This Month in Mormon Literature, July 2016

We mourn the loss of former AML President Linda Hunter Adams. Michael Allred won an Eisner Award, and Theric and Trevor spoke about Mormons and comics at San Diego ComicCon International. Vault Books, a new specialty publisher, has opened its doors. Boadicea the Mormon Wife, the second critical edition in the “Mormon Image in Literature” series, has been released. Mirror Press, an independent publisher run by Mormons, got a book on the USA Today bestseller list. Michael Collings and Colin Douglas released new poetry collections. Please send any announcements or corrections to mormonlit AT gmail DOT com.

News and blog posts

Linda Hunter Adams passed away on July 17, at the age of 75. Her obituary reads: “An associate professor at BYU for 30 years, Linda taught English and editing, and influenced thousands of students. She was director of the Humanities Publications Center, where she produced hundreds of books and journals. She was associate editor of BYU Studies for 15 years. She managed student journals, including Inscape and The Leading Edge, and helped organize conferences, including Life, the Universe, and Everything. She was an editor for Pioneer Magazine and also spent a number of years working on the Joseph Smith Papers.”

Linda’s BYU faculty bio reads: “Mrs. Adams has been an editor with the church publications and for Peregrine Smith, a national trade book publisher. She has worked on projects with Deseret Book, Bookcraft, Aspen, and numerous university and commercial presses. She is editor of Encyclia (the journal for the Utah Academy of Science, Arts, and Letters), managing editor for Literature and Belief, production editor for The Journal of the Rocky Mountain Medieval and Renaissance Association, editor of the Benson Institute Review, and former associate editor of BYU Studies. Linda Hunter Adams has taken the Stanford Publishing Course. She received her B.A. and M.A. from Brigham Young University, minoring in journalism and majoring in English. Focusing on Victorian literature, she centered her work around Thomas Hardy.”

Linda served as AML President in 2006-2007. Her final book was Let Your Hearts and Minds Expand: Reflections on Faith, Reason, Charity, and Beauty, a collection of writings by Thomas F. Rogers, which she co-edited with Jonathan Langford. Jonathan talks about working with Linda Hunter Adams in A Labor of Love: Editing Let Your Hearts and Minds Expand, by Tom Rogers (A Motley Vision). Funeral services will be held on July 23.

This weekend is the San Diego Comic Con International. Among the events is the panel Mormons in Comics, featuring Theric Jepson (Monsters & Mormons, Redneck Eldritch) who gave a history of Mormon writers and artists who have created comics over the past 100 years, and Trevor Alvord (curator of contemporary Mormonism at the Harold B Lee Library, Brigham Young University) who discussed how librarians/archivists can leverage comic art in their collections, and shared the art he has commissioned at cons around the world by saying to artists: Draw what you think when I say “Mormon” (July 22). Others who are participating in the conference include Michael Allred, Laura Allred, Tyler Kirkham, Ryan Ottley, Jed Henry, Courtney Alameda, Dan Wells, Lauren Skidmore, and Matthew Kirby.

Michael Allred won a Single Issue/One Shot Eisner Award for Silver Surfer #11: “Never After,” (Marvel, with Dan Slott), on Friday at the ComicCon. Michael was also a nominee for three others awards. Laura Allred and Noah Van Sciver were also nominees for one award each. Other nominations were: Best Continuing Series: Silver Surfer, by Dan Slott and Michael Allred (Marvel). Best Penciller/Inker or Penciller/Inker Team: Michael Allred, Silver Surfer (Marvel); Art Ops (Vertigo/DC). Best Coloring: Laura Allred, Lady Killer (Dark Horse); Silver Surfer (Marvel); Art OPS (Vertigo/DC). Best Writer/Artist: Noah Van Sciver, Fante Bukowski, Saint Cole (Fantagraphics).

Vault Books, a new specialty publishing house, announced its creation this week. The principles behind it are Steve Diamond and Peter Orullian. On its webpage it says, “Our publishing program creates limited editions of new and existing works by some of the most noted writers of speculative fiction. We’re incredibly proud to publish some of the best writers working today, including Brandon Sanderson, Dan Wells, Mercedes Murdock Yardley, Mark Lawrence, Carol Berg, Kate Elliot, and many others.” Among the works they will publish will be Snapshot a new novella by Brandon Sanderson, which will be published in February 2017.

