I spent about an hour yesterday at the Sandy, UT Barnes and Noble. They were having a book signing for a new LDS humor book called Mormon Mishaps and Mischief. It is a collection of over 200 humorous anecdotes taken from various church meetings and activities.

I submitted two stories that were accepted. They can be found on pages 26 and 46 respectively. One recounts an “experiment” in a combined Priesthood/Relief Society that went horribly awry, and the other brings back a fond and funny memory of a Fathers’ and Sons’ Outing.

As a contributor I was allowed a free copy of the book. That was my primary reason for going to the book signing. Also, I had communicated several times via e-mail with Nichole Giles and Cindy Beck, who were the primary forces behind the book, but had never met them in person. They were every bit as charming in person as I found them via our e-mails. They invited me to sit with them and another contributor to the book, Sherry Taylor, for a while. I thought that we would just chit-chat for a bit, which we did, but then someone came to our stand that looked at the book. Cindy told her that I had a very funny story ion the book and asked if I’d read it. I turned to page 46 and shared my experience at the Fathers’ and Sons’ Outing. Much to my amusement, the prospective buyer laughed and decided to buy a copy. I was then asked to autograph the copy. That is the first time that anyone ever wanted my autograph for something other than a tax return, or a parking ticket, etc.

I had a great time there and I think that it rekindled the spark I needed to continue writing. The book is hilarious by the way, I’ve laughed at every story. There are stories about:

• The preschooler who was afraid of being eaten in “Sunbeans”
• Establishing Zion in Cougar Stadium
• The 14th Article of Faith
• Doing battle with the Laman Knights
And more.

The book has sold out at most of the bookstores and Amazon.com but you can still find a copy here

The Family: A Proclamation to the World

I haven't posted much in a while. I write a weekly newsletter for the hotel I work at, and that's about all the writing I have been able to keep up with. However, I will be substituting this Sunday for the 16-17 year old Sunday School class in my ward. For me personally, I can't imagine a better calling than teaching that age group. Any younger and it's difficult to keep them involved in a lesson. Much older and people by and large have already made up their opinions on most aspects of life. You can have great conversations teaching adult classes, but I feel like I'm really teaching/contributing when I can teach the 16-17 year old group. With any luck a new teacher won't be called for a while and I can continue to teach the class.

This week we will discuss The Family: A Proclamation to the World

The importance of this declaration can not be overstated. It is a very clear and concise guideline to finding joy and happiness in this life, and more importantly the life to come. After presenting it in a General Relief Society meeting, President Hinckley sent the proclamation to the leaders of many nations:

On 13 November, about two months after the proclamation was issued, President Hinckley met with William Jefferson Clinton, the president of the United States, at the White House in Washington, D.C. The prophet presented him with a copy of the proclamation, which led to a discussion on the family. “It is our feeling that if you’re going to fix the nation, you need to start by fixing families. That’s the place to begin.” The leaders discussed “the need for parents to be actively involved in their children’s lives.” After giving him bound copies of his and his wife’s family histories and describing the Church’s family home evening program, President Hinckley suggested that the nation’s leaders get his family together and “sit down with those books and have a family home evening.” Church News, 18 Nov. 1995, p. 1. Church History in the Fulness of Times, p. 632.

Surfing in Utah?

Yep. You no longer need to live near the beach to feel the adrenaline rush of shredding a few waves. Wendy and the boys joined me here last week. The boys weren't fully convinced that this was the place they wanted to live. Of course, it is where I found a job so there wasn't too much discussion. Anyway, in an effort to gain enthusiasm for the move, we decided to go and visit the Salomon Center in Ogden.

Below are a few pics of the boys at Flowrider, an indoor surfing experience. It took a little while to learn, but they got the hang of it. However, since everyone loves a good wipeout picture, I've included both the best and worst of the day.

Happy Father's Day

Have I seen His hand in my life?

On the road again

When we moved to Chandler, AZ over 7 years ago it was with the intention to put down roots. Having stayed there 7 years is the closest that we have ever come to accomplishing that task. However, we are now on the move again. I started a new job in Ogden, UT on May 1st. Wendy and the kids are still in Chandler as Colby will be attending EFY in Flagstaff and his Young Men's group will be hiking Havasupai in June as well. With any luck we'll all be together again in late June or early July.

