Meet Blair Emerson from Echoes of a Silent Song by Amanda Wen

Meet Blair Emerson from Echoes of a Silent Song by Amanda Wen

by | Oct 14, 2025 | Character Interview

I’m delighted to have Blair Emerson from Amanda Wen’s Echoes of a Silent Song with us today for a fun and intriguing interview. There’s nothing more fun than meeting a character and then getting sucked right into the drama of their story as you get to know them. Be prepared, because that is what’s about to happen. And just so you know, Amanda Wen is generously giving away one print copy of Echoes of a Silent Song to one U.S. Resident. Be sure to find all those details at the end of this post.

Before we dive into our interview, let me introduce you to the story that Blair Emerson takes part in.

Echoes of a Silent Song by Amanda Wen

Genre: Split Time

When a choral composer and conductor falls victim to creative block, he resorts to his fallback plan of teaching high school choir. Callum Knight’s goal at Peterson High is simple: rediscover his muse, extract himself from teaching, and get back to Boston as quickly as possible.

As the long-suffering accompanist at the high school, Peterson-native Blair Emerson has watched the revolving door of choir directors and their negative impact on her choirs over the last few years. She is less than impressed when a disheveled Callum stumbles in on his first day.

But then they discover an unsigned, unfinished, and handwritten choral composition by a clear musical genius. Blair recalls rumors of Iris, a Peterson student from the 1970s who composed music but was found dead during her senior year. Blair and Callum work to determine if the piece is hers, and the truth they uncover shakes both of them to the core.

With rhythm and flair, Amanda Wen takes readers on an unexpected journey into the depths of a small town’s history in this riveting first book in the Melodies and Memories duology.

 

Purchase Links:

Amazon  |  Baker Book House  |  Christianbook  |  Parable

 

Now it’s time to jump into our interview with Blair!

CC: Blair, would you please introduce yourself to my readers? How would you describe yourself?

BLAIR: Yikes…usually my fingers are dancing across a piano keyboard instead of a computer keyboard. Whose idea was this, anyway?

Okay, moving along…my name is Blair Emerson, and I’m the collaborative pianist for Peterson High School. (For the non-musicians out there, this means I play piano for the choirs. While they’re learning their parts, I usually play those parts right along with them, then gradually transition to playing the accompaniment part, if there is one, or letting them sing on their own if it’s unaccompanied.)

I’ve been here for several years, first as a student and then as a staff member, and I love every minute of my job. Okay, most minutes. Working with students is sometimes a challenge for a type-A uber-planner like myself, but they’re absolutely worth it. Working with a different choir director every year, though? I’m about to pull my red hair all the way out. Since Vic Nelson retired, we’ve cycled through five? Six? I’ve lost count. And the new guy who just took the job looks like he’ll be a real peach to work with. He’s obviously falling back on his fall-back plan, so doubtless he won’t stick around, either. Sigh. At least I’ve got my best friend, Joy, in my corner.

CC: Yikes! I hate when there is a revolving door of changing employees. That must be so hard to deal with. I’m so glad you have Joy in your corner. Oh, and bless you for working with students. They are a joy . . . and a challenge.

So what is it that you want?

BLAIR: What I want more than anything is for the Peterson High School choral program to be restored to its former glory. Vic Nelson was the director for thirty years, give or take, and during that time the choir consistently achieved anything a high school choir could. But since he retired, it’s been a revolving door of choir directors. Nobody sticks around longer than a year, for a variety of reasons. As a result, interest in the program is dropping. Kids find other classes they want to take instead of choir. And the ones who do stay, about half of them are obviously disinterested; they just want a class they think is an easy A where they won’t have any homework.

My heart breaks for the kids who really do want to sing, and for the program in general. Its reputation is slipping, the quality of music is dropping, and if I could change that myself, I would. But I can’t do that by myself. I need a director. One who’s competent, experienced, qualified, and as passionate about those kids as I am. One who’ll put down roots and stick around and get this program headed in the right direction. But with each passing year, the flame of hope that this will actually happen starts to flicker and dim…

CC: My heart breaks for those students too. It makes all the difference in the world when they have a teacher who wants to be there and invest in them.

