LDSPMA

Empowering Latter-day Saints to spread light and truth by connecting them at the intersection of faith, creativity, and professional skill

Member Spotlight

Member Spotlight: Fred Dodini!

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Dr. Fred Dodini lives in Carmel, IN.

What are some names of the books or other media you have created?

Shine Brighter: Choosing a Life of Greater Clarity, Purpose, and Joy (book)
“My Mary”: A Story of Redemption (s0ng)

What inspired you to become a creator of media?

Media is one of the most powerful ways to share an important message, and I believe I have some important messages to share.

What has been the highlight of your career so far?

Distilling a lifetime of study and unique experiences, challenges, and ponderings into a life-coaching model, a story, and a song that can change lives for the better.

What was the best advice you’ve ever been given in your creative journey?

There’s an audience who needs what you have to offer. You just need to keep searching until you find each other.

What advice do you have for someone just starting out in your field?

Learn all you can about your subject or craft and then change it, improve it, and make it your own.

What keeps you inspired in your daily creative work?

As a therapist, I love seeing my ideas and their application, improve people’s lives.

What would you like others to know about you or your creative process?

My creative process tends to be slow and tedious at times, and spontaneous and revelatory at other times. Mostly slow and tedious. But eventually, I seem to come up with something worthwhile.

In what ways do you feel you have been able to be a voice for good in your creative pursuits?

I try to avoid the trivial and focus on the transcendent. If I’m going to create something, I want it to have meaning, purpose, and impact. I want it to have value long after I am gone and be something that future generations—mine and others—may benefit from.

Member Spotlight: Heidi Tucker!

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Heidi Tucker lives in Cave Creek, Arizona.

What are some names of the books or other media you have created?

3 award-winning nonfiction inspirational books: The Secret Keepers, Servie’s Song, and Finding Hope in the Journey

What inspired you to become a creator of media?

I had a dream and saw my hands holding a book and knew it was mine. A voice told me to write the book. I knew it was a calling from Heavenly Father, so I summoned all the courage and faith I could and wrote Finding Hope in the Journey. I believe the other two books are callings as well. These two individuals, whose true stories I wrote, came directly into my path. I knew I was called to write their stories. I think of this journey as a mission to bring light and hope to the world.

What has been the highlight of your career so far?

Winning “Best Inspirational” and “Book of the Year” awards for my books is such an honor. But the true highlights come when readers contact me to tell me how my books have changed their lives. That’s why I continue to write.

What was the best advice you’ve ever been given in your creative journey?

A copy editor is worth every cent. I can submit my best manuscript, but after a good copy editor’s review and input, it’s even better.

What advice do you have for someone just starting out in your field?

You’re going to hear the word NO over and over again. Push through all the negativity or find another door. Writing and actually completing a book takes grit. Focus on your passion for the project and don’t let the world tear you down.

What keeps you inspired in your daily creative work?

Whether I’m filming for my YouTube channel, posting on social media, speaking at a conference, or writing a new book, the mission is the same: to bring light and hope to the world. My work is viewed by both members of our church and those of other religions. It is my way of serving as a missionary. What inspires me to keep going is the feedback from individuals. Their emails and comments remind me why I’m doing this and it propels me forward to the next project.

What would you like others to know about you or your creative process?

I call it my writing cave. I have to dedicate a period of time each day to solely focus on my project. I silence all emails and phone calls and listen to inspirational music while I write my books. I’m most creative in the morning or late at night, so I schedule writing during those times if possible. I kick-off every writing session with a prayer of gratitude for my gift of writing and to “feel” the story enough that my words will inspire others.

In what ways do you feel you have been able to be a voice for good in your creative pursuits?

I believe every story not only teaches a gospel principle but can make the reader FEEL it. I’m drawn to true stories about people who have risen up from the ashes from really difficult struggles and tragedy. Their relentless perseverance and ability to cling to faith motivates all of us to move forward in our own lives. We can ALL do hard things and reading someone else’s story inspires us to stand up and take another step. Their stories become ours—the details are just different.

If you want your spotlight to link to your website or any of your social media platforms, include the URLs here.

Website: https://www.thepickledsunflower.com
YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9iNhtoorcGrOSvBn6iJ2jg
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/heidi.tucker.10

Member Spotlight: Sharla Goettl!

