This Month in Mormon Literature: June 2018

This month we have been enjoying the Mormon Lit Blitz, the Whitney Awards were announced, and the FanX controversy has roiled the Utah literary world. New books include George Handley’s eco-Mormon novel American Fork, Steven Peck’s collection of short stories Tales From Pleasant Grove, juvenile fantasy by Charlie Holmberg, Sara B. Larson, and Liesl Shurtliff, adult fantasy by Brian McClellan and Tyler Whitesides, and new romance novels by Sarah M. Eden, Melanie Jacobson, Jen Johnson, Josi Kilpack, Jennifer Moore, and Kasie West. There are new podcasts, including Derrick Clements’ Mosaic, and two new movies, Brittany Wiscombe’s feature film “In Emma’s Footsteps”, and Scott Christopherson’s documentary “The Insufferable Groo”.

News and blog posts

Finalists for the 7th Annual Mormon Lit Blitz are being posted in 28 May–9 June, according to the following schedule:

28 May: “Three Dogs in the Afterlife” by Luisa Perkins
29 May: “Scrubbing Jesus’ Toilets” Lehua Parker
30 May: “A Perfect Voice” Kathy Cowley
31 May: “New Rhythm” Tanya Player Hanamaikai
1 June: “Counsel” Faith Kershisnik
2 June: “After the Fast” Wm Morris
4 June: “Beneath a Visiting Moon” Lee Allred
5 June: “Still Clean” Sherry Work
6 June: “Proof That Sister Greeley Is a Witch (Even Though Mormons Don’t Believe in Witches)” by Wm Morris
7 June: “The Last Swing” Sheldon J. Lawrence
8 June: “Joseph and Emma Grow Old Together” Eric W Jepson
9 June: “Missionary Weekly Report for 28 March-3 April, Mumbai 1st Branch” by Mattathias Westwood

Audience voting for the Grand Prize Winner will take place June 11th-June 13th. This year, there will also be a judge’s choice award for a piece selected by Kylie Nielson Turley, a scholar of Mormon literature serving as a guest judge.

The 2017 Whitney Awards were presented at the Whitney Awards Gala on May 5, the closing event of the Storymakers Writing Conference, sponsored by the authors guild LDStorymakers. The awards were voted on by an academy of industry professionals, including authors, publishers, bookstore owners, distributors, critics, and others. Congratulations to all!

Novel of the Year, Adult Fiction: Safe House by Traci Hunter Abramson
Novel of the Year, Youth Fiction: The Hundredth Queen by Emily R. King
Best Novel by a Debut Author: The Hundredth Queen by Emily R. King
Outstanding Achievement Award: Robison Wells (Rob was the founder of the Whitney Awards in 2007)
Middle Grade: Paper Chains by Elaine Vickers
Young Adult General category: By Your Side by Kasie West
Young Adult Speculative: Ones and Zeroes by Dan Wells
Young Adult Fantasy: Blood Rose Rebellion by Rosalyn Eves
General Fiction: The Fattest Mormon by Tyson Abaroa
Historical Fiction: Condemn Me Not, by Heather B. Moore
Mystery/Suspense: Safe House by Traci Hunter Abramson
Romance: Lies Jane Austen Told Me by Julie Wright
Historical Romance: Love Remains by Sarah M. Eden
Speculative Fiction: The Fifth Doll by Charlie Holmberg

Wm Morris, the editor of the upcoming Issue of Irreantum, says that acceptance letters for the pieces have been sent out, and that he and his editors are preparing the pieces for publication.

AML president Theric Jepson has edited Served: A Missionary Comics Anthology. If features, among many others, contributions from AML Award-winning comics artists Brittany Long Olsen, Scott Hales, and Anthony Holden. A Kickstarter campaign, created by another contributor, Mike Laughed, was held from May 9 to June 8, with a goal of $10,000 to pay for the publication. They ended up getting 419 backers with $24,902 pledged. The anthology will be published later this year. There was also a Deseret News article about Laugheadand the anthology.

There has been a controversy about harassment issues at FanX, the annual Salt Lake Comics Convention, which will be held on Sept. 6-8 at the Salt Palace Convention Center.
May 8: “Utah author Richard Paul Evans among guests not invited back to FanX, as convention faces pressure to write anti-harassment policy” (Sean Means, Salt Lake Tribune)
May 21, A popular Utah author criticized FanX’s response to harassment complaints. It told her to ‘sit this one out’ and published her private email. (Rachel Piper and Sean Means, Salt Lake Tribune). About FanX’s response to Shannon Hale, which they had to apologize for.
May 22: Shannon Hale Complained About A Fan Convention’s Sexual Harassment Policy — And Their Initial Response Was Really Disturbing (Bustle).
A MESSAGE FROM BRYAN BRANDENBURG , one of the leaders of FanX, apologizing for his previous statements.
Shannon Hale’s take: My FanX craziness, annotated
May 25. FanX co-founder Bryan Brandenburg takes leave of absence after mishandling harassment complaints (Comics Beat).

Alex Caldiero is an Idiot: Performing the Chapbook. By Scott Abbott, 15 Bytes. An author profile of the Sonosopher/Poet.

In ‘Mother’s Milk,’ a young Mormon writer makes the idea of a Heavenly Mother feel as everyday as, well, writing poems while the kids nap (Ellen Fagg Weist, Salt Lake Tribune). Article about Rachel Hunt Teenblik. There was also a SLT Mormon Land podcast. Weist has done the most interesting culture/literature articles in the Tribune, but she was one of the reporters who were let go in a round of staff-cutting at the Tribune later in the month.

The BYU Undergraduate YA Novelist Conference, organized by Chris Crowe, was held May 14-18. It featured keynote speakers Shannon Hale, Ally Condie, Carol Lynch Williams, Kristen Chandler, and Allison Hymas.

The Writing and Illustrating for Young Readers Workshop, founded 19 years ago by Carol Lynch Williams and Chris Crowe, will be held June 11-15, at the American Preparatory Academy, in Draper, Utah. The keynote address will be given by Ann Cannon. Among the faculty are Heather Flaherty, from the Bent Agency, and editor Alyson Heller from Simon and Schuster, as well as authors Courtney Alameda, Stephanie Black, Sharlee Glenn, Heather B. Moore, J. Scott Savage, Ann Dee Ellis, Rosalyn Eves, McKelle George, Tricia Levenseller, Dene Low, Lisa Mangum, Elaine Vickers, Carol Lynch Williams, and others.

Talking Mormon Murder Mysteries with Mette Ivie Harrison. The Booklist Reader.

