If you read my review for Within These Walls of Sorrow, you know how deeply affected I was by this stunning novel. So it’s my absolute honor today to chat with its fabulous author, Amanda Barratt!
Amanda Barratt is the bestselling author of numerous historical novels and novellas, including My Dearest Dietrich and The White Rose Resists (a 2021 Christy Award winner). She is passionate about illuminating oft-forgotten facets of history through a fictional narrative. Amanda lives in Michigan. Learn more at www.amandabarratt.net.
WITHIN THESE WALLS OF SORROW by Amanda Barratt
A Novel of World War II Poland
GENRE: Inspirational Historical Fiction
PUBLISHER: Kregel
RELEASE DATE: January 17, 2023
PAGES: 433
Hi dearest Amanda! Welcome back to the blog!
Amanda: Netflix, though I rarely keep my subscription longer than a month or two. At the moment, there are a few films on the streaming platform I’ve been eager to watch, so I’m just waiting for the right time (meaning once my deadlines are met) and then I’ll subscribe for a month and watch them all.
Carrie: that sounds like the way to do it!!
Amanda: Umm. . . under, though my brain is usually too occupied with whatever plot conundrum I’m currently untangling to notice one way or the other.
Carrie: haha!
Amanda: The ocean. I love the symphony of waves upon sand and the ebb and flow of the tide.
Carrie: no sound quite like it ♥
Amanda: Print all the way. Though I read ebooks from time to time, I far prefer holding a book in my hands and hearing the rustle of paper as I turn the page.
Carrie: no sound quite like THAT either 🙂
Q: Which books are “on your nightstand”?
Amanda: Oh so many. All the Lost Places by Amanda Dykes (her novels are like a tapestry, intricately crafted and beautifully rendered), Code Name Edelweiss by Stephanie Landsem (this one doesn’t release until March, but I’m so ready for my copy to arrive), and a stack of research books for a novel-to-come.
Carrie: i have read Amanda’s and it is just gorgeous!
Q: Writing spaces are as diverse as authors and books. Where is your favorite space to write?
Amanda: I do all my writing at a desk cluttered with research books, save for those random bursts of inspiration when I snatch a piece of paper or whatever else I can find and scribble madly. I’ve been known to write on old receipts, bits of wrapping paper (this one ended tragically, as I cannot find said scrap of wrapping paper and assume a beloved family member, unaware of its significance, disposed of it while tidying), or even a Kleenex.
Carrie: oh no! I’m very sad with you about that wrapping paper scribble’s tragic end!
Q: You’ve written some very powerful fiction lately, set during World War 2! What draws you back to that era each time?
Amanda: Though the Second World War has been written about extensively, countless stories remain untold or little-known. Research can be likened to unwrapping layers of tissue paper; each layer leads to fresh discovery. In times of some of the greatest evil and inhumanity our world has ever known, there emerged glimmers of courage, resilience, and hope. The juxtaposition of that darkness with those fragments of light is extraordinarily powerful and inspires me as I write. I also believe it has never been more imperative to keep this time in history from fading from our collective memory. Though novels such as Within These Walls of Sorrow are historical fiction, they can provide a stepping stone, if you will, to furthering awareness.
Carrie: amen! These are the main reasons I love reading about books set during World War 2, also.
Q: What surprised you about Within These Walls of Sorrow or your characters as you wrote their story?
Amanda: The research ceaselessly left me astonished, heartbroken, and inspired. I relied upon more than fifty nonfiction books to immerse myself in the history of Poland during the Second World War, the Kraków ghetto, and the story of the Under the Eagle pharmacy. Many of the events depicted in the novel are drawn from those sources. When I first outlined the novel, I intended something else entirely for the character of Janek, but as soon as I read an account of Franciszek Banaś, a Polish policeman who provided aid to the inhabitants of the ghetto while working as a guard at the ghetto gate, I knew I had to find a way to include a similar character in the novel.
Carrie: I cannot imagine what the research for this book did to your heart. Much gratitude to you, dear one, for pressing through the horrors to tell these important stories!
Q: Were there any songs that inspired you as you wrote Within These Walls of Sorrow?
Amanda: I listened to the soundtrack for Schindler’s List on repeat. The haunting violin theme, as well as the other songs on the soundtrack captured my story and helped me portray the emotions I sought to bring to the page.