If you had time to read a book, what would you pick up and why?

BLAIR: Reading is one of my favorite after-school activities! I usually read biographies of famous choral composers or pianists. I have neither the desire nor the realistic expectation of fame, but I always love learning about other musicians and getting the stories behind their music. To me it gives me a fuller and richer understanding of the music we perform and the creative process itself! I’m not a composer at all, but I’ve always thought it would be fascinating to meet one.

CC: Biographies can be so intriguing, and I’m right there with you about them adding depth to the music you listen to when you know the story behind them.

Who do you interact with in the story that confounds you?

BLAIR: Early in the story, Callum and I find a handwritten, unsigned, unfinished piece of music in the choir library, stuffed in with another title, almost like someone was trying to hide it. My hunch is that the piece may have been written by Iris Wallingford, a student at Peterson High who died in 1970 during her senior year. Iris was said to have died by suicide, but Callum thinks the music contains too much hope, too much optimism, to have been written by a suicidal person. As much as I’m disinclined to agree with Callum on anything, it does seem to be written by someone who loves the life they’re living. So what changed in Iris’s life? Why didn’t she finish this brilliant piece? Has she written anything else? What could she have become had she lived? And–perhaps most confounding of all–why would Vic Nelson, who was in her graduating class, claim to not know her at all?

CC: Now that is REALLY fascinating. Now I am confounded by Iris and Vic as well. I must know more.

Who is the most difficult character for you to interact with in the story?

BLAIR: That would be one Callum Gamaliel Knight. (His middle name really is Gamaliel; his diplomas are hanging on the wall of the choir office, and of course, I took a peek.) He’s our choral director of the year, and based on our first impressions, I don’t need to bother bonding with him, because he’s already told me he’ll be out of here as soon as the bell rings on the last day in May. He’s using Peterson High as a stepping stone to get his composing/conducting career back on track, and that really gets my hackles up. These kids deserve more than to be stepped on. They deserve someone who’ll care about them, who’ll see the potential they have and do whatever it takes to bring that out of them. And it couldn’t be more obvious that Callum Knight is not that person. He’s sloppy, disheveled, and oozes arrogance, like this job is way beneath him. I’m sure there’s a story behind this, some tragedy he refuses to talk about, but that doesn’t give him an excuse to be a jerk. I can’t believe this, but I’m already looking forward to whoever takes the job next year, because whoever they are, they’ll be far easier to work with than this entitled, elitist, mess of a human.

CC: Ouch. That’s quite the poor impression of the man. I can see what he is the most difficult person for you to interact with.

What do you think about love and marriage? Do you have a particular love interest in mind?

BLAIR: Most of the time, I’m content to be single. I’m pretty introverted, and being around hundreds of high school kids all day every day leaves me craving a quiet corner with my cat, Walter, and absolute silence. I like being able to come home after school and recharge for the next day. I can take my time cooking a healthy meal, I can read a book or watch a movie, I can practice, and I can go to sleep whenever I want without anyone interfering or interrupting.

But my best friend Joy has such a full life. Chaotic, for sure! But full. She has a husband and kids and multiple pets, and her house is always full of noise and laughter and mess and fast-food wrappers and things I never thought I wanted…but she’s so happy. So fulfilled. And I can’t help but think I’ve missed out on something by devoting my whole life to the piano. Joy clearly found the right guy, though, and I…haven’t. I thought I had, but I proved sadly mistaken. After that heartbreak, I suppose it’s no wonder I’ve walled myself off and prefer curling up in a corner to actually getting out there and trying to meet someone.

CC: Bad breakups can really mess with a person. You’re still young yet, though. So it’s not too late. Not that there is anything wrong with being single, mind you.

