~Sorry guys, I don’t know what the problem is here, but I can’t get wordpress to make spaces between these paragraphs.  So I hope this isn’t too hard for you all to read.

~I was contacted by a fellow LDS writer and asked to do an interview for her site.  A lightbulb came on and I realized I have never done an interview.  So, all for you, here’s my very first interview on this site, one with CK Abbott author of LDS fiction and non-fiction both.

~1. What made you start writing for the LDS audience?
It’s hard for me to separate non-church life from church life because they’re so one-and-the-same in my world. I felt that I could express myself more wholly to an LDS audience.

~2. Do you think there is any subject matter that is off-limits to LDS authors?
If I did at one point, I don’t think so anymore, at least in regards to topics. We all live in “the real world” and deal with the same problems. As far as content, however, I think it’s wise to stick to PG standards. You don’t want your Beehives picking up your book and learning new four-letter words.

~3. How would you write differently if you were writing for a general audience?
I don’t write differently for general audiences than for LDS audiences, except that I avoid using LDS terms that might be confusing: wards, Fast Sunday, linger longer (although this last one has potential for general audience comedy). With the big intro to Mormonism our country has gone through during the last two presidential elections, I think it might be time for LDS lit to become a general audience niche genre, like Jewish historical fiction or Christian science fiction.

~4. Do you write from an outline? Or do you start writing and see where the story takes you? Or some other method?
In the past, I haven’t written fiction from outlines, but I think I’m going to start. I read a book recently called The Writer’s Compass by Nancy Ellen Dodd, and she talks about drawing a story map with the ups and downs of the conflict and then the resolution. I think a story map will help me to keep the tension high and prevent the story from meandering.

~5. Do you think independent publishing will change LDS literature? If yes, how?
Definitely. I remember when Deseret Book rejected a book by Richard Paul Evans because of questionable content. They’ve really been the gatekeepers for LDS fiction. There are a few other small LDS presses, but they’re not well-funded, and they try to stick with tried-and-true authors because their profit margins are so small. With indie publishing, LDS readers will have all kinds of options, and I imagine there will be many more authors willing to put their work out there.




~~I love the idea of having all kinds of options!  And I have to say, I love indie books more every day.  Check C.K. Abbott out and see what you think.
Amber