The move brings us closer to our adult children Aubrey and Colin who are attending Utah State and BYU respectively. It also brings us closer to my brother in Salt Lake and my parents in Park City.

Most people shudder at the thought of a Phoenix summer. I have come to learn though that if my office and home are about 72 degrees, and my pool is 91 degrees, it doesn't really matter that it's 115 degrees outside. I'm hoping to survive the Utah winter but I am looking forward to being able to spend more time with my family in area.

We will miss the friends we have made in Arizona, but look forward to making new ones.

The Tree of Life

Is the Tree of Life a literal tree with literal fruit or is it figurative? Answer, as with many things in the gospel, there are different layers of meaning that we can reach as we become more in tune with the Spirit. There may very well be deeper levels that I haven’t even begun to contemplate yet.

What do we know about the Tree of Life? “And out of the ground made the LORD God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil.”

(Old Testament Genesis 2:9)

Here we see that the Tree of Life was in the Garden of Eden. Was Adam and Eve allowed to partake of the Tree of Life in the Garden of Eden? Answer, Yes. “And I, the Lord God, commanded the man, saying: Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat, But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it, nevertheless, thou mayest choose for thyself, for it is given unto thee; but, remember that I forbid it, for in the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.”

(Pearl of Great Price Moses 3:15 - 17)

They were only forbidden to partake of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil.

Some of the best information we have on the Tree of Life comes from I Nephi 11. Nephi is trying to obtain the interpretation of the dream his father had.

8 And it came to pass that the Spirit said unto me: Look! And I looked and beheld a tree; and it was like unto the tree which my father had seen; and the beauty thereof was far beyond, yea, exceeding of all beauty; and the whiteness thereof did exceed the whiteness of the driven snow.
9 And it came to pass after I had seen the tree, I said unto the Spirit: I behold thou hast shown unto me the tree which is precious above all.
10 And he said unto me: What desirest thou?
11 And I said unto him: To know the interpretation thereof—for I spake unto him as a man speaketh; for I beheld that he was in the form of a man; yet nevertheless, I knew that it was the Spirit of the Lord; and he spake unto me as a man speaketh with another.
12 And it came to pass that he said unto me: Look! And I looked as if to look upon him, and I saw him not; for he had gone from before my presence.
13 And it came to pass that I looked and beheld the great city of Jerusalem, and also other cities. And I beheld the city of Nazareth; and in the city of Nazareth I beheld a virgin, and she was exceedingly fair and white.
14 And it came to pass that I saw the heavens open; and an angel came down and stood before me; and he said unto me: Nephi, what beholdest thou?
15 And I said unto him: A virgin, most beautiful and fair above all other virgins.
16 And he said unto me: Knowest thou the condescension of God?
17 And I said unto him: I know that he loveth his children; nevertheless, I do not know the meaning of all things.
18 And he said unto me: Behold, the virgin whom thou seest is the mother of the Son of God, after the manner of the flesh.
19 And it came to pass that I beheld that she was carried away in the Spirit; and after she had been carried away in the Spirit for the space of a time the angel spake unto me, saying: Look!
20 And I looked and beheld the virgin again, bearing a child in her arms.
21 And the angel said unto me: Behold the Lamb of God, yea, even the Son of the Eternal Father! Knowest thou the meaning of the tree which thy father saw?

(Book of Mormon 1 Nephi 11:8 - 21)

In answer to his request to know the interpretation of the Tree of Life, Nephi sees the birth of Christ.

25 And it came to pass that I beheld that the rod of iron, which my father had seen, was the word of God, which led to the fountain of living waters, or to the tree of life; which waters are a representation of the love of God; and I also beheld that the tree of life was a representation of the love of God.

(Book of Mormon 1 Nephi 11:25)

In this verse we see that the fountain of living waters is synonymous with the tree of life. What is the fountain of living water? “13 For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water.”

(Old Testament Jeremiah 2:13)

13 O LORD, the hope of Israel, all that forsake thee shall be ashamed, and they that depart from me shall be written in the earth, because they have forsaken the LORD, the fountain of living waters.

(Old Testament Jeremiah 17:13)

The fountain of living water is the Savior. When asking to know the interpretation of the tree of life Nephi sees the birth, life, and crucifixion of Jesus.