If there is one thing you could tell the reader, what would it be?

BLAIR: I’ve always known, as someone who works with kids, that sometimes people turn out to be different than you think they will. Sometimes the laziest, most underachieving student goes on to do great things, while the straight-A overachiever sometimes flames out in college and goes adrift trying to find themselves. Turns out the same is true for adults. Two adults in particular. One of whom I thought the best of, and one of whom I thought the worst of. God has a particular way of turning our expectations upside-down.

CC: That is a hard lessong to learn, but God is all about teaching us the things we need to know for our own good.

Unfortunately, it’s time to rap up, so here’s our last question, and it’s always a fun one. Which part of the roller coaster would you ride in: the front, middle, or back? Why?

BLAIR: If I, for whatever reason, was absolutely required to ride a roller coaster, and all my attempts at pleading, begging, or bribery had failed, I would take a seat in the middle, then close my eyes, grip the bar tight, and pray for it to be over as soon as possible. 

CC: I can definitely tell you are NOT a roller coaster kind of gal. LOL I’m not anymore, stupid motion sickness, but there was a day that I’d be right there in the front or the back. 

That’s it for now. If you liked getting to know Blair Emerson, I highly recommend you go check out Amanda Wen’s Echoes of a Silent Song. 

Amanda Wen is a multi-award-winning author of inspirational split-time women’s fiction. Awards and honors include the ACFW Carol, the Selah, and the Foreword Indies Gold Award, and she is also a three-time Christy Award finalist. In addition to her writing, Amanda is an accomplished professional cellist and pianist who performs frequently with orchestras, opera and musical theater companies, and her church worship team, as well as serving as a choral accompanist. A lifelong denizen of the flatlands, Amanda lives in Kansas with her patient, loving, and hilarious husband, their three hilarious teenage Wenlets, and a snuggly Siamese cat.

You can connect with them at:  Website  |  Newsletter  |  Facebook  |  Instagram  |  BookBub

Giveaway Details

Here’s your chance to win a copy of Echoes of a Silent Song. Comment on the blog and enter using the Gleam Widget for your chance to win! Entries close at 11:59 p.m. EST on 10/21. Open to legal U.S. residents. See Giveaway Policies for more details.

 
Print Copy Echoes of a Silent Song

Meet Amanda Wen

Meet Amanda Wen

by | Feb 20, 2024 | Author Interviews

Amanda Wen is a fellow Kregel author, and it is my pleasure to introduce to you this Selah and Carol award-winning and Christy finalist author. She is an amazing woman that you don’t want to miss the opportunity to get to know. Even better, make sure to read all the way to the bottom where Amanda is generously giving away a signed paperback to one lucky U.S. resident.

Amanda Wen’s novels have released to both reader and critical acclaim. Her second novel, The Songs That Could Have Been, won both the Selah and the Carol Awards, and her debut, Roots of Wood and Stone, was a finalist for the Christy Award. In addition to her writing, Amanda is an accomplished professional cellist and pianist who frequently performs with orchestras, chamber groups, and her church’s worship team, as well as serving as a choral accompanist. A lifelong denizen of the flatlands, Amanda currently lives in Kansas with her patient, loving, and hilarious husband, their three adorable Wenlets, and a snuggly Siamese cat.

You can connect with her through:  Website  |  BookBub 

Now for the fun stuff! I have to admit I am partial to my Fast Five. 🙂 So settle in as I hit Amanda with rapid-fire.

 

CC: Pineapple pizza or candy corn?

AW: Probably pineapple pizza because I can pretend it’s healthy.  

CC: Test the waters or dive in the deep end?

AW: Test the waters. I’m generally a pretty cautious person.  

CC: Guacamole or salsa?

AW: Guacamole, forever and always. 

CC: Silly hats or silly socks?

AW: Socks. Despite my author photo, I’m not usually a hat person!

CC: Passwords or secret handshakes?

AW: Secret handshakes. 

