By Lindsay Lansing
With all the hustle and bustle associated with Women”s Conference, it is no wonder that authors, painters and even actors gather together in the BYU Bookstore to promote their LDS work to a collective group of sisters from all around the world.
Writers, Kay Lynn Mangum and Fay A Klingler, and artists, Liz Lemon Swindle and J. Kirk Richards stood by their displays as they greeted women and autographed their work.
Kay Lynn Mangum, author of “The Secret Journal of Brett Colton,” a Deseret Book best seller, commented on her first experience at Women”s Conference.
“It”s a unique thing that you can”t find anywhere else,” Magnum said. “People are interested in just talking to you.”
Her young adult fiction novel has sold over 10,000 copies and has been quite popular among LDS members. The plot in her book originated from a short story she wrote in high school. Her classmates encouraged her to continue writing and last June her book was finally published.
Another writer, Fay A Klinger, brought two books to promote at this years Women”s Conference. Grandmother of 27, she stood in the Bookstore sharing ideas about how to become a better grandparent with her book “The LDS Grandparent Idea Book.”
“I wrote letters to 100 grandparents that I thought were successful, asking them for ideas,” Klingler said. “Only 45 wrote me back, so I made up the other 350 ideas in this book!”
Her other book, “Shattered: Six Steps from Betrayal to Recovery” was also displayed. Having survived her own difficulties of betrayal, Klingler wrote this book to help in assisting other women to cope with these problems in their lives.
“I wish that every woman would read this book,” Klinger said. “There are certain steps that most women who have successfully recovered have done.”
These steps are included in her book to help victims recover from physical and emotional abuse.
Children”s book author and LDS painter J. Kirk Richards stood in front of his work in the Bookstore autographing his paintings for his fans.
“This is my fifth year at Women”s Conference and every year it seems like more people come,” Richards said. “It”s fun to see familiar faces of people who saw me last year.”
Many of his oil paintings originate from particular scriptures that he has studied and some have been inspired from his time in Italy on his mission.
“My work is a varied style of painting; its anywhere from abstract to classical realism,” Richards said.
Liz Lemon Swindle, a popular LDS painter from Orem, signed and autographed many prints as she introduced her new painting called “Friends,” which depicts the Savior”s eyes fixed on a small girl.
“That little girl is my granddaughter,” Swindle said. “She was singing a song about dirty socks, and was the model I used as the Savior was completely focused on her.”
Watching both of them interact inspired her to paint this portrayal of Christ.
“I try to show how fixed the Savior is on our individual lives,” Swindle said.
Swindle has been at Women”s Conference for five years and has always enjoyed her experience interacting with the sisters.
“It”s nice to see the end of your work and to receive feedback,” Swindle said.
Screams and anticipation awaited many as they stood in line to meet the “Work and the Glory” cast members.
Alexander Carrol, who plays Nathan Steed, signed DVD”s and took pictures with many fans. His experience at Women”s Conference “has been a blast,” Carrol said. They have sold hundreds of copies of their new DVD, which was released a week early.
BYU Bookstore worker, Jenni Larsen, enjoyed working during Women”s Conference.
“It”s one of the busiest days of the year, but you get to meet people from everywhere,” Larsen said. “The only problem is that it gets difficult to explain to people how to get to the Joseph Smith Building from here.”
