About Kent Larsen

Hello everyone.

I'm very pleased to join A Motley Vision, and I hope that what I bring to this blog is of interest.

Those who have read my profile and William's kind introduction know something of who I am and what I do. Briefly, I publish books and I've been involved in book publishing in New York City for the past 20 years. While that experience definitely informs my views, I hope that I don't come across as a know-it-all on book publishing. I know some things, I study book publishing and read trade publications like Publishers Weekly. But I don't think I qualify as an expert, just as someone who is opinionated and informed about publishing.

What I don't say in the profile is that I've been looking at LDS book publishing for at least the past 10 years, ever since the Church announced a temple for Westchester county, New York and I started planning for an LDS bookstore (still mostly unrealized) for New York City. I've developed opinions about LDS book publishing also, but I'm not sure I qualify as an expert there, either, although again I do think I'm well informed here also.

During the past 1o years I've learned a lot about the LDS publishing world. I've seen some disappointing things happen, like Deseret Book's 1999 purchase of Bookcraft (I voiced my opinion at the time on Mormon News, but the post is no longer available). And I've seen a substantial increase in the number of small LDS publishers.

I've also learned a lot (probably even a lot more than I've learned from watching the LDS publishing world) from participating on the Association for Mormon Letters' email list, which has taught me much about the richness and possibilities of Mormon literature. If you have even a minimal interest in Mormon letters, I recommend that list, and the Association's magazine, Irreantum.

The 20 years I've spent in book publishing have all been here in New York City. Needless to say, that fact has also had an influence on me. I'm now a New Yorker, with all that means. And I believe it means a lot.

Part of what it means is participating in new ventures. Here in New York City we have our own LDS arts organization, the Mormon Artists Group, a loose association of Church members in the arts who share their work with each other and who periodically create joint projects, like the fabulous work Mormoniana.

We also have a local history committee, led by famed LDS historian Richard Bushman, which has produced both a periodical, the New York LDS Historian, and a history of the Church in New York City called City Saints.

Well, that should give you a rough idea of who I am and what I'm involved in. But despite all the above, don't expect me to confine what I write about to book publishing. I'm much too opinionated for that. I will talk about new books, and other new products for LDS Church members. And I will talk about what publishers and retailers are doing and whether or not its the best thing. But I'm just as likely to explore other aspects of the sometimes quirky world of Mormon culture.

Admin: A Motley Vision just got motlier

I'm pleased to announce that Patricia Gunter Karamesines, Kent Larsen and Eric Russell have joined A Motley Vision.

They will introduce themselves soon, but in brief:

Patricia is the author of the AML award-winning novel The Pictograph Murders. She is a poet, novelist, folklorist, editor and literary critic. She is an astute critic. I look forward to her insights -- especially since she is a published, working author.

Kent brings years of experience in the publishing industry. Among other things, Kent runs a Mormon-oriented publishing house and is part of NYC's Mormon Arts Group. He always has an opinion on the latest moves in Mormon publishing and will round out (or actually provide the bulk of) AMV's top notch news and analysis of the Mormon market.

Eric is a frequent Bloggernacle commenter. In 2004, he served as culture editor for the The Arbiter, Boise State's independent student newspaper. I especially look forward to his reviews of all things Mormon and cultural.

Please welcome my three new co-bloggers. I'm excited to have them. Their voices are distinctive. Their analysis is well-informed and unique.

Now.

I'm not going away. Indeed, I expect that my commitment to writing for AMV will be increased by the competition . This is also not a opening salvo fired across the bow of Times & Seasons or BCC or other ueberblogs. AMV is content to remain an isle of the sea. But now -- more than ever -- this is the place for Mormon arts and culture.

We invite you to join in our conversations. And above all -- enjoy!

News: Summer 2005 Irreantum

Irreantum editor Laraine Wilkins has posted the table of contents to the summer '05 edition to the AML List. I reproduce it below for the benefit of non-subscribers. This particular issue may be of interest to those who don't faithfully follow the world of Mormon fiction -- it's theme is spiritual autobiography.

Irreantum subscriptions can be ordered online. Unfortunately, individual issues are not available at the moment. Although you may be able to find them for sale in your more discriminating LDS bookstores.