I am a huge guacamole fan, too, especially when it’s homemade and fresh. Oh, man. Now I’m craving some. I guess I’ll have to pick up an avocado, tomatoes, and onion. So lets dive a little deeper into getting to know you.

When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?

AW: I’ve been writing stories since I was old enough to hold a pencil, and I have a vague memory of my dad paying me a penny a word in order to encourage me to write stories. (Decades later, I discovered editors don’t necessarily believe that more words = better, but hey, you gotta start somewhere!) My formal education was focused exclusively on music, resulting in two degrees in cello performance, but when I finished with school, fiction writing still called to me. I wrote a few stories for fun, but didn’t get serious about it until we moved back to my hometown in 2009 and I reconnected with my middle school BFF, who by then was a multi-published general market author. I finally got up the guts to show her my writing and she said I had promise! The rest, as they say, is history… 

CC: How cool is that! I love that your dad paid you to write, and then your friend encouraged you too. (And can I admit I always wanted to play either the violin or cello but that was never offered at my school, so I got stuck with clarinet?)

What has been the biggest challenge for you on your writing journey?

AW: Making time for writing! The beginning of me getting serious about writing not-so-conveniently coincided with my beginning of Life As A Mom, so writing always came in snippets. I always wrote during my kids’ naptime, though, so most days I got 1-2 hours to focus on writing. Now that my kids are teens and tweens, my other job as a musician is what frequently gets in the way! I love love love my day job, and I can’t imagine not doing it, but balancing is sometimes incredibly challenging.  

CC: I can only imagine. You frequently blow my mind with how much you perform, get to be an incredible mother, and yet still find time to write. You are a rock star.

Do you have any advice for those who want to write their own stories?

AW: Just do it! You’ll never know until you try. And hardly anyone is good at it when they first start–I know I wasn’t! Study the craft, dig into books you love and find out WHY you love them, then figure out how to incorporate those elements into your own stories. Finally, connect with the writing community. Those who are further along the path than you are will usually be eager to help you, and as you progress on your own journey you get to extend a hand to those further behind you. It is so rich and rewarding and one of the best parts of being a writer.  

CC: I 100% agree. And I adore helping other writers. It truly is one of the best parts of being a writer.

Now I’m excited to talk about your newest release, The Rhythm of Fractured Grace.

The Rhythm of Fractured Grace by Amanda Wen

When a new customer brings a badly damaged violin into Siobhan Walsh’s shop, it is exactly the sort of challenge she craves. The man who brought it in is not. He’s too close to the painful past that left her heart and her faith in shambles.

Matt Buchanan has had a rough start as the new worship pastor. A car accident on his way into town left him with a nearly totaled truck, and an heirloom violin in pieces. When he takes it to a repair shop, he’s fascinated with the restoration process–and with the edgy, closed-off woman doing the work.

As their friendship deepens and turns into more, they both discover secrets that force them to face past wounds. And the history of the violin reveals more about their current problems than they could have ever expected.

On the nineteenth-century frontier, a gruesome tomahawk attack wiped out most of Deborah Caldwell’s family. Her greatest solace after the tragedy is the music from her father’s prized violin. Given her horrendous scars, she’d resigned herself to a spinster’s life. But Levi Martinson’s gentle love starts to chip away at her hardened heart, until devastating details about the attack are revealed, putting their love–and Deborah’s shaky faith–to the ultimate test.

Full of forgiveness and the message that no one is too damaged for God’s healing touch, the final book in the split-time Sedgwick County Chronicles will thrill fans of Rachel Hauck, Lisa Wingate, and Kristy Cambron. 

Purchase your copy at  Amazon

CC: Where did you get the idea for The Rhythm of Fractured Grace?