Podcasts

Derrick Clements’ new Mormon-themed podcast Mosaic has only produced three episodes so far, but it is clearly the best-produced Mormon-themed podcast to yet appear, and the content has been excellent. Derrick is an audio professional. He worked at Radiolab, the WNYC public radio/podcast producer, and it shows. He uses music, audio clips, interviews, actor-read quotes, and his own voice, to create a entertaining, thought-provoking work. His second episode, MORMONS + DISNEY = ❤, features an investigation of the connection between Disney and Mormons, including his own story of creating a BYU/Aladdin parody song at 19 years old. The story of the song going viral is funny and sad (he has the audio of being mocked for months by a pair of LA sports talk radio jocks). He also interviewed Rachel Hunt Steenblik about her poetry collection Mother’s Milk. The third episode, #MORMONMETOO PART 1: THE FIRST LAW OF HEAVEN, features a fascinating interview with McKenna Denson, who has claimed the MTC president, Joseph Bishop, raped her in a basement room when she was a missionary there in 1984. There is also an interview with Denson’s biological daughter Jessica Lowder.

The Cultural Hall Podcast has featured interviews with the creators of the new film In Emma’s Footsteps, and with Wallace Jeffs, the author of Destroying Their God, a memoir about being part of the FLDS Church.

Maxwell Institute/Faith Matters Foundation podcast of a conversation between George Handley and Terryl Givens about connecting with the divine through nature; about being a good steward of the earth; about the tragic death of his brother and the history of a river, and Handley’s new novel American Fork.

Short stories

Tales of Ruma. Azure Keep, May 8. Includes stories by D. J. Butler (“A God of Death”), Steve Diamond (“The Cost of Arrogance”), and Dave Farland (“Flying in Darkness”). Stories inspired by Greek and Roman mythology and a role-playing game.

Theric Jepson. “The Naked Woman”. In The Misbehaving Dead. Murder of Storytellers, Oct. 2017.

New books and their reviews

Sarah Alva. Everything She Wants. Covenant, April 2. Contemporary LDS romance. Debut novel. “Lucy Kappal can’t figure out why she doesn’t want to marry her sometimes-boyfriend, Charles. After all, he’s perfect on paper: a returned missionary, elders quorum president, a professor at BYU. Instead of giving Charles an answer to his unexpected marriage proposal, she boards the next flight to London only to fall at the feet of the handsome pilot. The encounter leaves her heart pounding in a way it never has with Charles, and she becomes even more smitten when she sees the pilot again at her hotel. Emerson James is in London to deposit the last of his mother’s ashes in Kensington Gardens. And after a fifteen-year absence, he is attempting to return to the Church as a way to find peace with his mother’s death. But the Church’s culture feels foreign, and he’s about to give up on ever becoming a “good Mormon” when he meets Lucy in the hotel lobby.”

Camille Biexei. Mother Tree and Fire Child. Self, March 10. Memoir. “With humor and insight into what it is to be human, the author tells the story of her first 18 years growing up in a patriarchal society and religion in the mountains of Utah, and Ohio and New Jersey. A poetic storyteller, she brings the reader through her journey of finding meaning in her life and discovering her own humanity, free of the constraints of her origins. It is not simply a coming of age story, but a tale of transformation.” Includes a description of growing up in dysfunctional Provo Mormon family. Looks like it is a post-Mormon memoir.

Marilyn Brown. Road to Covered Bridge. Walnut Springs, May. Historical fiction. The manuscript won a Utah State Fiction contest back in the 1990s.

Anna Jones Buttimore. Fields of Glory. Walnut Springs, March 27. World War II historical, set in England.
Jennie Hansen, 4 stars. “Buttimore does an excellent job of detailing the lives and prejudices of a small English village disrupted by the fears and tragedies of World War II. Her characters reveal a mixture of old world customs and mannerisms mixed with the realities of the early forties. The sisters are likable, strong, sometimes a bit naive, and well-suited to their time period. The setting reveals the author’s familiarity with rural England. It enhances rather interrupts the story. The author has taken care to avoid terminology confusing to American readers without diminishing the strongly British flavor of the story or the delightful beauty of her style. The novel unfolds in a satisfactory manner that captures the reader’s attention, but the ending is a little too abrupt and leaves the reader feeling like the story just stops rather than ending.”

Ann Edwards Cannon. I’ll Tell You What . . .King’s English Bookshop, May 15. Essays. “A selection of columns by Ann Edwards Cannon, Salt Lake Tribune columnist and part-time bookseller at The King’s English Bookshop in Salt Lake City, Utah. Topics include family, pets, philosophy, sports and travel, with a chapter dedicated to advice given to the author by her father, BYU football head coach LaVell Edwards.”

Sarah M. Eden. Loving Lieutenant Lancaster. Covenant, May 1. Regency romance. A companion novel to Seeking Persephone; Courting Miss Lancaster; and Romancing Daphne.
“Orphaned as a child, Arabella Hampton was the unwanted and unloved charge of a cruel aunt and neglectful uncle. The only light in her young life was the kindness of the Jonquil family, and she clung to the childish dream of someday living with them at Lampton Park. Now, years later, that opportunity is presented to Arabella in a most unexpected way: she is to be the lady’s companion to the dowager countess. As she takes up residence at the estate, the young woman soon finds that life at the Park is far more complicated than she imagined. The lines of her position are blurred, and she is neither family nor servant. So when the countess plans a grand house party, Arabella is content to hide in the shadows. But one gentleman sees her there.”

Bloggin’ ‘bout Books, B-. “Sarah M. Eden has become known for her warm, witty romances.  They’re clean, they’re fun, they’re sweet, and they’re enjoyable.  Her newest is no exception.  Featuring likable characters, a warm, upbeat tone, and capable prose, it’s as entertaining as its fellows. Because this novel brings together the casts of two of Eden’s Regency series, there are a lot of characters in Loving Lieutenant Lancaster.  Those who have read the previous novels will no doubt delight in seeing what’s become of their favorites; those who are not acquainted with all the Lancasters and Jonquils will likely be confused.  I, for one, had trouble keeping them all straight.  While their antics kept me reading, this novel definitely started to feel overly long.  Admittedly, I’m not a big romance reader.  When I do indulge, I prefer my love stories to be short and sweet, especially if there aren’t any subplots to keep me interested.  Despite those things, I still enjoyed this fun Regency romance.”

Richard Paul Evans.The Forgotten Road. Simon & Schuster, May 1. Inspirational. The Broken Road Series #2.

George B. Handley. American Fork. Roundfire, May 25. A shared love of the Utah landscape heals family wounds for two unlikely friends. Zacharias Harker is a brilliant botanist and an aging recluse. Haunted by his mistakes and living without his wife and daughter for the past twenty years, he hatches the idea to write his magnum opus, a book on the implications of climate change for humanity focused on the wildflowers of Utah’s Wasatch Mountains. Just prior to the tragedy of 9/11, he hires a young woman, Alba, to paint flowers for the book. Over the course of their unlikely friendship, Harker convinces Alba to return to Chile to learn the story, long hidden from her by her mother, of her father’s disappearance under Pinochet. Alba’s discovery of her family history and her experience listening to the stories of Chileans who have resisted a government ruled by fear inspire her return to Utah with renewed purpose. As America grows more distrusting of diversity, Alba commits her art to the protection of the environment and to a more inclusive meaning of family and belonging while she and her husband, John, strive to learn Harker’s hidden past and include him in their lives before it is too late. Rooted in the Mormon heritage of Utah but hemispheric in its reach, American Fork is a story of restoration and healing in the wake of loss and betrayal.

