Click Here To Purchase From Amazon Don't You Marry The Mormon Boys

Today, Norm Goldman Publisher & Editor of Bookpleasures.com is pleased to have as our guest, Janet Kay Jensen, author of Don’t You Marry The Mormon Boys.

Good day Janet and thanks for participating in our interview.

Thanks, Norm!

Norm:

What do you think over the years has driven you as a writer?

Janet:

I’ve always been a reader. Writing satisfies a creative need within me that I suppose I’ve had all my life. 

Norm:

Would you say that the publication of your first novel, Don’t You Marry The Mormon Boys is the culmination of a life long dream?

Janet:

Definitely. Even though I had a rewarding career as an educator for many years, the reports I wrote had to be clear, objective and clinical. Though there’s an art to it, and it’s a challenge to teach those skills to students, I missed the opportunity to be creative as a writer.

Norm:

Has your environment and/or upbringing influenced your writing?

Janet:

My parents were both educators, and their generation did a lot of memorization and “reciting” in school, so we often heard snatches of poetry at home that they’d exchange, almost like inside jokes. One of my earliest memories is sitting on my mother’s lap while she read to me, and she always read with great expression. This is one Mother Goose rhyme I remember in particular:

Said the first little chicken,
With a strange little squirm,
"I wish I could find
A fat little worm."

(Three more little chickens complain about being hungry and the mother replies):

"Now, see here!" said the mother,
From the green garden patch,
"If you want any breakfast,
Just come here and scratch!"

Norm:

Is there a message in Don’t You Marry The Mormon Boys that you want your readers to grasp?

Janet:

The book has several messages. First, Mormons (members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, or LDS) aren’t polygamists, and polygamists aren’t Mormons. That is a distinction many people do not understand, and media reports are often inaccurate, so I think that is an important clarification. Other themes I explore are tolerance, acceptance, and willingness to accept others as they are. Life is richer when we can expand our ability to embrace diversity.

Norm:

Do you feel that writers, regardless of genre owe something to readers, if not, why not, if so, why and what would that be?

Janet:

That’s a great question. I think writers in any genre owe readers a good story that is well-told. I also believe we should respect our readers and give them nothing less than our best.

When we quote facts, we’re also obligated to be accurate. Just last week my neighbor bought a copy of Don’t You Marry the Mormon Boys, having no idea what it was about, simply to be gracious and supportive, I think. She called that evening, having read the first three chapters, and said she was thrilled, because I had mentioned the life of Martha Hughes Cannon, who happens to be her one of her husband’s ancestors.

Then when she read the University of Utah Medical School graduation scene that takes place at Kingsbury Hall, it gave her another happy surprise, because not only did she and her husband graduate from the University of Utah; she is also descended from the Kingsburys, one of whom was an early president of the University. I had no idea my neighbors of fifteen years had any personal or historical connections with the content of my book. I was pleased, of course, and very glad I had taken the time to research the actual people and places I wrote about in my novel. 

Norm:

I believe Don’t You Marry the Mormon Boys is your first fiction-writing project. Did you enjoy the process? How was it different from your typical format?

Janet:

I began by having some articles and poems published, and then, in about 2000, I began working on Don’t You Marry the Mormon Boys. There were times, especially at the beginning, when I absolutely loved the storytelling process. I had great fun plotting certain scenes, and I relished inserting a touch of humor whenever I could. I had reached this point when another opportunity presented itself, one that consumed most of my time for the next few years: The Book Lover’s Cookbook (Ballantine, 2003), which is a compilation of food-related passages from great literature paired with original recipes. The concept, the brainchild of co-author Shaunda Wenger, is “cooking and eating with your favorite authors and characters.” Doing the research for The Book Lover’s Cookbook certainly expanded my literary taste buds as well as my cooking repertoire.

The book took nearly three years of intense work to complete, during which the two of us  researched hundreds of great works of literature and developed and tested over three hundred recipes. Then we compiled and organized the content with the goal of balancing a variety of literary excerpts with a variety of dishes. During this time my other writing projects were largely neglected. The Book Lover’s Cookbook was well-received, and when our final edits and then our post-publication activities were finished, I was able to return to my fiction work. 

Norm:

How did you come up with the title Don’t You Marry the Mormon Boys?

