Signature Books: Beginnings

Scott G. Kenney

I began thinking of a publishing company in May 1979 but did not pursue it actively for lack of
funding. I was focused on getting as much research done on a biography of Joseph F. Smith as possible
before (as everyone assumed) the LDS Church Archives shut down. The touring schedule for the Utah
Symphony, where I played viola, was particularly heavy in 1980. I was involved in contract negotiations
with the symphony, and my wife, Susan, and I had our second child that year. I worked several hours a
day in the Archives Search Room and enjoyed good relationships with LDS Historical Department
personnel who offered moral support. But a publishing company remained a pipe dream until 1981.

The following entries from my journal offer a contemporary narrative of events leading to the
founding of Signature Books:

May 20, 1979: I am thinking of taking out a second mortgage and throwing in with Allen [D. Roberts]
and Peggy [Fletcher] to start a publishing house if we [my wife and I] don’t move [to Utah County]. [Two
days later I picked up Peggy and discussed forming a publishing house in a couple of years.]

August 23, 1979: [At the Sunstone Symposium] George Smith gave a good paper on B. H. Roberts’
Book of Mormon critique ... Told Smith I thought he had done a good job and raised important issues.
Several others did so too.

August 24, 1979: In a phone conversation [with Peggy Fletcher] I raise the possibility of starting a
publishing house with Dialogue, Sunstone, and Exponent II. She is hesitant. ... The next day I raise the
question again with Peggy and Allen [D. Roberts]. They are not interested.

January 21, 1980: I go in to see Leonard [Arrington]. He is on the phone and hands me a card:
“History is on our side—as long as we can control the historians.” When he gets off, I say, “That is what I
wanted to talk about. I am concerned about the future of the intellectual in the Church. I think what is
needed is an independent Mormon press.” After discussing existing possibilities, he agreed. Then I said,
“The only person who could bring the talent and the capital together is you.” He feigned shock, then
asked, “But you wouldn’t suggest I try to do that while I have this position.” “Of course not, but as the
shoe gets tighter here, you might consider where you could be of the most use.” “Well, if they kill the
Sesquicentennial series, I would be forced to resign.”

October 23, 1980: Met with Allen [Roberts] and Peggy [Fletcher] at Crown Burger about starting a
publishing house. Allen says he has talked to over half of the [LDS] Sesquicentennial [history] authors—
all are discouraged to varying degrees.

November 31, 1980: [My last day with the Utah Symphony. Hired by Church Translation Department
(Scripture division) as Doctrine and Covenants exegete.]
 December 2, 1980: At Radio Shack I am surprised to find that I can get by [with starting a publishing
house] with only one $3,900 drive, a $800 high-speed line printer, and a second terminal for $1,600. Very
encouraging. Then got a bid from Publisher’s Press: we could do 5,000 copies of a 300-page book with
cloth binding for $1.65 each! On the way home I thought of a name I quite like—Eden Press. I like the
mythical connotations.

December 4, 1980: Went up to talk to Leonard [Arrington]. Ron Walker was there, so I asked him to
stay too. When I announced I was thinking of starting a publishing house, Leonard said, “Would you like
a manuscript from Davis [Bitton] and me? Would you like to publish the Sesquicentennial history?” It
turns out that very afternoon the general authorities were meeting with Deseret Book people to decide the
fate, it was presumed, of the series. Both Leonard and Ron liked the idea of a new press. He [Arrington]
said he thought a Church chronology would be fine and volunteered that I wanted to go ahead with a
documentary history, we might publish it under my name “in collaboration with the Joseph Fielding
Smith Institute of Church History.” That, of course, would guarantee sales and perhaps even more
important, establish our credibility with investors. I suggested the idea of a documentary series for 1877-
1918, and Leonard said when [Lowell] Durham [Jr.] came on board [at Deseret Book], they proposed
completing the DHC [Documentary History of the Church] which now ends in 1846. Durham liked the
idea very much but insisted it should be done by a private enterprise—the Church should not pay for it (!)

December 23, 1980: I am organizing a Mormon publishing house. If financing comes through (a big
if, I know), we expect to go to market with 3 or 4 books in September. There is a great need for an
independent Mormon press. The much-vaunted 16-volume Sesquicentennial History of the Church is for
all practical purposes, dead, due to the resurgence of conservatism in church councils, and there is an
enormous amount of research and writing going begging for a publisher. The same is true, I am finding,
in Mormon fiction and other areas. Even Leonard Arrington and Davis Bitton, former Church Historian
and Senior Associate, can’t get published by the church book company. They have offered two or three
manuscripts and are encouraging me to set up a series on church history, to which I would contribute
volumes covering the 1877-1918 period. I have also prepared a photographic history of Mormonism up to
the turn of the century and will begin my Joseph F. Smith biography next week.

December 29, 1980: I told Leonard [Arrington] I had two projects in mind: a chronology (we would
supply the hardware and typists to catalog researchers’ notes and give all participants an exhaustive
documentary chronology, and then we would publish an edited version); and a history series of volumes
150-200 pages in length ... He said he would have to discuss it with Davis [Bitton]. At his suggestion, I
went to Davis, who is more interested. ... Liked the idea of a book club and everything else, really, but is
still cautious. It was a frustrating experience.

January 19, 1981: I went to see Davis [Bitton] about “The Human Side of Mormon History” [the
manuscript by Arrington and Bitton, later published as Saints Without Halos]. I read it quickly and
returned it the next day, offering to publish it if they could get it back from BYU Press. Davis said he
would get on it and let me know. Ever since, I have felt weighed down by the responsibility and financial
risk in all of this.