AW:  The historical story comes directly from my own family tree, which my mom has been researching for the last 50 years or so. In 1782, my 6x-great grandmother, Delilah Corbly, then 7 years old, survived a tomahawk attack that wiped out her mother and three of her siblings and left her and her sister, Elizabeth, maimed and scarred. Despite her injuries, Delilah lived to adulthood, got married, birthed and raised ten children, and died at the age of 64, which back then was quite the achievement for anyone, let alone someone who’d been scalped! The idea that someone could survive something so traumatic has always been an inspiration to me, so when I started writing novels, I knew I wanted to explore that issue in fiction.

CC: Wow! That is both incredibly horrifying and intriguing. I can see why you would write a story around that.

What readers do you think will enjoy this book?

AW: Readers who like deep fiction that deals with tough issues, split-time fiction, the friends-to-lovers trope, and pioneer-era stories. Also, to anyone who enjoyed Jack and Annabelle in the historical timeline of my debut, Roots of Wood and Stone…they just might show up in this book, too. 😉

CC: Oh! How fun! I love it when characters from other books show up!

How did this story affect you as you wrote it? Did God teach you anything through it?

AW: The contemporary storyline deals with toxic churches, and narcissistic abuse. What I didn’t realize when I wrote the book was that I was trapped in a web of manipulation and gaslighting courtesy of a narcissist in my own life. It wasn’t until I’d submitted the manuscript and was in the final stages of editing that I realized how closely some aspects of what my heroine, Siobhan, went through mirrored my own experience. And just as Siobhan was able–by God’s grace–to forgive her abuser, you guessed it, God called me to forgive mine. And– by His grace–I am thrilled to report that I have.

CC: Praise the Lord for your obedience in forgiveness, and oh my, how my heart hurts that you had to endure it.

What do you hope readers will take away from your story?

AW: The idea that no one is too far gone, too broken, or too damaged for God to redeem and restore.

CC: Amen. Such a powerful thing. To wrap this interview up, I always like to ask a fun question.

If you were stuck on an island, what three items would you have with you? Why?

AW: Sunscreen so I don’t burn, food so I don’t get hangry, and my cell phone (with battery pack) so I could get off the island and get back to Kansas where I belong. (There might not be a big hurry, though; we Kansans don’t get to see islands very often!)

CC: Wise decisions, and I laughed out loud about the cellphone. LOL That is a wise woman, if I do say so myself!

Readers, I hope you’ll check out The Rhythm of Fractured Grace and then leave a review on Amazon, Goodreads, and/or BookBub. You wouldn’t believe how important that is to an author.  

GIVEAWAY – U.S. Residents only, ends 11:59 p.m. EST on 2/27/24.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Reader, have you ever played an instrument? Or did you ever dream of playing one? Which one?

Author Interview: Amanda Wen

Author Interview: Amanda Wen

by | Jan 26, 2021 | Author Interviews

It is my great pleasure and honor to introduce to you Amanda Wen, one of the 2021 Christian fiction debut authors.

Amanda Wen is an award-winning writer of inspirational romance and split-time women’s fiction. She has placed first in multiple contests, including the 2017 Indiana Golden Opportunity Contest, the 2017 Phoenix Rattler Contest, and the 2016 ACFW First Impressions Contest. She was also a 2018 ACFW Genesis Contest finalist. A lifelong denizen of the flatlands, Amanda currently lives in Kansas with her husband, their three Wenlets, and one snuggly Siamese cat.

You can connect with her at www.amandawen.com, Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.

Now for the fun stuff! I have to admit I am partial to my Fast Five. 🙂 So settle in as I hit Amanda with rapid-fire.

 

 

CC: Milk or Dark Chocolate?

AW: While I love any chocolate, I do have a slight preference for The Dark Side.

CC: Who can resist the dark side. Soooo delicious.

 

CC: Print or E-book?

AW: Print. There’s just something about holding a book and turning real pages that makes for a much more immersive reading experience.

CC: Same!

 

CC: Cat or Dog Person?

AW: 100% cat. I have a Siamese named Jasmine who is the sweetest kitty ever (she’s snuggling with me right now, in fact, which makes typing a little awkward, but totally worth it).

