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| Photo courtesy Kevin Stohl |
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If you walk into BYU-I computer support representative Kevin Stohl’s office — or even walk by it — you will instantly be aware of his passion for writing and science fiction. His walls, computer screen and office door are plastered with pixie-eyed illustrations from which he draws inspiration.
Talk with him for a few minutes, and you’ll quickly learn of his second passion — involving BYU-Idaho students in his work. Look closely at his photo illustrations for his book covers and you might recognize the characters, most of them BYU-I students, and many of them fitness instructors in the Hart Gym.
Stohl began his writing endeavors with a novel based on the popular television show Quantum Leap and hoped to sell his idea to the show’s producers. But, after consulting with Universal Studios, Stohl’s idea was rejected and he was asked not to use the show or its characters in his books.
Rejection, however, only fueled his desire to achieve success as a writer.
“In one year’s time I came up with 10 books in my head — just out-of-the blue, creative ideas,” Stohl said. And in 2004, Stohl’s dream became a reality when he became a published author with his book Time Chronicles, the first in a trilogy of sci-fi novels.
It is obvious, however, that Stohl’s favorite part of the writing process is finding and creating characters based on friends he makes on campus. Though he could look for students whose faces match the characters he creates, his creative process tends to work just the opposite way. Often times, he said, he sees a face and a personality and can then picture the character for his book.
“I started viewing students differently and the creative potential each student has,” he said. “I want them to be able to see their face on a future book and to have thousands, if not millions, of people looking at that book.”
A regular Hart aerobics class attendee, Stohl finds most of his characters in the faces and hearts of his fitness instructors, and has asked many of them to be featured on his book covers.
“It was an honor to be asked,” said Lindsay Schallenberger, a junior from Hamilton, Mont., and an aerobics instructor. Stohl met Schallenberger while attending her class and invited her to be on a book cover. “It’s exciting to know that I will be on a real cover someday and fun to be a part of [Stohl’s] writing career.”
Stohl’s biggest project as of late is Darcy Farrow, a love story based on the 1965 song by Steve Gillette made popular by John Denver in 1972. Based in Nevada in the 1890s, the book follows the story of Darcy Farrow in a twist of events that Stohl describes as “Bonanza meets Anne of Green Gables.”
From Time Chronicles to Darcy Farrow and Sapphire Blue, a Harry Potter-esque series about children born with “birthmarks” of semi-precious stones, Stohl’s store of creative material extends from love stories to robots. He has, he estimates, enough creative material to last another 8-10 years.
Students are invited to contact Stohl if they have book ideas or would like to be pictured on a future book cover. The first Time Chronicles novel can be found at www.amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, Porter’s and the BYU-Idaho University Bookstore.
Sci-Fi meets BYU-I in a very real way