Sheldon Lawrence, Dialogue (forthcoming): “It’s difficult to know where to start in discussing a novel as thoughtful as American Fork. Politics, religion, belonging, family history, ecology, sense of place, the high costs of love and our dogged willingness to pay that price over and over again—these themes are not just touched upon but probed with sensitivity and skill . . . I don’t often get choked up when reading fiction, but by the end of American Fork I found myself blinking back tears to keep the page in focus. The final chapter indulges in no easy sentimentality, but the tenderness and authenticity of seeing flawed people loving one another imperfectly, turned my attention to my own wife and children. The book caused me to reflect on how much I need their forgiveness, and how fearful it is to love deeply when we know that at any moment, through accident or choice, love can turn to pain. Indeed, every moment of affection and vulnerability is juxtaposed with the threat of loss or rejection. And yet we sign-up, again and again, because nothing exists by itself, and as the novel beautifully illustrates, life only flourishes in the context of our relations to others. American Fork is a moving and thought-provoking work that makes a significant contribution to not only Mormon literature, but the literature of ecology and place in the American West.”

Teri Harman. A Thousand Sleepless Nights. Cedar Fort, May. “Magic realism romance”. Romance, with a touch of fantasy. After six years of marriage, and a tragedy, there is an “It’s a Wonderful Life”-type moment, where the wife says to the husband, “I wish I had never met you.” The two are then transformed into a world where they had never met.
Sheila, Goodreads (4 stars): “As soon as I started reading, A Thousand Sleepless Nights, I couldn’t get over what beautiful words had been written in this novel. This author paints a world, both dark and light with her words. There is so much feeling in what you’re reading. A perfect example is a paragraph found on the back of the book: ‘I sit beside you and I breathe more air. I look at you and I see a universe. I touch you and I connect with everything that has ever lived. I kiss you and I exist.’

This story hooked me from the beginning. I love how this story is told, chapter by chapter from either Henry or Matilda’s point of view. You were able to connect to both characters so much by having the novel written this way.”

Charlie N. Holmberg. The Plastic Magician. 47 North, May 15. Fantasy. Spin-off stand-alone novel from the Paper Magician trilogy.

PW: “Holmberg returns to the alternate 1905 of her Paper Magician trilogy in a tepid fantasy with elements of mystery and romance that stars a new heroine, apprentice plastic magician Alvie Brechenmacher. American Alvie is delighted to be apprenticed in London to Marion Praff, a leading Polymaker, or plastic magician. On her arrival in England, she is directed to the wrong train stop by Roscoe Ezzell, a Polymaker and rival of Magician Praff, but she is rescued by the handsome young Bennet Cooper. While volunteering at a local hospital, Alvie meets Ethel, an amputee, whose condition inspires Alvie to suggest to Praff that they work on a prosthetic hand for Ethel as their exhibit for the upcoming Discovery Convention. The light romance that develops between Alvie and Bennet, who happens to be Ethel’s brother, and the work on the prosthetic take up most of the pages, with hints at unscrupulous behavior by Ezzell only turning into something like excitement very late in the story. There are some intriguing ideas here, but the characters are rather two-dimensional and the story moves quite slowly.”

Melanie Jacobson. Perfect Set. Covenant, May 1. Contemporary romantic comedy. A sports reporter meets a professional beach volleyball player.

Bloggin’ ‘bout Books, B-. “The newest LDS rom-com from Jacobson sparkles with the author’s trademark warmth and wit.  All the things that Mel does so well are here—a fun, upbeat setting; smart, spunky characters; bright, humorous banter; and a sweet, swoony romance.  Add in a singles ward full of faithful new adults who do real things like watch sports on Sunday, drink Coke (gasp!), flirt shamelessly, judge each other unfairly, even stab each other in the back (figuratively, of course), and you’re pretty much guaranteed an entertaining read.  Perfect Set is certainly that.  Although I didn’t love Bree and Kade could have used a stronger personality, I definitely felt the chemistry between the couple.  Jacobson always delivers a satisfying HEA, so although the plot is predictable, it’s still exciting.  This isn’t my favorite Jacobson novel (that would be Southern Charmed), but Perfect Set remains a light, enjoyable romance, the kind of well-written fluff that’s made for beach reading and poolside indulging.  If you’re a fan of clean, engaging love stories, then you’re definitely going to want to dip in.

Jen Geigle Johnson. Scarlet. Covenant, May 1. Historical adventure/romance. Set in the French Revolution, featuring the Scarlett Pimpernel.

Mindy: 5 stars. “An exciting twist to a classic. I loved the switch of a female Pimpernel. Scarlet herself in an intriguing, fascinating character. I absolutely loved her. Matteo was a charismatic and charming leading man, I liked him instantly. All of the supporting characters were fabulous too. Scarlet is full of adventure, danger, romance, and it also gives you a history lesson about the French Revolution. There was a lot about it, I didn’t know. Of course, this is a fiction book but it’s obvious the author did her research. There are a lot of details that may be harder to stomach, but I appreciated the raw approach the author took to try to be as accurate as possible.”

Bloggin’ ‘bout Books, B. “I barely know anything about The Scarlet Pimpernel—the fictional hero of a series of novels penned by Baroness Orczy in the early 1900s—but I still enjoyed this “modern” twist on the classic tale.  The story stars a likable couple, whose exploits are marked by action/adventure, humor, and romance.  Scarlet makes a convincing heroine, although her antics definitely get far-fetched.  Although it deals with serious issues, overall Scarlet is a fun, enjoyable novel that is both entertaining and compelling.  At just over 200 pages, it’s quick, it’s clean (besides innuendo and some passionate kissing), and it’s captivating.  If you’re looking for a light, romantic tale, definitely give this one a try.”
Jennie Hansen, 3 stars. “Scarlet is filled with twists and intrigue, but may be overlooked by many action and suspense readers because the cover hints that the book is just another Regency romance novel. The story is actually set prior to the English Regency period (1793) during the French Revolution. The author has created likable characters readers will enjoy meeting. She uses dialog cleverly and well, sometimes sharp and witty, other times vain and silly, but always suitable for the scene. Careful research has gone into the various settings in both England and France as well as the ship used to cross the channel between the two countries. The crowded French city with garbage piled in the streets, demonstrators, bleak prisons, and Robespierre’s soldiers sudden raids contrasts sharply with the luxurious estate where Scarlet lives and the sumptuous balls hosted by Prince George back in England. Descriptions of beheadings and the inhumane prison treatment may be a little strong for some readers. Overall this is a story that will appeal to many readers. There’s plenty of action and intrigue along with a tender romance and a wealth of history.”