January 26, 1981: Davis [Bitton] says Leonard [Arrington] had been dragging his feet wondering if it
would be ethical to ask for it [the manuscript to “The Human Side of Mormon History”] back. Davis
insisted they [BYU Press] were being unprofessional taking so long to make up their minds. Finally,
Leonard talked to them. They admitted nothing had been done and wouldn’t object to their taking it back.
Davis is supportive. ... At 5:30 Richard Van Wagoner called and introduced himself. Deseret Book and
Bookcraft have turned down his manuscript of biographies of characters in Mormon history, concerned
about potential controversy. I will pick up the manuscript Thursday.

January 28, 1981: Worked on “Eden Hill” proposal all day. ... Called George Smith and talked over
half an hour with him. Whetted his appetite. ... He gave me several referrals [for possible investors]. ...
Everybody is on the brink, but no one wants to be the first one to dive in. Invited Maureen [Ursenbach]
Beecher to serve on the board of directors—she was pleased. Said she was flattered and would love to but
will have to ask Leonard [Arrington]. Saw Lavina [Fielding Anderson] coming out of the [LDS Church
History] library and rode the elevator with her. She is interested and made several manuscript
suggestions. I offered her a seat on the board. She will probably take it but needs to talk with [her
husband] Paul first. Getting her, Maureen, and Davis [Bitton] on the board would help with investors.

January 29, 1981: Picked up “A Book of Mormons” from Richard Van Wagoner ... He showed me a
letter from Deseret Book’s editor, Eleanor Knowles, praising the work, but they would want to cut out
“controversial” material. Ditto Bookcraft. It looks good to me.

February 16, 1981: Spoke briefly with George Smith over the phone. He thinks we should go ahead.
Will come to Salt Lake in three weeks to meet with me and other possible investors. Thought Sterling
McMurrin might suggest names. I hope I can get at least two or three people to meet with us.

February 18, 1981: I asked Ron Walker if there was any public word of the Sesquicentennial
history. ... Ron said the Church is refusing to pay the balance of the authors’ contracts, insisting DB
[Deseret Book] do it (they did). The original amount promised each of the 16 authors was $20,000. They
are free to publish their manuscripts, with the proviso that Deseret may still publish them in the future.
That is exciting news. Davis [Bitton] confirmed all Ron had told me. ... Both Ron and Davis feel that the
best manuscripts will not be submitted to DB due to their editorial constraints. ... [Bitton] asked how the
publishing venture was progressing. He said he would be glad to have Eden Hill publish his volume [of
the Sesquicentennial history] if we get established. He is sounding more distant now, but then he has
always been a little hot and cold. I came right up to my office and called George Smith, who had heard
something about it ... He was under the impression DB would still pick most of them up, but I was quite
sure we could get some if we could raise the capital. ... He said he would call some of his SLC contacts
and be back within three weeks for a meeting. Suggested I contact Sterling [McMurrin] to see if he would
give us referrals (thinking, no doubt, of O. C. Tanner). I finally got through to Sterling but he sounded a
little distant. Said he would think about it and let me know. I wrote him a follow-up letter.

March 5, 1981: George [Smith] called me at the office and said he would arrive Sunday evening
[from San Francisco] ... George and I agreed to meet at 7:45—said we would be talking at starting the
company at $25,000-35,000.

March 20, 1981: George [Smith] called ... George doesn’t like Eden Hill but can’t come up with
anything else. ... I came up with Signature Books (my first choice) and First Edition Inc. Lavina [Fielding
Anderson] suggested Eden House, Cornerstone, and Morningstar Publishing.
 March 22, 1981: George [Smith] had more or less left it up to me to come up with a name. ... I gave
him my list. He wasn’t impressed. I was discouraged. George called back a few minutes later and said,
“There is one name I quite like, and the others do too, and that is Signature. How do you feel about it?” I
said, Fine. ... So, Signature Books it is. I am satisfied, but barely. Eden Hill would have been much
classier, but George thinks it sounds like an old folks home.

April 18, 1981: George [Smith] called. Everything I sent him looks OK. He wants Allen Roberts,
Everett Cooley, and Mike Quinn on the board. Fine with me ...

April 21, 1981: George [Smith] arrived at 1:00, followed by Dave Lisonbee [a Scott Card friend].
Over lunch we discussed the relationship of management to the board. ... The three of us called on Lavina
[Fielding Anderson] at the [Ensign] office ... Introduced George to Maureen [Ursenbach Beecher] and
Lavina (he liked them both) ...

April 23, 1981: At 7:30 George [Smith] and I met with Leonard [Arrington] and asked him if he
would be the general editor of whatever Sesquicentennial volumes we acquire. Said he would have to
check with [Lowell] Durham [of Deseret Book]. I raised the possibility of serving either on the board of
directors or board of editors. Said he would think about it. At 9:00 we met with Lowell Durham. He was
very candid. We went back to Leonard, who brought Davis [Bitton] in. ... They were in a good mood and
encouraged us. ... At 3:00 George and I went to [the lawyers’ office] to read legal documents. The board
of directors arrived beginning at 4:00. Mike Quinn arrived at 4:50, Allen Roberts at 5:15. Counting
George and me, and Dave Lisonbee that gave us a quorum of five to approve the Articles of
Incorporation. ([Everett] Cooley and [Richard] Van Wagoner couldn’t make it.) ... Everyone seems
satisfied.

April 24, 1981: George [Smith] returned to San Francisco.