And don't forget that you have to follow all instructions at the bottom to be included for a chance at the giveaway.
Welcome back, Latayne. What would you like
for our readers to know about you personally?
I am not a woman who decided to write, I was a writer long
before I was a woman. I won my first award for writing – an essay on fire
prevention—in the third grade. My passion, or even need, to write has come to
the forefront recently. Because of a serious illness my husband has, I’ve not
been able to work on anything other than short writing projects for over a
year. My soul is thirsty right now for solitude and writing.
Tell us about your
family.
I’ve been married for almost 40 years, and we have two
wonderful adult children who have shown their impeccable wisdom and their love
for me by giving me the most adorable four grandchildren in the world.
Have you written
other nonfiction books?
Yes, I have. My first book was published by Zondervan in
1979. It told the story—and the reasons—behind my departure from Mormonism.
This book, The Mormon Mirage, is
unique because it has gone through three highly-updated editions and is still
in print now, 35 years after its first edition.
In addition, I have had about fifteen other non-fiction
books published. I say “about fifteen” because I’m never really sure how
many—whether you count as a single book the ones which have been revised and
published under other titles, for instance, which is the case with several of
my books.
Do you have any other
books in the works right now?
My first full-length work of fiction, Latter-day Cipher, was
released in 2009—and you were one of the first and most enthusiastic reviewers
of it, Lena . I’ll always be grateful to you
for that. For those not familiar with it, I could describe Cipher as a literary
suspense novel centered around murders involving Mormonism and its secret codes
and practices.
I guess you could say I got “fiction fever,” for, although I
next published a non-fiction, I have written part or most of five other novels
which are yet to be published. One of them is the novel, A Conspiracy of Breath, that I believe is the crowning achievement
of my life, but it’s controversial and may never be published by a traditional
publisher.
What kinds of hobbies
and leisure activities do you enjoy?
I enjoy “soft” science fiction movies, especially those
about time travel and parallel realities. I guess that’s because I would love
to have several aspects of my life reversed. And one of the reasons I cling to
my faith in Jesus is that I believe He and He alone can give me back years that
locusts have eaten and literally change my sinful past by His blood.
Why did you write the
featured book?
My co-author, esteemed archaeologist Dr. Steven Collins, has
been a colleague and friend for years and has met with me about once a year for
several years telling me we should write this book together. So we finally did!
And what a pleasure and joy it was.
My husband is reading
it right now and loving it. When he’s finished, I get my turn. What do you want
the reader to take away from the book?
I don’t think the Christian world has “gotten it” in terms
of how game-changing this book is. The book chronicles a major archaeological
discovery, that of the biblical city of Sodom .
Biblical Archaeology Review just ran
an article about it. What is so amazing is that the massive city has been in
the same place for centuries, but for the last hundred or so years of
professional archaeology, nobody looked where the Bible said it was because of
other “theories.”
What’s the take-away? If the Bible can be shown to be
reliable in its geography, maybe the world should take some of its doctrines
and teachings seriously, too.
Since I love your
writing, I know this book will be a very good read. Where on the Internet can
the readers find you?
Well, the ladies of www.NovelMatters.com
(five other Christian fiction writers) and I blog together, and we also have
over 6000 followers on Facebook. But if you’re interested in my writing alone,
you can find out about Mormonism, writing, and other subjects at www.Latayne.com .
Thank you, Latayne, for sharing this important book with us.
Readers, here are links to the book. By using one when you order, you help support this blog.
Discovering the City of Sodom: The Fascinating, True Account of the Discovery of the Old Testament's Most Infamous City
- paperbackDiscovering the City of Sodom: The Fascinating, True Account of the Discovery of the Old Testament's Most Infamous City
- KindleLeave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book. Please tell us where you live, at least the state or territory. (Comments containing links may be subject to removal by blog owner.)
Void where prohibited; the odds of winning depend on the number of entrants. Entering the giveaway is considered a confirmation of eligibility on behalf of the enterer in accord with these rules and any pertaining local/federal/international laws.
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