All I Want for Christmas

If you ask my children, any one of them would say that all I want for Christmas is a day of no fighting. If you have more than one daughter, you'll immediately understand.

Whenever it's time to CLEAN THE ROOM, all mayhem erupts. "Mom, she's not cleaning." "Mom, she's just sitting there." "Mom, she threw a sock at me." "Mom . . ."

Once, when my two girls (10 & 7) were arguing about cleaning their shared room, I finally said, "All right. I'm going to put tape over your mouths until your room is clean."

My 3-year old thought it was a fun game, so she requested tape too.

Silence at last. Wait, I spoke too soon. From their room, I heard, "Mmm, mm-hmm, hm-mmm." They were still arguing, with their mouths closed. Can this be counted as a skill on their future resumes?

If not, maybe someday I can use it in a book.

But for those of you who haven't completed your Christmas shopping--or know that your spouse hasn't completed yours . . . I have a great suggestion. WRITERS CONFERENCE.

March 21-22, 2008 we're holding a fantastic Writers Conference (sponsored by the LDStorymakers). It will be held in Sandy, Utah, and will feature local publishers, editors, and guest editor Tim Travaglini, from Putnam. Don't rush into the crowded stores and stand in a long line. Check it out here.

And may your Christmas season be truly peaceful.

Turned In

I turned in ABINADI yesterday to my publisher! I don't have an official title. So it's named after the main character for now. Abinadi is a prophet whose story is told in the Book of Mormon in the Book of Mosiah chapters. Intertwined with Abinadi’s life is the introduction of the high priest, Alma, another prophet whose story unfolds within the same scriptural text.

Abinadi is a new elder in his church, the least likely to receive a call from the Lord to preach repentance to His people. Yet the Lord’s commandment is clear. Abinadi must warn the people in the city of Nephi of imminent destruction if they do not change their wicked ways. But King Noah, and those who surround him, will do anything to prevent their idolatrous ways to be disturbed. Abinadi is chased out of the city, a death sentence upon his head. Two years later, Abinadi is called again to deliver the Lord’s final message. This time, Abinadi leaves behind a young wife and new child, only to finally meet his fate—death by fire.

Special Note: I have written Abinadi as a young man in his early twenties. This is a contrast to popular LDS art that depicts Abinadi as an elderly man in King Noah’s court, although research shows there is no documentation of Abinadi’s age. When I stumbled upon a painting done of King Noah’s court, by Walter Rane, I was pleased to see my decision supported with a young Abinadi portrayed in art. I think a young Abinadi who sacrifices his life, leaving behind a young wife and child, is a more compelling read than a man who has lived a long and full life.

This book takes place in 155 B.C. in Mesoamerica--specifically the Guatemala Valley region. The research has been quite fascinating--predominately of the Maya people.

Some things that made it into my book:

Idol worshipping: ie. The Jaguar God, and the Moon Goddess (Ix Chel)
Autosacrificing: human or animal bloodletting done in "atonement" for sins and requests for blessings from the gods.
Herbal medicines: The Maya are well-known for their herbal remedies. They even practiced obstetrics and dentistry.
Agave Wine: Think Tequila. Made from the blue agave plant.
Harlots/Concubines: There is a difference between the two, of course, and the Book of Mormon text is full of references to these diabolical practices.

Happy Holidays!

As you can see, we have many teams represented. The Red Devils soccer team, the Lehi Scorchers baseball team, and the Lehi Gators basketball team. Oh yeah, and don't forget the Ariel swim team.

Wow. I feel on TOP of things. Just picked up the holiday cards to mail out. And it's only December 13th.

Hope you all have a SAFE and WONDERFUL holiday season.

Don't eat too much, but write many words.

Things I Learned While at the Lehi Literacy Center

Here I am, signing with my good friends: me, Julie Wright, Julie Bellon, and Michele Holmes.

Here is a run down of the evening's events at the Lehi Literacy Center. See if you can guess which author said what:

Author 1: "Jacob is way hotter than Edward. I mean, who would fall in love with a guy who is as cold as a block of ice? Where's the romance in that?"

