Author: Amanda Tero

Music has always been a part of Amanda Tero’s life–from her mom singing Steve Green specials to her dad honking out the rhythm of “Jingle Bells” in the driveway. She began teaching in 2007 and fell in love with sharing music. Amanda started arranging hymns for herself in her teens, with fast and furious advanced hymn settings. Then, as her students began requesting hymns at their levels, she branched out to hymn arranging for pedagogical reasons. Because of Amanda’s interest in various genres, in her shop, you will find hymn arrangements of various levels embracing classical elements, light jazz style, Southern Gospel flair, and more.

Scripture Graphics #42

Published on by Amanda Tero2 Comments

For Israel, what enemy could be harder to conquer than a nation under which they were slaves? God miraculously brought them out of the tyranny of Egypt, and He would bring them to victory over other nations. Now, paint that as a spiritual picture: what greater, more miraculous victory is there than Christ redeeming is from death and sin? And if He has done that which is impossible with men, how much more does He have power to do anything else?
There is nothing wrong with taking joy in what God has blessed us, in acknowledging the ways in which He has indeed blessed us.

“Perfect” (H8549–tamiym) – entire, also integrity, truth; without blemish, complete, full, perfect, sincerity, sound, without spot, undefiled, upright, whole.
In context, this verse comes immediately after warnings of witches, wizards, familiar spirits, etc. (vs. 10-11), which are abominations in God’s eyes (vs. 9, 12). If our desire is to be completely blameless before God, then why do we use these abominations as entertainment? We wouldn’t dare entertain ourselves with movies and books about sodomites or blatant adulterers, but there is more in Scripture displaying the abomination of witchcraft than sodomy. So why do we accept it more? Are we truly striving to live “perfect” in Christ?



“And it come to pass, when he heareth the words of this curse, that he bless himself in his heart, saying, I shall have peace, though I walk in the imagination of mine heart, to add drunkenness to thirst: The LORD will not spare him, but then the anger of the LORD and his jealousy shall smoke against that man, and all the curses that are written in this book shall lie upon him, and the LORD shall blot out his name from under heaven.” Deuteronomy 29:19-20
How do I respond to a warning from God’s Word? Do I see myself as “above” God’s correction, or do I fear Him and obey?

What is your favorite Old Testament book?

Books I Read – May 2017

Published on by Amanda Tero2 Comments
It’s that time of month! That time when I look back and realize… wait I DID read more than I thought I did (seriously… it felt like I could never find reading time)!! This month felt very much like an un-reading month to me!!
My favorite read of the month…

I’ve known about Warren Wiersbe for years now, seeing as he’s my dad’s favorite author (and my dad is NOT a reader…so the fact that he likes to read this guy’s books…). I’ve been collecting Wiersbe’s books as they come up free for Kindle. This was one of them, and wow. It’s just very good. There are 65 chapters and they are all relatively short. It would make a very good daily devotional (I just read it over the span of a few Sundays). I have a few more things in my review here.
My Favorite Fiction
Okay, so I only read two fiction books this month…one of which was a collection of nine novellas (my first time to read one of these collections). And that collection would have to rate as my favorite for the month. 😉
I didn’t like all of the stories in this collection equally, but I DID leave a very thorough, story-by-story review on Goodreads.
Funniest Read of the month goes to a short story…

Which was not at all on my TBR pile. 😉 My sister’s boyfriend basically thrust it in my hand with, “You’ve got to read this. Tonight.” I obliged him and found myself rolling my eyes and giggling at the characters. It’s really a funny story, even though not Christian. More here.

Children’s Books!
Again, I found a couple of children’s books to read. They were both cute. Of course.

Review here.

Review here.

Other…
And then…during one of my brother’s college graduations, I wanted a quick read. Sure enough, I was able to read the entire novella there while waiting for my brother’s name to be called (seriously… “Tero” is FAR down on the list of last names…). It was a cute read, but you know me and romance. 😉 See my review here.

Going into June…
I doubt I’ll be able to read much in June with summer camps and everything, but I have a few review books lines up. Plus, I’m still tackling that 400+ page Sherman book (been making progress though!). 
Now for you…
Do you read more in the summer?
Have you read any of the books that I read in May?
What are you reading right now?
Have you ever read Warren Wiersbe?

First Line Fridays | 6.2.17

Published on by Amanda Tero11 Comments
Happy June!! To me, the very first weeks of June (not mid-June) seems like the official start of summer as I wrap up teaching, have my students’ music recitals, and then summer camps begin. Unfortunately, summer usually isn’t as much of a reading time for me as life tends to get busier. What about you? Do you read more or less in the summer?
My first line this week is from book one of a super sweet series that you absolutely must read: A Time of Grace trilogy by Alicia G. Ruggieri. I actually liked books two and three better than book one, so you just have to read all three. 😉 Here are my reviews of books one, two, and three.