Janet:

It’s actually the title of a clever old folksong I’ve heard since childhood. Depending on the occasion, “Mormon” can become “Kansas” or “Idaho,” etc. At a recent bookstore signing, one man commented, “Now, that’s one heck of an eye-catching title.” He had glanced at the poster and literally stopped in his tracks to look at the book. He’s a western historian, which of course could be one reason the title caught his interest, and we had a stimulating conversation about our shared interests. I’m hoping to hear from him after he’s read it.

Usually, people react to the title with a smile or a chuckle, because the rhythm and wording of the phrase also hint at the humor within the story. In fact, chapter one begins with native Utahn Andy McBride singing the song to his dog, Eliza R. Snow, who is named after a famous Utah poet. I think it sets the mood and gives us a hint of who Andy is as he’s driving to his new medical practice in the beautiful Smoky mountain region of rural Appalachia.

Norm:

Where did you get your information and ideas for Don’t You Marry the Mormon Boys?

Janet:

Polygamy is part of my own Utah pioneer heritage on my father’s side, and there’s hardly a day contemporary polygamy isn’t also in our local headlines. I also discovered, long after the fact, that I had attended high school with the son of a well-known polygamous leader—an osteopathic physician, a peaceful man—who was shot to death in his office by members of another clan who considered him a threat. When his son was interviewed following the murder, I was astounded to see my old classmate on television, speaking lovingly about his father. I remember the son as an excellent student, on the quiet side, a handsome and well-mannered young man. In high school, though, I had no clue about his family background. He has since left the polygamous lifestyle and occasionally I’ll read something about him or his family in the paper. It’s fascinating to know something about their journey.

I’ve also read extensively about polygamy, works of both fiction and nonfiction, in order to construct my own fictional polygamous community, Gabriel’s Landing, and its way of life.

My husband and I drove through Colorado City, Utah, about ten years ago, and that was an eye-opener. Close to the Utah-Arizona border, Colorado City is a small isolated community of practicing polygamists. I had expected to find a well-organized prosperous little rural hamlet with tidy gardens and farms. Instead, most of the homes in the desert town were shabby, often unfinished (to avoid property taxes), with few windows. The roads were unpaved and the red dirt formed clouds behind us as we drove slowly over them. Other than a few children scuttling toward their homes in fear of us, the roads and yards were deserted. No doubt unhappy citizens were peering through their small, high windows at us, the intruders.

We turned a corner and saw a block of large brick homes, well-built, completely landscaped, and obviously belonging to prosperous owners. Later we would learn those homes belonged to the leaders. Then we stopped at the weedy, neglected graveyard and were shocked and saddened at the stories suggested by the names and dates on the humble graves. At the edge of town was an attractive modern medical clinic, obviously built by the government. This curious desert town, a curious study in contrasts, sits at the feet of stunning red-rock mountains.

About a year before we visited the area, we had occasion to see a group of women from Colorado City at a social event. There were about a dozen women of them sitting together, and to anyone who knew anything about Colorado City or the old-fashioned appearance of its citizens, it was obvious these women were plural wives. Each woman stood and introduced herself and told the group how many children and “adopted children” were in her family. I learned that “adopted children” is the customary term for the offspring of their “sister wives,” who share the same husband.

One of my favourite memories of that afternoon is also how friendly and welcoming others were when they met these women. The cultural differences simply didn’t matter.  

Norm:

How did you develop the plot and characters? Did you use any set formula?

Janet:

This is my first completed novel and I wish I had employed a formula; the process might have been easier. The story developed gradually in my mind for quite a while, and then I actually began writing it. I was pleased with the beginning and the ending, but the middle had problems. Soon the entire project became unmanageable as the storyline began to wander. I wrote a summary of each scene on an index card and then put them all on a bulletin board, rearranging them until I was satisfied with the order, leaving spaces for transitions and other scenes necessary to weave all of it into a cohesive story. That’s a rather backward approach to writing a novel, I think.

Characters should have the freedom to speak and act for themselves, and it was exciting when they did. They took me in directions I hadn’t imagined, and for that I thank them. 

Norm:

Do you agree that to have good drama there must be an emotional charge that usually comes from the individual squaring off against antagonists either out in the world or within himself or herself? If so, please elaborate and how does it fit into you novel?

