Stansbury Park resident Coke Newell's new novel, "On the Road to Heaven," was named the 2007 Novel of the Year by the Association for Mormon Letters, a scholarly organization that studies Mormon literature. The award was conferred Saturday at the group's annual convention.

"My first reaction was surprise because I had never submitted a copy of the book to them," Newell said. "I assume my publisher did. I'm thrilled. AML is a very prestigious organization."

Newell, a communications teacher at Salt Lake Community College, based the novel on his own life. It's his fifth book but his first work of fiction.

"I've fictionalized a little bit for the sake of story," said Newell, who added that all names in the book were changed. "Otherwise, it's pretty much my story."

On the Road to Heaven, published in August by Provo-based Zarahemla Books, charts Newell's emotional journey from Colorado mountain hippie to LDS Church convert, to his experiences while on a mission in Medellin, Colombia, and then finally to his marriage to his sweetheart -- who endured the journey with him.

Zarahemla Books' Web site describes the novel as "a love story about a girl and a guy and their search for heaven -- a lotta love, a little heaven, and one heck of a ride in between."

Newell has been a writer for pay for over 20 years. His career began at a weekly newspaper in Fort Collins, Colo., where he worked for roughly two years before taking a position with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as a media relations officer. After 11 years with the church, he took a corporate position with a company in Idaho for a year.

"After that, the gnawing desire to pursue a graduate degree led me in that direction," Newell said.

He began a master's program in communications at Montana State, and for the next two years worked part time and went to school full time. Toward the of his program, Newell and his wife and their seven children moved to Stansbury Park, where Newell now teaches, owns an online bookstore and writes in his spare time.

"Writing is something I do all the time," Newell said. "I can't fix the plumbing, but I can fix anyone's paragraphs."

Newell said he has five projects in the works at any one time. His previous works include "Latter Days: A Guided Tour Through Six Billion Years of Mormonism" and "Cow Chips Aren't for Dippin.'"

On the Road to Heaven -- a 350-page paperback -- is available for order through its publisher, Zarahemla Books, or through any bookstore.

"I could gladly finish my career as a teacher," Newell said. "But if I make a million dollars off a book, then that would be fine too."

Jamie Belnap: jamieb@tooeletranscript.com