Author By
Night
By Mary
Manners
Often during the course of conversation the inevitable
question arises, “How long have you been writing?” Well, I’m quick to respond
that I was born this way…with a pencil in my hand.
I cannot remember a time when I didn’t write. In fact, my
earliest memory consists of me sitting on the floor beside the washing machine
in my family’s laundry room and scribbling (I didn’t yet know how to read or
form words, but I could certainly scratch across the paper) because I had a
story in my head that just had to come out and be shared.
Since that day, I have never stopped writing. To me, writing
is as essential to life as breathing. I am convinced that, prior to the use of
my trusty laptop, I killed a forest of trees on my quest to record all of the
stories woven through my brain and my heart.
I wrote my first full-length novel in the sixth grade. Thanks
to my supportive parents and a few wonderful teachers who encouraged me along
the way, my fledgling confidence flourished and I figured I’d be published by
the time I turned thirteen (after all, S.E. Hinton had managed a similar feat
with her acclaimed and edgy young adult novel, The Outsiders). God had other plans, though, and many years (and
countless edits) would pass before that first novel finally became published as
Wisdom Tree.
My life journey has led me to many destinations, including a
three-decade career in education. I first spent several years working with
special needs children before settling into teaching middle school math (go
figure…the writer teaching algebra and loving it) and am currently seated as an
intermediate school principal with six-hundred adorable and rambunctious
children in my care. Add to that a loyal husband and beautiful daughter, and to
say I juggle daily responsibilities is a gross understatement. But, what’s life
without a boxcar’s worth of adventure tossed into the mix?
So, when do I manage to write? I pen my stories in the
morning, when the rest of the world is sleeping and at night…when the rest of
the world is sleeping. My official work day begins at six A.M., so I wake at
three to write. My day-job ends at five (on a good day) and I’m happy to say my
husband loves just about everything sports-related, so following a daily walk together and then dinner, I
write while he yells at the TV. We have fun while we make it work and I’m
blessed by his support.
Along the way, day-by-day, I keep writing and breathing…and
writing some more. I never leave home without a pad of paper and a pencil. I am
a walking, juggling journal. Thirty-six books later, the journey continues. Along with
the writing has come on-the-job training in editing (love it) and marketing
(not so much). I have decided that sleep is overrated and coffee should be
certified as a food group.
All joking aside, God has been good to me and I pray that my
writing glorifies Him. I
strive to share the message of hope and grace in all I write. Does that mean my
characters never struggle? No. Does it mean they are human? Yes (um,
really…they are). Does it mean through God all things are possible? Yes, I
truly believe it is so.
So, I write and I will continue writing as long as I am
breathing. After all, the two go hand-in-hand.
~~~~~
Mary Manners is an award-winning romance writer who lives in the
beautiful foothills of East Tennessee with her husband Tim and the
cherished cats they've rescued from local animal shelters...Neyland and
Gus. She loves swimming, running, flavored coffee and Smoky Mountain sunsets.
Mary believes everyone has a story to tell, and she loves to share
hers. She writes inspirational romances of all lengths, from short stories to
novels—something for everyone.
Learn more about Mary Manners at her website: www.MaryMannersRomance.com.
~~~~~
Sometimes the last thing we think we need is exactly
what God has planned...
After the death of his parents, Jake Samuels has enough on his plate—including a fledgling church to lead and a mischievous younger brother to raise. The last thing he needs is a rambunctious woman to contend with.
Carin O'Malley is dealing with the death of her brother and a new job as an English teacher at East Ridge Middle School where Corey Samuels reigns as King of Chaos. The last thing she needs is to fall in love with a man...especially a handsome and complicated preacher like Corey’s brother Jake.
But when Corey's antics toss Carin and Jake together, the two must draw from God’s wisdom to find refuge in His perfect plan for them.
After the death of his parents, Jake Samuels has enough on his plate—including a fledgling church to lead and a mischievous younger brother to raise. The last thing he needs is a rambunctious woman to contend with.
Carin O'Malley is dealing with the death of her brother and a new job as an English teacher at East Ridge Middle School where Corey Samuels reigns as King of Chaos. The last thing she needs is to fall in love with a man...especially a handsome and complicated preacher like Corey’s brother Jake.
But when Corey's antics toss Carin and Jake together, the two must draw from God’s wisdom to find refuge in His perfect plan for them.
