Happy Monday!
Each Monday I would like to take some time to get to know some of our favorite authors. My hope is that this will help readers connect with the authors.
Today I would like to introduce you to: Amanda Cox!
Amanda Cox is a newer author, but she is one to keep an eye on. Her debut book was great! I think she is going to be added to my list of favorites!
Author bio:
Amanda Cox holds a bachelor’s degree in Bible and theology and a master’s degree in professional counseling, but her first love is communicating through story. Her studies and her interactions with hurting families over a decade have allowed her to create multidimensional characters that connect emotionally with readers. She lives in the foothills of East TN with her husband and their three children.
To help us get to know her, I have given her some questions and here are her responses:
Q: How long have you been writing?
A: As a seven-year-old, I had big dreams of publishing a book. After a valiant attempt at writing, illustrating, and attempting to find a publisher for my children’s book, I temporarily shelved those dreams and became a consumer of stories rather than a writer of stories. About ten years ago, my craving to write reignited. I wasn’t sure if my novels would ever be published, but I knew that I was made to tell stories! Writing is an avenue in which I connect with my Creator.
Q: What are you currently working on?
A: I’m currently working on preparing my second novel ready for release day, The Secret Keepers of Old Depot Grocery, releasing fall 2021. It is a split timeline story about three generations of women whose lives have revolved around a small town grocery. When it seems the store will have to close due to the changing times, ghosts of the past resurface showing the ways in which the secrets these women have kept from one another have shaped the course of their lives. It is a celebration of the relationships between mothers and daughters, and I can’t wait to share it with readers.
Q: What are some of your writing must haves? (Drink, snack, supplies, etc.)
A: When I am working on a rough draft, give me all the coffee. When I am in editing mode (my favorite!) give me all the crunchy snacks. I feel like a five-year-old, but I really love cheddar goldfish crackers while I’m working!!
Q: What is your favorite time period to write about? Or read about?
A: Though I write contemporary split time, I really enjoy reading historical of all eras. I love digging into well researched historical fiction that transports me to a different time and way of life. I also love finding the ways in which past events influence the present day. Historical and split time fiction helps me connect those dots.
Q: What are some of your favorite books?
A: The Count of Monte Cristo, Where the Red Fern Grows, Anne of Green Gables, The Chronicles of Narnia
Q: If you could spend a day with one fictional character, who would you pick and what would you do?
A: I would hang out with Elizabeth Bennett, and we’d have a nice walk along a country lane as I enjoyed her sharp wit and decided opinions.
I have saved my favorite question for last!
Q: What would you like readers to take away from your books?
A: My biggest hope is that my books would encourage readers to look at the people they encounter from a fresh perspective. Whether it is someone like Harvey, the homeless man you meet in The Edge of Belonging, or Sarah in The Secret Keepers of Old Depot Grocery who has both wealth and privilege at her disposal, there is always at least one vital piece of information you don’t know about the people around you. If you knew it, it would change how you handled their heart. Whether it is undisclosed pain from the past, or a gifting yet to be cultivated, there is always more than meets the eye.
To connect with Amanda, please click on any of the following links: her website, Facebook, and Instagram.
I’m also featuring her debut book, The Edge of Belonging. I loved this book! I hope that you do to! Be sure to add it to your Goodreads shelf!
About the book:
When Ivy Rose returns to her hometown to oversee an estate sale, she soon discovers that her grandmother left behind more than trinkets and photo frames–she provided a path to the truth behind Ivy’s adoption. Shocked, Ivy seeks clues to her past, but a key piece to the mystery is missing.
Twenty-four years earlier, Harvey James finds an abandoned newborn who gives him a sense of human connection for the first time in his life. His desire to care for the baby runs up against the stark fact that he is homeless. When he becomes entwined with two people seeking to help him find his way, Harvey knows he must keep the baby a secret or risk losing the only person he’s ever loved.
In this dual-time story from debut novelist Amanda Cox, the truth–both the search for it and the desire to keep it from others–takes center stage as Ivy and Harvey grapple with love, loss, and letting go.
All The Bookish Adventures 
So honored to be your guest today, Kailey!
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Great interview! I loved this book soooo much!!
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