Conclusion: At least on one level, the tree of life is Jesus Christ. I could use several more scriptures to support this view, but I think what I have above should suffice.

But, when the angel states, “21 And the angel said unto me: Behold the Lamb of God, yea, even the Son of the Eternal Father! Knowest thou the meaning of the tree which thy father saw?”

Nephi responds that he does and that the tree is the love of God. Does this conflict with the view that Christ is the tree of life? “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

(New Testament John 3:16)

God’s love is most clearly manifested in offering his Only Begotten Son.

What does the fruit of the tree of life represent? 36 Wherefore, the wicked are rejected from the righteous, and also from that tree of life, whose fruit is most precious and most desirable above all other fruits; yea, and it is the greatest of all the gifts of God.
(Book of Mormon 1 Nephi 15:36)

7 And, if you keep my commandments and endure to the end you shall have eternal life, which gift is the greatest of all the gifts of God.

(Doctrine and Covenants Section 14:7)

If the fruit is the greatest of all the gifts of God, and eternal life is the greatest of all the gifts of God, then the fruit equals eternal life.

This makes further sense with Christ being the tree of life. Where does eternal life come from? “17 And moreover, I say unto you, that there shall be no other name given nor any other way nor means whereby salvation can come unto the children of men, only in and through the name of Christ, the Lord Omnipotent.”

(Book of Mormon Mosiah 3:17)

While Adam and Eve were in the garden they were in the presence of the tree of life, Christ. It was only after the fall that they were cast out of the presence of the tree of life, Christ. What better way to describe being cast out of the presence of the Lord than, “31 So I drove out the man, and I placed at the east of the Garden of Eden, cherubim and a flaming sword, which turned every way to keep the way of the tree of life.”

(Pearl of Great Price Moses 4:28 - 31)

Look at how the Lord describes his visit with the brother of Jared. “13 And when he had said these words, behold, the Lord showed himself unto him, and said: Because thou knowest these things ye are redeemed from the fall; therefore ye are brought back into my presence; therefore I show myself unto you.”

(Book of Mormon Ether 3:13)

That seems to tie into the above scripture very well for me, i.e. being redeemed from the fall means being able to get past cherubim and a flaming sword to re-enter the presence of the Lord.

If the tree of life is Christ, what is the tree of knowledge of good and evil? “15 And to bring about his eternal purposes in the end of man, after he had created our first parents, and the beasts of the field and the fowls of the air, and in fine, all things which are created, it must needs be that there was an opposition; even the forbidden fruit in opposition to the tree of life; the one being sweet and the other bitter.
16 Wherefore, the Lord God gave unto man that he should act for himself. Wherefore, man could not act for himself save it should be that he was enticed by the one or the other.
17 And I, Lehi, according to the things which I have read, must needs suppose that an angel of God, according to that which is written, had fallen from heaven; wherefore, he became a devil, having sought that which was evil before God.
18 And because he had fallen from heaven, and had become miserable forever, he sought also the misery of all mankind. Wherefore, he said unto Eve, yea, even that old serpent, who is the devil, who is the father of all lies, wherefore he said: Partake of the forbidden fruit, and ye shall not die, but ye shall be as God, knowing good and evil.”

(Book of Mormon 2 Nephi 2:15 - 18)

It seems apparent to me that if the tree of life on some level is Christ, then the tree of knowledge of good and evil on some level is Satan. Let’s think about this for a second. What does Christ bring? Life, both temporal and spiritual. What did partaking of the forbidden fruit bring? Death, both temporal and spiritual.

When Adam and Eve partook of the forbidden fruit, whose counsel were they following?

How did the fall occur? Warning, I give the following as a possible opinion, I reserve the right to change my mind at any given moment, if I receive better guidance and inspiration. At the moment, I feel this to be more speculative than what I’ve stated above. Your mileage may vary. Also, if you have enlightenment to share on the subject, I would love to hear it.

How do we get to the tree of life? By holding onto the rod of iron that leads us to it. What is the rod of iron?