It All Started with Boadicea: The Birth of Anti-Mormon Stereotypes in Literature. Michael Austin and Ardis E. Parshall, Meridian Magazine. Introduces the 1855 anti-Mormon novel, Boadicea the Mormon Wife: Life Scenes in Utah, which was released this month as the second volume of the “Mormon Image in Literature” Series. “Boadicea a completely unrealistic, sensational, and easily refutable picture of Mormon life in Utah. From it, we learn nothing important about polygamy, the Mormon settlement, the structure of the early Church, or the daily lives of the Saints. It is anti-Mormon literature at its worst. Why, then, are we going to all the effort to annotate and republish it as part of a new book series? We are doing all of this because Boadicea, though wildly inaccurate, was extremely influential . . . Orton also knew that he had to make his books easier to read than other books. He was marketing to an audience that was not used to reading for fun. That meant that his books had to offer the literary version of instant and intense gratification. They had to have lots of pictures, exciting plots, less narrative description, and, above all, lots of sex and violence. And they could have none of the annoying subtlety that afflicted books aimed at a more educated elite . . . Our goal in the “Mormon Image in Literature” series will be to document—with carefully annotated critical editions—the development of the literary tropes and narrative conventions that have defined Mormonism for a huge segment of the English-speaking world. This will include tracing the unfair negative stereotypes that emerge in works like Boadicea.”

Zion, Utopias and being politically agnostic artists (William Morris, A Motley Vision). “Zion should be this pulsating hope inside us that repels other ideologies from burrowing all the way through to our inner core worldview and artistic themes and concerns.”

The 2016 Evans Book Awards go to portrayal of Southern Utah landscapist and a tale of two Wild West imposters. The Evans Book Awards are designed to encourage fine writing about the people who have helped shape the growth and character of the Interior West. The awards are administered by the Mountain West Center for Regional Studies at Utah State University. Angela Pulley Hudson received the Evans Biography Award for Real Native Genius: How an Ex-Slave and a White Mormon Became Famous Indians (University of North Carolina Press). Hudson is an associate professor of history at Texas A&M University who specializes in American Indian history. James M. Aton won the Evans Handcart Award for his coffee table-sized, photograph-rich book, The Art and Times of Jimmie Jones: Landscape Artist of the Canyon Country (Gibbs Smith). Aton is an English professor at Southern Utah University in Cedar City and author of several books on Utah and the West. The 2016 awards, announced this week by Patricia Lambert, director of the Mountain West Center, were open to books published in 2015 whose authors or subjects are part of “Mormon Country,” that region historically influenced by Mormon institutions and social practices. The Evans Biography Award carries a cash prize of $10,000, while the Evans Handcart Award includes a prize of $2,500. Hudson’s “Real Native Genius” is “a truly unique and engaging biography,” said Lambert. Hudson examines popular beliefs about American Indian culture in the mid-19th century through the stories of an unlikely couple, Okah Tubbee, an ex-slave, and his wife Laah Ceil, a white Mormon convert. The two pose as Native Americans in performances of “Indianness” that take them “across the country and into the very heart of the early Mormon Church,” said Lambert. Jury members commented that “the book offers compelling ways to think about the complex culture and transformative and creative dimensions of the American West, particularly with regard to issues of identity and defining communities.” The two authors will be recognized Oct. 28 at a ceremony and book-signing to which the public is invited. For here for more information on the awards and lists of previous winners. Deadline for submissions for the 2017 Evans Awards is Feb. 22, 2017.

Stephenie Meyer’s next book, the thriller The Chemist, will be published on Nov. 15. The Chemist introduces a former secret agent forced to go on the run, hiding from members of the government who fear she knows too much.

Magazines and short stories

BYU Magazine, Summer 2016. Includes the articles: Melissa Dalton-Bradford. “Strangers no More,” about her work with refugees in Germany, and Elder Larry Y. Wilson, “The Return of the King,“ about the religious themes in the works of C. S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien.

Larry Correia and Jonathan Maberry. “Weaponized Hell”. In the anthology Urban Allies. Harper Voyager, July 26. The anthology brings together 10 sets of paired authors, who jointly write a story featuring their characters from a urban fantasy series. Correia brings Agent Franks from the Monster Hunters International series, and Jonathan Maberry brings Joe Ledger.

Ardis Parshall at Keepapitchinin’ continues to post short stories published in past Church magazines. Here are two of her most recent selections: “The Same Mistake Twice”, by Gary L. Kissler. From the Relief Society Magazine, February 1963. “Cuthbert Tells the Truth”, by Estelle Webb Thomas. From the Improvement Era, November 1933.

New Books and their Reviews

Alfreda Eva Bell (Arthur R. Orton). Michael Austin and Ardis E. Parshall, editors Boadicea, the Mormon Wife: Life Scenes in Utah. Greg Kofford Books, July 12. Critical edition of an anti-Mormon crime novel, first published in 1855. The second volume in the “Mormon Image in Literature” Series. “[It] belongs to a sub-genre of crime fiction that flourished in the Eastern United States during the 1850s. Boadicea has become increasingly important to scholars of Mormonism because it gives us a glimpse of the Mormon image in literature immediately after the Church’s public acknowledgement of plural marriage. Over the next half century, this image would be sharpened and refined by writers with different rhetorical goals: to end polygamy, to attack Mormon theology, or just to tell a highly entertaining adventure story. In Boadicea, though, we see these tropes in their infancy, through a prolific author working at break-neck speed to imagine the lives of a strange people for readers willing to pay the “extremely low price of 15 cents” for the privilege of being amazed by stories of polygyny and polyandry, along with generous helpings of adultery, seduction, kidnapping, and no fewer than fourteen untimely but spectacular deaths.”

