Hi there, from a friend/seeker/researcher

[BluePlastic]

Hi everyone :)

I'm Sarah, and I'm a 29 year old non-denominational Christian, whose purpose here is two-fold. First of all, I am working on a book with a major character who is a young LDS woman named Cecilia. So, I have been researching the church and its beliefs and scriptures, and will be asking questions about LDS life to inform her character and experiences. :)

The second purpose is, frankly, for myself. Researching for this story has made me think a lot...a lot of the Mormon ideas and doctrine appeal to me, and I want to know more. :)

I'll be happy to get to know you guys :)

[Dr T]

Welcome Blue. :)

[tubaloth]

How did you come to the idea to use a Mormon (or Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints) in your book?

[marymartin]

welcome i have only just joined myself today on this forum

[BluePlastic]

How did you come to the idea to use a Mormon (or Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints) in your book?

Well, it's complicated :)

Basically, I've been developing this story and its characters for a while, trying to get a grip on exactly where I wanted it to go, etc. Over the course of development, Cecilia emerged as a modest, kind, gentle person, with a natural practicality and sense of perseverence, despite her disablity (she's blind from birth.)

For most of that time, the characters didn't have religions at all except in a vague, "yeah I went to church when I was a kid" type of way, because I wasn't religious. Once I became a Christian, I boosted the importance of each character's religion a little more, because I felt it added to the themes of the story. At that time, Cecilia was Episcopalian.

Then, about a week ago, I got on one of my kicks where I read a lot about a certain topic, and in this case it was cults. Since there are those who think the LDS church is a cult, it appeared on some of the pages. But some of the things said were completely ridiculous to me, to the point where I started to think they were making stuff up. So, I looked further, and found Jeff Lindsay's LDS FAQ pages. Quickly, I saw the ridiculous things I had read were either really big misinterpretations or things made up to make the Mormons look bad. And as I read more, I realized that a lot of the ideals of the church were things that Cecilia already was, and that the doctrines of eternal family and marriage would be a very interesting theme to add to my story, and that they would also comfort Cecilia through a lot of the sad events in the book. So, I decided that she was LDS. :)

[NeuroTypical]

I am working on a book with a major character who is a young LDS woman named Cecilia. So, I have been researching the church and its beliefs and scriptures, and will be asking questions about LDS life to inform her character and experiences.

That's admirable, Blue! Let us know when your book is published, some of us will probably want a copy!

LM

[Andyman]

Yea let us know when u publish it i would love to read it!

[BluePlastic]

Thanks, guys, I will let you know :)

Though, it is a very violent, sad book, to warn you. There is a huge disaster at the beginning of the story that kills Cecilia's husband Jim, and a lot of other people too

[tubaloth]

So, I decided that she was LDS. :)

Interesting, so is she LDS her whole life (And I assume her family). or Does she convert?

[BluePlastic]

She has been LDS all her life -- her grandparents converted. Jim, her husband, was also LDS most of his life -- his parents converted when he was 2. They met at college, and just by chance (or by the grace of God :)) were both LDS members. They're both musicians (she plays the cello, he played the saxophone and the guitar, and they both sing).

Jim looks like this guy, except a little older.

Cecilia's appearence is based on the Edwardian actress Isabel Jay, and this is a cartoon of her that a friend of mine drew for me. :) She has hair down to her knees and blue eyes, which are not evident in the pictures, heh. :)

(I love to talk about them, can you tell? *pets* my little creations :))

[Maya]

Hi blue... I met the misionaries at 29.... Your book sounds fine... I got 5-9 in my drewer... should perhaps get one published I jut cand decide which one...

[BluePlastic]

Hi blue... I met the misionaries at 29.... Your book sounds fine... I got 5-9 in my drewer... should perhaps get one published I jut cand decide which one...

Oh, cool :) One of these days, I will live on my own and be able to have the missionaries over. :)

I have another book that's completed, I'm just letting it sit while I write this one, then I'll go back and edit it :) Writing is a lot of fun but I like the researching best...I have a ridiculous amount of knowledge about all my characters. :)

[ConnieM]

Hi Blue,

your book sounds really interesting. I'm sure you can get a lot of ideas and impressions here. I'm new here myself... My parents were baptized when I was 2 years old. :) Missionaries were knocking on their door one spring evening... I grew up in the church then with my siblings. Let me know if I can help you! :)

[BluePlastic]

Hi Blue,

your book sounds really interesting. I'm sure you can get a lot of ideas and impressions here. I'm new here myself... My parents were baptized when I was 2 years old. :) Missionaries were knocking on their door one spring evening... I grew up in the church then with my siblings. Let me know if I can help you! :)

Thanks :) Like everything I write, it's a cross between funny, emotional and violent -- I never seem to get any inspiration to write a story about fluffy pink bunnies, there's always a disaster or a plague or a psycho killer or something :)

Thank you for your offer -- I will be asking questions, look out for my posts :) (And I might PM you, you never know )

[ConnieM]

well, I think fluffy pink bunnies would not have caught my interest at all. So, go and create a catchy disaster )

I love to read and my appartement is filled with books. I'm studying English and French literature and linguistics. I even thought about writing myself but am lacking the time right now. Well, but who knows. Maybe I'll do it someday!

