Mormon Fiction

2008-10-09T23:24:00.000-07:00

My mother-in-law is into Mormon fiction. She gave me a book a while ago called "The Lost Sheep". I knew she would be asking what I thought of it, so not wanting to hurt her feelings I decided to finally read it. It actually turned out to be a pretty good book about two young boys in California and the amazing conversion of one of the boy's family to the Mormon church... or so I thought. After reading the whole thing I turned to the About the Author page. I noticed that the author did not have the same name as the kid in the book who narrated the story. In my confusion I started searching a bit deeper and found some fine print in the front of the book stating that this book was fiction! What the heck! Until this point I was completely oblivious to the fact that there is a whole genre of Mormon fiction. Who would want to write a book like this? Why? And even more mind boggling is who would want to read a book like this? I admitted that I thought the book was pretty good as I was reading it, but that's because I thought it was a true story. It was the story, the "truth" of the story, that made it good. Once I discovered that it was all make believe I laughed out loud because it all of sudden became so stupid! Don't get me wrong, I love good fiction, but isn't fiction supposed to have intrigue, adventure, romance, or some compelling plot that sucks you into the story? This book was about a troubled boy who went to church and grew up into a decent adult.

I will say that this experience gave me a little more confidence in my writing ability. Enough to start this blog at least. Hey if a book like this with absolutely no truth to it, no adventure, no exciting plot can get published, maybe I can have a published book someday. I'm thinking something along the lines of an ordinary boy growing up in Delaware who eventually grows up into an ordinary salesman.

More Mormon Fiction

2008-10-09T23:00:00.000-07:00

After going deer hunting with my brother-in-laws and father-in-law, we were spending the last day at my in-law's house. We came across another Mormon fiction book that my wife's mother had just read. It was about a man who was called by his stake president to be a Bishop. The only problem was that this soon-to-be Bishop was a widower. (It is a requirement for a practicing Mormon Bishop to be married.) The stake president told the man that he had three weeks to meet, get to know, and become engaged to a woman. Then it said something about joining the man in his wonderful, funny, romantic, spiritual journey... blah blah blah.

My first thought was that this whole plot had been lifted straight from a fairly recent movie that I couldn't remember the name of. I still can't put my finger on it but I'm sure this author just stole this plot from a popular book or movie and "Mormonized" it. I started thinking how easy it would be to write this kind of Mormon fiction. Just take a popular story, book, or movie and Mormonize it. My brother-in-laws and I started brainstorming different ideas for our books. The next few posts are my ideas for my future Mormon fiction books

Sunday Bloody Sunday

2008-10-09T22:55:00.000-07:00

A Mormon vampire branch president presides over the branch of a small upstate Washington town. He must learn to control his blood-lust so he doesn't wipe out the entire Mormon population.
He discovers the hardest part is sitting in one on one interviews without acting on his urge to jump across the desk and tear out the throat of the person seeking his counsel.

Not even branch presidents are perfect however and the district president becomes suspicious after the deacons uncover the dead bodies of several members who never returned home from church. After learning of his secret, the Relief Society president falls in love with the branch president. A love triangle ensues between the vampire branch president, the ordinary Relief Society President, and the local Catholic Bishop who happens to be a werewolf.

Bishop Botter Series

2008-10-09T22:45:00.000-07:00

1. Bishop Botter and the Seer's Stone
2. Bishop Botter and the Chamber of Sacredness
3. Bishop Botter and the Prisoner of Outer Darkness
4. Bishop Botter and the Baptism of Fire
5. Bishop Botter and the Order of the Priesthood
6. Bishop Botter and the Half-active Priest
7. Bishop Botter and the Holy Hallows

A wizard Bishop must use his magic powers to fight against evil and help his muggle ward members stay out of trouble, all while trying to conceal his true identity. Luckily he is assisted by the witch Relief Society president, Sister Hermony (yes an actual witch, not just a figure a speech) and his best friend Don, the Elder's Quorum president (who is developing a thing for Sister Hermony). But can they trust the once evil wizard, but now converted Gospel Doctrine teacher, Brother Snopes? Will they heed the advice of and learn from the wise old stake president wizard, President Humbledore?