“She tucked a piece of gold behind her ear, nervously twisting
the whisper-thin strands from the root to the tip.”
(The Fragrance of Geraniums by Alicia G. Ruggieri)
What is one of the sweetest books you’ve read?
And what’s a first line for this week?
~*~*~
Also, be sure to hop along to all of these other blogs and see what First Lines they have to share!
Please note that I may not fully endorse all of the books that these bloggers read or the content in these blogs.
Rachel – Bookworm Mama
Lauraine – Lauraine’s Notes
Andi – Radiant Light
Robin – Robin’s Nest
Kathleen – Kathleen Denly
Trisha – Joy of Reading
Jeanette – CJane Read

Paperbacks!!

Published on by Amanda Tero3 Comments
My book order came in! 😀 There is something surreal about seeing a stack of your own books IN PRINT. Happy day. 🙂 
I have some unclaimed copies of “The Secret Slipper” (as of now) if anyone wants to put in an order for a copy. 😉 Sign-up form and prices here. But, if you’re like me, you might want to enter the giveaway and see if you win a copy first. 😉

Again, I’ll share a few more blogs that have featured “The Secret Slipper.”

Honey Rock Hills
“If I were to give my favorite aspect about Amanda Tero’s second literary addition to the “Tales of Faith” series, The Secret Slipper, it would be witnessing Raoul and his daughter, Lia, as they learn to trust the Lord and how that trust lead them to being reunited. In a natural, unforced manner Amanda weaves this theme into The Secret Slipper with a beautiful simplicity that will bless young and old alike.” Read more here…

A.M. Heath Blog
“The setting comes to life with authentic names. And among the rich setting was a timeless message about God turning the difficult things of life into blessings.” Read more here…

God’s Peculiar Treasure Rae
“I am normally a fan of sweet romances, yet even without a romantic interest, this story captured my interest and was a very sweet tale, showing the love of family.” Read more here…

Purposeful Learning
Interview!! Read here for my answers about how my family life plays into my writing and what I’m working on now.

Judith W. Nicholson
Another interview! Read here for fun stuff like my favorite food, the biggest lesson I’ve learned as a writer, my goals, and more.

Seriously… I would love it if you visited just one blog today and left them a comment! 🙂

Vlog: Will There Be a Book Three in Tales of Faith?

Published on by Amanda Tero2 Comments

Will there be a book three?
Short video for today!



But I’m still back behind in book two… 😉 “The Secret Slipper” is still on tour!! Here are the blogs Lia and Raoul have been featured at in the past few days…

Zerina Blossom’s Books
“Once upon a time … there was a girl named Cinderella. You all know the story, but I bet you haven’t heard it told quite like this. There is no prince charming, no ball, and definitely no romance. Rather, there is a little, crippled girl kidnapped while her father, the King’s brother, is fighting in a war. Ten years later, her father learns she is still alive but only has her specially-made slipper to track her down with. Cute, right? Father-daughter love is beautiful.” Read more…


O’Scarlett Reviews
“The rags-to-riches story of redemption is ever so much stronger and more powerful when it’s the father stepping in for his daughter than it is when it’s a love interest that the girl meets for the first time in a rushed ball. Amanda tells her stories without shame for her faith, and the story of redemption is told clearly, even as it’s shown. The characters are diverse and interest, with many different motives and struggles.” Read more…

Kendra also featured it on her blog, Knitted by God’s Plan.

Alicia G. Ruggieri’s blog

“Amanda Tero’s new novella The Secret Slipper is not forced, trite, or unoriginal. It hinted just enough at the original fairytale to bring a smile to my face when I made connections between this story and its inspiration, yet it had such an independent, confidently-told plot of its own that The Secret Slipper held my interest until the very last page.” Read more…


His Princess Warrior

“I loved everything about this book, but I appreciate that Amanda wrote Lia in such a way that I could intimately empathize with her. As someone who already knows Christ, I knew the answers to her questions and doubts and “whys?!” all along. As Christians, we often know the right answers in our heads, but when bad things happen– and then continue to get worse instead of getting better– we often let feelings of anger, abandonment, bitterness, and fear well up in our hearts and overtake them. We have sooo many legitimate feelings/questions we want to ask of God and church leaders but “know better” than to ask. Throughout the course of the story, we experience these feelings with Lia (all the legitimate unfairness of her situation) and, in response, we receive one of the most exquisite explanations of salvation I have ever read. But I loved that we were allowed to experience those “forbidden” emotions with Lia– and given such a beautifully crafted but accurate answer in response.” Read more…


