The Mormon question

"Is this another attack on my (LDS) church?" is the question that has now been raised more than once on the  THE MORONI DECEPTION Facebook page .  So I will respond with what I emailed the very first person who asked. "The backdrop of the story does to a certain extent take a look at the founding of the LDS Church and certain beliefs, but ultimately it lets the reader come to his or her own decision about the religion.  If anyone does comes off looking perhaps somewhat bad, it would be the rather extreme "Rulen Jeffs" branch of the religion-- which there is a fairly clear distinction made between their practices and the mainstream church. There are also several LDS and former LDS members who are sympathetically portrayed, along with pointing out a number of positives--so no, it's not a hack job if that's what you were getting at. However, as you pointed out, a number of Catholics took great offense with regards to The Da Vinci Code, even though it was largely centered as I recall (been almost 10 years since I read it) on the non-representative Opus Dei sect. Upon further reflection, however, I could see how there may be some things in The Moroni Deception that some LDS members could potentially take offense at (largely to do with some of the historical points raised), though none was intended. When I wrote it, I just tried to keep my eyes on the road, if you will, and tell the best story that I could in the best way that I could, so perhaps I didn't give full consideration to how some things might be perceived. I can also tell you that in just about every instance when a point is raised that might at first upset some members of the LDS faith-- like for instance, that Joseph Smith was killed in a failed jailbreak, there is a counterpoint then offered by another character, that he was assassinated by a mob. So, by frequently giving two sides of the story, the reader, if interested enough, can do his or her own research to come to their own opinion. I would then add, because I don't want you to be offended or feel you've wasted your money, that if you are easily offended, this maybe is not the book for you. Hope that answers your question."  Until next time, Jack