Amanda M. Thrasher was born in England, moved to Texas, and resides there still. She's the award-winning author of YA, General Fiction, MG, Early Reader Chapter, and Picture books. Amanda is a multiple Gold Recipient of The Mom's Choice Awards(R) (MCA), earning the award in multiple categories including YA, General Fiction, and Early Reader Chapter Books. She is a two-time Gold Medal winner of the Readers' Favorite International Book awards, a New Apple Literary Award winner, and an NTBF award winner. Amanda continues to write, speak, and conducts workshops for all ages. As the Chief Executive Officer at Progressive Rising Phoenix Press, in addition to her regular duties, she assists authors with their work and shares her writing and publishing experience with others through school visits, trade conferences, and writing workshops. Amanda was contracted to write a graphic novel for the Driving on the Right Side of the Road Program. The publication is part of the Driving on the Right Side of the Road (DRSR) program, developed by the Law-Related Education Department of the State Bar of Texas Law Focused Education, Inc., and the Texas Municipal Courts Education Center with funding from the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals and the Texas Department of Transportation. The purpose of the program is to offer a preventive educational program to encourage responsible decision-making when it comes to obeying traffic laws and to following safe practices. The graphic novel titled "What If ? A Story of Shattered Lives" was adapted into a reader's theater for as few as five speakers or as many as twenty-six and remains part of the DRSR program. CAPTAIN FIN was based on a screenplay. Amanda was contracted to adapt the screenplay into a novel for director, actor, and producer Kevin James O'Neill.
With its fast-moving plot and likable characters. Suffused with
warmth and love, it provides a theme that is largely missing in the
world of books but sorely needed.The plot is well constructed as it
is paced intelligently and maintains the reader's interest. One
element of the clever crafting can be found on page 124: it is the
very middle page of the book and on it the major turn in the plot
occurs. I first discovered this middle page phenomenon in the
French author Pierre Loti, in his novel P�cheur d'Islande(Iceland
Fisherman). The main character's younger brother, who had been
injured in Viet Nam is returning to France on a hospital boat, but
diesprecisely when the boat passes the Equator on the longest day
of the year, at the moment the sun dips under the horizon, at the
middle of the world in the middle of the year, precisely at the
middle page of the novel. I thought it was amazing, maybe unique.
But years later, I found in Umberto Eco's The Name of the Rose what
is most central to the theme of the book happening on the very
middle page and I have found something similar in a few other
books. This is the mark of a writer and I have found it again. Some
of the most solid literature these days is being written for
children and teens. The Ghost of Whispering Willow joins the list.
- Dr. David A. Bedford PhD - Texas Christian University
This well crafted ghost story is intended for middle range YA
readers, but has enough mild chills for older readers too. Even I
got a tingle when the ghost first appears and talks to the
children. The characters in novel are wonderfully crafted preteens
who are very lifelike in their speech and actions. Thrasher
captures their courage and naivete well. I really enjoyed The Ghost
of Whispering Willow and I highly recommend it to anyone who likes
a good, well crafted, warmhearted, exciting ghost story. - Dellani
Oaks.
While there have been many ghost stories written over the years,
Amanda Thrasher has taken this story to new levels. It is
fascinating, heart warming, and is hard not to fall in love with
the ghosts and their plight. You will be delighted; touched, and
frightened in equal measure as you follow these young children on
their quest to prove there are ghosts in the Willows and then to
help them. I highly recommend this book for everyone. - Marta Moran
Bishop
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