On a more personal level, I know that many people will see this as a book about Gary Gilmore. I cannot control that, but I do not think that is what it is. Of course this is a real concern and something to be frightened of. I want people to understand that murder very rarely occurs as a single solitary response born of a moment. The seeds were sown long before, in the murderer's family and environment, and in some ways we are all a part of it.
Families often share private legacies and myths.
The Gilmore children grew up hearing family secrets and stories, from the abandonment of their father by Houdini to the dramatic tale of a public hanging witnessed by their mother as a young girl. Children often act out the unexpressed fears and desires of their parents. Give examples of this from Shot in the Heart or from your own experience. Mormonism is the predominant religion originating in America, and is among the fastest growing religions in the world. As a system of beliefs, religion can have the dramatic ability to shape our perceptions of the world.