Guest Author - Terrie Lynn Bittner

Title: Where I Belong
Author: Rachel Ann Nunes
Publisher: Bonneville Books
Author’s Web Page: Rachel Ann Nunes

Sister Nunes is the author of seventeen novels and one picture book. This was my favorite of them all. She tackles a subject we often are reluctant to talk about in the church, and one we seldom see discussed in a balanced, open manner that never loses its gospel focus.

Heather is a highly gifted artist, a returned missionary and the oldest of eleven children. A grant to study art in Boston, living among artists, seems like the answer to her heart’s longing. Not only will she have an opportunity to perfect her craft, but she will have a chance to escape Utah and her growing discontent with what she perceives to be LDS culture. Her mother gave up an art career to devote all her time to raising a large family, and Heather believes the gospel expects her to do the same. Her best friend, Tanner, is increasingly concerned about her struggle, because he recognizes that this isn’t about Utah or art; it’s about faith. Since he has recently realized that his best friend is also the woman he loves and wants to spend eternity with, her battle becomes his own fight for eternity. If greatness as an artist requires complete dedication, and parenting requires the same, can Heather find an answer that leaves her fulfilled without violating gospel principles?

Latter-day Saints expect our books to have generally happy endings and our heroes to come to the correct gospel decision. The challenge for the LDS author, then, is to write a book in which we have some idea as to how it will end, and yet still hold the audience’s attention and heart. The focus must be on the process of achieving the gospel choice, and this is perhaps what makes well-written LDS fiction truly great, but particularly difficult to write. If an author can guide a protagonist through a struggle in faith without sounding preachy or slipping into stereotypes or sappiness, she can help her readers think beyond the surface about their testimonies. Sister Nunes accomplishes her art with a power that is difficult to equal. The struggle to achieve professional and personal fulfillment without sacrificing the needs of our families is a woman’s struggle and the heart wrenching choices are never trivialized or reduced to mindless slogans by this gifted author. The conclusion is completely satisfying and gospel-centered. It is worth noting that Sister Nunes is the author of eighteen books and the mother of six children and therefore has experience with this subject. (Her web page offers insights into her feelings on this subject.) However, this is not just a novel about choosing between a home and a career. It is a novel for anyone who is asked to sacrifice for the gospel or is faced with challenging choices.