Our intrepid author. Amanda Cox weathering a hurricane on the Outer Banks
I love quirky characters!
What are quirky characters? Quirky is defined as someone characterized by peculiar or unexpected traits. Why do I like the peculiar and unexpected traits? Probably because my family might be defined as peculiar or unexpected. So, the non-peculiar to me seems, well, peculiar.
How ever it might be defined, my featured author this month is skilled at creating the quirky character. Bestselling and Christy-Award-winning author, Amanda Cox has written novels that make me squeal with delight! And, in the case of her latest release, Between the South and the Sea, also sob repeatedly.
So who is this award-winning author of the quirky?
Amanda Cox is the Christy Award–winning author of The Edge of Belonging, The Secret Keepers of Old Depot Grocery, and He Should Have Told the Bees. She 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 Chattanooga, Tennessee, with her husband and their three children.
My first introduction to Amanda’s books was, He Should Have Told the Bees. It is the story of two young women, Beck and Callie, who find
themselves named on one man’s trust. Beck is his faithful daughter, who shared his love of keeping bees. Callie, a stranger, is mystified by her connection to her benefactor. Accepting the gift will give Callie the stability that’s always been out of reach, but to do so will mean taking away the only home Beck has ever known. As the two women search for the truth behind why their lives have suddenly become entangled and negotiate their shared ownership of Walsh Farm, they discover new pathways to hope.
Amanda, tell me about your latest release, Between the Shore and Sea.
Between the Sound and Sea is a story of a young woman who leaves behind her hometown to become a project manager of a lighthouse restoration after rumors and scandal disrupt her once-idyllic life in her quaint hometown. When things start to go amiss on the island and she finds notes from the 1940s hidden in the walls, Joey embarks on a quest to unravel the mystery, including the new owner’s connection to the island. Joey hopes to discover the truth behind the legends and restore one family’s reputation while getting her own life back on track.
With your background and experience as a counselor, you are skilled at writing deeply emotional novels that offer a fascinating read. What type of emotions or issues do you work through in this book?
Ocracoke Lighthouse: the inspiration for the Bleakpoint Lighthouse
The feeling of regret plays a central theme in the book. There are several characters in the book who obsess over past decisions and find themselves trying to undo the past. Regret is a strong emotion, and it can either motivate us to grow and change for the better or it can cause us to become stuck in the past, unable to move forward. I really enjoyed helping many of my characters navigate that journey through their regrets in this book.
Which is why your books delve deep into those character’s and their story arcs. And, et voilà, quirky!
Yes, I strive to write authentic characters who face real and relatable struggles. But no matter how deep the pain and heartache they face, my goal is to infuse every story with hope and redemption. Though the characters go through many ups and downs throughout the book, the ending, whether sweet or bittersweet, will feel like a warm hug.
What did you read as a child?
I read everything I could get my hands on. And, I didn’t care if it was a picture book or literary fiction well beyond my “grade level,” I wanted to read it. A few childhood favorites include Shiloh, Where the Red Fern Grows, Little Women, The Witch of Blackbird Pond, To Kill a Mockingbird, and The Black Stallion. I was also obsessed with the Thoroughbred series by Joanna Campbell.
What is something God taught you while you wrote your featured book?
Writing this book was all about joy for me. There are a lot of highs and lows in the writing life. When writing transitions from a hobby to a career, it can be easy to get caught up in all the details–the things you have control over and the things you don’t. Marketing, business decisions, sales, etc. Balancing all of those elements can make it challenging to write “for fun.”
It’s not that I didn’t have joy writing my previous books, but this one I went into this story intentionally chasing joy even in the difficult moments. I made story decisions because I thought the direction was fun as opposed to agonizing over reader expectations. God used the writing of this book to teach me about chasing joy even when it didn’t come easily, and to embrace my writing process rather than feel frustrated that it doesn’t always fit into a tidy box.
Now are you ready for another FANTASTIC giveaway from Amanda?
The August A2A Giveaway!
Yes! Thanks to Amanda and Revell, this month’s giveaway is her recent release, Between the Shore and the Sea!
But that’s not all!
Amanda is also including a package of Hatteras Saltworks Pure Ocean Salt! Yes, you’ll get to enjoy a taste of the sea!
There’s one winner and it could be you! How? Well, by entering! Not just once, but up to SIX times!* Leave a comment below and share this blog and if you haven’t already, please subscribe to my newsletter at the bottom of this blog and receive a free gift from me — and an extra entry.
NOTE: WANT TO INCREASE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING THIS INCREDIBLE GIVEAWAY?*
Check out my YouTubeA2A interview with Amanda. Because, in the video interview Amanda will read a touching scene from Between the Shore and the Sea, and answer different fun questions–and we have some great discussions! By Liking and Commenting on the video episode, you will have one more entry.* Sharing the video, another entry.* Subscribe, and you have TWO entries for a chance to win.*
The Deadline is August 15th!
Watch our interview
That means, my friends, if you comment and subscribe -– or are already a subscriber -– to my blog, then watch the video and LIKE, SHARE, and COMMENT on the VIDEO, then Subscribe to my YouTube Channel, your name will be entered SIX TIMES!*
Coming up in September: So excited to interview my friend, Carrie Turansky. A bestselling and multi-award-winning author whose latest release, A Token of Love is a bittersweet romance with an important message.
Thanks so much for stopping by. I hope you enjoyed getting to know Amanda–I sure did! Until next month, God bless and KEEP READING!
*So sorry, entries from the contiguous US only.