Michael Collings. Corona Obscura: Poems Dark and Elemental. Self, July 14. Horror/speculative poetry. “Sonnets like you’ve never experienced before! Condensed… Expanded … Exploded. Leading you deeper and deeper into a never-ending circle of darkness, terror, and horror. In Corona Obscura, Collings “has created some strange word alchemy that touched me on a cellular level, making me smile, building excitement in my gut as I traveled from one poem to the next. Each piece uncovered another part of the dark, elemental dimensions traveled; each ending line, like a breath held then released as a new beginning for the next poem.”—Linda Addison, multiple Bram Stoker Award winner for poetry.”

Colin B Douglas. Division by Zero. Waking Tiger Press, July 9. Poetry. “Division by Zero is Colin Douglas’s third collection of poetry, a curious, enlightening, and disturbing blend of striking imagery, intense spirituality, and subtle eroticism.”

M. R. Durbin. Beyond the Narrows. Covenant, July 1. Suspense/thriller. “After being the subject of an explosive assassination attempt, Obie Begay, a retired Navajo archaeologist, finds himself in the middle of the hunt for an ancient record—the personal journal of a Spanish Templar leading to a legendary treasure.” Second novel.

Carolyn Twede Frank. Trapped in East Germany. Covenant, July 1. LDS historical fiction. A German LDS family struggles to survive in wartime Berlin and Dresden and violent post-war East Germany.

Katie W., Goodreads. 4 stars. “I enjoyed reading things from a different prospective and found this book to be educational, in a way. The pacing seems to cover events in a realistic way and the characters are great, although there’s not a lot of depth to them. I would have liked to dive deeper into their thoughts and feelings about the events, but as it is through a young child’s eyes, that just wasn’t possible.”

Joni Hilton. Golden. Scrivener, June 29. LDS general/family. A new bishop and his family lead the ward in renovating a spooky old retirement home.

Jennie Hansen, Meridian Magazine. 5 stars. “Readers will fall in love with the characters in this story. Their doubts and fears are the type most of us struggle with. Each of the Watersons is a distinct personality with flaws, strengths, and personality quirks that make them realistic. Ethan and Jan’s interaction with each other and with their children strengthen the story. The residents of the senior facility are a great cross section of the elderly. Like people anywhere at any age they have likes and dislikes, they argue, they support each other. They also have memories they hold dear. They hold life dear too, and aren’t through living. Some are in wheelchairs and some rely on canes, but all are fiercely independent. Hilton includes many humorous situations and clever lines, but there is a serious side underlying the humor. The story acknowledges the regrets most of us have and the insecurities we feel in certain situations, but it allows her characters to grow and better understand the atonement. She shows how weaknesses can become strengths, mistakes can be overcome, the power of forgiveness, and shows how in helping others we also help ourselves become stronger and better. As the Witch House is transformed from a place no one wants to enter to a golden opportunity desired by almost everyone, a similar transformation takes place in the hearts of those who take part in the project. Being elderly doesn’t keep the residents who decide to be baptized from becoming pioneers, the first members of the Church in their families. The author manages all this cleverly with a fun story and no preaching.”

Maria Hoagland. The (Re)Model Marriage. Red Leaves Press, March 29. Family/women’s novel. “From the outside, Kirk and Jamie appear to have a beautiful home and the perfect marriage. Inside, the aging Craftsman is falling apart, their marriage is crumbling from neglect, and Jamie Royce wants out! Kirk, on the other hand, isn’t ready to give up on either the house or their relationship.”

Jennie Hansen (Meridian Magazine) 3 stars. “The plot is simple and predictable, but holds the reader’s interest. It’s a different approach to revitalizing a marriage that has gone stale with time and a lack of attention. They discover the damage twenty-four years of neglect as done to their house and to their marriage. Readers looking for something a little different, and especially those who enjoy the home makeover shows on TV won’t want to miss this one.”

Sheila, Goodreads. 4 stars. “This novel was a fast read and has characters that your heart will ache and cheer for from the beginning. It’s well written and will make you think about your own life, marriage, and family. The author doesn’t shy away from real life happenings, but this adds to the authenticity of the plot. This women’s fiction/romance is one you will want to put on your reading list for your Spring reading.”

Kari Iroz. A Date with Danger. Covenant, June 1. LDS suspense. Debut novel. “She just wanted to shake up her love life. Jacklyn Wyatt is the typical twenty-five-year-old living the typical Provo single life with the typical bad luck—at least until the FBI recruits her for a completely different type of dating. A young woman has gone missing, and all signs point to her online dating profile as the kidnapper’s operating ground. But when suspects who crossed paths with the missing girl begin contacting Jack, the FBI sees its opportunity for an inside man—er, woman. Now Jack will have to play the field, dating each of the men in an attempt to weed out the kidnapper. But with such an unusual array of characters vying for her attention, pinpointing the culprit may prove even harder than finding Mr. Right.”

