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Show Spanish Fork A10 • WEDNESDAY, JUNE 4, 2008 Covering what matters most Local writer publishes first novel Miller's Trailers celebrates 40th Marilyn Nielson STAFF WRITER Christy Hardman, a local writer, has recently published herfirstbook through Cedar Fort Publishing. The book, entitled Against the Giant, is a retelling of the Biblical story of David and Goliath. Hardman's journey to publishing Against the Giant has been a long one. She first conceived of the story back in 1998 when she was living in Logan. "1 have always wanted to be a writer, since I was a little girl, but at that time' in my life, I was feeling really frustrated, and like my writing had no direction," Hardman said. "I was at home with my kids, with no air conditioning, wanting to continue my education or do something with my writing, but unable to find anywhere to go with it." During that time, Hardman began reading the Old Testament, and when she got to the sections about David, she found herself captivated'by David's story and his character. "I was so fascinated by the power of his personality, and by how much he did during his life," Hardman remembers. "I really wanted to explore that story, as a writer, and so I decided I would try to write a book about David." For the next year and a half, Hardman scoured her local library for information about the Israelites, Judaism, Jewish history — anything she could find that was remotely related to the subject of David's life. "I read books on geography, archaeology, the Law of Moses, and everything else I could think of," Hardman said. "I read everything ill the Logan library and then got everything I could through interlibrary loans." As she read, Hardman took notes on index cards, along with bibliographical information so she could look up her sources later. She filled two boxes full of these reference cards, without doing any actual Christy Hardman writing of the story. Finally,, after nearly two years of research, Hardman felt she was ready to begin writing. "I just started writing David's story, from beginning to end," Hardman said. **It was basically one big rough draft. And then when I got it all down on paper, I started sending it out to publishers." At that point, Hardman's story was about 1,500 pages long. "No ' one would even look-at it," she laughed. "I called one publisher and they said, This is way too long; we're not even going to read it.' So at that point I realized I was going to have to break it up into sections if I was really serious about getting it published." And Hardman was serious about publishing. "It seemed like it would be such a waste if I were to give up on it at that point," she said. "More than anything, I wanted to get it out for other people to read, I really didn't want to give up, after all the work I'd done and how much of myself I'd invested in it." So, Hardman rewrote the book again, and then again, this time dividing the story where she felt there were natural breaks — for example, after David's battle with Goliath. And as she revised and edited the book, she kept sending it out to publishers. . Finally,, after several years, the book was picked up by a publisher, and Hardman worked with aneditor to revise it yet again. But while she was going It's Back through the editing process, whole life, and she is still the publisher dropped their not sure at what point in religious book line, leaving David's life the sequel will Hardman once again with end. "The sequel is fun to no outlet for her story. write, because it's a deeper, In spite of her disappointment, Hardman re- more intricate story," Hardfused to give up on getting man said. "David is growing up, and he is dealing published. "Even though it was with a man's world instead frustrating to .go through of a boy's. There are more that," it was such a great complications and comlearning process for me," plexities, and there is also a said Hardman. "I learned so lot more material to coyer. • much from working with an But the Biblical account is editor. I learned that I-was actually less detailed, so trying to tell what happened I'm having to rill in a lot to my characters, instead more scenes." of showing it to the reader. Hardman says she has So when I rewrote the book gotten to know the characagain, I tried to really bring ters in the DaVid story well the characters to life, to let enough that they have really them act in ways and say come to life for her. things that conveyed their "A lot of times the charstory without me having to acters will actually surprise just tell it." me," said Hardman. "I just Now, said Hardman, put them together in a scene, her book reads more like a and kind of watch what they do, and then I think, movie. "You feel like you are 'Wow, I wouldn't have exwatching the action, and pected that!' It's really fun it*s a much more power- to watch and wonder what ful process for the reader," will happen next." she said. "You really get In addition to her work to know the characters on on Against the Giant's sea different level when the quel, Hardman has written story is told that way." a book with Salem resident Phil Porter called Santas "Against the Giant is told mostly from the young Secret. That book will be David's viewpoint," Hard- ' coming out at Christmas man said. "But also, it is an time, and will tell the true exploration of other charac- story of Porter's experiencters around David, and the es playing Santa Claus for events tfiat kind of carried the last 27 years. Hardman David along at that point in will also be doing a book his life. 