5 And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne.

(New Testament Revelation 12:5)

15 And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.

(New Testament Revelation 19:15)

19 And I beheld a rod of iron, and it extended along the bank of the river, and led to the tree by which I stood.
20 And I also beheld a strait and narrow path, which came along by the rod of iron, even to the tree by which I stood; and it also led by the head of the fountain, unto a large and spacious field, as if it had been a world.
21 And I saw numberless concourses of people, many of whom were pressing forward, that they might obtain the path which led unto the tree by which I stood.
22 And it came to pass that they did come forth, and commence in the path which led to the tree.
23 And it came to pass that there arose a mist of darkness; yea, even an exceedingly great mist of darkness, insomuch that they who had commenced in the path did lose their way, that they wandered off and were lost.
24 And it came to pass that I beheld others pressing forward, and they came forth and caught hold of the end of the rod of iron; and they did press forward through the mist of darkness, clinging to the rod of iron, even until they did come forth and partake of the fruit of the tree.

(Book of Mormon 1 Nephi 8:19 - 24)

25 And it came to pass that I beheld that the rod of iron, which my father had seen, was the word of God, which led to the fountain of living waters, or to the tree of life; which waters are a representation of the love of God; and I also beheld that the tree of life was a representation of the love of God.

(Book of Mormon 1 Nephi 11:25)

The rod of iron is the word of the Lord. By holding onto it, i.e. listening to Christ’s commandments and following them, we can return to the tree of life.

In the Garden of Eden, whose counsel/commandments were Adam and Eve following when they fell? Who did they choose to follow? Obviously, at the time they didn’t know good from evil, which is why it is a transgression and not a sin.

Satan clearly must’ve thought that now that he had Adam and Eve following his counsel that he had frustrated the plan of God. Isn’t that the way it always goes though? If we dig a pit for others, we usually fall into it ourselves. Could the fall be that simple? i.e. they chose to follow Satan’s word, i.e. rod of something other than iron, and it brought them to him. By choosing to follow him, in ignorance, they were cast out of the Garden and mortality was brought into the world.

Could the fall have happened some other way? “22 And now, behold, if Adam had not transgressed he would not have fallen, but he would have remained in the garden of Eden. And all things which were created must have remained in the same state in which they were after they were created; and they must have remained forever, and had no end.
23 And they would have had no children; wherefore they would have remained in a state of innocence, having no joy, for they knew no misery; doing no good, for they knew no sin.
24 But behold, all things have been done in the wisdom of him who knoweth all things.
25 Adam fell that men might be; and men are, that they might have joy.”

(Book of Mormon 2 Nephi 2:22 - 25)

The journey of 1,000 miles begins with one pedal

That is a picture of the odometer on my bike. Last July I started riding a bike to work to increase my exercise level and because the price of gas had just crossed $4 a gallon. The price of gas has since come down, but I still need the exercise and enjoy riding my bike. On this morning's ride my odometer passed the 1,000 mile mark. I haven't really lost any weight since I started riding, but I'm guessing that my heart and other internal organs, as well as my leg muscles, are glad I'm riding.

To give it a little perspective, from Chandler, AZ (where I live, which is just south of Phoenix) to Boise, ID is 1014 miles.

Did you go to the Mesa AZ, Easter Pageant?

Every year at the Mesa Arizona Temple there is a wonderful portrayal of Jesus Christ's life, death, and resurrection. Thousands of hours are put into the preparation and actual performance of the production. Over 100,000 people attended this year. I am used to seeing protesters standing on the periphery holding signs disagreeing with the biblically accurate performance.

Unfortunately, this year the protesters went too far, and we need your help if you witnessed their abusive language shouted throughout the performance. From the Bee-line E-Letter

