The Road Show

To be completely honest, I am not sure how I grew up in Los Angeles as a member of the LDS faith without ever participating in a road show!?  Most of my older siblings were in some, but for whatever reason, when I was finally old enough there was a road show drought.

Regardless of my lack of road show experience, I still readily enjoyed Braden Bell’s first novel entitled The Road Show. It was uplifting and full of hope.  It was a quick and enjoyable read, a book that made you want to finish before setting it down.  In fact, I often read while I am on the elliptical trainer and bike at the gym, and I added more time to my machines so I could read longer. I even stretched for a few extra minutes so I could finish the last eight pages.

One of the first things that pulled me into this book was the scripture shared at the very beginning, Isaiah 61:1-3, one of my all time favorite scriptures.

The  Spirit of the Lord God  is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified.

“Beauty for ashes” – I knew there would be depth to this book with this kind of introduction.  “Beauty for ashes” is such  magnificent imagery.  And it is the perfect way to describe the power of the atonement.

Even though this book fits the genre LDS Fiction, don’t let that scare you.  This book is well written and the characters well developed.  Any Christian would appreciate this book.  Many would call this book life changing.

The Road Show deals with a plethora of heavy topics – addiction, sin, depression, health problems, loneliness, pride – but it is written in such a way that the reader can relate to nearly all of the characters’ imperfections.  It is easy to see yourself in them.  And if you don’t see yourself, then you can easily recognize your neighbor, a friend, or your sibling as the one who is struggling with a similar issue.

I am grateful that Braden didn’t sugar coat these topics either and make them seem as if they are easy to overcome. He wrote the book in a way that shows how hard these struggles are to defeat.

This book is about forgiveness, repentance, understanding the all-encompassing healing power of the Atonement (it is NOT just for sins!), and learning how not to judge others, especially when those judgments are often based on misconceptions and misunderstandings.

See for yourself if you want to purchase this book by reading the first few chapters online.

But be forewarned, you might get hooked.

And just for kicks, here is a brief interview I had with Braden Bell:

Me: What made you decide to have the power of the Atonement as a center point in your book?  Was there anything in your life experience that persuaded you to write on this topic?

Braden Bell: That’s a good question. The story came to my mind first, and then I began to see the healing power of the Atonement as the theme that unified all the different characters’ stories.  So, I began to try to develop the theme more explicitly, including using the scripture in Isaiah about beauty for ashes.  That’s always been one of my favorite scriptures.

In terms of my own personal experience, there were definitely things that have persuaded me to write on this topic.  As a very flawed mortal, I’ve had to draw on the Atonement many times myself.  But, during most of the time I was writing the book, I was serving as a bishop.  I saw people healed through the power of the Atonement–but I also saw people not avail themselves of that power and it made me incredibly sad.  I think the book grew in part out of my conviction as a recipient of Atoning grace, but also a bishop’s desire to see other people get the help that is possible.

Me: What would you like readers to take away from The Road Show?

Braden Bell: Above all, I hope it’s a good story well told.  I hope they like the characters.  But I would also be thrilled if they close the pages feeling a little more compassionate to people who struggle, and with a renewed hope in the possibilities the Savior offers us.

Me: I know you are an educator (I also used to teach before I had children).  What is an unexpected benefit you have gained from being a teacher?

Braden Bell: I had no idea how enriching and fulfilling it would be.  I had no idea how deeply I would love and be loved by my students.  There is a sweet and special relationship there (or at least there can be).  I’ve also learned a lot about the gospel as I’ve taught–insights here and there into various thing, particularly the nature of God.

Me: What do you like most about teaching music?  Theater?  Do you prefer one over the other?

Braden Bell: I love them both.  I have more training and expertise in theatre, so I suppose I’m a little more comfortable there.  But I think I would be bored to death if I could only teach one of them.  I teach middle school, which is possibly the least musical age, at least vocally.  Physiological changes and social pressure make it a tough time for kids to sing.  So, the thing I love most is when I’m able to coax a student or a group past those limitations.  There are sublime moments when a chord or a passage or a whole song will be truly beautiful.  I get chills at those moments.  I love theatre because that is who I am.  It’s what I have done forever and what I will probably do until I die.  I love to watch the ugly ducklings become swans, to see confidence built, and to see a 13 year old nail their performance in a way that surprises their friends, the audience, and especially, themselves.

Me: Do you prefer writing over teaching?

