Deseret Book Stories That Won Hearts and Awards This Year from The Association for Mormon Letters

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The Association for Mormon Letters (AML) Awards were presented online on Saturday, May 2. The AML is a nonprofit that promotes fellowship among scholars and writers of Latter-day Saint literature. Check out a few of the winners and finalists of this year's awards that are available at Deseret Book!

Crossings
Creative Non-Fiction Winner

With her unique mix of humor and candor, empathy and idealism, Inouye draws upon her academic training in Chinese history and religious studies, her rich cultural heritage, her experiences raising a family in an international setting, her tangle with cancer, and her resilient faith in the gospel of Jesus Christ to unfurl vibrant reflections on the enduring question of what it means to be a Latter-day Saint today.

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Muddy: Where Faith and Polygamy Collide 
Novel Winner

When Brigham Young summons young Morgan Davis to his office and calls him to join other missionaries in settling the Muddy River Valley, Morgan can't imagine what lies in store. He has just two weeks to find a wife and gather enough belongings to help start a settlement.

What do stalwart members do when faced with conflicting feelings between what their hearts tell them and the hard instructions from Salt Lake City? Morgan and Angeline are about to find out.

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The Other Side of Heaven, Vol. 2
Narrative Feature Film Winner

Missionary John H. Groberg returns to Tonga in the 1960's with his wife and their five young daughters. When their sixth child is born with a serious illness, the Grobergs face their ultimate test of faith, only to find themselves surrounded by the love and prayers of thousands of Tongans. Barriers of inter-religious strife are soon broken down as all unite in hopes of miracles that will save the baby's life as well as the life of a Tongan minister's son.

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Girls Who Choose God: Stories of Extraordinary Women from Church History
Picture Book Winner

Dive into Church history with compelling stories of trail-blazing women. Mothers, midwives, miracle-workers, suffragists, state senators, visionaries, and missionaries—women from our Church history have done it all. In choosing God in their moments of challenge, they were a tremendous force for good in the world. Come to know more about your old favorites such as Lucy Mack Smith and Jane Manning James and become acquainted with new trail-blazers such as Ellis Shipp and Mattie Cannon. Paving the way for us to follow, these 15 extraordinary women can lead us to make our own godly choices.

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A Place to Belong: Reflections from Modern Latter-day Saint Women
Religious Non-Fiction Winner

In our complex world, it's easy for modern Latter-day Saint women to feel they don't fit the mold, especially in a culture that often focuses on traditional values and picture-perfect families. A Place to Belong is filled with distinctive stories written by 33 modern women of faith who show from their own lives that there's more than one way to be a believing and contributing woman in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

This collection celebrates the diverse lives that women lead and how they navigate their twin commitments to women's issues and to their faith. For some people, faith and feminism may seem incompatible, yet A Place to Belong illustrated how they can actually complement each other.

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The Fighting Preacher
Narrative Feature Film Finalist

When Willard and Rebecca Bean are called as missionaries in 1915 to work the Smith family farm in Palmyra, they are welcomed with death threats and a bounty on their heads. But Willard, a former world middleweight boxing champ, isn't about to take any guff. Though a staunch Christian, he doesn't really believe in "turning the other cheek" and is more than willing to defend his faith and family with his fists. But Willard feels inspired to try a new approach to taking on the unwelcoming town. This is a moving David vs. Goliath story that will make you laugh, cry, and cheer for the underdog.

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Out of Liberty
Narrative Feature Film Finalist

It is winter 1839. Jailed on charges of treason and murder, the Prophet Joseph Smith (Brandon Ray Olive) and his companions are held in Liberty, Missouri while they await a court hearing. Local jailer Samuel Tillery (Jasen Wade) is tasked with protecting the prisoners from increased mob attacks. But as public opinion begins to shift, Sam is forced to take matters into his own hands, for the protection of the prisoners' lives, and his own life.

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Read more about these and other winners on The Association for Mormon Letters blog.

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