C. David Belt's Blog, page 17
August 30, 2016
August 22, 2016
Mormons, Magic, and Irish Drinking Songs!
Something magical materializes when you mix Mormons with Irish drinking songs.
On Friday night, we held a launch party for my latest novel, “The Sweet Sister,” at our home. We shot my new medieval crossbow at a hapless cardboard box, whacked at each other with Japanese shinai in mock swordfights, ate cake and Mexican food, watched a lady-bard relate the tale of “The Sleeping Beauty,” and sang lots of Irish pub songs.
And a good time was had by all. (At least, that’s what I’m hearing. I can tell you for sure that I had lots of fun.)
And when it came to belting out (no pun intended, really—nah, who am I kidding?) old ditties about hogsheads of whiskey, lost loves, sinking of grand sailing ships, ominous mermaids, fist-fighting, highwaymen, and raising a friendly glass in honor of Death, everyone seemed to let loose. And the strongest drink served was lemonade. There was not one single drop of alcohol or anything else that might be considered mind- or mood-altering.
Except, of course, for the singing.
And, oh, we sang boisterously. Even those who’d never heard the tune before joined in and roared along, singing, “Whiskey, you’re the devil. You’re leading me astray!”
And I’m pretty sure that we were, to a man, woman, and child, devout Mormons.
The next morning, my dear, sweet wife, got up early to serve as a worker in the Provo City Center Temple. She grumbled, “Argh! I’ve got, Whiskey, You’re the Devil stuck in my head! I better listen to some nice Mormon Tabernacle Choir music on the way to the temple, don’t ya think?” I couldn’t help but grin.
I’m still grinning like a drunken Cheshire Cat. No, better make that a Limerick leprechaun.
Thank you to all—friends, neighbors, and fans—who came to the launch of “The Sweet Sister” and had a raucous, roaring, rollicking good time!
It was, in a word, magical.
August 8, 2016
Ben Savage: Cover Artist Supreme!
My amazing cover artist, Ben Savage (not the actor, but “the more talented and good-looking one”), wants create the cover for your book. You can contact him directly via email at savage_illustration@yahoo.com. You can also check out his online portfolio at www.theotherbensavage.com.
I first met Ben when we worked together at a video game studio that would eventually become Electronic Arts – Salt Lake. I was an engineer, and Ben was an artist, working on different games, but we eventually came to collaborate on NERF II. I’m not an artist, so I can’t adequately describe his skills—I just know what I like.
When Ben does one of my covers, I simply describe what the book is about and suggest objects or elements he might use. Then Ben does his magic, and I am blown away. He’s very easy to work with, and the results speak for themselves.
Here is his latest cover for my upcoming release, “The Sweet Sister” (coming August 10th):
And here’s my favorite cover for my LDS vampire trilogy, “The Children of Lilith”:
So, please consider Ben for your next book cover! Once again, here’s his email: savage_illustration@yahoo.com and his online portfolio: www.theotherbensavage.com.
August 1, 2016
Author’s Note from “The Sweet Sister”
This is not the story I intended to tell, at least not at first. The concept for this story started off as a fairly simple one. Then I started to do my research, and my mind was officially blown. There is such a richness and depth to the backdrop for The Sweet Sister—the mythologies, religious practices and rituals, and the actual historical events—that I knew I’d scratch only the surface. If I tried to include all the details I was learning, the book would occupy several volumes (and probably be far too slow-paced for a contemporary horror novel). I’d study and research late into the night, and begrudge the time when I finally forced myself to go to bed. Then I’d count the days until I would next go to the Tabernacle on Temple Square.
You see, I’m a member of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir (at least as of this writing). During rehearsals, I would give myself over to the sacred music. In those moments when I was not singing, I’d gaze out from the Choir loft into the vast expanse of the domed ceiling. And the inspiration would come.
Now, I’m not trying to claim divine revelation for my horror stories, but I definitely received help. As I’d stare out into that sacred space, bits of the tale would crystallize in my mind. This phenomenon has occurred during every rehearsal and performance over the past fifteen months—I would go to Choir—and I’d have an epiphany. After one rehearsal, another Choir member asked me how I was doing. I responded with great enthusiasm, “I’m doing great! I know exactly how to describe that grisly ritual murder now! I can’t wait to get home and write it down!” He gave me a quizzical (and somewhat horrified) look as I bade him good-night and hurried off to my car.
So this tale grew, as all good tales do, in the telling. It blossomed like flowers on a fruit tree. But I’m getting ahead of myself . . .
While I have added fictional details to the historical events described, many of the people and events were very real. History is typically written by the victors, so I had to rely on accounts about the conquered relayed by the conquerors. And in many cases, recent archeology has validated the victors’ accounts. However, I must apologize to Wilhelm the Pious for possibly impugning his character. As far as I know, there is no evidence to support how I depicted him in the story. If I meet him in the next life, I may need to apologize to him in person.