Bloggin’ ‘bout Books. B-. “LDS romantic suspense does not top my list of favorite genres . . . Too often, they’re not just ridiculously far-fetched but terribly written as well. Biased as I am, I wasn’t expecting a whole lot from A Date With Danger. The generic Sandra Bullock-y cover didn’t bode well for what was inside. And yet, I was pleasantly surprised by the story. Not because the tale is super realistic (it isn’t) but because it’s light, funny, and more entertaining than I expected it to be. The novel doesn’t take itself too seriously—it’s more rom-com than mystery/thriller. Unapologetic about it, too. I liked that as well as the lighthearted fun-poking at LDS dating culture. These things make the novel entertaining, even when Jack and her adventures get a little too absurd. Sure, I saw the big reveal coming from several miles away, but still, A Date With Danger remained a fun, satisfying read throughout. To my great surprise, I quite enjoyed it.”

Bonnie, Goodreads. 4 stars. “I had mixed feelings about this book. The first chapter was hilarious. I was laughing and smiling and couldn’t wait for the next chapter. From there I felt like Jack almost had a split personality for a little while. She jumped through emotions and thought processes in a way I couldn’t follow. However, by the middle of the book I was sucked in and loved the rest of it. Once Jack settled into one personality things fell into place and I enjoyed her story. I loved the banter between Jack and Damon. There were good clues scattered throughout the book in a way that you didn’t realize it was a clue until the end. It is a good read once you get past the first little bit. It’s a clean read that I can recommend to anyone who loves suspense, mystery novels with a dash of romance.”

Andrea, Goodreads. 5 stars. “I have not laughed out loud so hard for as long as I can remember. This book was seriously hilarious. My daughter was concerned, and it was hard to stop laughing long enough to read some funny parts to her. Quite a few of the laughs may have come from situations stemming from LDS culture, but I think those not familiar with the culture would still be entertained . . . I liked the characters, and the regular citizen being pulled into helping the FBI made for such a fun story. There were intense moments broken up with great laughs. The online dating scene added so much to this story. I can’t wait to read it again.”

Katie W, Goodreads. 4 stars. “It starts out as your typical LDS fluff fiction, but quickly takes an interesting turn . . . This story ranges from serious to scary to fun to silly and I enjoyed each and every date, as I , along with Jack and Damon, tried to figure out who the villain is and why. This is a fun and entertaining journey and I was left guessing until the end. Things wrapped up a little too quickly for me, and not just with figuring out the “who-done-it.” There are some issues that each character is dealing with and the resolution is fast.”

Laurie (L. C.) Lewis. The Dragons of Alsace Farm. Willowsport Press, July 1. Contemporary romance/family issues. Fear, secrets, and healing on a ramshackle farm of a French WWII survivor with dementia.

Braden Bell, Goodreads. 5 stars. “I have to say that I’ve loved past books written by Laurie Lewis. But this one stood out to me in a powerful way. I received a copy in exchange for an honest review, and I was unprepared to be drawn in quite so quickly. This is a poignant book about families and secrets, about terrible hurts and healing. It was full of very real characters who had strengths and human weakness. I think this is perhaps what struck me most about the book–it is a story about the human spirit, even when that spirit has been beaten or neglected or is housed in a decaying mind. The book shows that even very good people can make big mistakes, and that the difference between a good and bad person might not be the fact that they make mistakes, but rather, whether they work to fix and heal those mistakes. This is not necessarily a light, easy read, but it is gloriously redemptive and healing.”

Brenda Novak. The Secrets She Kept. Mira, July 26. Romantic suspense. Fairham Island #2.

Brandon Sanderson. White Sand. Dynamite Entertainment, June 28. Comic book science fiction. First of three volumes. Rik Hoskin led the adaption team. Sanderson: “This is a book I wrote around the same time as Elantris—which I thought was good, but it didn’t ever sell. It needed a solid revision before I could send it out, and there were so many things I had to work on that the revision kept getting delayed. When the comic book company Dynamite Entertainment came along a few years ago asking if I had anything that would make a good graphic novel, it seemed the perfect opportunity to make use of White Sand.” Synopsis: “On the planet of Taldain, the legendary Sand Masters harness arcane powers to manipulate sand in spectacular ways. But when they are slaughtered in a sinister conspiracy, the weakest of their number, Kenton, believes himself to be the only survivor. With enemies closing in on all sides, Kenton forges an unlikely partnership with Khriss—a mysterious Darksider who hides secrets of her own.”

