Dorky cover to new FAIR book.

[_bcspace]

Does your book address why the Brethren have always taught the exact opposite on all three counts?

The brethren have not taught against the first two in any doctrinally recognized sense. In fact, the LDS Institute Old Testament manual for Genesis accepts several ideas on the age of the earth including a very ancient one.

[_harmony]

Perhaps I should have said "interpretive" matters. What do we make of the multiple accounts of the FV? How do we understand polygamy? Where did Book of Mormon events take place? Are there official statements that clarify these issues? No.

No? I disagree, at least partly. We have official statements about polygamy, reams and reams of them. The others, not so many. And if there needed to be clarity on those issues, it would seem logical that it would be the Brethren who make appropriate declarations. I look forward to the day when your calling is announced in the Church News and you will begin making these clarifying statements officially.

Therefore I have as much right to speculate as anyone else. They are speculative in the sense that we don't have clear answers.

Ah, then okay. Thanks for clearing that up. You definitely can speculate about those sorts of things all you want.

Let's add a few not discussed in this book: Should I vote Republican or Democrat? Should I follow a South Beach Diet or Atkins? Does the Church have a position? No. Can I speculate? You bet.

Immaterial, as they have nothing to do with the church.

Harmony, I've tried to answer your questions as forthrightly as I can, but I once again am reminded while I dislike message board interaction. I don't know if this was your intent, but you come across as very abrasive. I don't think I'm being hyper-sensitive here, but who knows. In order to avoid a discussion that becomes contentious, I hope you'll understand if I don't respond to all your questions.

Mike

Are pointed questions abrasive to you? Perhaps message board interaction really is not your thing then.

Thanks for the discussion. Good luck with your book.

[_MAsh]

I believe in evolution, an ancient earth, and a limited flood.

Does your book address why the Brethren have always taught the exact opposite on all three counts?

My book doesn't engage these issues (albiet peripherally). There are other good sources on at least the first two questions. I wrote an article for Dialogue on evolution & I'm currently reading a book by Meldrum & Stephens about evolution & the age of the earth. Can't recall the title at the moment (& can't recall the issue of my Dialogue article either), but if you want more information I'll look it up. The best articles I've seen on the limited flood can be found in a recent Sunstone (if memory serves me correctly) as well as a Sunstone a few months back by Jeffrys (if I'm remembering correctly).

Mike

[_huckelberry]

Mike, grouchy group here sometimes. Best wishes for your book I hope you make a few dollars from it even if you do not think that is required. If you went to some work to encourage people to think I cannot imagine what would be wrong with a bit of profit. The cover is not great art but it presents the title and hopefully holds the pages together. OK

I hope you tackled a few things harder than adieu and doesn't revelations say do not add to scripture.

[_Boaz & Lidia]

By taking the route I took, however, it helps expose FAIR to book buying Mormons who may not spend as much time on the net as we do.

How much extra-net marketing does FAIR do? Why would you expect the book to help them get noticed outside of the internet?

The book is being distributed by Deseret Book-- which means it should end up on retail shelves and possibly get picked up by book readers who aren't familiar with FAIR. The book lists FAIR as a resource for further information.

Mike

Seriously?

Deseret Books picked up this book with THAT cover?

Why not go real inexpensive with a print on demand publisher like http://lulu.com?

by the way, the white balance is off, way too cool(looks around 3500k) on the girl image.. and is that you in the lower left?

[_Mister Scratch]

Thank you Mister Scratch. No up front payment. I've put a lot of out-of-pocket expenses into this book that I will probably never make back. I won't go into details-- but the possibility that I do not receive any money is high. The possibility that I will receive a small amount of money if the book sells well is a open. I could have sold this to a different publisher and made standard royalties. By taking the route I took, however, it helps expose FAIR to book buying Mormons who may not spend as much time on the net as we do.

Mike

Huh. That's very interesting. I can understand your reticence in discussing actual figures---no problem there at all, my friend. Still, I'm very curious about what your experience was like. You say that you "put a lot of out-of-pocket expenses" into the book.... I wonder, would you mind elaborating on this a bit? I guess what I'm wondering is: Were you charged by FARMS for printing costs, and things like that? In other words, were you expected to shoulder much of the costs for this book?

Also, based on your comments, I gather that FARMS utilizes an atypical royalties pattern, whereby a lot of the money made gets pumped right back into FARMS. Is that correct?

Sorry---I don't mean to seem as if I am prying. I'm just very curious about the whole process. I mean, it's not very often that you get to chat with a freshly published FARMS author!

[_harmony]

Thank you Mister Scratch. No up front payment. I've put a lot of out-of-pocket expenses into this book that I will probably never make back. I won't go into details-- but the possibility that I do not receive any money is high. The possibility that I will receive a small amount of money if the book sells well is a open. I could have sold this to a different publisher and made standard royalties. By taking the route I took, however, it helps expose FAIR to book buying Mormons who may not spend as much time on the net as we do.

Mike

Huh. That's very interesting. I can understand your reticence in discussing actual figures---no problem there at all, my friend. Still, I'm very curious about what your experience was like. You say that you "put a lot of out-of-pocket expenses" into the book.... I wonder, would you mind elaborating on this a bit? I guess what I'm wondering is: Were you charged by FARMS for printing costs, and things like that? In other words, were you expected to shoulder much of the costs for this book?

Also, based on your comments, I gather that FARMS utilizes an atypical royalties pattern, whereby a lot of the money made gets pumped right back into FARMS. Is that correct?

Sorry---I don't mean to seem as if I am prying. I'm just very curious about the whole process. I mean, it's not very often that you get to chat with a freshly published FARMS author!

I thought Mr Ash was a FAIR author?

[_Mercury]

Mike,

Is this a vanity press? Who is the publisher?

[_MAsh]

Sorry---I don't mean to seem as if I am prying. I'm just very curious about the whole process. I mean, it's not very often that you get to chat with a freshly published FARMS author!

It's published by FAIR & distributed by Deseret Book.

Mike

[_Trevor]

That said, it just may suit its intended audience who might be confused and upset by actual style.

ROTFLMAO!

Well said, B. Well said indeed.