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Sharla lives in Newberg, Oregon with her husband and three daughters.

What are some names of the books or other media you have created?

Spiritual Resilience: Leading Our Youth to Go and Do, is a Latter-day Saint nonfiction book about how to make a greater impact as parents.

The Goal Maker is a guided questionnaire to help determine the next best step in building your faith.

Am I a Good Enough Leader For My Family? is an article written for the Leading Saints organization.

What inspired you to become a creator of media?

As a stake Young Women president, I have felt inspired to find deeper answers to the questions youth and their parents ask all the time. The youth of today will be the heroes of tomorrow. It will be their ability to give more relevant answers and apply innovative solutions that will bring about future miracles. I feel it is our responsibility as their parents and leaders to support them any way we can.

What has been the highlight of your career so far?

I have been a youth leader almost every year of my adult life. The families I have interacted with frame my testimony with their experiences. There have been moments when youth were not receiving the support they deserved at home, yet they remained resilient anyway. There have been times when the youth have supported me in my own shaky moments. It has been a pleasure to relive some of these treasured memories in the principles I discuss in my writing. But truly, the honor was being welcomed into their lives in the first place.

What was the best advice you’ve ever been given in your creative journey?

My grandmother was a novelist, poet, and long-time teacher. She poured over her words with tender care while living in a tiny tribal outpost surrounded by her five rowdy sons and eager students. She found joy and solace in her writing. In her patriarchal blessing, given when she was a young woman, it reads “spare not in lifting up thy voice to take a full part in every endeavor.” Commitment to the craft of communicating Christ’s gospel and eternal truths is an endeavor I am motivated to “take a full part.” My task will be to spare not my voice.

What advice do you have for someone just starting out in your field?

Pray often. The task of writing this first book has taken many months of writing and many months of editing and many months of publishing and many months of marketing. The task could have gone much more smoothly if I had remembered to consistently pray before starting my work. If I ever forgot, I would consistently come to a point where I would need to start over. The reminder that I was not doing my work alone was constantly in my mind. Regardless of the task before you, prayer will always help the process go more efficiently.

What keeps you inspired in your daily creative work?

I have three teenage daughters who are consistently out-performing me. They are artists, friends, designers, thinkers, and givers of testimony. They will continually do things better than I can do myself. They inspire me every day to support them and their peers. I eagerly seek their guidance and am improved by it. I ask how they would handle a situation and am changed by it. I leverage their creativity and am amazed by it. I try to keep up so they will know their mama tried so hard to teach them in a way they deserved to be taught.

What would you like others to know about you or your creative process?

My answers are not my own. The insights I write about were first written in the scriptures by the men and women who were authorized to speak on behalf of our Savior. My task has been applying their words in a modern context. The concept of eternal truth is always in my mind. Christ is a good enough creative director to not let any words or any experience go to waste. The knowledge is there and always has been. The only difference between now and the end of the Restoration will be our ability to understand what we already have.

In what ways do you feel you have been able to be a voice for good in your creative pursuits?

I hope I have offered a voice of confidence to parents and youth who feel overwhelmed or not quite good enough for the task at hand. I hope I have laid out my arguments well enough to counteract the doubtful words in their heads. I truly believe we have a purpose and every capacity needed to fulfill it. I hope I have provided a connection between daily life and eternal covenants so that more people can benefit from the guarantees they offer.

If you want your spotlight to link to your website or any of your social media platforms, include the URLs here.

http://www.sharlagoettl.com
https://www.facebook.com/authorsharlagoettl
https://www.instagram.com/authorsharlagoettl/

Member Spotlight: Mariah K. Newton Porter!

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Mariah K. Newton Porter lives in Utah County.