Regina Sirois. The Truth about Fragile Things. Amazon, June 26. YA general. “17-year-old Megan is alive only because a stranger died to save her when she was a toddler. Fifteen years later she finds herself in the same high school as that heroic man’s daughter. Plagued with guilt and resentment, Megan and Charlotte make an uneasy truce as they join forces to complete the bucket list of the man who made both of their lives possible.”

Bonnie, Goodreads (5 stars): “Wow! I loved this book. The opening lines had me captivated and almost forced me to turn the page. I was sucked in and couldn’t but it down until it was over . . .The descriptive language wove the scenery, mood, and story together. The ending was hard to swallow, only because I almost wanted it to go a different way but as the story marinated, it ended exactly as it should have. This is a fantastic read that had me thinking of life in a different light. I would highly recommend it to anyone.”

Anita Stansfield. The Heir of Brownlie Manor. Covenant, July 1. Regency romance. “After a medical discharge from his duties in the Napoleonic War, Thomas Quincy Fitzbatten has returned home. Disoriented, burdened by guilt for his wealth, and disillusioned with life’s injustices, Thomas longs for a chance to make a difference in the world. But he keeps himself a mystery to those around him, and another motive for his charity gnaws at the back of his mind: to seek redemption from the traumatic demons of war.” He meets a woman with secrets of her own.

RaeAnne Thayne. Riverbed Road. HQN (Harlequin), June 21. Haven Point #4. Contemporary romance.

Ilima Todd. Resist. Shadow Mountain, July 5. YA dystopian. Remake #2. A healer falls in love with a captured rebel. He must choose: Freedom and its easy pleasures, or a life that is truly free but full of hardships and sacrifice.

Kirkus: “After surviving a harrowing accident with his beloved Nine, Theron has been Remade and is home to recover and begin his chosen Trade as a Healer. But Nine is gone—she isn’t coming back, and no amount of cage fighting or buzz drinks can fill the emptiness in his life . . . Todd writes a cinematically drawn, well-paced story set in the South Pacific. A major arc involving richly written Pacific Islanders breaks up the relentless whiteness of Freedom 1, and there are a number of well-rounded disabled characters, including Theron. Given this sensitivity to diversity, the heteronormativity and gender binary roles repeatedly reinforced as “good” versus the gender-fluid “evil” of Freedom 1 and Eridian are sour notes that restrict this book’s audience. Speculative fiction with a “family values” spin.”

Marsha Ward. The Zion Trail. WestWard Books, Feb. 19. LDS Historical. “A 19th century coming-of-age story ranging from Pennsylvania to the Great Salt Lake Valley.”

Jennie Hansen, Meridian Magazine. 5 stars. “The author handles doctrinal material well in that she doesn’t preach or overpower the story. She simply takes the story of a likable young boy through a much revered and respected period of the church’s history and allows the events of that turbulent time turn him into a strong, dependable man as his testimony grows from first interest to enduring faith.”

Reviews of older books

Brodi Ashton, et al. My Lady Jane (Shelah Miner) 5 stars. “I was a skeptic about this book– the premise sounded nuts. You know the story of Lady Jane Grey, who became queen of England for nine days after King Henry VIII’s son Edward died (and who lost her head on Tower Green)? Well, this book is part her story, part Edward’s story (in this version, he’s being slowly poisoned instead of dying of consumption and can’t believe he’s going to die without ever kissing someone), and part the story of Gifford Dudley, Jane’s husband, who turns into a horse when the sun rises each morning. Yes, you read that right. In this version of Tudor England, the battle isn’t between the Catholics and Protestants, but between people who change into animals and people who don’t. I know, sounds crazy, but I promise it works. This is a super fun read with lots of action, endearing characters, and two fun love stories, and while it might not help you on the AP Euro test, it will humanize historical figures in an endearing way.”

Braden Bell. Orison. Mindy Holt, 4 stars. I read an early version of ORISON, I enjoyed it then, and I was very pleased with the final product. Mr. Gray does a great job with his characters and the time and care he took to develop them was noticed. The plot was enjoyable and I really liked the story. When we first meet Branson, he was a self-destructive young man with nothing to lose and I loved how he came to himself and the man he became. Aurianna is a dryad and Branson crashes his car and destroys her grandmother. Tradition demands she kills him, but when she sees him and tends to him, she can’t help her feelings. I loved the back story of both characters. Excited for the next book!

Julie Berry. The Passion of Dolssa (Rachel Wadham, Children’s Book and Media Review) 4 stars.

Dave Butler. The Kidnap Plot (Joe, My-SF.com) 4.5 stars. “The story was well paced, allowing time at the beginning to get to know Charlie and his Bap (father). Once the antagonists appear it moves along at a comfortable pace, smooth as a well-oiled steam engine. The antagonists (there are several) are each interesting and have their own believable motivations. Butler doesn’t explain everything in this volume, which makes sense as this is the first book in a series. He gives just enough to give this volume a solid ending, but leaves things open for the coming stories. I really enjoyed The Kidnap Plot. It is one that preteens and up will enjoy, especially if they love adventure and interesting characters. I will be recommending this book to several kids I know.”