Easter Pageant Leaders Need Your Help -- Please Voice Your Concerns Regarding Protestors
Apr 13, 2009
Dear Friends,
We greatly need your help -- and hope you will forward this e-mail to as many people as you can, or to any of your group e-mailing lists.
If any of you attended the Easter Pageant this year, particularly this past Thursday or Saturday nights, you are aware that the protestors’ interference with the Pageant performances was extremely disruptive and disturbing, not only because of the constant shouting throughout the Pageant, but especially because of the many vulgar things that were yelled continually -- and with thousands of children present.
This is a free event to the public, and as taxpayers, we should not have to worry about taking our families to a family-oriented production and having them exposed to such crude language and alarming protests. Many people from out-of-state came to Arizona this year to see the Pageant, and like all of us, they were extremely offended and distracted.
This is a horrible representation of our City. We have met with attorneys and city officials, and are in the process of asking for a public hearing requesting that a “disturbing the peace ordinance” be enforced next year, or interpreted to apply to the Easter Pageant.
However, the ONLY leverage we have is YOU. If any of you were in attendance this year during the nights the protestors were there, here is what we need you to do – so we can present this issue effectively to the City of Mesa – and appeal to them to take action:
1. Please write a brief letter (even a short paragraph), complaining about the protestors this year at the Mesa Arizona Easter Pageant. Tell briefly why they were offensive to you, and ask for the City of Mesa to take action. (We are already preparing for next year’s production.)
2. Address the letter as follows: City Officials of Mesa, AZ, To Whom It May Concern:
3. Sign and date your letter, indicating your city and state.
4. Mail a hard copy of the letter to: (or you can fax it to Wudel, Inc. 480-834-4271)
Nanci Wudel
1716 No. Almond Street
Mesa, AZ 85213
WE MUST HAVE PAPER LETTERS – NOT E-MAILS. When we receive these letters, we will forward them, en masse, to the appropriate officials and agencies.
We need for you to do this as soon as possible … and please forward this to your friends, or anyone else you know who attended the pageant.
There are too many people who come from all over the world to Mesa to see this pageant (the largest, annual, outdoor Easter Pageant in the world), to have their experience so rudely disrupted. In addition, it is unacceptable that, as citizens and taxpayers, we should have our families polluted by these vile protestors. It is inexcusable.
The beautiful message we are telling through the Easter Pageant is for all ages, cultures, races, and religions – as evidenced by the more than 100,000 people we had in attendance this year. Each attendee’s civil rights should be protected to be able to attend the production, hear it, and enjoy it without being stirred to anger, distracted from the presentation, or worse, sickened by the impact of these protestors on our families and children.
PLEASE HELP US! After much investigation, meetings with city leaders, and legal counsel, as Easter Pageant leaders, our hands appear to be tied without a grassroots protest from the community and those who were in attendance.
Thank you, in advance, for taking a few minutes to make such a difference.
Much gratitude,
Nanci Wudel
Director
Mesa Arizona Easter Pageant

Fiddlesticks

Anne Bradshaw over at Not Entirely British is at it again. Seriously, she holds some of the best giveaways of anyone in the LDS Blogosphere. At the moment, she is giving away a Fiddlesticks CD called Return to Nauvoo.

The group Fiddlesticks has several Celtic albums and did these religious tunes in their own, "eclectic Celtic style." My wife loves Celtic music, so I'm really hoping that I win this one.

Mormon Messages

HBOs Big Love

On Sunday, March 15th, HBO will be running an episode of Big Love, their show that portrays an LDS family living in a polygamous relationship, called Goin' to the Chapel. A write up of this episode can be found in this week's TV Guide on page 48. From TV Guide's article:

It’s one thing for Bill and Barb Henrickson’s inner
circle to know they have two other wives at
home…but letting the Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints in on the secret? That’s a whole
other story. “It’s almost a ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’
policy,” says executive producer Mark Olsen. Their
under-the-radar status will change this week when
Barb (Jeanne Tripplehorn) faces the consequences
of breaking the rules and is called to an excommunication
hearing. “We researched it out the
wazoo,” says Olsen, who along with executive producer
Will Scheffer hired an ex-Mormon consultant
to help the set and wardrobe designers re-create
even the tiniest details. “We go into the endowment
room and the celestial room [areas of the
temple], and we present what happens in those
ceremonies. That’s never been shown on television
before,”

Please go to this link and let them know how you feel about this.

All that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing. - Edmund Burke

The Forgotten Warrior

I recently read The Forgotten Warrior by Kathi Oram Peterson.

There are a few things I look for when reviewing a book. First, is it well written? By the third page I stopped looking for passive verbs etc. as I was already pulled into the story and willing to go wherever Kathi Oram Peterson wanted to take me. It is true that a picture paints a thousand words, but a few well chosen words can also paint a beautiful picture.

Consider these examples from the book:

“Do you talk to everyone like this?’ I asked.
“Like what?”
“Frisk them verbally about who they’re going to see and find out all their family secrets.”

“What’s happening?” Panic skittered over my skin like a spider seeking cover.

