the hero journey, with a metamor- nered numerous awards for his NEWS phosis; the hero often becomes fantasy art. Mike McDonough of godlike, gaining superhuman BYU's motion picture studio wrote power of some kind," he ex- and produced thirteen radio plays plained. "And so science fiction for the Ray Bradbury Theater MORMONS CREATE has turned into what Algis Budrys National Public Radio series; his calls the religious fiction of our series won the prestigious Pea- OTHER WORLDS time." body Broadcasring Award. Tracy Bell believes Mormons are Hickman, a BW graduate, has co- By F1 K. Todd drawn to science fiction partly authored numerous novels in the because of their unique beliefs. Dragonlace series. Two LDS MORMONS ARE making inroads she has rocketed to success on her "The Pearl of Great Price says there women, ~lizabeth Boyer and into the writing of science fiction first science fiction attempt, is intelligent life on worlds without Carolyn Vesser, have also ~ub- and fantasy. Within the past few According to Rachel Denk of con- number, and that statement lished science fiction and fantasy years, several Latter-day Saints test sponsor Bridge Publications, inevitably leads to s~eculadon. have published nationally in the the fact that Utah has produced Also we have a hopeful culture; we ~ormonshave not only Sent genre. And in the last two years three winners in two years is believe in a glorious afterlife and their work out to national media; three young y om on writers have "phenomenal," Said Bell, u~ridgea wonderful future." This fits in they have also brought national put Utah County on the star charts noticed that they were getting a lot well with the world view of sci- publishers and authors to Provo. by winning first place in a presti- of entries from Prove, and when ence fiction, which looks toward Some of the original members of gious international science fiction both Dave and I won in the same the future and progress. the Xenobia began an annual contest. year, they asked, going on Whatever the reasons, the science fiction convention at BW called "Life, the Universe, and Orson Scott Card, the best- out there? " community of serious Mormon known and most acclaimed LDS Pan of "what's going on out artists in the genre is growing. Everything." his symposium, fantasy author, has made a perma- heren is happening in a local writ- Glen Anderson, who works for according to Bell, was "founded to nent niche for hirpself in science ing group 'Xenobia," ~11BWS Instructional Graphics, has be a serious consideration of fiction. Author of numerous three local winners are long- published two short science fic- science ficnonand fantasy as liter- novels, two years in a row he won standing members and had their tion novels with Horizon, The ature." It has drawn such best- the two top national honors in winning stories critiqued by Millennium File, and The Doomsday selling authors as Algis ~udrys,CJ. science fiction, the Hugo and Neb- Xenobia, an informal nine-year- Factor. Anderson said that these Chenyh, Stephen R. Donaldson, ula awards, for Ender's Game and old continuation of a 1980 class novels "use points of [LDS] doc- ~aul~nderson, and ~ack its sequel Speaker for the Dead. taught by BYU English professor trine as starting points for the ~illiamson. Card's Seventh Son and its sequel, Marion K. Smith. prernise."James Christensen of the "Life, the Universe, and Every- The Red Prophet, are fantasies with All three winners are former BYU Department of Art has gar- thing" is sponsored jointly by the a peculiarly Mormon flair. BW students. Bell believes that There are other rising stars everything he studied at BYU, from Utah County. In 1986 two including courses in the sciences former BYU students, Shayne Bell and in creative writing, helped. His and David Wolverton, won first master's thesis was a collection of place-and $1,000 each-in the science fiction stories. Wolverton quarterly "Writers of the Future" said, "BYU has a pretty good writ- contest, a prestigious contest for ing program." But Baker feels BW newcomers in the genre through- only helped her learn how to deal out the English-speaking world. with the rejection a writer inevita- Wolverton's story then took the bly faces. "They wouldn't let me do annual grand prize and an addi- a creative thesis until after I'd won tional $4,000. a Mayhew award," she explained. Their winning short stories "They said I didn't have enough were published in Writers of the talent at first." Future 111. Bell has since sold Since BW's English Depart- six stories, seven poems, and a ment has traditionally not play. Wolverton has a three-book encouraged writing science fiction, contract with Bantam, his novel it is interesting that so many suc- On My Way to Paradise will come cessful fiction writers out of BW out in October. are writing science fiction. Wol- Virginia Baker is now the third verton believes the support they winner from the Provo area. find in Xenobia deserves credit. Baker's win is unusual not only He also attributes their success to because she is the third local win- the genre of science fiction itself. ner in two years, but also because "Much science fiction deals with

PAGE 50 APRIL 1989 BYU student association (BWSA, fantasy magazine. Now in its nationwide readership. future, those circles will encom- formerly ASBYU), the BYU science eighth year, The Leading Edge is Mormons are making their pass other new writers residing in fiction club Quark, and The Lead- considered one of the top amateur presence felt in science fiction and Happy Valley but living on other ing Edge, BYU's science fiction and magazines of its type and has a fantasy circles. NO doubt in the worlds. O

PAGE 51 SUN SPOTS OXYMORMONS

OMAR Kader, promoting Utah products around the globe.

TEMPEST IN A WINE BOTTLE A WIDELY supported liquor- A public controversy ensued related bill unexpectedly died in ibout the Church's involvement the Utah Senate this winter with politics. Although state sena- without even being brought to a rors followed the Church's wishes, vote after LDS church officials many were displeased that it did voiced their last-minute reserva- not voice its objections earlier tions. House Bill 132, which when the bill could have been would have legalized drinking on quietly killed in committee. Mys- chartered tour buses and in limou- teriously, the tape recording of a sines, sailed through Utah's House legislative committee debate over of Representatives with a 53-20 the bill disappeared and House vote and support from Gov. Nor- officials believe it was stolen. man Bangerter, numerous state Rusty Anderson, owner of health and safety agencies, and [mage Limousine Rental, threa- many businesses. Rep. Ray Niel- tened a lawsuit against the Church sen called the measure "a public br harming his business and safety bill" because it would tend interfering with government. But, to keep possibly intoxicated to the surprise of many, Utah drivers in passenger seats. American Civil Liberties Director Although Families Alert, a citizens' Michele Parish-Pixler defended the morality advocate organization, Church's right to express its opin- protested the bill "for its potential ions to lawmakers even though of exposing passengers to Ted Lindsey and Evans were not Bundy types or other unwieldy registered lobbyists. undesirables." Church spokesman Jerry Cahill confirmed that LDS Public Affairs Director Richard Lindsey and his assistant Bill Evans had called and been called by senators but he denied that they applied any pres- sure. Non-Mormon Sen. Frances Farley was not called by Church officials.''I feel sort of left out," she said.

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