Jennifer Quist. Sistering (Theric Jepson). “I loved it! Although thematically it tastes a lot like Quist’s other novel, stylistically, it’s much different. For instance, it swings through five different points of view and balances a large number of major characters. And does so beautifully, I might add. Everyone is very much recognizable as themselves.”

Patrick Madden. Sublime Physick (e.v. de cleyre, Brevity) 5 stars. “Sublime Physick makes me feel better about two things: that writing takes time, and that we all suffer from “Independent Redundancy.” The second-to-last and longest essay of the book, “Independent Redundancy” took seven years to write, clocks in at over thirty thousand words, and explores “the phenomenon of two or more individuals coming up with the same idea without any cross-pollination or shared influence.” Madden mentions controversies and court cases from music history, along with passages of writing about his own writing, quotations from other essayists, musings on why independent redundancies occur, plus images and illustrations. Sublime Physick is a mix of Montaigne and Sebald (as noted by Brian Doyle) with a dash of Chuck Klosterman. Madden’s essays traverse great depth and breadth. His writings are reflective, pivot to follow the thread of a thought, balance irreverence and grace, and are built on a bedrock of culturally relevant scenes and subjects. Reading Madden’s meta-writings on his own writing is like listening to a magician revealing his tricks, yet he always holds the upper hand: “So the obvious question here is What steganographic secrets does this essay contain? The answer is Yes.”

Brian Evenson. A Collapse of Horses (Steven Peck, Goodreads) 5 stars. “Simply one of the best short story collections I’ve read in a long time. Deeply uncanny. These unlocked places in my mind that have not been traversed before and twisted some well-visited places in such surprising ways. There was not a miss in this collection, and some of them greatly unnerved my sense of comfort. In short, I’ll be reading more Evenson. I did not think Logotti had any contenders on my horror short story list. It does now. P.S. ‘The Dust’ is worth the price of the book alone.”

Martine Leavitt. My Book of Life by Angel (Amanda Shrum, Children’s Book and Media Review). “Set against the real life murders of forty-nine women in Vancouver during the eighties and nineties, My Book of Life By Angel chronicles a fictional story about what it means to love and believe in the divinity of the self. Martine Leavitt’s decision to tell an excruciating tale through ethereal verse is a success. Though graphic details are absent from the novel, the emotional impact remains intact. It is impossible to not fly through cover to cover in one sitting due to the beauty of the language and the high stakes of the narrative. The protagonist’s voice feels authentic and earnest throughout and the accompanying characters and scenarios ring just as true. While the subject material is certainly recommended for older readers, the overall message is uplifting and spiritual. My Book of Life By Angel is one of those rare novels that feel completely flawless and as divine as the angel within its pages.”

Ryan McIlvain. Elders (Robert Raleigh, Goodreads) 5 stars. “In all the years I’ve been reading and doing my small part to nurture fiction that is both Mormon and yet not constrained by the didacticism that seems to be an inherent part of insider Mormon art, I’ve hoped for a new Mormon aesthetics, one that is unafraid to embrace the internals of Mormon culture without needing to be in any way apologetic or protective (nor its reverse–something designed primarily to attack Mormon culture). As I wrote in the short story collection I edited, I hoped to promote fiction that wasn’t for or against the Mormon faith, but was truly merely about being in that space. McIlvain has come closer to that goal than any piece of Mormon fiction I’ve ever read, and has done so on some of the most difficult Mormon turf: the mission. Elders is the story of two Mormon missionaries in Brazil: one a doubting American who’s struggling with the confines of missionary and life and Mormonism and the other a straight-laced Brazilian who sees the missionary experience as both a spiritual and secular stepping stone to future success, but with plenty of doubts about the problems inherent in imperialistic American culture that pervades Mormonism. Elders is, in my view, a remarkable success, one of the few great achievements of Mormon letters, and I’m thrilled to see it arrive, and I’m hoping for more to come.

Heather B. Moore. Love is Come (Sheila Staley, Goodreads). 5 stars. “Love is Come is the fifth book in the Power of the Matchmaker Series. This was the first book in the series to be in a historical setting, except for the novella that started it all. Love is Come is written by one of my favorite authors, Heather B. Moore. She always writes stories with wonderful plots and amazing characters. I was pleased once again to read a winning book by her . . . The story played out much as I had hoped and has an expected happy ending. I loved reading about Nelle’s journey in finding love. Despite the sadness in Nelle’s life, there are so many things that finally bring happiness back to her. This emotion filled book is a wonderful read and one of the best romances I’ve read so far in 2016. This book can be read alone or in order as part of the series, but I highly recommend that you read it!”

