"Now and Forever"Featured Song: “Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)” by Journey
Music is an integral part of my writing. I discovered it accidentally many years before I got a book published. Sometimes it’s like the Twilight Zone when it happens. (And it’s going to come up a lot in our book discussions.) There I was, minding my own business behind the wheel, listening to the car radio. I always liked this song by Journey. But suddenly I’m hearing it and seeing Michael driving dangerously fast across the flat Australian landscape. He was hurt and angry. He’d done it after Emily had first left him, and he was doing it again—only this time his bad habit was going to get him into a great deal of trouble. And if the lyrics don’t fit perfectly, I’m not the queen of writing Mormon soap operas.
Some of my LDS novels have dealt with issues that are universal, such as domestic violence, cancer, rape, disabilities, etc. But some of them face challenges that are exclusive to our religious beliefs, and our culture. This is one of those books. The main conflict regards the fact that Michael is not sealed to Emily, and he’s terrified of losing her. It’s a situation unique to Mormonism and it requires a great deal of faith for those who are faced with it. The story answers the questions as far as it’s possible to answer them while in this mortal life. I’ve received many letters from people who have dealt with the same issue, and it’s nice to know the story made a difference for them.
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