Janet:

I agree that conflict is an important element in any kind of storytelling. In Don’t You Marry the Mormon Boys, Louisa Martin’s upbringing in an isolated polygamous community is at odds with the law. Gabriel’s Landing, my fictitious town, is all about secrets and avoiding the attention of the outside world. In order for her to attend college and then medical school, Louisa’s father faces great opposition from the leadership and must campaign vigorously on her behalf, as education isn’t deemed essential beyond the basics for any of the young people, and girls are usually married in their teens.

When Louisa leaves home for the first time, she’s the object of curious stares and whispers as her appearance (modest, plain old-fashioned clothes, no makeup, and waist-length hair) clearly identifies her as someone from a different culture. In Utah, these outward signs nearly shout “Polygamy!” When her college roommates talk her into a conservative makeover, she finally feels and looks “just like another student.” Before she goes home to visit, however, out come the old clothes and braided hairdos, and no one is the wiser.

Fellow medical student Andy is smitten by Louisa, and she reluctantly allows herself to care for a “Gentile,” but it’s immediately obvious to both of them that they can never hope for marriage. The “Principle” of polygamy separates them: as a mainstream Mormon, Andy cannot accept it, and as a young woman raised in polygamy who will return home to serve her people, Louisa cannot escape it. To further complicate matters, Andy’s father is an assistant District Attorney, and many cases he prosecutes are related to the crimes that occur too often in the polygamous lifestyle: spousal abuse, child abuse, and welfare fraud. Louisa’s family is appalled when they learn she’s seeing a Gentile, and Andy’s family isn’t any happier to learn about the background of the woman he loves.

Each character also faces conflict in their separate medical practices. Back home in Gabriel’s Landing after her residency, Louisa finds herself at odds with the Council of Brothers for recognizing depression in some of her female patients, who also want to learn how to prevent too-frequent pregnancies. She uncovers birth defects in children due to close intermarriage, but is not allowed to educate her patients about the risks of these practices. As a young girl, she was oblivious to these realities. As a young physician, she cannot tolerate them.

Andy also treats patients who suffer from black lung disease, domestic abuse, poverty, and alcoholism. In an unusual arrangement he finds himself sharing his medical practice with a traditional Healer and her natural remedies, and on one occasion even ends up staring into the muzzle of a shotgun when he intervenes on behalf of an unwed pregnant girl. In spite of these challenges, he endears himself to Hawthorn Valley folks by joining a bluegrass band, learning to tame the quirky horse they loan him, taking their practical jokes with his enduring good humor, and pulling off a few pranks himself.  

Conflict and resolution make for good stories, I think. Life is filled with conflict, and there is no shortage of it for these characters, who nonetheless appreciate the many strengths and beauties of their native and adopted cultures. 

Norm:

Can you tell us how you found representation for your book? Did you pitch it to an agent, or query publishers who would most likely publish this type of book? Any rejections? Did you self-publish?

Janet:

The short version might be summed up by this quote from comedian Jonathan Winters: “I couldn’t wait for success, so I went ahead without it.” I actually pitched the book to many agents, after doing careful research. I had a number of criteria in mind: Were they reputable agents? Were they looking for new clients? Were they willing to represent an unpublished writer? And what genres did they represent? I chose specific agents to query, using the above criteria, and pitched my book as mainstream contemporary fiction, or women’s fiction, depending on the agent’s areas of interest. I also specifically sought out agents who represented western authors, or books about the west, religious issues, and the LDS culture, with no real success.

I also took advantage of opportunities to pitch my book to visiting agents and editors at writing conferences. Though these interviews didn’t result in representation, they did help me clarify my vision of my own work and strengthen my determination to get it published. How many rejections did I collect? As one local reviewer wrote, “Janet Kay Jensen is nothing if not persistent, and her tenacity has finally paid off in the publication of her first novel . . . after seven years of research, writing, rewriting and 75 rejection slips.” (Charlene Hirschi, Logan Utah Herald Journal, November 29, 2007.)

