Amanda Tru loves to surprise her readers with the unexpected, no matter what genre she’s writing in. With a book list that varies from Christian romances with time travel to suspense packed with action, Amanda has published nine books and we look forward to many more.
A former Miss Boise and elementary school teacher, Amanda is now the mother of three little boys and squeezes in writing after they’ve gone to bed in their small Idaho town. You can read Amanda’s blog or follow her on Twitter for the latest updates on her books.
MTAR: Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?
Amanda Tru: By day, I am a wife and a mommy to three little boys, ranging in age from 6 years to 10 months. By night, I write Christian Romance and Suspense. I have a background in Elementary Education, and while I loved teaching, I feel very blessed to now be living my dream of being an author. I have a lot of different interests and enjoy writing a variety of plots with plenty of twists and surprises. I live in a small town in Idaho where my nearest neighbors are a small but rowdy pack of coyotes.
MTAR: What do you do when you are not writing?
Amanda Tru: Change lots of diapers. Seriously, my days are filled with everything little boy. Trains, blocks, dirt, swimming, sports—we pretty much do it all. I love spending time with my family, and we run a very busy schedule. I don’t typically write while my kids are awake since caring and chasing after them is an all-consuming task! With being a full-time mommy and an author, I don’t really know what spare time is!
MTAR: What inspired you to write your first book?
Amanda Tru: The first book I wrote was Yesterday, though the first one published was Baggage Claim. Both books were written for completely different reasons. Yesterday was born as a birthday gift for my sister. As an avid reader, she was somewhat bored of the endless search to find truly great books. (She tends to be picky.) Partially in jest, she asked me to write her a good book. I had plenty of ideas, but my original plan was to write a short story she could read in one setting. I got an amazing idea, but after writing the story, my two sisters read it and wanted more. I was almost finished with those first two books before I realized the story wasn’t going to be over. What started as a story written for my sister has evolved into such a challenging, incredible series that I can’t not write it!
My other book, Baggage Claim, I wrote as somewhat of an experiment. My husband was injured and we weren’t sure if he would be able to go back to work. I wrote the book in less than six weeks, hoping that it would be exciting and appealing and launch my career as an author. We ended up being very blessed on both fronts. After two back surgeries, my husband was able to go back to work, and I got my dream in book form as well!
MTAR: Which book do you recommend for a reader that is new to your writing?
Amanda Tru: It depends on what you like! I have a time travel romance series, as well as romantic suspense, or just romance. If you still can’t decide, I would probably start with Baggage Claim. It is very exciting, with great, unique characters, and plenty of twists and turns. But, on the downside, you may not be able to put it down, and books 2 and 3 might just prove too tempting!
MTAR: Can you tell us about your upcoming book?
Amanda Tru: My newest book is The Assumption of Guilt. It is about a young woman who is accused of grand theft. She then must convince the police and her cop boyfriend that she had nothing to do with the crime. It is a fun, quick read, with a few great surprises along the way.
Next on my list are two books: The Choice, which is book 4 in the Yesterday series, and a Christmas Romance called The Romance of the Sugar Plum Fairy. Hopefully, both will be available in late summer.
MTAR: Are there certain characters you would like to go back to, or is there a theme or idea you’d love to work with?
Amanda Tru: I have a seemingly endless line of books to write, and yet I also have trouble ending a series! I currently have 6 to 8 books total planned in the Yesterday series. I’m also planning to go back and write one more book in the Tru Exceptions / Baggage Claim series. That one will be somewhat of a spin-off though. Kelsey Johnson, one of the minor characters from the previous books, will be the main character for Book 4.
As far as theme, I like to write a variety. Each of my books or series is very different. I would like to write historical and maybe even a young adult series sometime in the near future.
MTAR: Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?
Amanda Tru: Mostly my purpose in writing is to entertain. But I think each of my books has its own theme and message. I hope that someone reading one of my books would come away with the satisfaction of having read and enjoyed a good story, but my characters and themes are in no way shallow. I also want them to grasp the truth about God that comes across as a natural, subtle piece of the story. For The Assumption of Guilt, I hope readers appreciate that the characters are very human. You don’t have to be perfect. We are all works in progress, and thankfully, God grants us the strength and provision to do the right thing, even when facing unimaginably difficult circumstances that may come our way.
MTAR: What book are you reading now?
Amanda Tru: I wish I had time to read more! I love to read, but usually, I end up reading my own stuff as it goes on the page! I am currently reading an unpublished book by one of my former students. I’m loving the opportunity to help her, and I know she’ll probably end up being a chart-topping best-selling author one day. Top on my list of reading for pure enjoyment are Julie Klassen’s books.
MTAR: If you were a super hero, what would be your superpower?
Amanda Tru: I would definitely be a mind-reader! I’ve always been curious person, though my natural shyness has prevented me from being overly nosey. I love to watch people and hear their stories. I like to imagine the way the world looks from other perspectives. Many of my books usually have at least some inspiration in truth. I would love to be able to read people’s minds—to know their stories and what they’re thinking and feeling. It would all be for educational purposes only, of course!
MTAR: What makes you laugh?
Amanda Tru: My family. My silly kids. A good slapstick comedy. The list goes on . . . I like to laugh. Part of the reason I fell in love with my husband is because he’s always been able to make me laugh. Anyone who reads my books knows that I have a very healthy sense of humor. I’m not the luckiest or most graceful person on the planet. A lot of the funny things that happen in my books are circumstances I can imagine myself in. Yes, I guess I can crack myself up as well!
MTAR: What would your fans be surprised to know about you?
Amanda Tru: How about this one? Part of how I was able to pay my way through college was by doing scholarship pageants in the Miss America Organization. Once upon a time, I was Miss Boise!