Tag: Missionary

Religious Undertones

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As I enter the marketing phase of authorpreneurship, one of the concepts I struggle with is how to communicate that Mormonism is an influence on the book’s protagonist (Brig), but it is not a religious book by any stretch of the imagination. In fact, I also worry about the opposite… that friends/family will be displeased by some of the more salacious sections of the book (rape, S&M, prostitution).

Suicide By Everest is fiction, but I draw heavily from my own life and experiences.  I was born and raised in Salt Lake City, UT, baptized in the Mormon Church when I turned eight and served a church mission in Hong Kong.  I no longer consider myself a Mormon, but I am not anti.  If anything, I’m anti-organized religion.   I hope that readers will be pleasantly surprised by the twists and turns of Brig’s journey.

img_0147This picture was painted by my wife, Jackie Chang.  It’s a picture of the Angel Moroni.  For non-Mormons, Moroni was the last ancient American prophet to write his story in the Book of Mormon and buried the golden plates in a hill where Joseph Smith would find them hundreds of years later.  The image of the angel Moroni blowing a trumpet is commonly used as an unofficial symbol of the LDS Church. Moroni appears on the cover of some editions of the Book of Mormon. Statues of the angel stand atop many LDS temples with most statues facing eastward.

 

(Reference: Wikipedia – Angel Moroni)

 

The Laughing Buddha

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The Laughing BuddhaOne of my favorite characters in my book is nicknamed The Laughing Buddha (aka Danny Wong Wai Man).  The Laughing Buddha is a beloved Buddhist deity that is associated with laughter, happiness, and good fortune. To the left, is a picture that my wife painted.

In Suicide by Everest, Buddha plays a pivotal role.  He corrupts and deceives Brig while serving as his missionary companion, and introduces him to Happy Ho.  He leads a double life, one as a church leader in the local community, and two, as a drug smuggler.

Suicide By Everest – Book Description

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“An INCREDIBLE read. Gripping storytelling with an unassuming plot. Could not put this beauty down.” — Andrew W.

Suicide By Everest: https://amzn.to/2SqKUUQ

Brigham Young VIII wants to kill himself.

Brigham “Brig” Young VIII wants to kill himself in a way that will embarrass and publicly shame his self-righteous father.

Brig is a high-functioning opiate addict that unwittingly gets involved with members of a violent Hong Kong organized crime syndicate on his journey to his frozen tomb on the north face of Mount Everest.

Written in the fragmented narrative, Suicide By Everest is the violent, darkly humorous story of Brigham Young VIII, first-in-line to inherit the riches and influence that the Young dynasty, through their hotel empire, has amassed over the centuries. Brig is a broken man that has disappointed his father, embarrassed his family, shamed his faith, ruined relationships and blames everyone but himself.  Hitting rock bottom, Brig decides that his only option is suicide. But not just any suicide. Brig resolves to make a vengeful statement of his death, embarking on a physical and mental journey from his home in Salt Lake City, to Hong Kong, through China, and finally to his frozen gravesite on Mount Everest.