'The giant' is Goli- signing for Against the Giath, yes, but in a way, he is ant at Confetti Antiques and also King Saul. I find Saul's Books in Spanish Fork on contradictions, and his mo- June 21, 2008. tivations and character, so In spite of the uncertainty complex, and I wanted to and the frustration that have explore those things in my come with waiting so long story." to get published, Hardman In addition to that, feels that the, many years Against the Giant is a story she spent waiting and refining her book have helped of fathers and sons. "It's a great gift for Fa- her reach a new level in her ther's Day," said Hardman, writing. "because it explores father "Now I have more conand son relationships on so fidence to rework my writmany levels. There is the ing, to make it better, and story of Saul and his son I've found my voice," she Jonathan, of David and his said. "I don't know what father Jesse, and of course other stories I will end up of all these characters1 rela- writing, but for now I am tionships with God." so absorbed with the power' of this one. It's such a huge, Now that Against the Giepic narrative, about one ant is in stores, Hardman is mortal man. The scope of at work writing the sequel. She is drawing from her David's life encompassed original outline of David's so much more than most of us will ever encounter — the rise to incomparable heights and the fall to the lowest depths. And yet it is something that we can all relate to iri some way. I am just trying to make his life real to readers today, through my writing." . THE STEP-UP CD Andrew Wilson STAFF WRITER In 1968, Roy Miller opened Miller's Trailers with his parents on a small gravel parking lot on Main Street in Spanish Fork. Now in 2008 Miller's Trailers is celebrating its 40th anniversary. "We started down on Main Street right next to the old theater," said Miller. Throughout the years Miller's Trailers has changed from what it originally was. They started out selling truck shells and campers. They have also sold mobile homes and now sell trailers. Miller's Trailers has also grown significantly since 1968. In 1971, the company moved from their small lot on Main Street to their present location at 950 East 800 North, Spanish Fork. ' "We needed more room, basically. That's why we bought the property here," said Miller. "We've gone from maybe a total often units, campers and trailers, to now we're handling about fifty units." The company has also expanded beyond just selling trailers to doing parts and service as well. "We've grown to one of the largest parts and service in Utah County," Miller said. Miller started the company with his parents and now runs the company with his sons. "We feel so grateful that we've been in business for 40 years as family owned without any problems," he said. "Well I think without a doubt it's been a very pleasurable experience working with family." Along with the family members, the company has some employees that have been with them for around twenty years. Miller is currently in a state of semi-retirement and his sons are taking over the business for him. "It will stay family owned," Miller said. The Millers have enjoyed having their company in Spanish Fork throughout the years. "We've thoroughly enjoyed being in Spanish Fork because of the way we've been treated by the public." said Miller. "What's really made this business is the customers," said Miller. Miller's Trailers-plans to celebrate their anniversary on June 6-7 by inviting factory representatives from suppliers to come, offering free gifts, and offering special financing and prices. Andrew, Wilson / Spanish Fork News FAMILY OWNED: Roy Miller has owned Miller's Traifers since 1968 and will pass the business on to his son Rod Miller, and keep it in the family. Miller's Trailers will be celebrating its 40th anniversary on June 6. Woodland Hills' recycling 36 Month High Interest CD 4.00* Hilarie Orman STAFF WRITER o Don't worry about what interest rates are going to do in the future. You have the option to Step-Up the interest rate of your CD to a new higher rate one time/any time during the life of your CD. You can also deposit additional funds to this CD once each year without opening another certificate. Open your new CD at any one of our 9 convenient offices. Utah County's Small Business Bank CENTRAL B A N K www.cbutahicom Mof&Oa/oSandfcaibjed'to A«n*ewithout notice Minimuin<kticdtof$I.ooobraquiraL FWC A little.blue just might make Woodland Hills a little greener, according to Shanna Beaman. She would like to let people respect the environment through recycling, and if she succeeds, the green garbage cans will have blue twins on every other trash day. The Beamans moved to Woodland Hills in 2002, and they were surprised to find that there was no recycling program. They had lived in southern California and Salt Lake City, where recycling was commonplace. Shanna is- a native Utahn, she and her family delight in living in Woodland Hills. Shanna would love to see her good friends and neighbors have the opportunity to protect resources through recycling. • "This is something that we can all do personally," she said. The recycling service offered by Waste Management will take almost any kind of paper, plastic, or small metal objects' in the blue barrels, making this a very simple process for homeowners. The projected cost is at least $6 per month for each household. Council member Jerry Johnson is a fan of recycling, and his son Eric currently acts as the sole recycling service in the neighborhood. Eric collects paper from several homes on Maple Drive each week. The new plan might force him out of business, but it seems that there are many opportunities for yardwork this summer that might keep a youngster busy. Jerry would like to see at least 75 percent of households sign up for the new recycling service before presenting the plan to the city council, and Shanna has her sights set on that number. "Attitudes are changing," she said, and she and friends will be going into high gear collecting signatures starting this week. Watch for them at the mailboxes and at neighborhood clubs and get-togethers. Their signature rate last weekend was 15 per hour, a solid start to the project What will happen to the material set out for recycling? Waste Management turns it over to their subsidiary company, Recycle America, in West Jordan, for processing. Conveyer belts move the material past workers who do some preliminary separation of the coming led items, dividing out metal, plastic, and paper. From there, machinery scans over the residue. Magnets grab iron items, water washes away debris, filters trap paper. Finally, everything gets packed into bales and sold to mills, either on the west coast or in China. Glass recycling is not economical in Utah. It is difficult to handle glass because the tiny shards contaminate other waste and damage processing machinery. Beyond that, glass is heavy, and the cost of shipping it is only increasing. If a local manufacturer could use the glass, it might be worthwhile to collect it, but Utah does not have any businesses that use recycled glass today. |