Clair M. Poulson. Silent Sting (Bloggin’ ‘bout Books) D. “LDS romantic thrillers . . . are not my favorite. Silent Sting is an excellent example of why. I’ve been hesitating to write this post because contrary to popular belief, I don’t actually enjoy writing negative reviews. Especially about books written by nice old men. But, I have to be honest—Silent Sting is a mess. Not only is the plot confusing, but the prose is dull and the characters are cardboard stereotypes. Poor editing makes thing even more befuddling (is Tiana’s surname Lambrose or Lambert?  Is her dad Lloyd or Connor?). Although I appreciate the fact that Silent Sting is a clean “thriller,” I just found it boring, confusing, and difficult to slog through. I had to force myself to finish it. Considering LDS romantic thrillers aren’t high on my list of favorite genres, I really should have left this one on the shelf.”

Robison Wells. Dark Energy (Jessica George) 5 stars. “ I love this book so much that I’m ANGRY . . . Because where was this book twenty years ago, when it was EXACTLY the kind of sci fi story that my teenage self was looking for? . . . Suffice it to say, this book had three major twists (for me) that EXACTLY hit the sweet spots of what I have always wanted in an aliens-land-0n-Earth story. I’m not kidding, it’s like Rob got into my brain, and extracted the exact story I had cooked up twenty-five years ago on a vacation to Lake Powell. It’s THAT SPECIFIC. What I will tell you is that the characters are great. As always, Rob does an awesome job writing from a female POV. Alice is a hoot, and I want to be her new roommate. All the characters were wonderful. The dialogue: perfect. The action: perfect. The only thing about this book that wasn’t perfect for me is that it was so short! I could have read more, MORE! Also, this book is about a half-Navajo girl, and deals with her family as well as Navajo and Hopi traditions and legends. Rob has lived on a Navajo reservation, and there is an excellent author’s note at the back where he acknowledges that he’s not an authority. He gave this book to a number of native readers and did his best to use their feedback to make sure the book was positive for them.”

Kasie West. The Fill-in Boyfriend (Bloggin’ ‘bout Books) B-. “From the pastel cover to the frothy plot summary, everything about The Fill-in Boyfriend by Kasie West screams easy breezy beach read.  Which is totally accurate.  It’s a fun, fluffy romance that makes for a light, enjoyable distraction between heavier tomes.  Is the novel silly?  Yes.  Predictable?  You bet.  Worth the read?  Definitely.  It’s a clean romance with enough substance to be (a little) enlightening and (a lot) entertaining.  If you’re looking for the perfect beach bag novel, look no further.  You’ve found it.”

Kiersten White. And I Darken (Rachel Piper, Salt Lake Tribune). “A reimagining of the early life of Vlad the Impaler, “And I Darken” is an addictively readable book with a depth and richness that justifies every one of its 496 pages. The lush historical fiction feels like a fantasy, but the world is as real as it is brutal — well, except for one key fact: In White’s story, Vlad the Impaler is a woman, Lada . . . It’s rare that religion — so personal, so fraught — is broached in young-adult novels. But it’s an unavoidable topic when you’re writing about the Ottoman Empire, White notes — people “were doing very horrible things in the name of religion, both Christianity and Islam.” The political aspect of religion is a backdrop to wider conflict, but White’s characters also engage with it as individuals. For some, it’s just a culture or a necessary path to navigate the world. For Radu and others, it’s much more. “I wanted to write a religious conversion, I wanted faith to be a very powerful, healing thing in someone’s life,” White says. It was a feat to write not just about religion but about Islam, a faith sometimes viewed as foreign or even dangerous. “It was important to me that I portrayed Islam in a very fair and positive light. Most American depictions of Islam right now are incredibly negative and damaging,” White says. “It’s a beautiful religion, it’s a religion that has brought comfort to people across the globe and across time.” For all that it’s an uncommon subject, Radu’s faith conversion feels natural, just another facet of this fully realized story.”

Pamela S. Williams. See You in the Morning (Melissa DeMoux, Deseret News). “This story is heartfelt and poignant with a strong dose of faith and devotion to God . . . Perhaps the most moving part of the book comes in the editor’s note that says the author recently passed away after a struggle with cancer. Williams’ intimate experience with the foe also faced by her characters adds depth and understanding to the work. Williams’ novel feels real in many ways because she lived much of the story herself.”

Theater

Jonathon Penny (book) and Mark Mitchell (music and lyrics). Are We Not All Strangers. Cardston Civic Centre, Cardston, Alberta, Aug. 10-13. Part of the “Mormon Trail Chautauqua” festival.

Ted Bushman. Cyrano. Bushman has been working on a musical version of the Cyrano de Bergerac. A concert version was performed in New York City earlier this month. Bushman will be appearing as Johnny Cash in Million Dollar Quartet at Theatre Raleigh and Cape Fear Regional Theatre this summer.

Allen Nevins and Nancy Borgenicht. Saturday’s Voyeur. Salt Lake Acting Company, Salt Lake City. Through August 28. The 37^th version is an annual event for the SLAC, spoofing Utah and Mormon culture. This year’s production spoofs the recent LDS positions on homosexuals within the LDS Church.