It is very difficult for an agent to sell a new author’s work to a publisher. Some agents and editors didn’t feel the subject of my book would be of national interest. I have persistently clung to the belief that the themes in my book do appeal to an audience beyond the intermountain west, and LDS readers When I began writing the book in 2000, a Mormon wasn’t running for president, Big Love wasn’t airing on HBO, and a fundamentalist polygamous leader wasn’t on the FBI’s Most Wanted List. A friend tells me I have such “good timing,” with this heightened national interest, but the release date of my book was not at all intentional in that sense. I just had a story to tell and characters who demanded I tell it.  

By the winter of 2007 I reached the point where I felt I had exhausted the possibilities of publication at the national level, and I began to investigate smaller regional publishers. We’re very fortunate in our area to have a very active and prolific community of writers and several reputable publishers who understand the local issues and readership. I have a number of writer friends who have published nationally and regionally, and I have benefited tremendously from their experience and advice. Smaller houses typically don’t have the resources to aggressively market their products, however, so I have worked very hard on promotion beyond the region as well. I was thrilled when Don’t You Marry the Mormon Boys was named a finalist in the Best Books 2007 Religious Fiction Category.

It has also been nominated for the Whitney Award for LDS Fiction, in the First Novel Category.

Norm:

Do you ever suffer from writer's block? If so, what do you do about it?

Janet:

There are days when I don’t think any original thoughts have crossed my mind. However, those are usually days when I’m not working hard enough. When one section of a manuscript isn’t progressing, it’s always helpful to move on to a different chapter and then return to the problem later with fresh eyes and fresh perspective.

Norm:

What, in your opinion, are the most important elements of good writing?

Janet:

A writer must cultivate a clear voice and a style that doesn’t draw attention to itself. Whenever the flow is disrupted by verbal acrobatics, so is the reader’s train of thought. At a national workshop an editor remarked that one strength of my writing is found in its simplicity. I like to think that’s true.

Norm:

What tools do you feel are must-haves for writers?

Janet:

Writers are observers, and we need to hone skills. People are fascinating. As writers we feel a keen desire to weave those observations and complex personalities into memorable stories.

I also believe that writers should be voracious readers. Maud Casey said, “I was born with a reading list I will never finish,” and that’s how I feel when I walk into a library or a bookstore. The promise of a good read is seductive.

As I read, I like to analyze a writer’s particular style and voice and decide what makes them so effective. In an ideal world my style would be characterized by the grace of writers I admire, including Anne Tyler, Barbara Kingsolver, or Anna Quindlen.

Norm:

Are you working on any books/projects that you would like to share with us? (We would love to hear all about them!)

Janet:

In Don’t You Marry the Mormon Boys Louisa has a sixteen-year-old sister, Zina, who simply disappears one night. Her father later realizes that she must have overheard him grant an older man permission to court her. In the polygamous lifestyle, courtship is simply a brief preamble to marriage, and in a patriarchal community such as Gabriel’s Landing, a girl like Zina knows it means she will be soon be married to a man twice her age who already has several other wives and many other children, and that her own childhood will be over.

Zina’s family can’t report her disappearance to the police, as it would expose their illegal lifestyle, and they can’t afford a private investigator, as they are people of modest means. Her father receives an occasional postcard from Zina, saying “I’m all right,” mailed from any number of locations in the country. And that’s all we know about her.

Zina’s story—her flight from Gabriel’s Lading, and her experiences after leaving the sheltered home of her childhood—was originally part of Don’t You Marry the Mormon Boys, but the two sisters’ storylines became too difficult to manage chronologically. Finally, I had to pull Zina’s story out of the first book and promise her one of her own. I have written about three-fourths of her story, tentatively titled Zina. I’m very attached to her, as you can tell.

I’m also committed to a novel I’ve begun about a bright, capable man who is hiding the painful secret of illiteracy. The courage and persistence of adults who have experienced a lifetime of failure and humiliation due to illiteracy, and who still have the desire and determination to learn to read, is nothing short of inspiring. I hope I can do it justice.

I also have a trilogy on the shelf which needs a good rewrite. It’s a family saga of three generations that takes place in Boston, various points in New England, and Ireland. It has suspense, intrigue, romance, and a healthy dose of humor.

Norm:

How can our readers find out more about you?

Janet:

I have a webpage, http://www.janetjensen.com, and a blog: http://www.janetkayjensen.blogspot.com. I’d love to hear from readers.

Thanks once again and good luck with all of your future endeavors.

And thank you, Norm.

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