I think I’m starting to get an inkling of what you’re saying, Kent. I can feel my brain doing the same things it did when I was in college reading Daniel Quinn’s Ishmael. I can tell something foundationally different from how I currently think is going on.

I like that you are thinking about things and coming up with ideas — creative ideas too.

I’ve a had a few ideas on expanding the Mormon literary market. Tell me if they’re going in your direction. One was to have a “book of the year” type program at Sunstone where we either pick an excellent book from a Mormon author published in the past few years, or find, edit, and publish one ourselves, and distribute it to our subscribers.

I think the idea of a “Book of the Year” is good.

But I’m not sure about the part where Sunstone starts publishing books. The editorial part is similar, I admit. But I think you will find that the distribution and marketing is very different than anything you do now.

If nothing else, you do need to carefully consider how much you want your editors distracted from turning out issues of the magazine (unless they have a lot of slack time or something).

I know that some magazines do publish books also — but usually its compilations or extensions of material in the magazine.

It would make those books into instant bestsellers (in the world of small presses, anyway), and give Mormon novelists another platform.

Perhaps I don’t understand how you think the distribution would work. Why would these books be “instant bestsellers”?

The Washington Times article today said Sunstone’s circulation is 2,500. Even if every subscriber purchased a copy of the book you are talking about, that wouldn’t make a bestseller in the LDS market.

And, if you’re giving the books away to every subscriber, I don’t think that qualifies as a bestseller.

Perhaps the AML would be willing to publish it, and Sunstone distribute it or something like that. But it would be under a very exclusive imprint that says, “This baby is as close to perfection as we could possibly get.” Most likely, we’d want to aim such books at a market outside the current Mormon scene.

I think several publishers would be very interested in a “Book of the Year” project (although I’m sure you know that some would object to Sunstone’s participation), but a lot would depend on who does what and what the expectations are of each party. Sunstone does have the ability to reach a lot of people, and with the right partner, it could be a very good project.

I know everybody writes a novel at 23 these days, but I think the more short stories and novellas we can push through the dance between hungry, talented writer and good, hard but fair editor the better.

I’ve a had a few ideas on expanding the Mormon literary market. Tell me if they’re going in your direction. One was to have a “book of the year” type program at Sunstone where we either pick an excellent book from a Mormon author published in the past few years, or find, edit, and publish one ourselves, and distribute it to our subscribers. It would make those books into instant bestsellers (in the world of small presses, anyway), and give Mormon novelists another platform.

A few months ago I was talking with Boyd Peterson about the state of the Mormon novel, and we both agreed that they always need more editing. That no one seems to be willing to put the work into a novel that it needs to actually be good.

So I started thinking (though I think William has already proposed something like this) that we could start an editing collective that would focus on finding a book and writer with heaps of potential and tease it out.

Perhaps the AML would be willing to publish it, and Sunstone distribute it or something like that. But it would be under a very exclusive imprint that says, “This baby is as close to perfection as we could possibly get.” Most likely, we’d want to aim such books at a market outside the current Mormon scene.

My Portugese is worse than my Spanish, I am just all for spreading the literary word beyond our borders and was relating my thoughts based off of previous posts and thoughts on your company. Granted I know nothing of what Luso-Brazilain Books does just yet but I like the idea as far as your Bio goes.

Please don’t take it personally.

BTW, did you mention Brazil in particular for a reason? Do you, perchance, speak “A língua de Deus?”

–This is one of the biggest problems with the mentality in the LDS market — this mentality of “poor us, we’re just a small little market.”

Baal’s Devils! In no way was I ever trying to make that statement of poor us. I disdain the victim mentality of it. On the contrary Kent once I feel I have a leg to stand on (as in any amount of creative control over a non-self published work) I want to be able to work with someone like you to get my Spec-Lit-Eso-Hist-Adv-Fiction out to the many worldwide non-english reading Saints. Who knows perhaps Brazil would like it better than Covenant.

Granted there are plenty of things I don’t know of the ins and outs. So Im trying to comment on 29.

My original statement was more about how (back in the Wor’ld) a controversial book would only sell more copies, whereas here, they apparently sell less. (unless said revenant is approved by deseret book)

Hey! Sounds like another AMV project all ripe and ready! (Not that I’m volunteering. Oh no. I’m part of the problem here.)