Once Upon an Ordinary
“The Raoul, Jolin, Galien team was very dynamic, which made for some fun exchanges and good lessons. Bioti? She made my blood boil. I thought she was horrid when she was first introduced, but she just got worse and worse. I knew exactly what she meant to do when she told Lia to keep driving. Poor girl. *sniffs*” Read more (plus an interview!)…


Penumbra Reviews
“I said it before but I have to say it again the characters were epic. They were just so real and emotional and I’m going to go flail around on the ground for an hour because they were so lovely. I loved Lia’s entire outlook and how real it was.” Read more…


Peculiar Miss Darcy
“Although I loved the main characters, my favorite character was Jolin, the closest friend of Raoul (also known as Lord Kiralyn). I’m delighted to be able to interview him here today. I hope you enjoy his answers as much as I did.” Read the interview here…

Book spotlight on…

Another interview on…

I am blown away by all of these ladies’ sweet words!!! I would love it if you hopped over to their blogs and left them a comment! ❤

Scripture Graphics #41

Published on by Amanda TeroLeave a comment

What a glimpse into the heart of God! Yes, He said this of Israel, but He never changes, and verses in the New Testament (such as 2 Peter 3:9) prove His desire for all mankind.


The definition for “whole heart” is “the whole heart, used widely for the feelings, the will, and even intellect; likewise for the center of anything.” If I am seeking God with my feelings, will, and intellect, then I will be more likely to let God run my life, and less likely to let my life be run by my feelings, will, and intellect.


This verse has been on my mind lately as I’ve been seeing a lot of debate about “what a Christian should and shouldn’t do.” It is our duty to seek God for what is “good” and to follow that.


Do we cling to hope in God, even when days are dark, prayers seem to go unanswered, and life gets tough? Added to that, does our praise grow more and more–or do we stop praising when the road gets rough?

What verse are you memorizing this week?

All Things Bright and Beautiful | Book Review

Published on by Amanda TeroLeave a comment
This book makes me smile–it really does. It is so bright and colorful with a hint of glitter. I don’t have any toddlers in my family, but having been around children, it is just the type of book that I know they would like. The cover of this book is padded hardcover; the pages typical board-book style. It has a nice carrying handle which would be perfect for small hands. The size is also good for young children.

The illustrations of this book match the song perfectly. Every season and animal is depicted with bold illustrations that match the words on the page. The font is bold and easy to read. It brings the song to life very well.


*I received this book from BookLook Blogger for my review*

You can find the book on Amazon or ChristianBook.

Have you heard this old hymn before? I was going to try to find a YouTube video…but there are 1,001 variations and I couldn’t find an original that I liked enough to share. 😉



The Starving Christian Writer | over at Wordquill

Published on by Amanda Tero2 Comments

Ah, don’t you love stereotypes? I don’t know about you, but I have found that, more often than not, when I tell someone new that I’m a writer, their first reaction goes something like, “You must be famous! A best-seller!” Oh if they only knew…

But today I’m not actually thinking about the poverty of aspiring authors, the hopeless clicks on KDP to see if maybe—hopefully—we sold one copy today…or this week. My thoughts are going more toward the emphasis on “Starving Christian.” If you notice, we are called “Christian Author,” not “Author Christian.” Christian comes first—yet how often do we put the emphasis on author and neglect Christian?
Continue reading on Wordquill.com

First Line Friday | 5.26.17

Published on by Amanda Tero22 Comments
Happy Friday!! I’m trying not to bombard everyone with “The Secret Slipper” but since it released yesterday, why not use that first line? Makes my job of figuring out which of the 350 books on my bookshelves to choose from easier (I’ll do that next week). 😉

The first line of “The Secret Slipper” is…

“Another grave. This time, a short one.”
(“The Secret Slipper” by Amanda Tero)
And I do promise… it’s not a morbid story. 😉 Today is the last sale-day for Kindle copies of both “The Secret Slipper” and its prequel, “Befriending the Beast.”
Commercial over. ;P 
What is the newest book that you’ve read?
And… do you have a first line handy??
~*~*~
Also, be sure to hop along to all of these other blogs and see what First Lines they have to share!
Please note that I may not fully endorse all of the books that these bloggers read or the content in these blogs.
Rachel – Bookworm Mama
Lauraine – Lauraine’s Notes
Andi – Radiant Light
Robin – Robin’s Nest
Kathleen – Kathleen Denly
Trisha – Joy of Reading
Jeanette – CJane Read