A couple of pronunciation notes: in Welsh, “dd” is pronounced “th,” and in Gaelic, “dh” is pronounced “v.”
Lastly, in Mormon culture, the phrase “sweet sister” is often used to refer to a young (or not so young) woman who is “beautiful on the inside,” but not on the surface. I believe that true beauty starts within. No amount of physical loveliness can mask ugliness within. However, a woman who is beautiful on the inside cannot help but reflect that beauty in her eyes, her smile, and her Christlike compassion for others. “Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies” (Proverbs 31:10). Woman is God’s crowning creation. I am profoundly grateful for the precious women in my life, most especially my dear, sweet, and beautiful eternal companion. She and they inspire me to do better, to be better.
July 29, 2016
July 21, 2016
July 14, 2016
Cover Reveal: The Sweet Sister
The cover is by Ben Savage! (“Not the famous one. The good-looking and more talented one.”)
The Sweet Sister will be available in ebook and paperback in August!
June 17, 2016
Another Advance Review for “The Sweet Sister”!
The Sweet Sister was nothing I was expecting; in fact, I honestly didn’t know what to expect from a genre new to me, LDS Horror. There were scary moments where I wanted to cover my eyes, but couldn’t stop turning pages; sweet moments filled with wonder, hope and romance; and educational moments where I learned so much about our world’s history. This book keeps you on your toes, jumping from each character’s vantage point, unveiling clue by clue, until the reader has witnessed the full journey alongside the heroine. Well-written and expertly crafted, this book opened my eyes to the wonder of fiction, of escaping into an alternate reality, and somehow finding a sense of normalcy therein.
Staci Meacham – Layton, Utah
June 13, 2016
Creating Beauty
In the wake of the murders in Orlando, Christ is where we turn for peace. Let us make beauty in the face of ugliness and evil. And let us stand with those with whom we disagree. Let us stand together as Americans and as sons and daughters of God.
Last Friday night, I was sitting in the Little Theatre of the Conference Center along with 360 of my best friends. The night before had been the debut performance of our series of four Christmas concerts. We were doing our warm-up and last-minute rehearsal before the Friday night concert. Brother Wilberg (the musical director of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir) told us that we had done very well on Thursday night and he had only a very few items that we needed to review. He was very pleased, he told us. And of course, we were gratified and pleased with the praise. We had worked hard and it felt good to be recognized for that. Then Brother Murphy (the associate musical director) walked to the piano to go over the concert pieces that he would be conducting. In contrast to Brother Wilberg, he did not look pleased at all. He looked…
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June 10, 2016
Another Advance Review of “The Sweet Sister”!
I felt honored when Mr. C. David Belt invited me to beta read his new book, The Sweet Sister. I’ve really been enjoying myself as I’ve been reading this story. Here are individual little thoughts that have been rolling through my brain since I began:
– The writing style is unique — one that I don’t recall ever noticing in any other book I’ve read. Throughout the book are certain recurring elements that stand out to me, and I will point out a couple that I like the best:
1) For one thing, I’m trying to remember the last time I read a book where the different main characters each trade off taking turns being the originating point-of-view of the chapter. Here’s a Peggy chapter — where we take an exclusive trip through her mind. Now here’s a Derek chapter, a Peggy one again, and now Todd’s turn… Back to Derek, then Peggy, then Todd again, an occasional somebody else (and because the “somebody else” chapters are just occasional, it’s just the right frequency to help keep me enthralled overall), and so forth. Personally, I quite like how Mr. Belt tours us around the various characters’ thoughts and feelings in this manner. It’s not necessarily each character takes a turn being “narrator” — because the book isn’t in “first-person” — but I definitely feel like I’m able to mentally and emotionally connect with each character whose mind we explore.
2) And speaking of exploring the characters’ minds, the other recurring element I want to touch on is all the specific stuff that the characters say to themselves, inside their brains — which is all italicized throughout the text of the book. I’m often finding myself saying, “Bwahh!! I know, right!!? That’s EXACTLY what I would’ve said in this situation!!!” And sometimes I get done reading a paragraph where something significant happens that causes me to really think, and in my mind I’m like, “Okay Peggy (or whoever), HERE’S what you need to do next……” and what’s crazy is that, a couple of pages later, she DOES what I hypothetically TOLD her she should do! This has happened a couple of times, at least. Kinda gets me stoked to see how many times it may happen again. But one more itty bitty thing I get a kick out of, regarding the italicized thoughts… Oodles of times, the character bickers with his or her self, and it’s always hilarious, and I love it.
