The reason they forget the guns is, honestly, because I keep forgetting about the guns. My characters are only as dense as their author. I’ll definitely try to clean that up in the second graph.

They’re still calling them crazies because that’s what they still think of them as. I’m not sure what else to refer to them as at this point.

I can’t speak to the genetic experiment question without giving away stuff I’m not ready to reveal yet. But I can say with a fair degree of certainty that all those mysteries will start to be answered a little quicker now, since I’m into the latter half of the novel.

In fact, I’m working today on taking my rather vague outline of the book’s end and fleshing it out into something I can write from. And I’m being extra careful to build in solutions to all the questions raised thus far.

Thanks for reading.

Keep going =) [url=http://world7.monstersgame.co.uk/?ac=vid&vid=113128459] BigKab [/url]

Before I launch in to an explanation of my views on Mormonism and what I’m basing the book on, let me just say “thank you” for reading it and for making the valuable point that it is just fiction. Yours is the second comment I’ve received from a practicing LDS member and the second that’s recognized the important fiction/fact distinction. This only serves to boost my generally good opinion of Mormons.

Okay, so about the anti-Mormon aspects of the book. I don’t think they’re there, but that’s because I see this very much as a work of fiction not at all related to actual LDS members. I’ve been interested in Mormon beliefs for some time and got into studying them a year or so ago. I’m a non-believer (in fact, I’m an atheist, so I don’t have any particular issues with Mormonism), which means I approach Smith’s writing and all the subsequent revelations as mythology–just like I’m sure you view the stories of the Greek gods. But it’s facinating mythology and, while I was reading about it (both in secondary source materials as well as primary texts like The Book of Mormon), I had an idea for a horror/apocalypse drawing from it. Now, while I don’t at all believe that Mormons are bad people (in fact, in my experience, they’re consistently and extraordinarily thoughtful and kind), a horror story doesn’t work without bad stuff. So I’m making that up. I’m not basing any of it exactly upon anti-Mormon texts (I’ve actually avoided reading those so as not to taint my own ideas) but when you have a book about bad and horrible things that’s based on a certain set of religious beliefs, it’s bound to cast those beliefs in a negative light.

I hope that no one reading The Hole comes away thinking Mormons practice human sacrifice. While the fundamentalist offshoot of your religion does engage in abhorrent behavior, that’s not one of them. And stuff like Smith’s early divining are well established historical facts, but not necessarily derogatory to the Mormon faith.

I guess what I’m getting at is exactly what you said in your comment: this is a story (hopefully a good one) that happens to draw inspiration from a set of beliefs held by a large and growing portion of the population. I don’t believe Mormon teachings are fact, but I also don’t have a thing against Mormons. I’m telling a story. If people take it as more, that’s probably unavoidable, but I’m sure their number will be in the ignorant minority.

I hope this addresses your concerns. I’m truly glad you like the story and I hope you’ll continue reading. And, as always, please pass along any other comments you may have while you do so. I love hearing from readers.

Thanks,
Aaron

Religion in EVERY aspect carries with it some mysticism because we look to a “physically” unseen power in all of them. As mortals we want so much to know that what we believe is right, and that all good is of God our father and that he wants the best for us spiritually and physically and financially etc……and to ultimately join him in heaven eternally.

This is just a story. If YOU can keep the truth and fiction separate and not take it personally, you will enjoy it so much more. Yous seem to be a very kind and sensitive person regardless of what faith you follow…. Live well and be blessed.

Good job once again Aaron!