Moderator Note: Apologies for “stepping” on Kathryn’s day, but we wanted to make sure this announcement got out in a timely fashion. Lots going on in Mormon letters right now!
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“We must read, and think, and feel, and pray, and then bring forth our thoughts, and polish and preserve them. This will make literature.”—Orson F. Whitney
Fifty years ago, most schools taught that making literature was a matter of combining great language and universal human values. Since then, millions of readers have decided that context also counts: that it’s nice to get our grand human dilemmas through the lens of very specific cultures with their unique values, traditions, tensions.
From February 15th to February 29th, Mormon Artist magazine will begin hosting the Mormon Lit Blitz, an online literary contest organized by James Goldberg and Scott Hales. We believe that Mormon experience is rich enough to inspire engaging poems, stories, and essays—and are ready to offer thirteen pieces as proof.
The format of the contest is simple. Beginning on February 15th, the Mormon Artist blog will post one short story, poem, or personal essay a day for the rest of the month (except on Sundays). At the end of the contest, readers will be encouraged to vote for the pieces they like best, and the author of the winning piece will be awarded a Kindle loaded with works of Mormon literature.
The thirteen pieces featured in the contest were selected from almost two hundred entries from four different countries. They were written to appeal broadly to Latter-day Saint audiences, particularly committed members of the Church. However, the judges were careful to select artistic works that avoided the cheesiness and preachiness that people often associate with Mormon literature.
We hope you will enjoy the Mormon Lit Blitz. Please support the finalists by reading their work and voting for your favorites.
Contest Schedule:
2/15 “In Bulk” by Marilyn Nielson
2/16 “The Elder Who Wouldn’t Stop” by Wm Morris
2/17 “No Substitute for Chocolate” by Jeanna Mason Stay
2/18 “Second Coming” by Emily Harris Adams
2/20 “The Road Not Taken” by Sandra Tayler
2/21 “Stillborn” by Merrijane Rice
2/22 “Oil of Gladness” by Kathyrn Lynard Soper
2/23 “The Shoe App” by Emily Debenham
2/24 “Cada Regalo Perfecto” by Deja Earley
2/25 “The Gloaming” by Kerry Spencer
2/27 “Babel” by Jonathon Penny
2/28 “The Hearts of the Fathers” by Jeanine Bee
2/29 “Red Rock” by Marianne Hales Harding
You can stay updated on the Mormon Lit Blitz by liking it on Facebook (here), following it on Twitter (here), and/or subscribing to the Mormon Artist blog (here).
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I know I’m excited.
We need a “like” button.
The only “like button” plugins I can find are Facebook buttons, and I’m not sure what that means.
If someone knows of a like button plugin for WordPress, please let me know, though I wonder if it wouldn’t attract a lot of spamming “likes.” (You probably wouldn’t believe how much spam I have to delete every day on this blog.)
I’m so impressed with how you’ve rolled this out, Scott and James. I plan to plug the link to each day’s entry in my Facebook feed–perhaps our friends who don’t read Mormon lit at all will click through. Of course, that’s the point of the whole Lit Blitz, of course! But we all need to do our part by posting links and getting the ball rolling.
Anyway, thank you for all the time & heard you’ve poured into this project. Thank you, thank you, thank you. I’m excited.
*Heart. Not heard. Sigh.
But this gives me one more chance to say it again: thank you.
I can hardly wait!!!! 🙂