’m eagerly trying to finish my women’s fiction. The Prodigal Son, that I mentioned. After that is a fun book of motherly advice for Young Women. After that is the special needs book I mentioned. After that. . .

What is your advice for other writers?

As my friend James Dashner says: if you have a dream to write don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t. Work at it and amazing things can happen. If there is something you’re compelled to write there’s probably a reason. It may not be because it’s supposed to be published or make you rich and famous, but I can bet you’ll be a better person because you did. I’ve never met someone who said, “I should have never written that book.” I meet lots of people who say “I wish I could write a book.”

Tell us about your new books.

I thought you’d never ask! I have two new titles that just came out, both for Primary. The first came out in September. It’s called Sharing Through Primary Songs: I Am a Child of God. This is the Primary outline for 2008.



The other came out in October. It’s called Sharing Through Primary Songs: Special Occasions. This is for all those special days that crop up through the year. There are lessons for Christmas, Thanksgiving, Easter, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Pioneer Day and many others.

Both titles are available through area bookstores and directly from Cedar Fort. They come in three different options. The book, the book on cd-rom with colored illustrations, or a combination set with both the book and cd.

My Primary curriculum really does stand out above the competition. As I said earlier, I stick very closely to what the Church asks us to do. With Primary, that’s a bit different from what most people are used to. When I write a sharing time lesson I also write in the music time. They’re one complete whole, just as the general Primary board has asked us to do. Most people consider sharing time and singing time two separate events, but they’re not meant to be. We’ve been asked to mesh the two so that the childrens’ learning and the power of the Spirit is greater. Really, what do you remember more about Primary: the lesson or the music? Most other resources focus on lessons and music separately and you have to buy multiple books to get the material you need.

In my books you get two lessons for every month specifically focusing on the material from the Church outline. You get one that teaches the children how to sing the song for the month while also involving them in the message of that song. You get a second lesson that focuses on a specific principle and gives them lots of songs to sing that reinforce that gospel concept. I work on the philosophy that children have to hear the gospel, and then sing the gospel, then they’ll feel the gospel, then they’ll know the gospel. It’s an entire program focused on instilling testimonies in the children, not just entertaining them.

What other work of yours has been published?
Planting Seeds of Faith: Fun Character-building Activities for LDS Children, 2004, Horizon Publishers
Walking the Path of Faith: More Fun Character-building Activities for LDS Children
, 2004, Horizon Publishers (Horizon is now a division of Cedar Fort)
Sharing Through Song: I Will Follow God’s Plan for Me, 2004, Horizon Publishers
Sharing Through Song: I Will Trust in Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ—Their Promises Are Sure, 2005, Horizon Publishers
Sharing Through Primary Songs: I’ll Follow Him in Faith, 2006, Horizon Publishers

I also publish in the Friend and Ensign magazines occasionally, and write for a lot of other children’s magazines. I do a monthly family home evening lesson for Desert Saints Magazine and keep a lot of other technical writing projects on the fire as well!

Thank you for the interview, Alison.

Thanks for thinking of me! I've never had so much fun talking about myself!

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