Braden Bell: No.  I feel like they are each different sides of the coin of my personality.  I find that I need to do both to feel happy.  If I were to make millions of dollars from writing tomorrow, I suspect I would probably still feel the need to teach, at least part time.

Me: Do you still perform?

Braden Bell: Very rarely. I wish I could, but with family, work, and church, there just isn’t time.  I did take a cameo in one of our school plays last year and enjoyed it quite a bit.  I put pictures of myself in my cat makeup on my website in the “photo” section.

Me: What is it like to live in Tennessee?

Braden Bell: Tennessee is as close to heaven as we are allowed in this life, I think.  I really love it.  We live about 45 minutes out of the city in a quiet, peaceful place and every day, as I drive to and from work, the beauty and serenity fills my soul.  The people are wonderful.  I consider myself a Tennessean now–although I miss my family.

“Tower Of Strength”

Annette Lyon is a remarkable and gifted writer who knows how to beautifully and magically weave a tale. (One day I hope to meet her.)  Her writing style is so brilliant and spot on that she makes you feel as if you are actually there living and breathing the story.

Not only do Annette’s tales draw you in so much that you have no desire to put her books down, but her writing is also incredibly poignant.  She knows how to make you think and feel as you travel along the journey she creates.

I know some people who believe LDS Fiction to be cheesy and irrelevant to the real world.  However, despite their reservations, a few of these people still chose to read Annette’s most current historical fiction novel, “Tower of Strength.”

The verdict?

They truly enjoyed the writing style and story Annette brought to life.

Even though the storyline of  “Tower Of Strength” is set in the late 1800′s,  with the building of the Manti Temple being the backdrop, the theme of the novel is still very contemporary.  Here is a basic plot summary in the words of another blogger:

A young woman … barely out of her teens raising a son as a single mother, struggles to overcome tragedy, gets an education, starts a career and eventually buys her own business with hopes of providing well for her son. She then meets a good man, and after several encounters sometimes poignant, sometimes comedic, falls in love with him, and he with her, and now she has to make peace with the ghosts of her past to find lasting happiness.

To help Annette celebrate the release of her new work, I decided to interview her.  (After all, I have always aspired to be a journalist.)

Welcome, Annette!  Please tell us a little bit about yourself.

Let’s see . . .

I’m the child of a linguist (Dad) and a bibliophile (Mom). They are largely responsible for my love of language and writing.

I lived in Finland for three years as a kid. It’s like my second home, even though I’ve only been back once since.

When I’m stressed out, I find knitting to be really soothing. (I should do it more often! Knitting isn’t fattening.)

Unlike most women, it seems, I don’t mind folding laundry. The chore I hate is sweeping the kitchen. No clue why. I just do.

Three of my four kids are redheads. If I go anywhere with all three, we stop traffic.

My favorite dessert . . . tough one. Maybe chocolate mousse pie. Or really chewy fudge brownies. Anything chocolate, really.

I love sage green and deep, burgundy reds.

I have claustrophobia, made worse when, as kids, my brother tried to cure me of it and dragged me around in a sleeping bag.

I can shape my tongue so it looks like a 3-leaf clover.

I’d love to own a Mini Cooper. Probably royal blue or a cherry red. But that won’t happen until we’re out of the minivan stage, if ever.

I talk really fast, although I do try to slow down. It’s genetic and a lost cause, I’m afraid. My sister and I both talk as if motors are running our jaws. And when my aunt gets excited, she won’t even pause for breath, instead breathing in WHILE talking. At least I’m not THAT bad.

I never wear shoes indoors. A hold-over from the Finnish culture, I guess. I just can’t stand it. But I always wear socks, even in summer, because my feet are always cold.

[Annette also pens a very entertaining and informative blog.  I personally adore her Word Nerd Wednesday series and The Writing Journey series she posts on Fridays. ]

What kind of books/authors do you enjoy reading?

I adore L. M. Montgomery of Anne of Green Gables fame (although that book isn’t in my top 5 of hers). I love C. S. Lewis, Charles Dickens, and Jane Austen. I admire Barbara Kingsolver (and bow to her greatness–it’s simultaneously elevating and depressing to read her work, knowing I’ll NEVER be that good). I recently discovered Jodi Piccoult and was impressed by her. And I enjoy Young Adult fantasy authors like Robin McKinley, Shannon Hale, and Jessica Day George. I read a lot of LDS Fiction as well. Some of my favorite writers in the LDS market are Josi S. Kilpack, N. C. Allen, and Michele Paige Holmes.