And yeah, feel free to ask -whatever it is.

[BluePlastic]

well, I think fluffy pink bunnies would not have caught my interest at all. So, go and create a catchy disaster )

I love to read and my appartement is filled with books. I'm studying English and French literature and linguistics. I even thought about writing myself but am lacking the time right now. Well, but who knows. Maybe I'll do it someday!

And yeah, feel free to ask -whatever it is.

Yay, catchy disaster! (Sounds like a band name :)

Oh, neat :) I went to school for English/Creative Writing and I love to read too. I also love French -- actually, all of the major characters in this book except for Cecilia speak French, and one of them is from France :) (My friends say I have an unhealthy interest in French things...:))

And, if you'd like, you can check out the thread I just posted here and see if you can answer the question. :)

[dazed-and-confused]

Welcome, blue. May i ask if you've had something else published that i might be able to read? If not, then I will wait for this one to come out...got a title yet?

[Tarnished]

One thing that you may want to keep in mind when writing is that the LDS church has a certain type of sub-culture, much like those who are online a good bit become aware of an internet sub-culture. Basically people in the church, especially those who have been born in or grew up in the church often use terms at church or with people at church that those who have not grown up in the church may find confusing. Such as the many accronyms that are thrown around, or the different terms for things which a person who is not a member or is new to the church may not be familiar with right away.

Such things as Relief Society, Mutual, Stakecenter, Wardhouse, MTC, MoTab, CTR, the list goes on and on. Much as different professions use and understand terms that are difficult to understand by those who are not of the profession so is it the same inside the church. This site is a great resource for talking with people who are very used to using the terms that are common inside the LDS church. I know you are currently doing research based on our beliefs, which is fantastic, however you may also want to consider talking to some members and/or visiting an LDS church a few Sundays just to observe how the ward and the members function.

I am a writer myself and am currently working on a few books as well as trying to get some of my poetry published, I have found that having someone else who writes sit down with me and help me think through some of the story helps me to see things that I may have missed, often I find that I write the book in my head first and then put it down on paper, so I understand the characters more than an outside person would. Sorry for rambling, but these are some of the thoughts I had after reading through some of your posts. I hope these thoughts help develop where you plan on taking your book.

Welcome to the forum by the way!!

[lagniappe]

Welcome, Sarah, and good luck on your book. Sounds interesting and I think it's cool that you've got an LDS character and are trying to make her as authentic as possible. I also studied creative writing in school and am working on a book. I'm totally with you on research being the most fun part. I can research all day long, but have a hard time motivating myself to actually write sometimes, probably because it's so mentally draining, at least in my experience.

I'm mostly a lurker here (too lazy to post usually), but I know there are lots of posters that would be more than happy to answer any questions you have about LDS beliefs and culture.

[BluePlastic]

One thing that you may want to keep in mind when writing is that the LDS church has a certain type of sub-culture, much like those who are online a good bit become aware of an internet sub-culture. Basically people in the church, especially those who have been born in or grew up in the church often use terms at church or with people at church that those who have not grown up in the church may find confusing. Such as the many accronyms that are thrown around, or the different terms for things which a person who is not a member or is new to the church may not be familiar with right away.

Such things as Relief Society, Mutual, Stakecenter, Wardhouse, MTC, MoTab, CTR, the list goes on and on. Much as different professions use and understand terms that are difficult to understand by those who are not of the profession so is it the same inside the church. This site is a great resource for talking with people who are very used to using the terms that are common inside the LDS church. I know you are currently doing research based on our beliefs, which is fantastic, however you may also want to consider talking to some members and/or visiting an LDS church a few Sundays just to observe how the ward and the members function.

I do plan to go to a few meetings, when I can sneak away...it's hard because I'm a night person and my parents (who I live with, unfortunately, due to misfortune) would be really suspicious if I woke up so early :)

I talk out my ideas with a few friends of mine, who are writers/creative types themselves. It really does grant perspective and good ideas, and helps keep my stuff on track -- one friend, especially, is very, very astute at knowing just how I want each character to come across, and he lets me know when I stray from that :)

[BluePlastic]

Welcome, blue. May i ask if you've had something else published that i might be able to read? If not, then I will wait for this one to come out...got a title yet?

Nothing else published, but I do have some stuff available to be read...here are two chapters of a story I started in a magical world sort of like Harry Potter. :)

The book with Cecilia in it is titled Silver Key, after an important thing around which the story turns, and in which Cecilia has a major part