What are some names of the books or other media you have created?
Tomorrow I Will Make a List: Managing the Depressive Habit of ProcrastinationRecovering Happily Ever After: That Prince Guy; This Glass Heart; These Extraordinary ThornsSilenced No More (podcast)
What inspired you to become a creator of media?
I have depression and anxiety and it’s made me feel incredibly alone. I want to create media that helps people like myself to feel like they’re not suffering in silence, that they are seen.
What has been the highlight of your career so far?
I’ve started a podcast that features people affected by mental illness, and the answers we’ve gotten from participants so far are phenomenal.
What was the best advice you’ve ever been given in your creative journey?
Write through the writer’s block. There’s no other way.
What advice do you have for someone just starting out in your field?
You are not alone! It’s going to feel impossible and it’s going to feel like what you want to do is bigger than you. That’s a good thing. Whatever you create IS bigger than you and it’s supposed to be that way. Just trust in yourself and your finished product will do what it’s supposed to do.
What keeps you inspired in your daily creative work?
The fact that I still feel alone! I hate that I’m suffering, but it reminds me that there are other people suffering, too. All I can do is get my projects out there to help ease the burden of others.
What would you like others to know about you or your creative process?
It’s a very spiritual process for me. I rely heavily on intuition, and I prioritize the mental health themes, so my finished products may look different than mainstream products.
In what ways do you feel you have been able to be a voice for good in your creative pursuits?
I HAVE made people feel less alone! I’ve shown people that they aren’t the only ones that suffer, and that there is hope for them.
You can learn more about Mariah Porter and her projects at:
mariahkporter.com

Member Spotlight: Sarah Hinze!

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What are some names of the books or other media you have created?

My husband Brent and I are the executive producers of the feature documentary, Remembering Heaven. I am also the author of five books in print: The Announcing Dream, The Castaways, Memories of Heaven, The Memory Catcher, and my first historical novel, A Pawn for a King (based on the life of my 24th great grandmother). For almost thirty years, I have prepared books and related media on a phenomenon called the announcing dream. By definition, an announcing dream is “an announcement in dreams or visions of a child waiting to be born.” A new book, Waiting in the Wings, is coming soon!

What inspired you to become a creator of media?

To be a creator of media came to me as a calling from the still small voice. I told the Lord, “You’ve got the wrong girl.” He said, “I’ve got the right girl.” I could not argue myself out of doing what I felt were His directives to me. So, I prayed. listened, and worked, crossing off in a notebook the directives I put into action. That led to my first book. After that, I knew what it took to write and publish a book. The Lord sent help all along the way. I am a team player.

What has been the highlight of your career so far?

My books on souls waiting to be born tend to heal, and even soften hearts toward unborn children. That has been a highlight. It is rewarding to hear from people who write me or come up to me with a child in their arms with the message, “This child is here because of your book.” That has kept me going for so many years. Now, with our film Remembering Heaven, with the stories or pure testimonies of many people who have had these experiences, more will be touched and informed that we are children of God.

What was the best advice you’ve ever been given in your creative journey?

My husband told me years ago, “You won’t reach everyone with your books, but you will help and heal some.” That helped me to know I am doing my best and to enjoy the journey along the way. I do enjoy the journey and the people I meet. It is joyful work and a message to share. We are the children of God and come from His presence before we are born.

What advice do you have for someone just starting out in your field?

Enjoy your talents. Do not hide them under a bushel but develop them. Let your light shine to the world. The Lord will help us. He knows our missions as artists, writers, and filmmakers. His timing is key. I am in my later years, but it has been worth persevering with what I feel our Father in Heaven wants me to do as a writer and filmmaker. “I’ll go where you want me to go, I’ll say what you want me to say, I’ll be what you want me to be” is my mission statement.

What keeps you inspired in your daily creative work?

I need the Lord’s strength and inspiration each day or I am stuck. Scripture study and prayer give me the fuel I need to work each day. I know God wants to give me guidance, so I ask in faith. I have a notebook by my side after prayer and with faith, I ask, “What do I need to do today?” Ideas come to serve others, to visit or call a family member. Almost every day, I spend some time, or lots of time, on my mission as a writer.

What would you like others to know about you or your creative process?

I love the work it takes me to create. I write and rewrite. I’ve rewritten some books many times before I publish them (The Castaways). One book sat in my files for ten years before I felt impressed to publish it (Memories of Heaven). I take my orders from above because it is a sacred work to teach others that they are a child of God. I try to be patient with myself and I try not to beat myself up when a project takes a lot of time and thought. And I love to develop my talents. We were born to create.

In what ways do you feel you have been able to be a voice for good in your creative pursuits?