What is one of the most unexpected benefits you have gained from being an author?

No one’s ever asked me this before–I had to think about it.

Probably all the friends I’ve made. Writing is a very solitary activity, but through networking and conferences and all that, I’ve met some of the most amazing people–people who “get” me the way no one else can because they, too, are writers. I count some of them as my dearest friends, even though I see them a couple of times a year at most. (Thank heavens for the Internet!)

What is one of the most unexpected benefits you have gained from being a mother?

Wow–another good question.

I had no idea that I had the kind of patience and endurance in me that motherhood demands. It’s brought out traits–and TAUGHT me traits–that I could have learned in no other way, among them selflessness and self-sacrifice.

It’s also been an education in learning that what is best for my children might not be what they want this second–that I have to think ahead to what will make them grow into happy, adjusted, moral adults. It’s been eye-opening to then apply that to myself and the Lord–what *I* want right now might not be the best thing for me, and I have to trust that He knows best–that I’d better not throw a spiritual tantrum over something I’m not getting on my timetable.

Many bloggers are looking to write books of their own.  What are some tips you would give them?

Write. I can’t count how many people tell me that “some day” they’re going to write a book–especially when they have “more time.” Trouble is, “some day” will never come, and the reality is, they’ll never have free time dumped into their laps. We all have 24 hours in a day. Today will pass, just like this month and this year will. When it’s over, you’ll either have something written or you won’t–but the time will pass all the same. Just do it.

The second thing would be to find feedback. The best thing I ever did for my writing is getting into my critique group. I’ve belonged to it for over 9 years, and I have no plans to stop attending. I’ve learned more from the critique process than in any other way.

It is apparent you love to write historical fiction novels. Have you always been a fan of history?  What is one of your earliest memories where you realized you had a passion for historical novels or history?

For some reason, I’ve always been drawn to the 1800s in particular, even as a young girl, when I read the likes of Little Women, Little House on the Prairie, and Anne of Green Gables. As an English major, I purposely took as many classes as I could that covered the 1800s. It’s just been a period I’m drawn to, and as a result, I know it relatively well and have been able to write about it without having to learn about it from scratch.

Once you finally complete a book, do you ever go back and read it from start to finish to see it through the eyes of a reader?

Never, but maybe some day down the road when I’m years away from it.

By the time a book goes to press, I’ve read it so many times in drafts, revisions, edits, and proofs, that I can almost recite it in my sleep. Sometimes I feel like if I read it one more time, I’ll be tempted to take a match to it. The last time I read through a book is on the galley proofs (where it looks like a book, just printed on regular paper). But once it’s actually published, the most I’ve ever done is flip to a scene here or there. Part of the reason is by that point, I’ve moved on to other projects and I’m excited about those. A new release, while very exciting, is, creatively speaking, old news. And there’s always the worry that you messed something up and it’s just too late to fix it! But I do hold a new book, stare at it, flip the pages, carry it around the house, and smell the paper–that makes it REAL.

When writing a book, what do you aim to give the reader?  What do you hope they gain from reading your works?

First and foremost, I hope to give readers a good read, one where they’ll walk away still thinking about the characters and feeling like they’re real.

Only once did I try to convey a “message” in a book. It came across as preachy and flat. (That manuscript is–and always will be–unpublished.) I learned my lesson. Now I let the messages and themes grow organically.

Instead of trying to pass along a moral, I try to find engaging characters and plots that will keep readers interested. I hope to evoke emotional responses from readers, because if I can’t make them laugh or cry along with my characters, then I haven’t done my job. Characters change throughout a story, and the themes or messages are often a result of those changes.

Aside from those things, if a reader comes away feeling uplifted, strengthened, or otherwise better for the experience, that’s gravy and then some. For example, I’ve had readers tell me that after reading At the Water’s Edge (which deals with domestic abuse) they were seriously considering breaking up with a boyfriend who showed many of the red flags of an abuser. To think I might have helped prevent some women from being a victim of domestic violence . . . that’s a reward I never imagined.

And along those same lines, what are some personal life lessons you have gained from creating  “Tower of Strength?”

I learned that it’s okay to ask for help, that trying to do it all alone will only wear you down. One person cannot be everything to everybody. On the other hand, letting down your guard to share burdens can be scary–I ached with Tabitha as she faced those fears. In the end, though, that’s what family and friends are there for: to help carry our burdens as we go through life.

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So go visit Annette.

Peruse her blog.

Maybe even support her as an author and buy her book.

Happy Reading!