Josi S. Kilpack. Miss Wilton’s Waltz. Shadow Mounain, May 1. Regency romance. Sequel.
PW: “The jilted elder sister in Kilpack’s The Vicar’s Daughter becomes the heroine in this tender, satisfying Regency romance. After Lenora flees from her family home to Bath, she works hard to establish herself as someone other than the painfully shy and anxious musical daughter, always hiding behind the pianoforte. Determined to accept her lot as a single woman, Lenora finds employment as a music teacher in a school for young ladies, returning to her aunt’s for weekend social events. When Catherine, a particularly troublesome new student of Lenora’s, becomes her nemesis, Lenora falls into a conflicted relationship with the girl’s devoted uncle, Aiden, who will do anything to help his difficult niece—even blackmailing Lenora with his knowledge of her secret habit of taking late-night river walks while dressed in men’s clothing. Kilpack convincingly portrays the acting out of an angry, formerly neglected child, who causes such damage to Lenora’s psyche, reputation, and future hopes that she declares, “I hate that girl.” Lenora’s slow, arduous journey toward empathy, forgiveness, and love, with both niece and uncle, proves deeply rewarding.”

Kirkus: “Lives intertwined by circumstance are suddenly bound by love, and it will take courage to vanquish the fear, pride, and guilt that are blocking everyone’s happiness. Kilpack’s sequel to The Vicar’s Daughteris another quiet, character-driven romance that finds poignancy through complex conflicts while maintaining a more authentic tone and sensibility (including no sex) than many current historical romances. A sweet, engaging, graceful romance.”

Jennie Hansen, 4 stars. “Regency fans will enjoy characters that follow the standard profile of that genre’s format. Attention is given to clothes, hair styles, and manners and the social norms of that period’s upper class. Kilpack delves more deeply than most Regency authors into the hunger for independence in her female characters and their emotional growth. The setting for this story is pretty standard, but realistic down to giving just a hint of the differences between the classes. There are enough twists and surprises in the story to make the journey toward the expected conclusion an enjoyable journey.”

Sara B. Larson. Bright Burns the Night.Scholastic, May 29. Young adult fantasy. Sequel to Dark Breaks the Dawn. A duology, based on Swan Lake.

Kirkus: ”This fantasy adaptation of Tchaikovsky’s famous ballet “Swan Lake” opens with Queen Evelayn trapped in the form of a swan by her nemesis, King Lorcan of the Dark Kingdom, who 10 years earlier robbed her of her conduit stone. The kingdom is now in despair, menaced by an ancient force that Lorcan cannot control. He restores Evelayn to human form on the condition that she marry him, and she quickly realizes that nothing, including Lorcan, is exactly as it appears. The author does an excellent job of conveying Evelayn’s bewilderment at the world she finds herself forced into as well as the complexity of the choices she makes to save her kingdom. Her growing realization that as queen, she belongs to her people rather than to herself makes being a swan seem like the easier life. Romantic elements come through without sacrificing Evelayn’s strength of character. Lorcan and Evelayn become haunted souls whose family baggage makes shouldering the mantle of royalty and learning to form a bond of trust despite surface appearances that much harder. The tale makes readers question good and evil and teaches a sweet lesson about the redemption inherent in second chances. Evelayn is pale-skinned, and the characters have hair and eyes of many hues, including violet, red, and silver. A dark and exciting sequel that radiates girl power.”

Brian McClellan. Wrath of Empire. Orbit, May 15. Epic military fantasy. Gods of Blood and Power #2.

PW (Starred review): “In this terrific epic fantasy sequel to Sins of Empire, McClellan mixes quest, battle, and espionage plotlines with strong character development and a variety of magics. He does not provide any narrative assistance for new readers, such as a plot summary or cast of characters, but instead launches right in with Ka-Sedial, leader of the invading Dynize forces, tasking six preternatural dragonmen with killing Ben Styke, leader of the Mad Lancers. Ben, powder mage Gen. Vlora Flint, Taniel Two-Shot, the bone-eye sorceress Ka-poel, and their forces seek out the two remaining godstones across the vast continent of Fatrasta, hoping to destroy them before Ka-Sedial can use them to create a new god. In Landfall, the first Fatrastan city that the Dynize captured, Michel Bravis must find a woman he knows only as “Mara” and spirit her from the city on Taniel’s orders, even if that means infiltrating the Dynize occupiers. McClellan ably balances combat, ranging from fistfights and duels on up to pitched battles between armies, with the love, rage, loyalty, and soul-searching of individual characters. This is top-notch epic fantasy fare.”
Kirkus: “McClellan continues to add depth and richness to his characters and backdrop, swirls in some intriguing plot twists and complications, and sprinkles enough desperate fighting to satisfy the most insistently sanguineous readers. Possible cavils include excessive length, a dearth of truly jaw-dropping moments, and no claim to independent intelligibility—although many fans will account these as strengths. McClellan’s design and construction grow steadily more impressive with each fresh installment.”

Liesl Shurtliff. Grump: The (Fairly) True Tale of Snow White and the Seven Dwarves. Knopf, May 29. Middle Grade fairly tale fantasy.

New York Times Book Review: “Shurtliff writes the perfect middle-grade page-turners that fourth graders can gobble down on the plane, train and automobile trips ahead this summer. In Grump, the fourth installment of her fractured fairy tale series, she retrains the focus from Snow White onto the sagging shoulders of an outcast dwarf named Borlen. Grump, as he’s known by his underground crew, longs for a life above the mines. The premise is rich: How does one survive, let alone smile, in a world he feels desperately bound to leave? At 52 years old (a tween in a dwarf’s life cycle), Borlen is a worry to his parents and a whipping boy among his gem-crunching peers. The scenes of his marginalization are painful and true — always the pebble, never the geode in games of Pebble, Pebble, Geode. When he escapes to the forbidden Surface, and allies himself with Queen Elfrieda Veronika Ingrid Lenore (E.V.I.L.), Grump convinces himself he’s finally living his best life. But then his new bud starts kidnapping babies and demanding the murder of her stepdaughter, Snow White, and he’s back under a dark cloud. Shurtliff excels at turning familiar worlds on their heads. The underground dwarf culture is wonderfully realized, and Grump’s fascination with the Surface well drawn. She might have had more fun digging deeper and more consistently into Grump’s earned foul spirit. But her Snow White is fresh, a little snotty but highly capable, with far more grit than her Prince. Together, Grump and the Princess are a welcome reminder that heroes needn’t be perfect to get the job done.”

Kirkus: “Shurtliff continues her series of hilarious and heartfelt fairy-tale retellings . . . A rambunctious princess with snow-white skin, a poisoned apple, an enchanted sleep, and true love’s kiss—all the familiar elements are here, but not in the way readers might think. Lovable Borlen’s grumpy first-person narration explores themes of belonging, friendship, and doing the right thing. Sure to please fans of reimagined fairy tales.”
SLJ: “Shurtliff’s fourth fractured fairy tale boasts the same intricate world-building, expansive character development, and rich imagery as her other novels. By shining the spotlight on a seemingly secondary character, Shurtliff explores the theme of how we assign value to people: being different can make you either an outcast or someone special. The story moves at a fast pace and deftly balances lighthearted humor with emotional weight. Many readers will recognize the feelings of isolation and dread Borlen endures when he’s teased by groups of other dwarves. Fans of Disney’s fairy tales will enjoy the slow reveal of how Borlen’s crew syncs up with the movie dwarves as well as the subtle setup for a true tale of Rapunzel. VERDICT A recommended purchase and a sure hit for Shurtliff’s fans.”