CC: That sounds sweet. All I ever had was a barn cat, and he was not a snuggler.

 

CC: Morning Person or Night Owl?

AW: Morning, as long as I’ve had my coffee.

CC:  Caffeine is a must in the morning, for sure!

 

CC: Spring, Summer, Fall, or Winter?

AW: Fall is my absolute favorite.

CC: It really is a beautiful time of the year.

Thanks for sharing those fun things. Let’s dive right into talking about your debut novel, Roots of Wood and Stone!

Abandoned at birth, her family roots a mystery, historical museum curator Sloane Kelley has dedicated her life to making sure others know theirs. When a donor drops off a dusty old satchel, she doesn’t expect much from the common artifact . . .until she finds real treasure inside: a nineteenth-century diary. Now she’s on the hunt to find out more.

Garrett Anderson just wanted to clean out his grandmother’s historic but tumbledown farmhouse before selling it to fund her medical care. With her advancing Alzheimer’s, he can’t afford to be sentimental about the family home. But his carefully ordered plan runs up against two formidable obstacles: Sloane, who’s fallen in love with both the diaries and the house, and his own heart, which is irresistibly drawn to Sloane.

A century and a half earlier, motherless Annabelle Collins embarks with her aunt and uncle on the adventure of a lifetime: settling the prairies of Sedgwick County, Kansas. The diaries she left behind paint a portrait of life, loss, and love–and a God who faithfully carries her through it all. Paging through the diaries together takes Sloane and Garrett on a journey they never could have planned, which will change them in ways they never imagined.

This warm, beautifully written split-time novel will resonate with readers looking for stories that reveal the beauty of God’s plan for our lives, and how our actions ripple for generations.

CC: Who was the most challenging character to create? What made them so difficult?

AW: I’d say Sloane, my contemporary heroine, was probably the most difficult nut to crack. As a pantser, the only way I get to know my characters is to just start writing them, but Sloane doesn’t trust easily and wasn’t about to open up to me right away. I honestly felt like I was spinning my wheels with her trying to get her to talk until I found two of her passions: local history and jazz. (Conveniently, that latter bit helped her open up to Garrett, my contemporary hero, as well. 😉 )

CC: Oh, that is so sweet! I think I will get along with Sloane just perfectly. History and jazz are two of my favorite things.

Which character was the most fun to create? What makes them fun?

AW: In total contrast to Sloane, my past hero, Jack, showed up fully formed and ready to take over any scene he was in. A native of Ireland (and thus possessor of a fabulous accent), he came to the United States as a child and, along with many other Civil War veterans, became an early settler of Sedgwick County, Kansas. Jack has suffered some deep wounds just prior to the start of the story, but he is a man of big dreams, fierce determination, and passionate devotion to those he loves (along with a touch of impulsiveness, which you’ll see in his very first scene). He was an absolute joy to write.

CC: He sounds like a joy! I can’t wait to get to know him!

Do you hide any secrets in your books that only a few people will find?

AW: This book is inspired by aspects of my own family history. My mom is a genealogist and has been tracing our family—and sharing their stories—my whole life. As an homage to her and all the rest of my ancestors, many of the people and places in the book are named for my ancestors. There are also several shout-outs to Wichita, Kansas, my home for most of my life, which people who’ve been around these parts might recognize.

CC: That is so cool, and what a personal touch!

Speaking of personal…let’s get to know YOU a little better. When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?

AW: I’ve written stories for fun off and on ever since I was a kid, but the writing bug hit me big-time in January 2008, when I wrote stories and actually let other people read them. Then came the Wenlets—all three within four years—so that gobbled up my time until 2014, when story ideas came out of nowhere and refused to let go. Around that time I started letting a lifelong friend, herself a multi-published author in the general market, read my work. She took me under her wing and gently corrected all my newbie writing errors, but told me I had publishable talent and ideas. I decided that if God had given me that gift, I should probably pursue it through whatever avenue he chose.

