A CONSPIRACY OF BREATH - Latayne C Scott - One Free Book

Welcome back, Latayne. God has really been moving in your writing life. What do you see on the horizon?

I am working on a couple of nonfictions next. One of them is about how to protect your children from sexual predators, co-written with Dr. Beth Robinson.

Tell us a little about your family.

I have two adult children and five grandchildren and am blessed to have them live near me. My husband is disabled and lives in a care facility, but we have a great 44 year marriage.

Has your writing changed your reading habits? If so, how?

Since you’re asking right after asking about my upcoming book, I have to say I know more about child sexual abuse than I ever wanted to know.

What are you working on right now?

In addition to the nonfiction, I’m returning to two fiction projects; one a YA, the other a trilogy set during the Civil War and its aftereffects.

What outside interests do you have?

I love Egyptology, gardening, classical education, apologetics, and grandchildren. Not in that order!

How do you choose your settings for each book?

Hmm.  The books ideas come to my mind as a package:  Each story has to take place in its setting, because the setting is integral to the story.

If you could spend an evening with one historical person, who would it be and why?

Well, Jesus of course; but in second place either Priscilla or Rahab.

What is the one thing you wish you had known before you started writing novels?

When I started, the digital age was beginning. I had no idea so many people would be writing novels and self-publishing them.

What new lessons is the Lord teaching you right now?

Humility.  Over and over.

I so understand that. What are the three best things you can tell other authors to do to be successful?

Pray about your career, don’t get caught up in the publicity trap, and read in the genre you’re writing.

Tell us about the featured book.

Some scholars think a woman wrote a book of the New Testament: the book of Hebrews.  Some speculate it was Priscilla. But that’s just the background of my book—the book is really about maintaining faith when God is very open with you in some ways, but withholds things you believe you need.

Please give us the first page of the book.

Praefatio

I carry the wrapped child in front of me, in the crook of my aching arm, his head above his curled feet, as if he were alive. As if he had ever been born, or named, or drew breath, or saw his dying mother’s eyes. As if she had ever seen his.

This is night work, and the mule beside me stumbles in the uneven, now unseen streets that only reveal shadow and character in the light of a doorway, here and there. All around our feet are what people throw away after a spectacle—torn banners, scraps of food, dropped, lost mementos.

Behind me on the creaking wagon are the remains, what I gather after the spectacle: torn things, fallen, saved, remembered.

When I first began this job, I could do it in the daylight. It was a curiosity to those who saw me, a woman who wore the robes of aristocracy and did the work of a ghoul. Most of those who knew me would not meet my eyes, or if they did, it was with a mixture of disgust and wonder. And later, some of them, with triumph, from behind secure windows, around impassable gates.

The first time I gained permission to bring the bodies back from the killing places, Cordelia began to strategize how to borrow a cart and donkey. Many of our friends still lived and had animals then, and she still had a bit of her father’s money left.

“We’ll need a big wagon,” she calculated, counting without knowing it on her crooked knuckles, imagining that the aftereffects of imperial entertainment would necessitate strong beasts of burden, perhaps several trips with several wagons.

She wasn’t thinking straight, I should have seen that. There is little left when wild lions are finished with a human being.

Wow! How can readers find you on the Internet?

I’m at Latayne.com.  And Author Latayne C. Scott on Facebook.

Thank you, Latayne, for sharing this new book with us.

Readers, here are links to the book.

A Conspiracy of Breath - Paperback
A Conspiracy of Breath - Kindle

Other books by Latayne:

Leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the featured book. You must follow these instructions to be in the drawing. Please tell us where you live, at least the state or territory or country if outside North America. (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.

The only notification you’ll receive is the winner post on this blog. So be sure to check back a week from Saturday to see if you won. You will have 4 weeks from the posting of the winners to claim your book.

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DISCOVERING THE CITY OF SODOM - Latayne C Scott - One Free Book

Once again, readers, we're featuring a fascinating non-fiction book many of you will enjoy. Because this author also writes fiction, it's an interesting read.

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?

Lena, I hate to suppose this, but I wonder if more people aren’t looking at and talking about this book because they don’t want to be labeled as homophobic. Of course, anyone who reads it finds that it is about archaeology, not about social issues at all. In fact, the discussion of the sexual practices of the Sodomites takes up only a couple of sentences in the 75,000 words of the manuscript.

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 .

Come see me! Ask me questions!

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 - paperback

Discovering the City of Sodom: The Fascinating, True Account of the Discovery of the Old Testament's Most Infamous City - Kindle


Leave 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.

The only notification you’ll receive is the winner post on this blog. So be sure to check back a week from Saturday to see if you won. You will have 4 weeks from the posting of the winners to claim your book.

If you’re reading this on Google +, Feedblitz, Facebook, Linkedin, or Amazon, please come to the blog to leave your comment if you want to be included in the drawing. Here’s a link.
Http://lenanelsondooley.blogspot.com

Latayne C. Scott - LATTER-DAY CIPHER - Free Book

When I first heard about this book, I knew I wanted to feature it. Then after reading it, I was sure you'd want to know about this interesting mystery. My review of the book will appear in my June newsletter. http://lenanelsondooleynewsletter.blogspot.com

Welcome, Latayne. Tell us how much of yourself you write into your characters.

