Uncovering Family Secrets

 

Uncovering long-held family secrets may sting at first--but the result can be sweeter than honey

Beekeeper Beckett Walsh is living her dream, working alongside her father in their apiary, until his untimely death sends her world into a tailspin. She suddenly finds she must deal with a new part owner of the family business--one who is looking to sell the property. Beck cannot fathom why her father would put her into the position to lose everything they built together.

When Callie Peterson is named in the trust of a man she's never heard of, she's not sure what to do. Her fledgling business has just taken wing and her mother has reentered her life asking for help getting into rehab for her lifelong substance abuse issues, making Callie's financial situation rather . . . precarious. She's sure she has no right to someone else's farm, but the money from the sale could solve her problems and give her the stability she's always craved.

As these two women navigate their present conundrum, they will discover a complex and entangled past full of secrets--and the potential for a brighter future for both of them.

Before becoming a stay-at-home parent, Amanda Cox spent her time counseling children, families, and individuals through life’s challenging moments. Now she uses those same skills to develop layered characters and stories, bringing them on a journey of hope and healing. A journey she hopes her readers experience in their own lives as they read.

A few of her favorite things are the sanctuary of the great outdoors, the feeling of pen on paper, the sound of her children’s laughter, and exploring new places with her husband of 18 years. (Oh, let’s not forget good fiction and good coffee. She’s addicted to both.) You can stay connected with her latest writing updates at  www.amandacoxwrites.com. You can find her on social media by searching Amanda Cox Writes.

A Counselor’s Perspective on Creating Character Driven Novels

Amanda Cox

When I create a cast of characters I always put on my counselor specs to

examine who this character really is, who they want to become, and what within them keeps them from their goal. And the biggest question of all, “why?” Then, I explore the details of the plot.



One of my favorite things about writing is that you can take two different characters on the same plot journey and get completely different stories. Why? Because if they are well-developed characters, they each will come with their own set of core motivations, desires, fears, and insecurities. The events of the plot will affect different characters in different ways.



A character predisposed to self-sacrifice to the point of derailing their own life will react very differently to a phone call from a sibling whose business is dying than a success-driven character on the brink of their big break. Not only that, the sibling’s role in their childhood can be a huge determining factor in how these characters might react.



Just like real people, the possibilities are endless. One plot and an infinite number of ways it could play out based on who the characters are and what they crave at their core.



When asked if I write character-driven or plot-driven novels, I can only shrug and say, “Character-driven, but both, I guess.”



The traditional definition of a character-driven novel is a novel focused more on character development than on the plot (action). I look at “character-driven” in another way. My characters direct my plot development. Because when you know your character on a unique, individual level, you know what would crush them, inspire them, and heal them. In other words, when you know who the characters are at their core, then you know what types of events to weave into your plot to move the story forward in an authentic and engaging way.



Five basic areas I explore to determine what plot events my characters need:

1. Family background- how would they describe their childhood?

2. Past experiences with love and acceptance- A time they felt most loved? A time they felt unloved?

3. Their life goals- Digging deep into why is this so important to them

4. Basic human needs- which would scare them the most to be without? Why?

5. Desire for change: If they could change one thing about their life what would it be? Outside of excuses, what is the real barrier in their change journey?



And when I get the answers to these questions, I keep digging, keep asking why, until I reach the core of who they are. And when I know what makes them tick, the real plot development begins.



What about you? Do you start with the plot and develop characters to fit? Or start with characters and craft the plot to fit? Another thing I love about writing: There is no wrong way to go about it! Happy Writing!

Amanda Cox is the author of The Edge of Belonging. A blogger and a curriculum developer for a national nonprofit youth leadership organization, 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. 

Learn more at

AmandaCoxWrites.com.

The Edge of Belonging

Amanda Cox

I’m the type of person who craves quiet—stretches of time where my thoughts have room to roam, whether in creative ventures or just to process the events and emotions of the day. Being a homeschool mom of three elementary-aged kids, finding time where I can follow a stream of thought wherever it leads are…umm… in short supply.

When it came to the idea for my debut novel, The Edge of Belonging I had recently finished writing my first novel. I didn’t have any exciting new ideas begging to be written, so I wondered if I’d reached the end of my “Can I Write A Book” adventure— one little story for my eyes only. I hoped this wasn’t the case. I’d fallen head over heels in love with writing.