Amanda Cleary Eastep

We hadn’t planned to climb to the top. 

First of all, my husband and I are getting up there. And by “up there,” I don’t mean the peak of the 3300-foot ridge that rises behind our North Carolina home. Of course, I mean we are in our late-50s and mid-60s. And about halfway up the hill, I had to lean against a tree to stop my heart from exploding.

Also, the slope was too steep to stand upright.

Each day among these hills, hollers, woods, and waterfalls is a metaphor for the writing life. And really, just life. That’s the beauty of the natural world in all its terror and glory–it’s always telling a story.

Climbing to the top for the first time since we moved here was a symbol of something else that happened that same day (and, no, I don’t mean the whole trespassing thing).

Before my husband suggested a short hike, I finished my fifth children’s book and sent it to my publisher. I’d reached the top of every author’s proverbial mountain. With my hamstrings still intact.

As for the real mountain, I’d always wondered what was at the peak (and if it was reachable without a harness and ropes).

Even though I’d had no idea what was at the top at the time, I set the last scene of my book there. Most of the fifth book in the Tree Street Kids series (Moody Publishers) takes place amid our towering white pines, steep trails, and clear creeks.

So on the day I submitted my manuscript, it was a joy to make the unplanned climb to the top of the mountain that inspired the title and premise of book 5…which I can now officially share!

The Beastie of Brambly Bald

Jack Finch’s plan to gobble up tons of turkey over Thanksgiving Break and work on the Tree Street Kids’ fort has been foiled. Instead, the Finches are traveling to the mountains of North Carolina to visit the grandparents Jack barely knows. Thank goodness his best friends Ellison and Roger are coming with him to the cabin on Brambly Bald mountain. But something is lurking in the forest, and soon Jack uncovers a secret bigger than Bigfoot. When the kids come face to face with a real threat, will Jack find a way to protect his friends? Jack braves danger, finds new branches on his family tree, and discovers what it means to be rooted in God’s big family.

Here’s more about The Beastie of Brambly Bald…

When does book 5 come out? The planned release date is October 1, 2024. It’ll make the perfect family read over Thanksgiving break!

Is the beastie real? I didn’t realize until we moved to NC how much Bigfoot is part of the regional folklore. I have some fun with the legend, but this story is more about family than folkloric creatures.

What is a brambly and a bald? In the high grasses and weeds at the edge of the woods grow wineberry bushes with their long, dark red, bristly vines and delicious tart berries. I climb the small ridge behind our house on mornings in July to pick the berries for breakfast.

A bald is the top of a mountain that has no trees. They aren’t sure why these mountaintops are bare, but the wonderful thing is, they offer a 360-degree view. While our mountaintop isn’t a bald, the view is still great.

Will there be a book 6? Yes! I’ll be starting to climb that mountain soon. The Tree Street Kids will be back in King’s Grove, the fictional town in the suburbs of Chicago, and preparing for the school’s big Christmas pageant. Book 6 will release in 2025.

What was at the top? A view of all the other mountains to climb.