“Companions of Their Youth” is a Whitney Award Nominee!

I am so excited that “Companions of Their Youth” is a Whitney Award nominee this year! Thank you so much to all of you dear readers who nominated me.

If you’ve read the introduction to “Companions of Their Youth” (or have seen other things on my website), then you know that I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (aka “LDS” or “Mormon”). My faith is extremely important to me and is the biggest part of my life.

The Storymakers Guild is an author’s guild for aspiring and published authors who are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. In 2007, the Whitney Awards were founded by Robison Wells with the object of honoring the best fiction written each year by members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

I am truly touched that when I reached out via email to ask for y’all to nominate me, you actually did so. Thank you!

When I sent my email with my request, I told you all that it had been a difficult few weeks. I was a few hours outside of DC when the Pentagon was hit on 9/11, and that time of year always brings back some feelings. This year was especially difficult, as my brother is a student at UVU and lives in campus apartments.

And now this past weekend, with the passing of the prophet and president of our church, Russell M. Nelson, followed closely by the horrific attack at an LDS church building only a few hours away from me. My sister lives just an hour away, and a very close family friend lives in that town (but attends a different building).

I don’t quite have the ability to put into words everything that I’m feeling, other than just very heavy and raw. Instead of re-explaining why I asked for THIS book to be nominated (when I never have before), I am simply going to copy/paste the explanation I gave in my email.

My latest book, “Companions of Their Youth” – I wrote it because of this very thing evidenced this week: our inability to live together when we have such opposing views of right and wrong.

I wanted to show that you can disagree with the choices someone makes, but still find the good in them. Still live in harmony together. Still be a peacemaker.

I based the characters on people I know in real life. Who have struck that balance. And I wish, I so desperately wish, that more people could feel that way. Could see that it’s okay to compromise. It’s okay to be respectful.

BOTH sides could use more humility and less hypocrisy.

So that favor I have?

Could you nominate my book for the Whitney Awards?

I usually don’t focus on things like this, or even ask about things like this – I’m happy with my books being read by JAFF lovers, and I don’t feel the need to be recognized by the world at large.

But with this week’s mess, I feel like my book could be used to push people towards healing, towards empathy, towards kindness – to show other perspectives that we may not have considered.

And so if you feel like Companions of Their Youth struck that chord with you, please help me share that with more than just our JAFF community.

If you haven’t heard of it before, The Whitney Awards were founded in 2007 with the object of honoring the best fiction written each year by members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (aka, Mormons).

I don’t usually feel like I fit into that category. And I honestly don’t think I have much chance at actually winning or anything.

But books who end up qualifying as nominees gain much more exposure than they would otherwise.

And it’s not about being famous or to sell more books to make money or anything like that – again, that’s not my desire. I’ve never thought much about it, to be honest.

But right now, I think we need some light in our world. A way to escape to a place where people find ways to live and love in harmony, even when they disagree.

Anyway, that’s my request. Help me spread light and hope.

I wish I had something wise and inspirational to say to end this email, but like I said: my creativity this week is pretty shot.

So I will just end with these words from Albus Dumbledore: “Happiness can be found, even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light.”

P.S. Please don’t feel the need to reply to this post, to tell me you did it or to express sorrow on my behalf. As Dumbledore said, “Do not pity the dead, Harry. Pity the living, and, above all, those who live without love.”

I live with the love of my family and my God, and I feel incredibly blessed and grateful for that. ❤️ And obligated to share it with others.