In my novel, Latter-day Cipher, I tell the story of a headstrong journalist with no particular religious background who is sent to Utah to cover a rash of mysterious murders in which notes are left beside the victims. These notes are written in the Deseret Alphabet, which is a historical quirk of Mormonism of the 1800s. I of course am a journalist and I have the same “inquiring minds want to know” mindset as Selonnah, the journalist of the novel. However, with other Mormon characters such as Roger and his wife Eliza, I really called upon my memories of being a faithful Mormon and the wrenching difficulty I faced when I left the Mormon Church I loved so much.

What is the quirkiest thing you have ever done?

My family and close friends would probably ask what I do that is normal. My son came home from college the first semester and said I’d cut my hair, bought a pickup, and become a Trekkie. (All true.) Let’s see -- I have climbed the guard tower at Guantanamo Bay and looked through binoculars at a Cuban guard. My first visit to the British Museum, I spent two full days only in the Egyptian exhibit. I decorate my house with ethnic jewelry. I once ate as a vegan for almost a year. (I actually like tofu.) I hate shopping. Shall I go on?

When did you first discover that you were a writer?

In the fourth grade, when I made all the words in my spelling list into a story.

Tell us the range of the kinds of books you enjoy reading.

I read the Treasury of David by Charles Spurgeon and my Bible (often in Greek) every day. But I also love good murder mysteries, Egyptology, poetry, Oliver Sacks, The Great Gatsby, Faulkner, Annie Dillard, Philip Yancey, and books about time travel.

What other books have you written, whether published or not?

My first book, The Mormon Mirage, was first published by Zondervan in 1979, about six years after I left the Mormon Church. Zondervan is re-releasing a greatly expanded version of it in April 2009 that includes my retrospective after all these years out of Mormonism. It tells some of the “hard facts” behind my novel.

Then I wrote 3 Bible study books for Zondervan on the themes of hospitality, stewardship, and 1 Corinthians 13.

Then I wrote three books for Baker: Why We Left Mormonism, Why We Left a Cult, and After Mormonism, What?

Next was Crisis: Crucible of Praise (Zondervan), A Marriage Made in Heaven (Word) and a children’s book, The Dream Quilt (Waterbrook, written under my pen name Celeste Ryan.)

Along the way, 21st Century Christian re-released one of the Bible study books and Howard Publishing re-released Crisis and Covenant Publishing did the marriage book, expanding it with study questions and entitling it Shout of the Bridegroom.

I also wrote The Red Cord of Hope: When History Stopped for One Woman of Faith (about Rahab) for Covenant. I also have as-yet unpublished books about Sarah, the parables of Jesus, poetry devotionals for the Lord’s Supper and of course my dissertation.

Quite a body of work. How do you keep your sanity in our run, run, run world?

I have to be alone for long periods of time, and I have to pray and read my Bible. I am also working on a first-person novel about Priscilla, the author of the book of Hebrews. It is anchoring my mind in a way nothing I’ve ever before written has done.

How do you choose your characters’ names?

That’s one neat thing about being a novelist is that you can use all the cool baby names you always liked but didn’t have enough children to use up. In Cipher, though, many of the characters have names from Mormon history.

What is the accomplishment that you are most proud of?

No question about it – the fact that, with God’s help and a good husband, we raised two intelligent, funny, spiritual, interesting children to be wonderful adults I love to be around.

If you were an animal, which one would you be, and why?

The very thought terrifies me unless there is an animal that can read.

What is your favorite food?

Dry roasted almonds.

What is the problem with writing that was your greatest roadblock, and how did you overcome it?

Lack of time alone – consecutive blocks of it – will shut me down.

What advice would you give to an author just starting out?

Commit your way to the Lord. Make absolutely, unmistakably sure that He has called you to write and publish. Don’t inflict your personality on the world if He doesn’t want you to do that.

What would you like to tell us about the featured book?

First of all, it’s a literary suspense novel, which is a relatively slim genre. And, I don’t think anyone who is a former Mormon has ever written a novel that shows with compassion just how difficult it is to give up Mormonism if you love it. My editor called it “the DaVinci Code of Mormonism” because of the cipher notes in it, and he said he love that it gives an insider’s view of a religion most people don’t understand.

How can readers find you on the Internet?

Several places – at http://www.latayne.com/ and http://novelmatters.blogspot.com/ and of course more academic studies at http://www.representationalresources.com/

Thank you for spending this time with us, Latayne. Hope you'll be back soon.

Readers, here's a link where you can order a copy of Latter-Day Cipher:

Leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book. The only notification of the win will be the winners post on this blog. So be sure to check back on Saturday in two weeks to see if you won.

If you're reading this on Facebook or Amazon, please come to this blog to leave a comment:

http://lenanelsondooley.blogspot.com/