Carrie: I definitely feel that violin theme on its pages ♥
Q: What is one of your favorite quotes from the book & why do you love it?
Amanda: There is evil and there is good and there is the space between. We are given free will to choose where we stand. Evil thrives when good men choose the space between. As I wrote the novel, I was challenged and moved by the stories of ordinary people who quietly defied evil by refusing to stand in the space of indifference, at the risk—and at times even the sacrifice—of their lives. God has set each of us in this time and place for a purpose and even the smallest acts can leave an indelible legacy.
Carrie: that quote is STILL on my heart, almost a week after I finished reading the book. I want to print it out and put it somewhere I can often see it.
Thank you so much for taking time to talk with me! 🙂 Before we say goodbye for today, tell us what‘s coming up next for you.
Amanda: It’s always a joy to visit Reading Is My SuperPower, Carrie. Heartfelt thanks for letting me spend some time in one of my favorite corners of the bookish world!
My next novel is also set in WWII Poland, this time in Warsaw. It explores the stories of two sisters and their journeys of resistance and resilience. This story is one close to my heart, as is the history it encompasses, and I’m looking forward to sharing it with readers.
Kregel is offering a print copy of each of Amanda Barratt’s WW2 novels – My Dearest Dietrich, The White Rose Resists, and Within These Walls of Sorrow! (US only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.) This giveaway is subject to Reading Is My SuperPower’s giveaway policies which can be found here. Enter via the Rafflecopter form below.
What about you? What makes you want to read Within These Walls of Sorrow by Amanda Barratt?
I love historical fiction. This sounds fantastic.
it is!
I enjoy reading Historical fiction to learn more about our past. I read My Dearest Dietrich so I know Amanda is an excellent writer. I appreciate all the research she does to make her stories authentic.
her research is amazing
I greatly enjoyed your interview with the author, who is very eloquent in her responses. She paints a picture with words and elicits emotions relative to the history she shares. I grew up hearing family stories of the Homefront and, also, the soldiers involved in different theaters of WWII.
She is a brilliant author!
Historical fiction is one of my favorite genres!
mine too! And Amanda’s books are outstanding!
New author for me. Always looking for new authors for me.
her books are fabulous, Kim!
Historical fiction is my favorite and World War 11 novels especially since they are meaningful, profound, and memorable. Being Jewish and of Eastern European descent, Poland, this book resonates with me and is a real treasure.
it is heartwrenching but so important!
I would like to read this book for the history and the great story.
Thank you so much for the opportunity. God bless you.
With all the research the author has devoted to her craft, I expect that this book will definitely sweep me away to WWII Poland, one of those “living in the book” experiences.
absolutely!
I really enjoyed reading My Dearest Dietrich. Was such an interesting book. This one I’m sure will be just as good. Amanda is such a good author. Thanks for featuring her.
she is amazing! Thanks, Faith 🙂
Sounds really great
It is difficult to read about the suffering that occurred during WWI and WWII, but I think it’s important to know what happened so that we can help avoid it happening again. The world is a cruel and evil place, we must learn to stand up for what’s right. The quote from the book says so much. When we stand by and watch something wrong without action, we are part of the problem and not the solution.
so true, Connie!
Lovely interview, Carrie and Amanda! This book is a masterpiece–so heartwrenching and touching. Amanda is such a talented writer. I learn so much from her books and all the historical details she includes.
i completely agree, my dear BFFFC
I was so moved after reading The White Rose Resists. Amanda is an excellent writer who balances the darkness of the past with the hope found in God.
Being 80+ years (a lifetime really) away from these events I find these types of books important to read. Many of us lack a great deal in our historical education, and though difficult at times to read I think it is good to remind ourselves of them.
Amanda is a great author and I love reading historical fiction.
Looking forward to reading this story.I’m sure it will be an emotional read.
it most definitely is! But so worth it!
I love what Amanda said about there being so many stories yet untold about WWII. I think that’s why I enjoy reading historical fiction. I routinely encounter new stories that I have never heard about. It amazes me.
yes! so true.
I want to read these novels because this is exactly my favorite genre, clean Christian historical fiction. I love it !
wonderful!