Super Cricket Man, Elder

2008-10-09T22:42:00.000-07:00

18-year-old Peter Parley of Salt Lake City is just a few weeks away from going on a mission to Rio de Janeiro. He accompanies his priest quorum on one last activity. They head out into the west Utah desert to take a tour of the Energy Solutions plant to learn about nuclear power. As the boys are horsing around in the field after the tour, Peter is bitten by a Mormon cricket. He thinks nothing of it until he wakes up the next morning and feels hungry enough to eat his neighbor's entire crop of alfalfa, which he does. He realizes the Mormon cricket that bit him must have been radioactive, and that he, Peter Parley, has now become Super Cricket Man.

As Peter begins his mission he soon discovers that he must control his super powers and start using them for good. He stops eating the Brazilian farmer's soybean crops and starts to use his powers to serve God, his fellow missionaries, and the people of Brazil.

It doesn't take long for crazy Brazilian scientist and anti-Mormon, Senhor Osbourno, to harness the power of the seagull and transform into El Pássaro Grande. El Pássaro Grande devotes all of his time, money, and newly found bird powers to the destruction of Super Cricket Man.

Will Peter Parley be able to fend off the attacks of El Pássaro Grande while serving faithfully and employing his super cricket abilities for good? Will he remain faithful to his calling amid the throngs of young Brazilian women who are attracted to a giant cricket man?

Lord of the CTR Ring

2008-10-09T22:40:00.000-07:00

The world is changed.
I feel it in the water.
I feel it in the Earth.
I smell it in the air."

Much that once was is lost. For none now live who remember it. It began with the forging of the great CTR rings. Three were given to the First Presidency, wisest and fairest of all beings. Seven to the presidents of the quorums of the Seventy, great leaders and missionaries of the Rocky Mountains. And twelve, twelve rings were gifted to the Apostles — who above all else, desire righteousness. For within these rings was bound the strength and will to govern each stewardship with righteousness.

But they were all of them deceived, for another ring was made. In the land of Salt Lake, in the fires of the temple chandelier glassblowers, Brother Brigham forged in secret a master ring, to control all others. And into this ring, he poured his righteousness, his long-suffering and charity, and his will to convert all souls. One Ring to rule them all in righteousness. One by one, the free lands of the Western US converted to Mormonism by the power of the Ring. But there were some who resisted. A last alliance of Johnson's army marched against Utah. Victory was near. But the power of the CTR Ring could not be undone. It was in this moment, after Johnson's Army left peacefully that Brother Brigham took off the CTR Ring to bathe. The Ring was stolen by a ragamuffin deacon, one of Brigham's sons, but he was never discovered among his dozens of brothers.

Afraid of getting caught the deacon boy boxed the Ring up. And some things that should not have been forgotten were lost. History became legend, legend became myth, and for one hundred and ten years, the CTR Ring passed out of all knowledge. Until, when chance came, it was found by the most unlikely creature imaginable, that deacon boy's great-grandson as he was pillaging through an old box in his attic, finally starting to do his genealogy for the first time in his life.

Meet 40-year old Brother Rodo, a mission president's nephew, and the finder of the great CTR ring of power. Join him on his quest of happiness and discovery as he finds out exactly how righteous the Ring helps him become. Brother Rodo has taken the Ring to Illinois where he discovers just how powerful it truly is. Every neighbor he befriends joins the Church. After baptizing hundreds of people he realizes that he is becoming too righteous. He concludes that he must destroy the great CTR Ring of power, but discovers there is only one place to do it. He must cast the Ring into the baptismal font in the basement of the Salt Lake Temple.

Join him on this incredible adventure as he follows the Mormon trail from Illinois to Salt Lake City. Passing through the Midwest Baptist towns, on to the Wyoming wards where all the men wear jeans, flannel, and cowboy boots to Church. You'll be fascinated as he makes his way through a town of Atheists called Park City that he discovers right before he gets to Salt Lake. Team up with Brother Rodo as he passes through Eagle Gate trying to keep the Ring hidden from the throngs of Utah Mormons. Finally when Brother Rodo makes it inside the Temple he discovers that the Mormon Tabernacle Choir is having a special baptismal session. Discover how he out-wits and out-maneuvers the entire choir and arrives at the edge of the font, CTR Ring in hand.

Will Brother Rodo have the courage and strength to cast the One Ring in? Or will his desire to be holier than thou overcome him?