Amanda M. Cetas is the author of the historical adventure Thrown to the Wind, which is the first book in the series, A Country for Castoffs. The story is taken from her family history, which she has spent over two decades researching. She currently teaches several courses in American, European and World history to advanced high school students. She also taught at the middle school level for several years. Amanda lives in Tucson, Arizona for most of the year with her husband and two little Yorkie mixes. She escapes to the beach at Rocky Point, Mexico over every break in the school year and to the Willamette River in Portland, Oregon each summer. She has three grown children and two beautiful grandchildren. Amanda is currently working on the second book in the series, A Home in the Wilderness.