CC: Amen! I am so glad you chose to follow this path with your gifting so that we may all enjoy.

What has been the biggest challenge for you on your writing journey?

AW: Trusting God’s timing, which is I think a common one for us writers. So many of us finish our first novel and then we think we’ve Arrived somehow, and we want to run out and get it published.  I was absolutely no exception. And though my first novel won a few contests and landed me my wonderful agent, it did not sell to publishers. I was pretty disappointed, as anyone would be, but while that book was on submission, I’d started to write another book in a slightly different genre—one I truly loved writing and felt at home in. My agent wasn’t as excited about it as she had been my first book, but she believed in my writing and said she’d pitch anything I wrote. That second book didn’t do as well in contests and was on submission for over a year…but the folks at Kregel fell in love with it, and that book is the one that became Roots of Wood and Stone.

One postscript illustrating God’s perfect timing: Roots of Wood and Stone was inspired by my mom’s research into our family history, and I dreamed of the day when I’d get to tell her that the book was under contract. The day that dream came true and I finally got to call her with the news, I got to call Ireland, where she and my dad were celebrating their 50th anniversary. At the time of the call, they were eating lunch in a little café in the hometown of the ancestor whose life inspired the book. It doesn’t get much more perfect than that.

CC: Wow! God’s perfect timing is so astounding. What a blessing to be able to have that publishing announcement story to share. I’m sure your parents were thrilled to get the call.

What is your writing Kryptonite? 

AW: Plotting. I envy those who can plot out an entire novel and then just sit down and have the whole thing written in a matter of a few weeks. I cannot do that. I’ve tried. My process, which involves pantsing and revising as I go, is annoyingly slow, but it’s what works for me, so I’ve tried to make peace with it.

CC: I understand that whole-heartedly! So frustrating, but totally worth the journey.

Before we slip off to our last fun question, I have one more serious one for you. How can we pray for you?

AW: I would love prayer for the launch of Roots of Wood and Stone. It’s a dream come true, and while I’d love to say I’m excited and joyful and soaking up every minute, I’m actually very anxious about it. I have no idea how to ensure a book’s success once the writing is done, and I’m a little confused as to why God would choose to have me release this book in the midst of a global pandemic when many things are shut down, in-person launch events can’t happen, and the economy is less than amazing. Every aspect of writing this book, though, has been an exercise in trust, so I guess I shouldn’t be surprised that releasing it is any different. But if you could pray that a) those who God wants to read this book will read it and be brought closer to Him, and b) that I’d be able to relax and enjoy this once-in-a-lifetime experience without worrying that I’m somehow doing it wrong, that’d be amazing.

CC: You are being covered in prayer, Amanda. We are so blessed to have this sneak peek into your world.

Thank you so much for joining me today and providing all of us with a wonderful distraction. The final question is always a fun favorite of mine:

What are the top three things on your bucket list? 

AW: 

  • Travel to all 50 US states (I’m sitting at 39 right now) and Europe (specifically the British Isles since that’s where my family’s from and Germany/Austria to visit the birthplaces of my favorite composers)
  • Attend a New England Patriots home game (I’ve seen them play on the road a few times, but never in Foxboro).
  • Perform Beethoven’s Seventh Symphony and Handel’s Messiah with orchestras. (I’ve played snippets of Messiah, but never the whole thing, and Beethoven’s Seventh is the only symphony on my list of favorites that I’ve never performed).

CC: Can I just be in the audience for either of those concerts? I’ve been blessed to hear Handel’s Messiah once, but I’d love love love to hear it again, especially with someone I know playing on stage!

Join me in celebrating Amanda’s debut releasing February 2nd from Kregel publishing, by wishing her congratulations below and sharing one thing on YOUR bucket list!

You can purchase Amanda’s book at any of the following retailers or your favorite bookseller.

Amazon      Barnes and Noble     Christianbook.com

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