Andy Foree, UTBA. “The story is a little loose and far-fetched, but it makes for great comedy. Throw in the essential tagline of the show “Being Mormon is so confusing!”, Voyeur is a hit for those members of the LDS Church who may be feeling a little disaffected. If you’re not a member of the Church, you’ll find the show entertaining of course, but its success lies ultimately on the audience member being familiar with the source material . . . Rife with vile humor, no parody in 2016 would be complete without a character mimicking Trump, played by Justin Ivie. See, Ivie plays Heavenly Father as Trump. The big hands. Huuuuuge. Racist jokes. They’re all in there. In almost every scene. This is where Saturday’s Voyeur will be most offensive to readers, but Ivie does do it so well . . . The most poignant moment for me is when the cast sang “Changes” by David Bowie, with a few tweaked lyrics. They ended the show with, “Time has changed us, and you can’t stop time.” Here’s the the point of Saturday’s Voyeur: the world is changing, and the LDS Church isn’t changing fast enough, especially for the younger generation . . . Saturday’s Voyeur is highly irreverent, but highly enjoyable. It’s almost a cross of South Park, Saturday Night Live, and Sunday School. It’s funny, it’s relatable, and it’s certainly an unforgettable night of theatre.”

Mahonri Stewart. Haunt. UVU Theatre, June 31-July 1. Part of a youth theater summer camp.

Film

The Secret Life of Pets was written by LDS authors Cinco Paul and Ken Daurio, who also wrote the Despicable Me movies. It has done very well at the box office, beating out Ghostbusters in its second week and passing the $200 million mark quite quickly.

Meet the Mormons, the 2014 film produced by the LDS Church and directed by Blair Treu, is being re-released in a new cut. The original six stories have new added scenes, and three more stories are added to draw audiences to Temple Square’s Legacy Theatre and other LDS visitors’ centers around the world. The nine stories, edited into 20-minute documentary-style vignettes, will premiere Saturday, July 16, in Salt Lake City at the Joseph Smith Memorial Building’s Legacy Theatre and be available at the other English-speaking LDS visitors’ centers by request starting in August. In the Legacy Theatre, the short films will be rotated every 30 minutes throughout the day, Treu said. The three new stories are “The Artist”, featuring Giovanna Raccosta Nazhati, an Italian native and resident of Las Vegas, and a member of a part-member family. “The Horseman,” featuring Jeff and Emily Wadman. A couple with one child has a ranch in Morgan, Utah, where Jeff Wadman works as a horse trainer. The third story features “The Entertainers,” the Kawamitsu family from Japan that includes two brothers, Aiki and Akashi, and two sisters, Kanasa and Akino. Together, they make up a musical group called bless4. They promote family and LDS values through their music and lifestyle. The youngest brother, Aiki, is currently serving a Mormon mission. The sisters also describe their personal struggles with body image and an eating disorder in the film.

Podcasts

The ‘What Say Ye?’ podcast: Bianca and Davey Morrison Dillard on rogue Shakespeare and taking Adam and Eve personally. The local husband-and-wife duo (last name: Morrison Dillard) tackle a lot of projects together — plays, films, married life — and now they’ve tackled the subject of Earth’s first husband-and-wife duo, Adam and Eve, in their new web series “Adam & Eve.” In Episode 5 we spoke with them about guerrilla-type Shakespeare performances, “Adam & Eve” and faithful subversion.

Greg Kofford Books Authorcast. Writing Ourselves live event at Writ & Vision. A recording of live event for Jack Harrell’s release of Writing Ourselves: Essays on Creativity, Craft, and Mormonism that took place at Writ & Vision rare books and fine art in Provo on June 28th.

Bestsellers

July 3, 10, 17, 24, 31

Christine Feehan Shadow Rider

USA Today: x, x, #5, #35, #76 (3 weeks)

PW Mass Market: x, x, #1, #5, #8 (3 weeks). 23,324, 13,252, 8310 units. 44,886 total.

NY Times Mass Market: x, x, #3, #9, #12 (3 weeks)

RaeAnne Thayne. Riverbed Road

USA Today x, #21, #63, #137, x (3 weeks)

PW Mass Market x, #3, #6, #13, #13 (4 weeks) 12,836, 11,173, 6990, 5588 units. 36,587 total.

NYT Paperback Mass-Market x, #4, x, x, x (1 week)

Kiersten White. And I Darken

NY Times Young Adult Hardcover: x, x, x, #4, #3 (2 weeks)

Timeless Romance: Mail Order Bride (With stories by Stacy Henrie, Kristin Holt, Annette Lyon, Sarah M. Eden, Heather B. Moore, and Sian Ann Bessey)

USA Today: x, x, #101, x, x (1 week)

This is a rare case of an essentially Mormon-market book making a national best seller list.