RaeAnne Thayne. Never Too Late. Harlequin, May 29. Contemporary romance.

Steven Peck. Tales from Pleasant Grove. Self, May. Short stories. Blurb: “At times, however, in certain eras and epochs, the great astral typhoons bend toward the earth as they reinforce and leverage our planet’s own placid airy streams into new configurations and confrontations. Beware! Or, Rejoice! For impossibilities become certainties, and chance and necessity begin their awkward and riotous dance, the outcome of which no choreographer can presage . . . Steven L. Peck has created a breathtaking collection of short stories, harnessing the winds of a wild creativity with gale-force unpredictability. This book is a wonder and a marvel. The imaginative breadth and speculative depth available here brings to life dragons, fairies, witches, demons, and ghost, all set within a western landscape that in its own way proves just as amazing and other worldly as the fantastic elements at play within Peck’s work.”

Donald S. Smurthwaite. Sweet Mercy. Covenant, March 1. Historical.

Jennie Hansen, 4 stars. “The characters in this story are based on real people and will touch the hearts of readers. A portion of this novel was published earlier as a Christmas story under the title Sweet Merciful Christmas. The setting for the most part is realistic. Having family myself in that Buhl, Filer, Twin Falls area, I find the mountains are much farther away than the story indicates, but the rest of the references to the land and topography are accurate. The background of the Depression and War, the tiny two room school, the abject poverty of farm families, inadequate medical care, the clash with the banking industry, and the families who gave up and quietly slipped away in the night brings a poignancy to the story. Many of the hardships faced by farm families in the 20s, 30s, and 40s continued for farm families such as my own family throughout my own childhood. Some readers may be uncomfortable with the jumping back and forth of time periods, but the device does serve to invite readers to review their own past and carries the hardships of their great and grandparents into the hearts of today’s younger generation.”

Anita Stansfield. The Heart of Thorenwell. Covenant, June 1. Historical romance. “What should have been a grand adventure in Africa ends in heartbreak for Enid Hawthorne, following her husband’s untimely death. Bereft, the young widow bravely boards a ship for home with precious cargo—her unborn child. She hopes to find refuge in England in the only place she can—Thornewell Hall, the estate of her late husband’s family. But upon her arrival, she finds a bleak home in the depths of mourning. It is clear that hers is not the only tragedy, but Enid is unprepared for the hostility that meets her arrival.”

Kasie West. Listen to Your Heart. Point, May 29. YA romance.

SLJ: “Love is in the air and on the airwaves in this sweet romance. Still stinging from a breakup with her ex-boyfriend, introvert Kate Bailey must leave a summer job at her beloved lake where her parents manage a marina and return to school. There, she reluctantly takes a podcasting class with her best friend Alana, despite Kate’s fears that she won’t enjoy it. No one is more surprised than Kate when she inadvertently lands a role as cohost of the school’s podcast, doling out advice to anonymous callers. However, she soon realizes that helping others isn’t as awful as she’d feared, and she quickly collects fans of her snarky humor and tasteful advice. But when Alana’s good-looking crush, Diego, calls asking for love advice, Kate is suddenly confused and words of wisdom fail her. Kate and Diego have adorable chemistry. West delivers banter with plenty of sparks as Kate steps up to the mic. The character’s emotional growth will resonate with readers as she discovers courage and new confidence. There are no real surprises in the plot, but this novel still manages to be satisfying. VERDICT Give this to those who enjoy books with light romance and friendship, and to fans of Stephanie Perkins and Sarah Dessen.”
Kirkus: “West creates a slow but tender story about friendship and love.”

Tyler Whitesides. The Thousand Deaths of Ardor Benn. Orbit Books, May 15.Epic fantasy. The first in a series.

PW: “Making dragon droppings a vital resource is about the only original aspect of this overlong epic fantasy series debut. Ardor Benn is a roguish ruse artist straight out of central casting who gets what he wants through elaborate trickery. He began his career as a Harvester, responsible for collecting different varieties of magic grit, which is ground up from various source materials. His story follows a familiar arc: Ard is hired for a high-stakes job—the theft of the royal regalia from King Pethredote, ruler of the four islands of the Greater Chain—so that part of it can be fed to a dragon and transformed into a special grit. This caper naturally ends up having broader implications for Ard’s world. Unsurprisingly, and disappointingly, he’s paired with another cookie-cutter figure: Quarrah Khai, an accomplished thief who just happens to be a beautiful woman and extremely attracted to him. The setup for the score takes too much time, and Whitesides often pulls his punches, undermining the twists’ emotional impact. This doorstop fails to justify its length.”

Tor.com: “Tyler Whitesides has a background in writing for children, but The Thousand Deaths of Ardor Benn is his first novel for adults and his first epic-type fantasy. At 780 pages in the paperback, it’s certainly epic in length; and with a promise of a sequel to come… well, the days of the epic doorstopper have not yet, it seems, come to an end . . .  This is a fast, fun novel, with interesting quirks of worldbuilding. The real danger played by the Moon Passing, and the ecological role of the dragons, are pretty cool variants on the standard fantasy furniture. In heist-story terms, it is less absorbing and accomplished than comparable titles such as Scott Lynch’s The Lies of Locke Lamora or Red Seas Under Red Skies—Lynch is a better prose artist, and better at characterisation, as well as the moving pieces of heist plot—but it’s recognisably part of the same subgenre, with a sideline in epic fantasy stakes . . . I have the niggling feeling that Benn is a little bit of a Mary Sue. Things seem to come together easily for him, even when there’s good reason that they shouldn’t work out. I’m not saying I always want more angst and suffering in my reading—just that in this case, a less charmed life might make for a more engaging novel. On the whole, though, The Thousand Deaths of Ardor Benn is a pleasant diverting and playful piece of work. I read it in a couple of hours in one sitting, and I don’t want those hours of my life back.”