Both of those sentences paint a very clear picture of what the author wants me to see.

The last thing that I always check when reading a book by a female author is did she get the male characters right, i.e. do the men in the book act the way I would expect a man to act? Kathi Oram Peterson was spot on.

The book was an entertaining romp through Book of Mormon times with a modern day character. Sydney Morgan, a black belt in karate, finds herself amongst the 2,000 strippling warriors. They were not raised as warriors; hence the need for someone with Syd’s fighting skills to help them along. The reader is treated to a believable version of the emotions probably felt by Captain Helaman and his forces.

I enjoyed how Syd tried to explain to Captain Helaman that as a prophet of God he should know that her story is true. To which he responds that it is difficult for him to be as close to the Spirit when he is in the midst of conflict. Notwithstanding, he knows that he can turn to the Lord for guidance and encourages his little band of warrior/children to put their trust and faith in the Lord when things are most difficult.

One minor nit, I would’ve liked a little more resolution to some of the major conflicts at the end of book one. A sequel clearly needs to be written to resolve the loose threads. That said, I thoroughly enjoyed the tale and am looking forward to the follow up book.

Matthew 10:36 - Why can't I get my kids to do their homework?

36 And a man's foes shall be they of his own household.

(New Testament | Matthew 10:36)

Not that there is anyone in my house that is trying to kill me or anything, but most of my battles do seem to be fought inside my own home. It is sometimes a struggle to get kids to act in their own best interest, i.e. getting them to do their homework, cleaning their rooms, doing the dishes, etc.

How do I create a home where love abounds and peace reigns? For me personally I notice a stark contrast between those times when we diligently read the Book of Mormon together and have family prayers, and those times when for whatever reason we let it slip.

As I personally put the Lord first in my life and try to do those things that will bring me closer to him, I find peace in my life. When I try to share that peace with those in my own home, we are all blessed because of it.

What's your thoughts on the subject? How do you find or make peace in your home?

Jacob's Bar Mitzvah

On Saturday, January 24, 2009, I was blessed to watch my nephew, Jacob Levine, become a Bar Mitzvah בר מצוה. I had always thought that a Bar Mitzvah was a celebration for a 13 year old Jewish boy. However, the term Bar Mitzvah does not describe the event, it describes the person. Jacob became a Bar Mitzvah, he didn’t have a Bar Mitzvah. The term means “one to whom the commandments apply.”

Rabbi Morley T. Feinstein led the ceremony and Cantor Jay I. Frailich sang beautifully from their prayer book. However, the star of the show was definitely Jacob. He read and sang from the Torah and prayer book in Hebrew. He delivered the Haftarah, הפטרה which is a series of selections of the books of Prophets from the Hebrew bible.

He offered a heartfelt and inspiring prayer thanking God for the blessings he has received in his life.

After the Bar Mitzvah we went to a local restaurant that had been rented for the evening to celebrate this milestone in Jacob’s life. It was nice getting caught up with family members from my wife’s side of the family. Jacob’s father, my brother-in-law is a talent agent. Several actors were in attendance. The highlight of the evening was when Jacob played the bass guitar with his band mates. I don’t know what their first names are but they are the sons of Jane Seymour. She was very pleasant and cordial in person and happily videotaped the band as a dutiful mother while they played.

Adam and Naomi, thank you for inviting us to be a part of Jacob’s special day. It was the first Bar Mitzvah that I have ever attended and I feel privileged to have been there.

Contest Time

Anne Bradshaw, over at Not Entirely British is running a contest to win the CD set of The Arthurian Omen:

A Celtic scholar is murdered when she finds a clue to a priceless fifth-century manuscript that could prove the identity of King Arthur. Determined to find the ancient relic and avenge her sister's death, Maren Southcott begins a quest that immediately puts her own life in danger.

In the tradition of Mary Higgins Clark, The Arthurian Omen weaves a tale of mystery and suspense as pursuit of the manuscript winds through the medieval castles and monasteries of Wales. Stalked by a psychopath with delusions of a Welsh revolution, Maren is shaken to the core when a new crisis threatens to destroy the one person she loves most. Can she find the manuscript before the murderer strikes again? Or is the manuscript — and the legend — better left buried in the past?

Please go to Anne's blog to learn more.