Author Interview - Scott Hurst, Author of "Open Fire"

Scott Hurst's book, "Open Fire": J. Golden Kimball Takes on the South" is now available! Scott kindly consented to an author interview. 

What motivated you to write your book? 

The first thing that attracted me to J. Golden was his uncanny sense of humor. The second thing, and this is the thing that really got me hooked, was his incredible sense of compassion and humanity.

What surprised you the most about your subject? 

How much he struggled in his life. He had some very severe challenges, some admittedly his own fault and many that weren't, that he managed to weather with a large amount of perseverance, humor and sheer tenacity.

What is your favorite J. Golden story? 

I have several, mostly ending with a classic Golden-ism of colorful language. Instead, let me share with you my favorite Uncle Golden quote, one that sums up not only who he was but really sums it up for all of us: "I may not have always walked the straight and narrow, but I've crossed it as many times as I could." And there's not one cuss word in it!

What most impressed you about him? 

His ability to cross social boundaries. As a general authority he was beloved by not only the LDS people but by non-LDS as well. I think this is, again, due to his great humanity and understanding that no matter who you are, we are all on the same path. We all have strengths and weaknesses. He was very honest about his own, which allowed him to be very understanding of others as well.

If you could sit down with him today, what would you ask him? 

How he'd like his coffee.

How do you find the time to write? Do you have another job? If so, how do you balance everything? 

Time to write. Wow. You just have to make it. I'm not really one to ask about balance, since I don't think I do that great of a job at it. But as far as writing…you have to just sit your behind down in the chair and do it. There is absolutely NO other way to get it done.

Do you have any other projects in the works?

I'm working on a biography of my grandparents who were from both sides of WWII in the Pacific and have a second J. Golden book percolating on the back burner.

You can purchase your own copy of "Open Fire" here and learn more about J. Golden Kimball. 

Upcoming Events!

I will be participating in an author's panel with Don Carey (author of "Bumpy Landings"), Kevin Hinckley, author of "Parenting the Strong-Willed Child", and Mary Crouch, Licensed Specialist in School Psychology. We will be discussing parenting a child with special needs, the impact of a disability on other family members, and how to plan for life after high school. Bring your questions!

The presentation will be followed by a book signing.

Mark your calendar for Friday, November 2 from 7-9 PM and join us at the Barnes and Nobel in Hurst (in the Shops at NorthEast Mall--861 NE Mall Blvd).

Mind Games

by S.Z. Berg and Jonathan Berg

Paperback: 286 pages

• Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform (August 29, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1479184594
• ISBN-13: 978-1479184590

FCC Disclaimer: I received a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. 

Savannah Bloom is trying to claw her way up into the challenging world of journalism. She has a boyfriend and a bright future. It all starts to unravel when symptoms of OCD begin to appear. She thinks she can control the situation as she has most difficulties in her life, but becomes overwhelmed by "IT". Was this malady caused by an infection? Can she learn to manage, or will she lose everything?

I at first found the premise that mental illness could be caused by an infection to be ridiculous, until I did more research and actually had to deal with someone who began to show characteristics following a prolonged infection. This interesting novel allows you to care about Savannah while taking a peek into her difficult world. This work will be useful for teens and young adults to begin to understand mental illness while creating a beginning for a dialogue. Few novels featuring a character with a disability are as compelling as this. 

General Conference 2012

I put key words from each talk into at word cloud. Here's the result I'll use as a reminder:

Celebrating Down Syndrome Awareness Month!

October is Down Syndrome Awareness Month. Here's the perfect way to celebrate while blessing your family:

One of the things my children remember is doing "something Christmas" every day during December. Sometimes it was as simple as making cards, others included baking or games. They also recall reading together a variety of books.

Here's your chance to make memories, encourage literacy, enjoy family time, and support a good cause.

A collection of authors across the country have banded together to create "Sing We Now of Christmas: An Advent Anthology". This collection of 25 stories will warm your family's heart as you count down to Christmas.

These fabulous writers have donated their work to help others. Proceeds from the sales of this book will go towards the National Down Syndrome Society, an effort in the true spirit of Christmas. Get your copy here.

• Paperback: 186 pages
• Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform (September 12, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1479266248
• ISBN-13: 978-1479266241
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