The Lord says in Matthew 7:16-20, “Ye shall know them by their fruits.” I have seen children given the gift of life, children invited to be born into a family, and others emotionally healed and comforted from so many of the trials of life. That has been the reward, to feel I am bringing hope and healing to others. It has not always been easy, but looking back, I wouldn’t change a thing. I have learned to never give up and to always trust in the Lord’s timing. I have learned to listen to the still small voice.

If you want your spotlight to link to your website or any of your social media platforms, include the URLs here.

Website: www.sarahhinze.com 
Facebook: Sarah Hinze
Email: [email protected]

Member Spotlight: Jeremy Madsen!

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Jeremy Madsen lives in Provo, Utah

What are some names of the books or other media you have created?
  • The Atrium of Light Scripture Song project: making available online a collection of 300+ songs that set major scripture passages to original melodies. These songs were written by my family while I was growing up. They are extremely powerful for helping people memorize scriptures and incorporate spiritual power into their day-to-day lives.
  • “From Precepts to Power,” a blog for Latter-day Saints that explores principles for spiritual and personal empowerment.
  • I’m the chief editor for Studia Antiqua, a BYU student journal for the study of the ancient world.
  • Rendhart, a half-finished YA fantasy novel.
What inspired you to become a creator of media?

My brothers. Growing up, they both read a lot of fantasy and adventure books and also wrote fantastic stories. Since I was eleven, I have had the dream of becoming a fantasy author myself. I used to don a cape and draw a sword (actually a plastic ruler) and fight imaginary duels in my bedroom. Oh, wait—I still do that! In high school, I once listed all the books I wanted to write one day. The list was at least thirty items long and ranged from quirky sci-fi titles to personal development books. I still have that list.

What has been the highlight of your career so far?

Being involved with LDSPMA. I love the people I have met, the things I have learned about the publishing industry, and the opportunities that have become available to me. It truly is an awesome organization, and I’m so glad I could be a part of making its mission happen as the new Operations Manager.

What was the best advice you’ve ever been given in your creative journey?

Advice from C. S. Lewis: “No [writer] who bothers about originality will ever be original: whereas if you simply try to tell the truth (without caring twopence how often it has been told before) you will, nine times out of ten, become original without ever having noticed it.” Also, the book Style: Lessons in Clarity and Grace by Williams and Bizup taught me more about effective writing than any other book I’ve read.

What advice do you have for someone just starting out in your field?

Identify your priorities early, and then stick to them. Never allow your writing (or editing or podcasting, etc.) to come before God, family, or Church duties. But don’t let inconsequential hobbies, distractions, or concerns take time away from your creative work either. Drink lots of water. I drink 20-30 cups of water a day, and it does amazing things to my energy level and mental clarity. Set high standards for the content you create. There are enough media out there with profanity, vulgarity, crude humor, and unprincipled protagonists. Don’t add more. Create media that will truly bring people to God.

What keeps you inspired in your daily creative work?

Sometimes it’s easy to get discouraged as a creator. I walk into a library and see the thousands upon thousands of books, and I think, “What could I ever add? And who would read it?”

The main source that sustains me is God. Every once in a while, He’ll remind me that my words and ideas are valuable and needed. The second source that sustains me is sincere praise from others. Someone told me recently, “Even if you write your blog posts for no one else but me, I get so much out of them that they’d be worth it.”

What would you like others to know about you or your creative process?

I love capes! Capes and cloaks of all kinds. I’ve worn them around the house, to school, even on dates. One of my most prized possessions is a dragon-scale-pattern cloak my wife made for me back when we were dating. March 10th is Universal Cape Day! Mark your calendars for next year. Wear a cape. Feel heroic.

In what ways do you feel you have been able to be a voice for good in your creative pursuits?

I want my writing to model mature romantic relationships—something that is very rare in media. I want to show agency-based love instead of “love at first sight” or “love by happenstance.” I want to show the work and commitment that building and maintaining (or repairing) a relationship requires. And I also want to show the deep sense of security, love, and fulfillment that a well-nurtured marriage can bring.

If you want your spotlight to link to your website or any of your social media platforms, include the URLs here.

The website my siblings and I built to house our creative content: AtriumOfLight.com.

Member Spotlight: Lisa Gregg!

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Lisa Gregg lives in Southeastern Utah.

What inspired you to become a creator of media?

I have loved stories and wanted to contribute creatively to the world since childhood. The desire to edit and help refine other people’s stories came later as a natural extension of that.

