Susan Evans McCloud

Susan Evans McCloud (born 1945) is a Latter-day Saint novelist, author, poet and hymnwriter. Both her hymns in the LDS hymnbook are widely sung, and her novels have attracted attention, even if they are at times rejected as overly faith promoting. "Lord I Would Follow Thee" has appeared on a Mormon Tabernacle Choir CD at least once. [ [http://www.mormontabernaclechoir.org/products/product?product_id=75 The Official Site of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir ] ] Lines from this hymn are also widely quoted. [ see for example [http://www.authorsden.com/visit/viewPoetry.asp?id=205937] and [http://www.lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=2354fccf2b7db010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD&locale=0&sourceId=f2e194bf3938b010VgnVCM1000004d82620a____&hideNav=1 "Ensign", May 1992 article by Howard W. Hunter] ] It has even been called "One of the best loved songs in the LDS-church" [ [http://www.desnews.com/cgi-bin/cqcgi_plus/@plus.env?CQ_SESSION_KEY=WMOBZFUALZEI&CQ_CUR_DOCUMENT=4&CQ_TEXT_MAIN=YES Johnston, Jerry article in "Deseret News", May 11th, 2002] ]

McCloud has published more than 45 books. [ [http://mormonlit.lib.byu.edu/lit_author.php?a_id=200 Mormon Literature Database - McCloud, Susan Evans ] ]

McCloud first had a poem published in the "Ensign" in 1972. Her novel "Where the Hear Leads" was published by Bookcraft in 1979. This book was reviewed by the Sunstone Review. [ [http://mormonlit.lib.byu.edu/lit_work.php?w_id=1777 Mormon Literature Database - Mormon Mushies (Part IV) ] ] McCloud's work "Not in Vain" has been reviewed in . [ [http://www.dialoguejournal.com/old_index/n.asp Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought ] ] She had almost one novel published annually from then until 2000. Most of these works were published either by Bookcraft or Scribe Publishing. McCloud's "Black Stars Over Mexico" was a best seller in January 1985. [ [http://book-subjects.netfirms.com/fic189.shtml Past bestselling fiction titles - page 189 ] ] Many of her novels were works of historical fiction dealing with 19th Century Latter-day Saints everywhere from England to India. Some reviewers have criticized her novels as being pro-Mormon and repetitious of previous themes. [http://books.google.com/books?id=AFfqbTjG7OkC&pg=PA857&lpg=PA857&dq=%22susan+evans+mccloud%22&source=web&ots=UBysu-pIBM&sig=zZ8YLt7AFSb7Qb3J4evTtgtB2nw] Although rejected by some critics, McCloud's work is among that praised by such religious minded critics as Jerry Johnston. [http://www.desnews.com/cgi-bin/cqcgi_plus/@plus.env?CQ_SESSION_KEY=WMOBZFUALZEI&CQ_CUR_DOCUMENT=33&CQ_TEXT_MAIN=YES]

McCloud wrote the words to "Lord I Would Follow Thee" one of the more popular hymns to appear for the first time in the 1985 LDS hymnal. She also wrote the words for "As Zion's Youth in Latter Days". McCloud has said she wrote this hymn with the goal of giving stength to a "vacilating youth". [ [http://www.lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=024644f8f206c010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD&locale=0&sourceId=af6351e4b66fb010VgnVCM1000004d82620a____&hideNav=1 "New Era", November 2003] ] McCloud also wrote the words to at least one song used in the seminary videos of the church. [http://www.ldstunesnow.com/pearl_covers/Whole%20Armor%20insert.pdf]

McCloud has also written scipts for film and TV productions, including the script for making one of her books into a made for TV movie. [ [http://www.ldsfilm.com/bio/bioM2.html Biographies: Latter-day Saint and/or Utah Film Personalities: M ] ]

She has also written works such as "Brigham Young: An Inspiring Personal Biography", which would be dismissed as hagiography by some commentators. This book was partly developed as a result of her 30 plus years as a docent at the Beehive House. [ [http://magazine.byu.edu/g/?act=view&a=419 Richard Cracroft's Review of Books for BYU Magazine] ]

McCloud has lived much of her adult life in Provo, Utah. [ [http://www.lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=2354fccf2b7db010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD&locale=0&sourceId=2d162150a447b010VgnVCM1000004d82620a____&hideNav=1 LDS.org - Ensign Article - 1990 Writing and Music Contest Winners ] ]

McCloud also wrote a book on love with Randy Jernigan. [ [http://www.anthologiesonline.com/Featured%20%20Writers(2)/Randy%20Jernigan.htm Randy Jernigan ] ]

In 2004 McCloud was given the Reed Smoot Citizenship Awards business women of the year award. [ [http://www.desnews.com/cgi-bin/cqcgi_plus/@plus.env?CQ_SESSION_KEY=WMOBZFUALZEI&CQ_CUR_DOCUMENT=2&CQ_TEXT_MAIN=YES "Deseret News", May 27th, 2004] ]

McCloud was a member of Joe Cannon's 1992 Utah County Steering Commitee when he was seeking the Republican Nomination for Senate. [http://www.desnews.com/cgi-bin/cqcgi_plus/@plus.env?CQ_SESSION_KEY=WMOBZFUALZEI&CQ_CUR_DOCUMENT=34&CQ_TEXT_MAIN=YES]

References

External links

* [http://www.media.utah.edu/UHE/l/LITERATURE.html Mention in Utah Encyclopedia article on liturature]