The Captain of Her Heart by Anita Stansfield
Has anyone here ever read this book? I understand that Anita is a leader in Mormon fiction but with this particular book she had to open her own company to get it published as no LDS related publishers would sell it. The reason as I understand it is because the main character in the book is intimate outside of marriage.
What do you think, is this a matter for serious concern? Should LDS retailers stop someone from trying to sell such books even if it is nothing more than a novel?
It is the prerogative of the publishers to decide what they print or don't. No matter who the author is, he or she is at the mercy of the editors. Publishing companies geared toward LDS audiences need to be extra careful, because the market is small and easily offended. Additionally, there may be an issue with distribution - if there was a chance that Deseret Book, a Church-owned company, would refuse to stock the book, the publisher would lose too much money. When it comes down to it, the decision isn't about the moral standards of the publishers as the moral standards of the target audience, and if the publisher feels the audience would be opposed to such a degree that they would not buy the book, the business decision is clear.
I have not read this book, but I love Anita Stansfield's writings. I am going to buy this book just because I have loved her others so much.
I do agree that the books I buy through Deseret Book, whish is where I got all her other books, should adhere to LDS standards. I think one of the reasons premarital sex has become so accepted is because our entertainment is chock full of it. It becomes the norm. I don't want to see that happen with LDS specific entertainment.
That doesn't mean I dont' read books that don't meet this standard. I just like to know that the stuff I buy from Deseret Book or any other LDS bookstore, will meet this standard. I don't need to be wary of my purchases there like I do in a normal bookstore.
I've never read any LDS fiction. I don't think the LDS publishers were trying to "stop her from selling" the book, they just didn't want to publish it themselves. There are plenty of publishers in the world, and I know that many authors often have to submit their work to multiple companies before getting published. I don't think this is unusual.