We're All In this Together
"Blessed is the season which engages the whole world in a conspiracy of love." — Hamilton Wright Mabie
In late November, the protagonist of my debut novel, An Expected End, attends a wedding expo with her fiance, Everett. “The atmosphere reminded Penelope of Christmas – a shared anticipation seemed to permeate the place,” I write of her experience perusing vendors’ booths with fellow brides-to-be and their grooms-to-be.
I’ve always loved the holiday season, and only recently have I begun to understand the real reason why. Of course I love the lights and the cookies and the presents and the festivities, but it’s really what’s behind all the outward displays of holiday cheer that makes me so love Christmas time: solidarity.
During the holidays, it seems there’s a communal nod to togetherness. Every Christmas light display seems to say, “You like Christmas? Oh, yeah?! Me, too!” Every Christmas tree means there’s someone just like me inside that cozy house, cheered by the warm glow of their decorations. Every nativity scene communicates a sense of shared faith, humanity, and love.
The holidays are a season of joy, excitement, nostalgia, and an acknowledgment of our shared experience as human beings, of our connection to one another, of neighborliness and brotherliness. Regardless of faith tradition, the holiday spirit brings people together, and reminds us that no matter how different we might seem, we have a lot more in common than not.
What I’m Working On
My Debut Novel: An Expected End
In the spirit of promoting my debut novel and of giving, let me just say: Books make great gifts! You can order mine through Amazon, Books-a-Million, Barnes & Noble, Abe Books, and Bookshop.org. Below is a synopsis to whet your appetite for some reading.
The year is 2045, and thanks to an inscrutable form of artificial intelligence, people can enroll in a program that accurately predicts their deathdays. And almost everyone does.
Marshall Milton moves through this risk-adverse, death-obsessed society alone, his only companion his dog Toby. Penelope Hope’s too busy planning her dream wedding and running her bakery to worry about when she’s going to die.
When Marshall and Penelope’s lives collide, the two find themselves in an inimitable romance. But Penelope’s keeping secrets, secrets that could destroy the love she’s finally found. Secrets that could destroy Marshall. Secrets that, if revealed, could ruin the little life she has left.
And here’s what people are saying about it:
“An Expected End asks and answers some of the
most important questions of contemporary life
and introduces emotional and unforgettable
characters. Amanda has crafted a timely,
thought-provoking, and touching debut novel.”–Lesley St. James, Author of The Sweet Scent of Death
“Amanda has conjured an all-too-believable
world where death is no longer a surprise, yet
few have the courage to reckon with their fate.
An Expected End is a heart-piercing meditation
on what it means to be mortal, threaded with
literary allusion and tender melancholy.”–Melissa Scott Sinclair, Author of It Is Not Night
An Expected End is a very enjoyable read. The subject matter is thought provoking and the characters are crafted with compassion and insight. Looking forward to a second book from Amanda.
—Amazon reader
A fascinating premise but more than that prose that catches and keeps you, characters that are super engaging and curious, and well paced. Oh and there’s a dog. Highly recommended! :-)
—GoodReads member
On one more promotional note: Thursday, I have interviews scheduled on two podcasts, Michael Peter Dedes’s Transcendent Minds and Jeff Rutherford’s Reading and Writing. I don’t yet know when each episode drops, so stay tuned!
Outdoor Writing
I’ve written and submitted my Explore More piece for the January/February 2024 issue of Cooperative Living Magazine. The article, which focuses on over 40 discarded larger-than-life Presidential sculptures sitting in a field outside Williamsburg, Virginia, was a long time coming, with work on it beginning in September 2022.
Volunteering
I recently learned I’ve been selected to serve as a juror for the Scholastic Writing Awards. The adjudicating will take place largely over winter break, with a training this afternoon.
Links to My Latest
In case you haven’t heard by now (🤭), An Expected End is my latest publication. You can order it through Amazon, Books-a-Million, Barnes & Noble, Abe Books, and Bookshop.org.
An essay I wrote about Jack, Sadie, Nacho, and Soda, along with a photograph (a full spread!) of The Littles, will appear in Jackie McCool’s first coffee table book, Beer Dogs, currently available. My friends and fellow Richmond writers Joyce Miller and Lauren Mosher also have work included, and my friend and talented artist Mike Zaweski, who designed the cover art for An Expected End, created the map of breweries that appears in the book. This book would make a great gift for the dog lovers and/or craft beer enthusiasts in your life.
What I’m Reading
I’m within a few pages of finishing The Stress Factor in Dogs: Unlocking Resiliency and Enhancing Well-Being, by Kristina Spaulding.
Two more takeaways:
Given how long people have lived with dogs, and how closely, a surprisingly small number of studies have been conducted to understand man’s best friend.
Our emotional state and stress level have measurable effects on our dogs, so taking care of ourselves is taking care of our dogs.
The Littles—and Archie!
Every year, Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens allows dogs on its grounds a few nights during Garden Fest of Lights. This is the third consecutive year The Littles have gone. Below, they sit in the treehouse, a few lights glimmering behind them in the late afternoon.
Below: during a 4-mile hike, followed by the car ride home afterwards
Last week, I discovered Archie quite enjoys peas. In the photo below, you can see one clasped in his left foot—the foot he always uses to hold his food.
What I Saw Outside
Last Thursday, the end of our walk on some local trails caught us still out as the sun set. I love it when that happens.
Literary Calendar
January
January 20, 2024 | 1pm-3pm | An Expected End Reading and Signing at Chesterfield Town Center Barnes & Noble
Join me for a 10- to 15-minute reading of my debut novel, An Expected End, followed by the opportunity to purchase a copy (or copies!) and have it (them!) signed.