Sydney Morgan is no wimp. A black belt in karate, her defensive moves help keep her tough, even when her mom is diagnosed with cancer and her long-lost dad shows up to play nice guy. But when an unexpected gift transports her through space and time to the land of Zarahemla, Syd just might be in over her head. Accused of being a spy, she has to prove she's no threat to the locals-including Captain Helaman himself! As war quickly approaches, Helaman calls on Syd to help his stripling warriors prepare to fight. Torn between concern for her family and for her new friends, Syd musters her wits, strength, and faith to face the coming battle-but her feelings for Chief Warrior Tarik put her heart on the line. Who will survive the Lamanites' fierce onslaught? And will Syd ever make it home again?

1. What caused you to begin writing this book?
I asked my son what story in the Book of Mormon he liked the most. Since he has a black belt in karate, he said the stripling warriors. I thought a great deal about this and wished there was a story of a young woman fighting alongside them.and so Sydney Morgan came into being.
 
2. Did you have any interesting experiences while writing this book?
Working through the fight scenes were fun. My son and I would act them out. I'd tell him what I needed to have happen, and then we would go through the motions, literally. Sometimes it looked like we were playing a game of Twister. And there were also many days when I felt as if my writing was guided, especially when I wrote the scene where Helaman spoke to the stripling warriors before the mighty battle at Cumeni. I read and reread Helaman's words and tried the best I could to think of what he would say to these boys who believed in him and the Lord so much that they were willing to face death. As a leader in Young Women every time I pick the girls up to go somewhere I feel the burden of responsibility and trust of their parents. I can't fathom how heavy Helaman's burden was as he led those boys?his warrior sons?into battle. Nor can I comprehend how he felt after the battle ended and he had to search for them among the dead and dying soldiers. What joy must have filled his heart to find them all alive.though wounded.
 
3. What do you hope people come away with after reading your book?
I truly hope that after reading my book people will read the Book of Mormon and learn more about Captain Helaman and the stripling warriors. Their story is one of courage, faith, and loyalty, for they stood up for family, country and God when it counted most. They were examples of true heroism.  
 
4. Share something with us that most people don't know about you.
I have a Titleist golf ball on my writing desk. Why? Several years ago when I was going to the University of Utah (I went back to college after my children finished school) an elderly man walked up to me as I was entering a building to go to class. He asked me where the VA Hospital was. He'd been out walking and had become lost. As I listened to him, I realized he was wearing a hospital gown and scrub pants. I was going to be late, so I quickly told him the direction. He started walking away and I went inside, but I started thinking that if that man had been my father I would hope someone would help him. I ran out and chased him down. I took him inside the building and used the phone in the hallway to call the hospital. They connected me to security. The officer on duty said they had been looking for this man half the day, that he had escaped the mental ward, and that I was to keep him with me until they could come get him. Yikes! Swallowing the lump of trepidation in my throat, I told him I'd wait with him until help arrived. I noticed he held a golf ball in his hand and asked him if he played. He told me no, but he'd walked past the golf course and picked up the ball. He gave it to me. We sat and talked until the authorities arrived. He was a very kind and gentle man, and I think of him often when I look at that golf ball on my desk. I learned several things that day: that life is full of surprises; that I should listen to that still small voice; and that going out of your way?even if it makes you late?can lead to interesting stories.
 
5. Are any experiences in the book based on real-life?
In The Forgotten Warrior, Syd's mother becomes very ill. When I was a child, my mother had a heart attack while shampooing my hair. She survived, but during most of my childhood I lived with the fear that my mother would die, and it would be my fault. (Silly how children do that.) Sydney has the same fear; though she may not think her mother's cancer is her fault, she has the fear that her mother will die, and she won't be there to help her.

1. Sydney's mother has ancestors from what Indian tribe?
2. Sydney appears in Book of Mormon times just after what battle?
3. Sydney goes back in time with what kind of dog?
4. Tarik loves and respects Captain Helaman and his father, but who does he want to be most like?
5. Who does Tarik think Syd is when he first meets her?

Answers:
1. Shoshone
2. Judea
3. Great Dane
4. Captain Helaman
5. A Lamanite spy

Ingredients:
1 cup soft butter
1/3 cup whipping cream
2 cups flour
Granulated sugar
Time Melt-Away Filling

Mix butter, cream and flour together. Cover and chill at least thirty minutes. Heat oven to 375. Put granulated sugar in a bowl. Sprinkle additional flour on countertop and roll out half the dough to 1/8 inch, while keeping the other half chilled. Cut out round stone-like circles. Coat flat circle with sugar, place on parchment-covered cookie sheet and prick each with a fork twice. Continue process until cookie sheet is covered. Bake seven to nine minutes until cookies are set (not brown). As cookies cool make Time Melt-Away Filling.

Filling:
¼ cup soft butter
¾ cup confectioners sugar
1 t. vanilla.

Cream all ingredients together. Add a little water if necessary.

Spread filling on flat side of cookie, then place another cookie on top so it looks like a tiny hamburger. Place in mouth and watch time melt away as you savor the taste.
Depending upon the size of the stone shape could make 4 to 5 dozen small cookies.