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Show The Salt Lake Tribune ARTS Sunday, November10, 2002 S'S SAAS 4 k i s a L ™ " Evans Moves to Italy in Search of Respect, Time With Family BYCHRISTY KARRAS THE SALT LAKE TRIBUNE His story is enough to inspire envyin any aspiring novelist. Local businessman writes book, pounds the pavementsellingit. Said book smol- vn 299 ders for a while,finds an audience and takes off faster than a bottle rocket. Several subsequent bestsellers later, he does whatanyone dreaming of writing a successful novel might consider: He packs up the family and moves to Tuscany. Richard Paul Evans says anyone green with envy should knowthat the move hasn't been easy. The kids were unhappy about it from the beginning, but soon, homesickness setin for the entire family. “We promised them,if thisis just an awful idea, we'll comeback in three months,” Evans said. Obviously, everything worked out, because hesaid it by telephonefromhis Florentinevilla. He moved to Italyto get awayfrom thepres- sure of being an iconin his homestate. A victim of his own success, he no longer could stand the Gift! constant stream of attention that was wearing down his family and draininghis creative energy. “Wewent toItalyto shake upourlives little bit. Life was too complex. | wasn’t seeing my children anymore — not just because of my schedule but because oftheirs.Italians are al. ways together. It seemed almost impossible to havethatlifestyle in Utah,”hesaid. Life is good for Evans. Hehas thebestsellers, Richard Paul Evans’ new novel is “The Last Promise.” starting with The Christmas Box nearly10 years ago, the money, the family, the villa. The onetime Republican political strategist and marketing guru still thinks of every book launchlike a campaign andstill agonizes oversales figures, whichhetracks meticulously.Still the master of self-promotion (from a letter to fans promoting hislatest book: “IfI say so myself, one of my most captivating novels”), he is thrilled with every piece of publicity, every bit of good news. But he is still searchingforthatlast great prize: respect. Despite his books’ commercial success, many critics have been lukewarm to scathing in their assessments. (USA Today lashed Timepiece, for example, for its especially intrigued by the temple of Vesta and the Vestal Virgins, who were required to forswearlovein orderto serve the goddess of home vows, they were buried alive. “I'm thinking, surely no oneeverdid it. But 18 of them did and were buried alive,” Evanssaid. “These women were willing to risk everything for love.” The catalyst, he says, was meeting an Ameri- can womanwhotold him about her unhappylife as the wife of a chauvinistic Italian. She wanted to leave him and take their child back to America, but he wouldn’t let her. The book’s plot developed from that, but Evans in- cluded an American man whobe- “dreadful execution, confused plot and poorwriting,” and said the book contained “some of the very worst bantering ever committed to print.”) comes the American woman's paramour. Evanshurries to correct any ideas that she actually commits all- Evans knowshedidn’t start out as out adultery, though. “This is not The Bridges of Tuscany,”he said, referring to the best-selling Bridges of Madison County, in which a lonely a great writer. He recalls hearing that no one should publish a book before writing six of them.“I didn’t have that luxury. I had to develop publicly.” housewife has an affair with a Heis pinning his hopes onhislat- est novel, The Last Promise, which in a lot of ways is nothinglike his pre- Richard Paul Evans stranger passing through town. Still, it’s a far cry from the simple, heartwarming stories he is known for. And the book’s conclusions vious work.It has nothingto do with Last BeeWows about love’s triumph over conven- Christmas.It is set in Italy, not Utah, at noon atthe ae and involves Catholics instead of Borders (in the tion may raise a few eyebrows amonghis conservative fans. Evans Mormons.Andit involves distinctly Crossroads Mall) and at adult, if not adulterous, Media Play, 5546 S. S4YS anyone upset by the message doesn’tget the point. relationships. Evans had wanted to write an all-out love story for a while, and when he moved toItaly, the idea moved to the See Life Clearly... and family. If they fell in love and broke their Redwood Road, Taylorsville, at 7 p.m. “I know I will get somecriticism from somepeople who don’tgetit. It deals with some issues that people would forefront. “In a sense, all my books have been love stories, but as my agentsays, they've been low simmer,”hesaid. Though hedidn’t want to be like the dozens of authors who have moved to Italy and written aboutit, the place did inspire him. He was be uncomfortable with,” Evans said. But “anyone who would have a problem with it is a hypocrite. This is a woman whohas been abused, who needssomelovein her life. I believe we have therightto be loved. And I have real trouble with anyone who doesn’t be- lieve that.” Stephens Retires From Utah Arts Council BY CHRISTY KARRAS “Zap” tax passed, raising money for arts organi zations in Salt Lake County. Shealso tirelessly ‘THE SALT LAKETRIBUNE lobbied herbrother, Utah Republican Congress- Bonnie Stephens, director of the Utah Arts Council for the past 11 years, announced herretirementin a staff meetinglast week. Stephens, 72, said she is stepping down to spend more timewith family. She plans to leave the organization in January; the council will start searchingfor a replacement immediately. “Youreally realize at a certain point in time that it’s time for new ideas and new blood,” Stephens told The Tribune on Friday. Sheis the longest-serving directorin the council's history Stephens headed the council through someof its largest projects, including the pushto get the man Jim Hansen, and Utah’slegislature for arts funding, gaining support from even the most conservative lawmakers. FREE SCREENINGS Nearsightedness Someof the ideas may have been hers, she said, but shecredits the arts council staff with getting the work done. “It’s been a really good experience. You don’t do any of this alone. We havea greatstaff, a perfect staff,” she said. tah Arts Council staffers say her direction will be missed. “We're sad. Thestaff, generally speaking, is sad,” said Guy Lebeda, the arts council's literature coordinator. “We always knew she would retire, but we always hoped it wouldbe later.” ¢ Farsightedness ° Astigmatism ¢ Lasik Refractive Surgery * State-or-the-art Technology favender Sale Ed.a. Approved & Board Certified Surgeons Now THRU Noy. 307 THIS WEEK ONLY! 20% ffor All Lamps & Pillows Great selection to choosefrom 40%off ALL LEATHER RECLINERS by Bradington Young inosine fotfr Utah Food Bark and recive 10% of one regpricedaccessory ‘Aik about our6 monthsinterest-free financing (OAC). ] — , O20/20 Vision CenteHs, Ine. yy Corner of State & 6400 South (Meridian Title Building) Suite 130 801-288-2020 *Price may varyac according to Rx andastigmatism. Call center for details. \ f |