Interview with Amanda
Cox,
author of The Edge of Belonging
Where did your
love of books come from?
I can’t remember a
time in which books were not a part of my life. My parents read to me before
bed and took me to story time at the library. They weren’t the type to let me
buy a new toy just because I wanted it, but they always said yes to books.
How long have you
been writing?
I wrote my very
first story for publication when I was seven. It didn’t end up getting published,
but it wasn’t from a lack of effort on my part! My parents recently unearthed a
copy of it from their archives of kid crafts, and I got to read it to my own
kids. It was really fun, seeing similar ways my storyteller’s brain worked back
then that still endures in my writing today. That writing dream went dormant
for about twenty years. I picked that childhood dream back up about ten years
ago.
How do you write?
Any backstory to your choice?
My very first
novel-length work I wrote entirely in longhand, in a series of journals. I
don’t write that way anymore, but if there is a particularly emotional scene, I
always write it longhand first. There is something about pen and paper that is
more connected to my heart.
What was the
hardest part of writing this book?
The very first few
drafts of this story were as a single-timeline novel. As time went on it became
clear that something was missing, that the story was not quite complete in its
original form. So, I went through the process of making some very tough
decisions on the cutting-room floor, cutting out half of a story I loved in
order to write and weave together a new timeline. It took several tries to
create a new timeline that I was happy with. That was probably one of the
hardest things I’ve ever done writing-wise. But in the end that hard work paid
off, and this story became my first published work.
What did you enjoy
most about writing this book?
The characters.
This cast of characters felt so real to me from the very beginning. And though
they are each broken in their own ways, it was really fun writing a redemptive,
restorative path for them. I hope that comes through as people read this story.
How has your
formal education influenced or impacted your writing?
My degree in
counseling has made a huge impact on the way I develop characters and take them
through an authentic change process. I really tap into that education to think
about what events would change my characters, with their particular personality
type, and how it would change them.
Do you have a favorite
character in The Edge of Belonging and why?
Each of the characters has a
special place in my heart, each for different reasons. But Harvey stood out to me
from the first lines I wrote of his story. He’s a complex character with very
simple desires in his life. Or so he thinks. His life has taught him that
extreme independence is the same thing as safety and that love is something he
can witness but never experience for himself. But the story quickly develops to
show that, though he struggles to express himself and despite all he’s been
through, Harvey has a huge capacity to love. There’s a tender nature beneath
his rough exterior that I find so endearing, and I think readers will not be
able to help loving him too.
What literary
character is most like you?
I often tell people that I act a lot like Jane Bennet outwardly, but to those who are a part of my very close inner circle, they’d probably think I was a little more Elizabeth Bennet. Only in their presence does my playful, snarky wit emerge.
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9/1/20
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Author Interview
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9/1/20
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BONUS Promo
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9/2/20
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Excerpt
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9/3/20
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Review
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9/4/20
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Review
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9/5/20
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Playlist
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9/6/20
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Author Interview
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9/7/20
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Review
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9/8/20
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Top Five List
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9/9/20
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Review
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9/9/20
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BONUS Promo
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9/10/20
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Review
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