When I was five or six, I tried to get my dad to write down a story for me. I knew my childish handwriting was hard to read and that my spelling was bad, so I wanted a shortcut. My dad wisely used it as a learning opportunity, as dads do, and convinced me to write it myself (though he did correct my spelling).

What has been the highlight of your career so far?

I recently finished and have begun revising my first full novel. Writing “the end” on the last page brought on a rush of relief and a feeling of achievement unparalleled by any I’ve previously experienced.

I also highly enjoy attending writing conferences and classes and consider them highlights as well. They’re great, both for the chance to learn and for the opportunity to interact with other lovers of the written word.

What was the best advice you’ve ever been given in your creative journey?

The best advice I’ve received, I think, is to solicit and gracefully accept feedback. You don’t need to take every piece of criticism or correction, but it is important to realize that you are not perfect and other people can help you improve. I think that advice is helpful in writing and in life. Humility and a willingness to be corrected can be difficult to develop—I’m definitely not a master at it—but it is very helpful in the long run.

What advice do you have for someone just starting out in your field?

The advice is the same for both writing and editing: just keep practicing. Write, write, write, and read, read, read. Read stories, read history books, read books on writing. Find podcasts and classes and videos online about writing, and see what they have to teach you. If you are a big fan of a movie or book, try writing fanfiction for it. Then, put it online and get feedback on your writing. Practice may not make perfect, but it will certainly make you better.

What keeps you inspired in your daily creative work?

The world is full of inspiration. However, I personally think the most interesting story inspirations come from combining two or more interesting things together in a “what if” scenario.

What would you like others to know about you or your creative process?

I am a writer of sci-fi, fantasy, and whatever else tickles my fancy. In the past, I have been a poetry editor for a literary magazine and a corporate editor in an office, but now I edit fiction (and very occasionally nonfiction) on a freelance basis. I’ve also recently taken a position as an assistant librarian, which is great fun.

As far as my process goes, I’m a night-writer generally, and I spend the day letting words and ideas digest. I believe in going on walks and seeking stillness. I think pondering, putting in the work spiritually, is necessary to put out good creative work.

How do we find you online?

You can find me on Instagram @lisatgreggwrites and my website www.lisatgregg.com.

Member Spotlight: Alan Sanderson!

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Dr. Alan Sanderson lives in Enoch, Utah.

What are some names of the books or other media you have created?

I have two main creative outlets:
1) The Medicine and Faith blog, started in 2014, where I write from my perspective as a Church member and as a practicing neurologist, and
2) My music website, started in 2017, where my family members and I post our recordings and collaborations, as well as tutorials and reviews of the software and hardware tools that we use in our home studios.

What inspired you to become a creator of media?

The Medicine and Faith blog was inspired by Elder Uchtdorf’s encouragement for Church members to share the gospel online. I was also influenced by Clayton Christensen’s book, The Power of Everyday Missionaries. But I think I have always been a creator. For as long as I can remember, I have wanted to make music, images, and stories.

What has been the highlight of your career so far?

Medicine is my career; writing and music are just hobbies. That said, it was an honor to receive a Praiseworthy Award at the 2018 LDSPMA conference.

Image for The Queen of Public Transportation, a song by Tom and Alan Sanderson.
What was the best advice you’ve ever been given in your creative journey?

Have fun!

What advice do you have for someone just starting out in your field?

Creating is more fun when you are learning. Learn new skills, build your foundation, and be willing to try new things.

What keeps you inspired in your daily creative work?

The joy of creating, the satisfaction of improving my skills, the payoff of seeing or hearing the finished project as a real thing in the world. The thrill of good web traffic and comments is like a sugar rush—it doesn’t last long enough to get your next project done. Your primary motivations have to be intrinsic in order for them to be durable, especially when you are a hobbyist.

What would you like others to know about you or your creative process?

I work on projects intuitively, based on what interests and motivates me from day to day and week to week. I don’t hold myself to a timeline or a schedule, but I try to keep two–three projects going all of the time so that there is always something in the pipeline. Also I don’t worry much about whether other people will like my creations. If I can satisfy my audience of one (myself), then I’m happy.

In what ways do you feel you have been able to be a voice for good in your creative pursuits?

People comment to me pretty often that my music is uplifting or that they learned something from a blog post.