– I enjoy how there’s a ton of actual world history weaved into the fiction. How there’s ample interesting mythology and legend included in the mix. It’s entertainment and education swirled together, like a chocolate/vanilla swirl soft-serve ice cream cone from Crown Burger or Macey’s grocery store…… Mmmmmm…
– During the time when Mr. Belt was finishing writing up the first draft of the book, there was this one evening — prior to choir (I’m in the Mormon Tabernacle Choir with him) — where I was having one of my first substantial conversations with him, and it was here that he explained to me how he was an “LDS horror” author. I remember him saying something like (I paraphrase), “And sometimes when I tell people I write LDS horror, they’re often taken aback and aren’t so sure what to think about it…” Because there really aren’t that many authors out there who write LDS horror, right? Right. And so when Mr. Belt told me he was an LDS horror author, I wasn’t exactly “taken aback” per se, but my interest was definitely piqued, and I was eager to learn more about what went into his LDS horror stories. I’m happy to report that, so far, while The Sweet Sister falls under the “LDS horror” category, it’s not “overbearing” horror, if you will. It’s not “too much to handle,” for readers who may naturally be rather sensitive in the horror genre of media. I’d say I’m naturally somewhat sensitive to horror stories; I tend to steer way clear of too-much-gruesomeness-and-gore. But The Sweet Sister, while it does periodically describe a small amount of gore, is never too much for me, and the gruesome scenes never linger too long in any part of the story — they come and go fairly quickly. Lighter scenes of wholesome mystery jump into view all the time. There’s a wonderful balance — a nice ratio — of slightly heavier intensity mingled with calmer, chiller thriller. There are LDS people out there who would hear the words “LDS horror” and flip out a bit in disapproval, but I sincerely think if they give at least The Sweet Sister a shot, they maybe — just maybe — might be pleasantly surprised. They really might like it. Especially when The Sweet Sister story often displays specific scenarios where the characters hold fast to the values, virtues, and standards they hold dear (e.g. the LDS Church standards).
– It’s a gripping book, to me. I’m never a fan of having to set the book down. I never want to. I’m constantly understanding that there’s so much ANSWER to the current riddle I’m reading about, lying ahead of me in the story, and I’m always finding myself uber-excited to get closer and closer to where I’m sure the answer must be. I WANT TO KNOWWWWWW.
– Mr. Belt really hits the nail on the head with what young single adults’ social lives and dating lives (especially what it’s like to be a young single adult in the dating world in the American Mormon culture) are actually like. I’m a 30-year-old young single adult, living in this young single adult dating world. (If I’m not mistaken, I think I remember reading at the beginning of the story that Peggy is also 30-years-old?) While I’m reading The Sweet Sister, I’m continually discovering parts about Peggy’s life and emotions and thought-processes that are so relatable to me. She is so real. I’d be really intrigued to know how a 20-/30-something-year-old young single man might relate to the Derek and Todd characters.
– Hmmmm… Trying to think if there’s anything else I feel I really should write here… I’m sure I’ll come up with some more later! THIS BOOK ROCKS, DAVID.
Sincerely,
Alison Barton (4/28/16)
After finishing reading the first half of Mr. Belt’s new book The Sweet Sister, I prepared and sent to him all the thoughts that had rolled through my mind while reading up unto that point. Then I continued forth and read the second half. And now I have just a few more parting thoughts regarding my experience diving into the story:
– As the story kept on progressing, it kept getting more and more exciting, which felt natural, so that’s really great.
– Over time, I found my interest becoming more and more latched to one character in particular: Morgaise. Upon arrival at one certain point in the story – not far into the second half – I took a breath and metaphorically looked myself square in the eye and said to myself, “Self? I’m pretty sure our official ‘most interesting character’ here is Morgaise. Hands down. No arguments about it.” Which kind of turned out to be a profound prediction of sorts, because Morgaise did, in fact, end up turning out to be quite the fascinating person to pay attention to, with actual written proof from the author.
– Mr. Belt asked me how I felt about the way the story ended, and I told him I was very pleased…
– I’m thankful for all the little moments I had during my reading when I saw a word, went like “what in tarnation is THAT word?” and looked it up, learned what it meant, and added it to my list of new words for my vocabulary. Including the following examples: silphium, woad, Pila, Iceni, and abattoir. Yet another smart way Mr. Belt uses this opportunity to write a book, to enlighten the minds of his readers – along with the way (and I reiterate) he infuses lots and lots of neat historical facts and artifacts and actual legends how they were originally told back in their day.
The Sweet Sister grabbed my attention and held on tight oodles as I read it from cover to cover. I say that most earnestly. I also told this to Mr. Belt: “To be able to write a novel that’s interesting and flows well – let alone to be able to write a novel in the first place – is a remarkable feat to accomplish.” Mr. Belt not only accomplished writing a novel (among multiple other novels he’s written), but he went above and beyond and created a work of art. GREAT WORK, DAVID!
Sincerely,
Alison Barton
