Jack Weyland

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Jack Arnold Weyland[1] (born 1940) is a professor of physics at Brigham Young University–Idaho (BYU–Idaho) and a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). He is a prolific and well-known author of fiction for LDS audiences, including many novels and short stories, mostly placed in contemporary settings.[2] His novel Charly was made into a feature film in 2002.

Biography

Weyland was born in Butte, Montana.[3] He graduated from Billings Senior High School and then attended Montana State University where he majored in Physics. Upon graduating he served a mission for the LDS Church in New York and Pennsylvania. After completing his mission he went to BYU and received his Ph.D. in Physics.[4]

While attending BYU, Weyland decided to take an elective course in creative writing. After a few weeks Weyland realized he was in trouble; he was not a very good writer. Weyland said, "The one time I ventured to tell my instructor I wanted to write LDS fiction, he said, 'You’re not serious, are you?' Certainly a fair question based on what he had seen of my writing. I became discouraged and dropped the course and didn’t think about writing again for several years."

He married his wife Sherry and they had a daughter named Barbara. After Barbara was born they left BYU and went to South Dakota, where Weyland taught physics at the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology. While in South Dakota they had four more children, Dan, Brad, Jed, and Josie.

In the summer of 1971 Jack had the opportunity to work for the BYU physics department doing high-pressure research. While at BYU Weyland decided to take a correspondence writing course. "Especially I wanted it to be by correspondence. Never again would I tell anyone face to face that I wanted to write. The course cost me, as I remember it, $37.50. In addition there was the typewriter to rent." Weyland decided that he wanted to write an article for the New Era magazine.

Weyland's first two stories that he sent into New Era were accepted, but his third entry was rejected. After having this rejection he was done writing, but the next summer he found himself submitting another article to New Era that was accepted.

Each summer Weyland found himself writing in his spare time. In 1979 he made a goal to write a novel that would be published by October, he finished his first novel, Charly. After completing his goal of writing a novel Weyland said, "The Lord blesses us richly for any service we give. He helps us discover talents we never know existed within us." In his writing career, Weyland has published about three dozen books and more than 50 short stories in the New Era.[2]

Although successful in his LDS publications, Weyland has continued to teach physics. He taught at Ricks College, (now BYU–Idaho) from 1993 to 2005, and has even continued teaching after retirement as a "campus service missionary".[3] He explained "I enjoyed physics then and still do today. It is, after all, what I spend most of my time doing."[5] He and his wife have also served as missionaries for the Church Educational System in Long Island, New York and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.[3]

Weyland also writes a column on science topics for the local newspaper, the Rexburg Standard Journal.[2]

Publications

  • 1980 Charly
  • 1981 Sam
  • 1982 The Reunion
  • 1983 Pepper Tide
  • 1984 A New Dawn
  • 1985 The Understudy
  • 1986 Last of the Big-Time Spenders
  • 1987 Sara - Whenever I Hear Your Name
  • 1988 Brenda at the Prom
  • 1989 Stephanie
  • 1990 Michelle & Debra
  • 1992 Kimberly
  • 1993 Nicole
  • 1994 On the Run
  • 1996 Lean On Me
  • 1997 Brittany
  • 1998 Jake
  • 1999 Emily
  • 2000 Ashley & Jen
  • 2001 Megan
  • 2003 Cheyenne in New York
  • 2004 Adam's Story
  • 2003 Saving Kristen
  • 2006 Alone, Together
  • 2008 As Always, Dave
  • 2009 Brianna, My Brother, and the Blog
  • 2009 The Samaritan Bueno
  • 2010 Cameron Meets Madison
  • 2011 Heather 101
  • 2011 Mackenzie for Congress

Notes

  1. ↑ Middle name from "Ashley & Jen / Jack Weyland". Copyright Catalog (1978 to present). United States Copyright Office. Retrieved 2010-03-15. 
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 "Guest Presenters". Children's and Young Adult Literature Conference. BYU–Idaho. September 19, 2006. Retrieved 2010-03-15. 
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 "Meet the Physics Department". Department of Physics. Brigham Young University–Idaho. Retrieved 2010-03-15. 
  4. ↑ "About Jack Weyland". Deseret Book. Retrieved 2008-05-22. 
  5. ↑ Weyland, Jack. "How I Started Writing". Jack Weyland: Inspirational Fiction for LDS Young Adults. Retrieved 2010-03-15. 

References

External links

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