Reviews of older books

D. J. Butler. Witchy Winter (Locus). “War and winter are coming in this second vol­ume in the epic flintlock fantasy series begun in Witchy Eye, which introduced this fascinating alternate history of a world where magic is real, and has greatly changed the course of history. Re­ligions are fascinatingly altered, and the magic, from various cultures, is intriguing. Despite the changes, the sense of frontier adventure is famil­iar, and names remain, just tantalizingly changed: America is just the New World, where William Penn and Benjamin Franklin helped build an em­pire, and now their descendants are fighting for control. Very much a middle book, this sprawling volume follows various characters, spread out from New Orleans to Ohio and Philadelphia. Sarah Calhoun, now going by her rightful name Sarah Elytharias Penn, is heading for the First­born Kingdom of Cahokia to take her father’s throne, but of course it won’t be that easy, with the beastkind armies of Simon Sword attacking, the Empire’s agents working on the “Pacification” of the region, and other powerful Firstborn already vying for the throne. Elsewhere, conflict builds: New Orleans is caught in a power struggle, and Sarah’s sister Margaret appears briefly. In con­trast, Sarah’s brother Nathaniel Chapel becomes a major character in this volume. He’s unaware of his true identity and thought mad because of the voices he hears, but he gets some unexpected help from an Anisinaabe tribesman. The Emperor, Thomas Penn, finally takes the stage as well, not the fearsome monster he seemed from a distance, but bad enough in his calculatingly ruthless way. There’s a lot going on, with plots on plots and a huge cast, but there are some wonderful charac­ters and plenty of lively adventures to keep things fun and full of wonder.”

Ronda Gibb Hinrichsen. Unforgettable (Bloggin’ ‘bout Books) C. “Romantic suspense has never been my favorite, but there are definitely things I appreciate about the genre.  Like many of its fellows, itis a quick, clean read that shies away from graphic violence, language, and sensuality.  Although it deals with some disturbing subjects, overall its themes of hope, redemption, and love are what really shine through.  I also find the subject of Nazi-stolen art interesting, so I enjoyed that aspect of the story.  Unfortunately, Unforgettable also falls back on some of my least favorite genre staples—flat characters, insta-love, a far-fetched plot line, melodramatic prose, and contrived plot devices.  I didn’t feel much of a connection with Haley or any real sparks between her and Joshua.  Also, because we already know “whodunit,” there’s not a whole lot of suspense to keep the novel interesting.  These elements took away from the story for me, making it pretty meh for me overall.  Still, Unforgettable is an entertaining enough tale, as long as you don’t expect too much of it.  If you dig this genre, you might want to give it a chance.”

Lance Larsen. What the Body Knows (Lindsey Keller, 15 Bytes). “The epigraph to Lance Larsen’s new collection of prose poems is attributed to Paul of Tarsus: “Everywhere and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and suffer need” . . . Larsen is an experienced poet, and the musculature binding the collection is obvious . . . I think physical knowledge is the shining star of What the Body Knows. (This revelation surprised me somewhat, since Larsen as Professor tends to edge around discussions of poems containing topics intimate or carnal, often coyly proclaiming his pure-mindedness as justification. Not enough to say that the poet, former Poet Laureate of Utah, is a prude or moralist, but enough that the deeply sensual nature of this collection raised my eyebrows once or twice.) Of course, the mental and verbal play we have come to expect from modern poetry is anything but absent in these prose poems. In “Almanac of Sighs,” the very first poem in the collection, Larsen’s dexterity in this intellectual-linguistic mode of knowledge is on full display: “Arm chairs sighing, old cars and young mothers sighing, graves sighing both before they devour the dead and after,” capture the reader’s ear in the best way—not with a shout, but a whisper. The lines work as monuments against vain repetitions, the sighs of beets somehow never being the same as the sighs of crucifixes. This mastery of repetition and nuance extends to different ways of looking at scarecrows, water, and, in “Ladder Poem,” the metaphorizing of progress: “Clocks are a ladder we lean against tomorrow today. Lay a ladder over a chasm, you have a bridge.” If you further ladder Larsen’s technical skills, tonal regulation reigns in “Valentine Poem Written After Learning of a Tragic Mishap in a Local Cave,” in which the speaker loves his valentine “like the country rescue team using oils domestic and lubricants industrial, not to mention a portable winch, which also failed, breaking ribs and almost snapping [a] neck.” Somehow he wrangles catastrophe into deliberation of the fortitude required by, and resulting from, a union. And while form is a rung considered less often in the technique of prose poems, of note are the four Q&A poems, which are used to great effect to deliver anecdotes and delineate interrogations, and sometimes, to interrogate again. Nothing will be missing for the reader who picks up these pages wanting to fill out some of their gray matter. Larsen is clearly expert in and worshipper of the versatility of language. But like all good linguists, he is also quick to acknowledge the limits of knowing and communicating verbally . . . In an age when it feels so surprising to need to cling to reason like a lifeline, What the Body Knows brings a welcome respite, a welcome balance between component parts of us brain-heavy human beings. Don’t tip over, it says, with its physicality that welcomes the reader like a cradle. It is possible that those readers particularly susceptible to hypnosis, psychic transference, or abduction should beware lest Larsen’s work snatches them from their own bodies, lest they taste the pears and apricots he tastes, or see his old girlfriends in their dreams.”

Jennifer Moore. My Dearest Enemy (Jennie Hansen) 4 stars. “Emmett and Abigail are both strong, take charge characters portrayed well by the author. Readers will enjoy them as individuals and as they interact with others. Those with feminist leanings will be frustrated, along with Abigail, when her abilities are not taken seriously, though it is well known that a woman’s medical skills during that time period were thought to only extend to midwifery. Other characters are also well crafted and leave an indelible mark on the reader and we see weak, selfish men on both sides of the conflict as well as kind, caring individuals. The background and setting for the story are well-researched and there is a different angle to the picture we usually see of the War of 1812 than the usual as it is seen from the Canadian side of the battlefield. Scenes set in snowy, rough terrain and those inside prison add a dimension of reality to the story. The story’s greatest short coming is the rushed, abbreviated ending.”

Carol Lynch Williams. Never That Far (Bloggin’ ‘bout Books) B. “Set against a lush central Florida backdrop, Never That Far tells a poignant, powerful story about loss and love.  Libby’s heartbreak and yearning are so palpable that it’s impossible not to root for her happiness.  Her actions and reactions feel authentic, making her a very real character.  This, plus an atmospheric setting; a rich, mystical vibe; and some important messages about faith, family, and friendship, make Never That Far a compelling read.  I enjoyed it.”

FoxyJ’s March Reading Roundup (Whitney Award finalists):

The War I Finally Won by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley

Too often, sequels are disappointing because they simply cannot match up to the wonder of discovering a new world and new characters for the first time. This book, however, is the best kind of sequel, because it lets us return to the same world, to see the characters we love facing new situations and new opportunities for growth. I was glad to have an equally fabulous experience reading this book as I did the first one, and just as sad to see it end.

Love Remains by Sarah Eden

Although I was sometimes frustrated with this book because the initial conflict was based on misunderstandings and assumptions that could have been easily cleared up with a little more communication. However, I eventually grew to love the characters and understand the pain that led to their choices. I also love books like this that intertwine romance with personal growth, and hope to read more books about the people of Hope Springs.

Petticoat Spy by Carol Warburton

This book wasn’t terrible, but it was also not a very memorable read either. The protagonist is the stereotypical girl who is unusually educated and self-actualized for the time period, and who manages to fall in love with someone during one single encounter. The writing was fairly straightforward and the action well-paced, but it was not unique in anyway.