Author 2: "I'm an Edward girl. Sorry, but Jacob is just too immature and plus he hasn't imprinted yet. What if Bella chose him, then he imprinted on someone else?"

Author 3: "Edward all the way. Too bad I'm not twenty again."

Author 3's Daughter: "Well, Edward was VERY nice to let Jacob warm Bella in that cold tent. He really sacrificed that way. Definitely true love."

Author 3: "I shouldn't have let you read that part, daughter."

Author 3's Daughter: Big grin.

Author 1's Daughter: "I can't wait for the movies. Except the actor they chose for Edward is too short."

Author 1: "I shouldn't have let you read the books either, daughter."

Author 2: "Sigh. Edward."

Author 3: "Sigh. Edward."

Author 1: "Sigh. Jacob."

Author 4: "I really enjoyed the Twilight books, too, but you guys are freaking me out."

Lehi City Author Event

Saturday, December 8th, 4:00-6:00 p.m.
LEHI LIBRARY
120 North Center Street, Lehi, UT

I'll be at the Lehi Library/Literacy Center with some of my favorite fellow authors:

Jeff Savage: *Author of the best-selling Shandra Covington mystery series for adults; Author of Farworld fantasy series for children—national release 2008

Julie Wright: *Author of three novels, including bestselling YA novel My Not-So-Fairy-Tale Life

Michele Holmes: *Best-selling new romance writer of Counting Stars; Whitney Award Nominee

Julie Bellon: *Voted Most Popular Author by Utah Valley Magazine, Author of three suspense novels, and the #1 Bestseller Be Prepared: A Parent’s Guide to Scouting

We'll be signing books--so bring your Christmas list. Or just stop by and say hi!

The parking will be crazy, so you might want to try parking on 100 East.

Meridian Magazine Review

Thanks to Jennie Hansen, reviewer for Meridian Magazine, this came out last week:

H.B. Moore's Land of Inheritance lives up to the grand proportions of the scriptural epic tale found in the Book of Mormon. This final book in her Out Of Jerusalem series begins with the death of Lehi and encompasses the events leading up to the separation of Lehi's followers into two camps, through the escalation of enmity between the two factions, and concludes at the point where Jacob is ready to assume the spiritual leadership of the Nephites.

Moore addresses several questions concerning what the voyagers found when they arrived in their promised land, the dark skin curse mentioned in the Book of Mormon, priesthood authority, language, and prophecy. She relies heavily on the research done by both noted Book of Mormon and Mesoamerican scholars. Her assertions are well documented in chapter notes at the back of the book.

Though the research behind this book is scholarly, it would be a mistake to assume the book is a summation of dry historical facts. It is a story of emotional and spiritual growth. It's a fascinating study of diversity within a family and the various dynamics that involves. It is also a tender love story between Nephi and his wife. Though this portion of the story is fictional, it is readily believable.

There is also a budding romance between a younger couple, and one of a marriage torn apart by mistaken loyalties. A powerful message concerning repentance and forgiveness is given. The separation into two camps drives home the awfulness of civil war within a family where faith, love, and loyalties are tried to the limit.

Both the quality of writing and the deft manner in which the author ties together scripture and fiction point out how much the author's storytelling ability has matured since the beginning of this series. To begin with, I assumed this series would appeal primarily to young adults, but with this volume, Moore has solidly established herself as a writer for any age level. The first part of Land of Inheritance has few typos, but the latter part has several irritating, but minor, errors that disrupt the smooth flow of this remarkably well-done volume.

First Stage

Yes, I'm still here.

Just editing my WIP. That's what I'll be doing for the next 3-4 weeks (intermingled with everything else going on with the holiday season).

I read through my first draft over the weekend. I was pretty nervous . . . what if I didn't like it? Well, I found myself really enjoying it, until the end. The last few chapters just sort of fell flat. Maybe it was because I was extremely tired when reading them, or maybe they are flat.

This week I need to get the research holes fixed. Then I'll send the manuscript to a couple of readers.

Hopefully by Christmas it will be shaped enough to turn it into the publisher. While the publisher has it, I'll continue to work on some things, like fine-tuning research items, the Preface, and the chapter notes.

Onward and upward.