Table of Contents:

From the Editor

Critical Essay
"The Redress of Poetry: Images of Transcendence in Three Contemporary Mormon
Poets" by Danielle Beazer-Dubrasky

Special Feature
"Life History Writing: Perspectives"
Contributions by Laura Bush, Boyd Petersen, and Matthew K. Heiss

Personal Essays
"Bicycle Blues" memoir excerpt by Phyllis Barber
"One-Eighty" memoir excerpt by Christopher Kimball Bigelow
"In the Presence of God: a Spiritual Autobiography" by Cheryl Pace
"Stone Pillows" by Deja Earley
"Milton Abbey" by Katy Street Larson

Poetry
Brent Pace: "Conference Weekend" and "This Morning in this Rain"
Melanie Hinton: "Reading the Creation with Gutenberg" and "All Saints Eve, a
Year and a Half Later"
Mark Bennion: "Dar al Luz"
Brian Pew: "The Sound of Salvation"
Amy Jensen: "Desert Night"
Dixie Partridge: "Staying On" and "Certain Winter Hours"
Steven Peck: "A Spider Teaches the Fall without a Recommend"

Readers Write
"Spiritual Autobiography"

Reel Observations
"Getting to Know One Man’s History: Joseph Smith Films in Production" by Lee
Walker

From the Archives
"The Next Thing I Knew I was One of Them": Oral Conversion Stories from
BYU’s Charles Redd Center for Western History

Book Reviews

Idea: Novel ideas for Mormon novels

The AMV think tank has been busy this summer researching a myriad of fantastic ideas to further the cause of Mormon culture (i.e. killing orcs on Worlds of Warcraft) but I am pleased that there has been time to write up some initial finding and thus bring you another installment in the 'idea' series. Ideas for Mormon novels that surpass the ordinary. This ain't your sweet mom's Charlie or your weird uncle's The Backslider.

1. Chicken: Told from the point of view of a bucket of KFC at a family reunion held at a park in Sandy, Utah, this novel explores how each of the family members who partake of the chicken from the bucket is a coward -- from the recent RM who is trying to avoid a calling as a stake missionary to the 15-year-old daughter who refuses to play softball for fear of looking sweaty in front of the cute foreign exchange student, to the 40-year-old husband who can't bring himself to tell his wife about his appointment to ge hair plugs, to the family matriarch who after all these years still resent the fact that her younger sister became a relief president before her.

2. Defenders of Faith: A Missionary Thriller: Can two LDS Elders who have been kidnapped by a Christian fundamentalist cult convince their guard fo the truthfulness of The Restored Gospel before the crazy cult leader initiates a Waco-style stand-off? Uses actualy scriptural and scientific proofs -- a great gift for all members of the Church who care about The TRUTH!!!!

3. Angel of Repose: A postmodern romp that doesn't have much of a plot, but features such outrageous characters as...

An aging dairy farmer who is convinced that the spirit of his dead wife has possessed one of his milk cows.
An isolated, valium-addicted, East Coast housewife whose husband is gay (and in the closet).*
A homeless man who may or may not be one of the Three Nephites.
And a little girl whose best friend is a flannel board named Heber.

4. Emma: What could make for a better LDS romance novel than to go back to the genre's root? Nothing -- that's what. This Mormonized** version of the Jane Austen classic will be a sure-fire bestseller. Of course, Mr. Knightley is now a 27-year-old widower/Bishop instead of a 38-year-old aristocrat. No one wants to think about a 17-year age gap. Oh, and Emma isn't quite so bratty. And she lives with wacky, fun roommates instead of her father. But she still tries to fix up everybody in her singles ward. And there's a totally hilarious picnic scene that takes place in Provo canyon.

5. Decent Proposal: A rich non-member offers an LDS couple $1 million if the wife will make a scrapbook*** for him. Not as boring as it sounds -- she'll be using wet embossing.

* So totally not stolen from Kushner.
** Note to self -- copyright the term "Mormonize."
*** I'm afraid this reference has activated the Mormon culture cliche quota notifier. The quota has been maxed for the year. No one is allowed make any scrapbook-related jokes until Jan. 1, 2006. Violaters will be forced to take a three-week intensive tolepainting class titled "Fun with Pastels." Jokes about tolepainting and funeral potatoes are still allowed. But please use them responsibly.

ALSO: Slightly amused? Check out a previous installment -- Idea: First lines for Mormon fiction