Havencross by Julie Daines

This book was another favorite (the historical romance category was particularly strong this year). I loved the Cornish setting, and the friendship between the two love interests. The book also added in some mystery and adventure, and was a great read.
Ruth by H.B. Moore
Moore’s scripture retellings are always favorites of mine, because she combines meticulous research in creating a realistic setting with fully-realized characters that are compelling to read about. This book was a lovely story about women and family, and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Outshine by Nichole Van

This book ended up being my favorite in the romance category–although I found it interesting that it was put in contemporary romance and not historical. After reading it, I could better understand the characterization, since the time travel aspect of the plot gives in a contemporary feel, in contrast to the historical setting. In addition to a fun plot, this book has great characters with unique personalities, and I hated to leave them behind when the book ended.

Lies Jane Austen Told Me by Julie Wright

First of all, this book has a great cover–it’s so well-designed and fits the story perfectly! As far as the book goes, I felt like it was a bit of a mixed bag. The conflict was confusing, though, because it seemed like it was mostly based on assumptions by the protagonist, and it was frustrating to see her keep going with them instead of really talking to people and clearing things up. The pacing was a little off as well, and the book bogged down a bit in the middle. However, it was mostly a fun read and I fell in love with Lucas by the end of it.

Brush With Love by Lisa McKendrick

This book really, really needs a second pass with a editor, both copy editing as well as clarifying some aspects of the story. I had a hard time following things because the formatting of quotations made it difficult to tell who was talking. Also, the story was confusing–for example, one character seemed to appear out of nowhere, and in another case, a conflict with a different character didn’t get resolved (and it was never clear why there was conflict in the first place. I think this story has a lot of possibilities, but it needs some more work first.

Mormon Girl Incognito by Kari Iroz

I had a hard time with Iroz’s first book last year and didn’t have high expectations for this one. However, surprisingly, this book was a lot better and I had a lot of fun reading it. First of all, the story had a clearer arc, as well as conflict and complications that were realistic (a few of which were surprising to find in a Mormon novel). Second, it was nice to read a romance about a couple trying to figure themselves out together, rather than one where the entire book was taken up by the pursuit of a relationship. This was still not my favorite book in the romance category, but was surprisingly fun.

That We Might be One by Tom Christofferson

I have read some criticisms of this book, and while I agree with them, I still think this is a valuable book and would recommend it to nearly anyone. I think it is important to take Tom’s intentions at face value–this is a memoir and not meant to be prescriptive in any way. There are aspects of his particular experience that will not fit the life experience of others, and do betray a certain kind of privilege. However, he is an excellent writer and has made a very important contribution, both to books about the gay Mormon experience specifically, and to Mormon memoir in general.

(From FoxyJ’s February roundup)

The Secret of the India Orchid by Nancy Campbell Allen

I decided to start this year’s Whitney Awards reading with this historical romance set in India. I liked the setting and both of the main characters, and that they had a mystery to solve in addition to figuring out their relationship. I had some issues with the pacing of the story and the fact that some of the supporting characters were not well-developed.

Wrong for You by Jenny Proctor

Jenny Proctor’s romance book was one of my favorites that I read for the Whitneys last year. Perhaps I was looking forward to this one too much, because it didn’t quite meet my expectations. I do like that Proctor sets her books among Mormons in North Carolina, without a lot of the conventional trappings of multi-generational Utah Mormon culture. I also liked all the characters in this book (and especially like the inclusion of some ethnic diversity), but the central conflict and actual relationship just didn’t work for me. The things keeping the characters apart could have been resolved rather easily and I just didn’t feel like the stakes were very high or that any of the characters grew or changed as much as they could have. It was not a bad book by any means, but not my favorite by Jenny Proctor.

Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought Spring 2018 book reviews are now available on the journal website. It includes reviews of Lisa Bickmore. Ephemerist, Rachel Hunt Steenblik. Mother’s Milk: Poems in Search of Heavenly Mother, R. A. Christmas. Saviors on Mt. Disneyland: New and Collected Poems, Steven L. Peck. Gilda Trillim: Shepherdess of Rats, The Mormon Arts Center. The Kimball Challenge at Fifty: Mormon Arts Center Essays, and Sandra Clark Jergensen and Shelah Mastny Miner, eds. Seasons of Change: Stories of Transition.

Film

In Emma’s Footsteps. June 1 in Utah theaters. Directed by Brittany Wiscombe, written by Wiscombe and John Engler. Produced by Wiscombe and Brian Brough (Wiscombe’s brother). Distributed by Candlelight Media (Brough’s company). A non-linear look at Emma Smith’s life after Joseph Smith’s death. Filming began briefly five years ago, but then was delayed after funding fell through.

Josh Terry, Deseret News review. 2 stars. “It’s an intriguing effort, and Moyer is solid and sympathetic in her portrayal of the prophet’s grieving widow. But “In Emma’s Footsteps” is too often undercut by its own execution. Sward’s performance as Lucy is strong — which is good since she is basically required to talk the audience through the entire film. Her heavy narration sets up each scene with an excess of exposition, even to the point that she frequently identifies the date of the scene she’s introducing. This wouldn’t be an issue if the film could put more of its action on screen, but most of the time, Emma’s scenes are little more than conversations that take place in the aftermath of significant events. “In Emma’s Footsteps” references several crucial moments in church history, such as the public debate where Brigham Young officially takes the mantle as the church’s next leader and the dramatic story of pioneers crossing a frozen Mississippi River in February 1847. But by sticking so strictly to Emma’s perspective, the film often feels more like a history lecture or a testimonial than a movie, and instead, we get lengthy scenes that unpack administrative controversies such as Emma’s attempt to take over Joseph’s estate. Part of this — a good part of it — can be attributed to the fact that “In Emma’s Footsteps” is clearly working on a limited budget; the mob, for example, is rarely shown as more than a pair of cartoonish miscreants. But there is still a heavy tendency to tell its story when Wiscombe’s film should, as a feature film, be showing it to us. And without a driving focus, too often the final product feels more like a sequence of anecdotal passages than a directed narrative. “In Emma’s Footsteps” is an interesting attempt to address one of LDS Church history’s lingering storylines, but its limitations in means and execution keep it well short of satisfying its potential.”

Deseret News feature story. The Cultural Hall Podcast interview with writer/director Wiscombe and actor Shona Kay Moyer. Daily Herald feature story.

Jane & Emma. Fall 2018. Chantelle Squires, director. Melissa Leilani Larson, writer. Jenn Lee Smith, Madeline Jorgenson, Tamu Smith and Zandra Vranes, producers. Excel Entertainment. About Emma Smith and Jane Manning James, set on June 28, 1844, the day after Joseph Smith was murdered atCarthage Jail. “Their joint story is told in flashbacks, including Jane’s conversion in Connecticut; their first meeting after the black woman, her son and other family members move to Nauvoo; and the Smiths’ warm welcome and treatment of them. It also tells of Emma’s struggles to cope with her devastating loss and self-doubt. Throughout the long night, the two examine issues of racism and polygamy, with Jane wondering whether the slain Mormon prophet’s promise to extend the ‘blessings of eternity’ to her has perished along with him.”

