I’m so excited to interview award winning author, Amanda Cox, today! If you’ve been lucky enough to read “The Edge of Belonging”, “The Secret Keepers of Old Depot Grocery”, or “He Should Have Told the Bees” you already know what a treat her novels are. I’ve been privileged to read her new release (which releases in August), “Between the Sound and Sea,” and trust me . . . it does not disappoint. Without further ado, here’s Amanda!

Amanda Cox is the author of the 2021 Christy Book of the Year, The Edge of Belonging and the 2022 Christy Book of the Year, The Secret Keepers of Old Depot Grocery. She is a Carol Finalist for her 2023 ECPA bestselling novel, He Should Have Told the Bees. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Bible and theology and a master’s degree in professional counseling. Her studies and her interactions with hurting families over a decade have allowed her to create multidimensional characters that connect emotionally with readers. She resides in Tennessee with her husband and three children.

First let’s learn a little bit about you. Can you share a few things about yourself that have nothing to do with writing?

I am a homebody who also loves to travel. Zermatt, Switzerland is my favorite place that I’ve explored. I have three fun, creative, and wacky kids who always inspire me. As their mom and their teacher, I feel like I am always learning. In just a few months my husband and I will celebrate our 20th anniversary while we are in the midst of a two-week family trip to Europe with my three kids and my mother-in-law and father-in-law. I know we will have tons of stories to tell after that trip!

That’s amazing! I hope to travel Europe with my family as well someday. What drew you to write?

For as long as I can remember I have been drawn to stories. I read everything I could get my hands on as a child. I never imagined myself as a writer, but I’ve always processed my thoughts best with pen on paper. About twelve years ago, those two elements of my life collided when I felt like God laid a story on my heart. I fell in love with writing Christian fiction.

We are all so thankful you did! What’s your writing process? 

Whenever someone asks me that question, I always tell people that I don’t recommend my method! It is something that I have been in the process of settling into as I learn more about the way I think about stories. I consider myself a discovery writer. Neither plotter nor pantser really fit my process. When I start writing, I generally have a good idea of who my characters are, who I think they should become, and what it will take for them to make this type of change. Little by little as I discover the plot, and dig deeper and deeper into my characters, I build in the layers of the story.

That sounds similar to the way I approach stories as well. Sometimes the characters surprise you! How do you come up with your story ideas?

Stories are everywhere! My stories usually unfold out of some little detail that gets my wheels turning. These are a few things that have sparked my books: A baby bouncer in the median of a highway and the idea for a character, a small family-owned grocery inspired by a personal connection to my family history, my personal passion for honeybees, and an article about a little known piece of history.

A baby bouncer in the median of a highway! That IS a story waiting to be told. I loved The Edge of Belonging, The Secret Keepers of Old Depot Grocery and He Should have told the Bees. Tell us about your new release. 

Thank you so much for reading my books! I am so excited to share Between the Sound and Sea with readers. 

Between the Sound and Sea is about a woman named Josephina Harris who becomes a temporary keeper of a decommissioned lighthouse on a North Carolina island for a brief escape from drama in her hometown in Tennessee regarding a scandal that’s been associated with her family.

As the work on the lighthouse begins, "Joey" discovers strange notes tucked deep in the crevices of the old stone walls--pages torn from a lighthouse keeper's log signed by someone named Mae who recounts harrowing rescues at sea. Fascinated by a woman lighthouse keeper, Joey digs into the past only to discover there's never been a record of a lighthouse keeper by that name.

When things start to go amiss on the island, locals are convinced that it is the ghost of the lighthouse keeper and his daughter who were lost at sea during World War II. As Joey sifts through decades of rumors and legends and puts together the pieces of the past, what emerges is a love story--one that's not over yet.

Are there certain themes explored in the story?

Themes found in Between the Sound and Sea include handling regrets, second chances, and restoration.

Do you have any favorite characters in your books?I know I have a few :)

I always have a favorite! Harvey in The Edge of Belonging, Glory Ann in The Secret Keepers of Old Depot Grocery, Fern in He Should Have Told the Bees, and Walt in Between the Sound and Sea.

What are you working on now?

I’m hard at work on my Summer 2025 novel. It is a dual-timeline story about a young woman named Ana who ends up in a little known town in Tennessee trying to privately process a traumatic experience that derailed her life. She ends up being adopted into a ragtag group of birdwatchers a little against her will. Together this group of people find hope and healing from their various struggles as they discover life-changing lessons exploring God’s creation. Along the way, Ana hatches a plan to reunite two childhood friends who, though they are neighbors, have been estranged for sixty years after devasting circumstances left one girl fatherless and the other girl’s father in prison. Not only does Ana uncover a surprising familial connection, but also that forgiveness and restoration can be more complicated than they seem.

You’ve definitely peaked my interest! When you’re not writing, what do you enjoy doing?

When I’m not writing, I keep bees, fail at gardening, and dabble in playing the ukulele. I also like to sketch and paint, but I would never consider myself a visual artist.

Every family has its secrets. Josephina Harris wouldn’t mind if her family still had a few of their own after a lawsuit tarnishes their name. When an opportunity opens to become a temporary keeper of a decommissioned lighthouse on a North Carolina island, she jumps at the chance to escape her small town to oversee its restoration. 

As the work begins, “Joey” discovers strange notes tucked deep in the crevices of the old stone walls–pages torn from a lighthouse keeper’s log signed by someone named Mae who recounts harrowing rescues at sea. Fascinated by a woman lighthouse keeper, Joey digs into the past only to discover there’s never been a record of a lighthouse keeper by that name.

When things start to go amiss on the island, locals are convinced that it is the ghost of the lighthouse keeper and his daughter who were lost at sea during World War II. As Joey sifts through decades of rumors and legends and puts together the pieces of the past, what emerges is a love story–one that’s not over yet.

Between the Sound and Sea releases August 6 and will be available on Kindle, paperback, hardcover and audio book.

Connect with Amanda Cox:

Website: https://amandacoxwrites.wordpress.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/amandacoxwrites/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/amandacoxwrites

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amandacoxwrites/

Blog: https://hopeperch.com

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/20033571.Amanda_Cox