Salt Lake Tribune feature article by Peggy Fletcher Stack. Salt Lake Tribune Mormon Land newsletter about Jane & Emma and other black and Mormon issues.

These two films should not be confused with Emma Smith: My Story, a 2008 film directed by Gary Cook and T.C. Christensen, which was made in conjunction with the Church-produced Joseph Smith: The Prophet of the Restoration. It was also distributed by Candlelight Media.

Scott Christopherson (a BYU Theater and Media Arts professor) recently finished making The Insufferable Groo, a feature length documentary about a local oddball filmmaker, and BYU Grad, Stephen Groo. The film looks at Steve’s life after 20 years of filmmaking and 205 films, as he tries to make it big. He attempts to re-make his next big hit, an elf/human love story film titled The Unexpected Race.  Groo is a true American Do-it-Yourself film auteur. His eccentric style has gained him a loyal Hollywood fan base including Jared Hess, Jack Black, Jemaine Clement, and Mike White.  Because of his obsession with making films, Groo and his wife, Sherry, and their four children rely solely on his wife’s income, and he has never made a profit. The film follows Groo as he tries to woo and cast Jack Black as the sheriff in his film. With no permits, little money, and volunteer actors, Groo’s yearlong production encounters problems that threaten to shut it down daily. But finally, in a surreal moment,Jack Blackagrees to be in Groo’s movie. Groo drives to Los Angeles to film and direct Jack as he plays a small-town sheriff trying to take down the rogue elf in The Unexpected Race. But since the finish of his masterpiece, Groo finds himself still seeking for distribution and a chance to make it big.  On a broader level, the film explores the role of artist and the cost of pursuing one’s dream.  The Insufferable Groo was recently selected to the 2018 Sheffield Documentary Film Festival, in Sheffield, England. Indiewire calls Sheffield “one of the top dozen doc festivals in the world.” It is considered the UK’s biggest non-fiction film festival and the third largest international festival in the world. PBS lists Sheffield as one of 20 “top tier” film festivals in the world. Out of thousands of submissions, only 180 films are selected each year, and only a portion of those are feature length films. Of those thousands of films entered, only 35 are selected as world premieres. The Insufferable Groo was honored to be selected as a world premiere. Salt Lake Tribune feature story.

Sheffield Review.”The movie industry attracts more than its fair share of cockeyed dreamers but few are as dogged or delusional as Stephen Groo, the intrepid creator of dozens of jaw-droppingly awful micro-budget features. The Insufferable Groo charts his tireless efforts to remake his human/elf fantasy love story The Unexpected Race (2004) with a half-decent budget and a star cast. Groo is an easy target for ridicule, and director Scott Christopherson (Peace Officer) provides a fair amount of hilarity at his expense in a jaunty, jocular documentary complete with amusing animated sequences. He also tries to convince the sceptical viewer that Groo’s plucky efforts deserve to be taken seriously. The result is entertaining and intriguing up to a point but, like Groo’s films, a little of it goes a long way. There is still ample cult potential in a film that has similarities to American Movie (1999) and seems tailor-made for mirthful Midnight Madness viewing. Jared Hess (Napoleon Dynamite, etc) is one of the film’s producers and a champion of Groo’s work in which giddy, gung-ho enthusiasm attempts to triumph over the lack of any discernible filmmaking talent. A generous soul might feel that the likes of She-Hulk, Circle Of Fire: The Dark Lord and Challenge Of Faith fall into the so-bad-they-are-good category but from the ample clips on display they are just plain bad. Groo’s body of work makes Tommy Wiseau look like Tarkovsky as he shows little regard for continuity, coherence or convincing performances. The first irony in The Insufferable Groo is that it is based around the chapters in a 2005 Acting Workshop video in which Groo pontificates on the art and craft of acting. At the start of the documentary Groo claims to have made around 166 features, and Christopherson can’t resist poking fun with sarcastic subtitles that include “Groo Meets A Producer For The First Time”.

The conceited, staggeringly narcissistic Groo has a rock solid belief in himself, boasting of his ability to race through 146 shots in a day, improvise his way out of any corner and drive his crew and non-professional cast into the ground. You have to admire his unshakeable self regard and constantly expect him to declare: “I Am Groo!”. Your heart goes out to those around him. He is 40 years old, unemployed with four sons. It is his loyal wife Sherry who provides the only family income. They live rent free in her parents apartment with Groo entirely focused on his filmmaking.Christopherson’s attempts to understand Groo’s past and the forces that have shaped his personality tugs the film towards some interesting and potentially more serious material. That element is soon eclipsed, however, by the continuing saga of Groo’s battle to mount the new version of The Unexpected Race and snag Jack Black for his cast. Groo is a far from sympathetic figure at times, especially in his treatment of an unpaid cast and crew, and yet he commands a mystifying amount of loyalty. When Groo fan Jack Black comes on board for a day’s shooting, it is as if all his Christmases have come at once. Christopherson also seems to have fallen under his spell. He may mine the rich comic moments in Groo’s grand delusions but he winds up with a grudging affection for him. The rest of us may not be as readily convinced.”

Theater

Junction Town, a new musical play set in pioneer-era southern Alberta, will be performed June 11-16, as part of the Chautauqua Live event, at the Cardston Civic Center, in Cardston, Alberta. Script and lyrics by Jonathon Penny, music by Mark Mitchell.

Best Sellers

May 20, 27, June 3, 10, 17

Tara Westover. Educated
USA Today: #28, #35, #47, #54, #52 (15 weeks)
PW Hardcover Non-Fiction: #8, #9, #11, #12, #14 (15 weeks). 7374, 7687, 6148, 5890, 5811 units. 108,853 total.
NY Times Hardcover Non-Fiction: #5, #5, #8, #11, #10 (15 weeks)

Christene Feehan. Shadow Keeper
USA Today: x, x, x, x, #3 (1 week)
PW Mass Market: x, x, x, x, #1 (1 week). 21,687 units.
NY Times Combined Print and Ebook: x, x, x, x, #3 (1 week)

Richard Paul Evans. The Forgotten Road
USA Today: #27, x, x, x, x (1 week)
PW Hardcover Fiction: #4, #15, #21, #24, x (4 weeks). 9839, 5019, 2931, 2377 units.      20,166 total.
NY Times Hardcover: #6, x, x, x, x (1 week)

Shannon Hale. The Princess in Black and the Mysterious Playmate
PW Children’s Frontlist: x, #6, x, x, x (1 week). 3876 units
NY Times Children’s Series: x, #7, x, x, x (11 weeks)

RaeAnne Thayne. Never Too Late
USA Today: x, x, x, x, #141 (1 week)
PW Mass Market: x, x, x, x, #24 (1 week). 5476 units.

Featured photo by Cindy Bonfini-Hotlosz