Please Welcome Jamie Manning!

Hey everyone, please welcome the talented Jamie Manning to YABEYOND.  Jamie is here to tell us all a bit about himself and his latest book, Blood Born.

Hi Jamie, welcome to YABEYOND.  I guess the first thing I’d like to ask is when and why did you start writing?

Like most authors out there I’m sure, I began writing as far back as I can remember. There’s always been something about putting words together to create a story others enjoy that has appealed to me. It took much longer than I had hoped to become published, but hey, I made it!

YAY, I’m so glad you made it!  Tell me, what’s the strangest thing that’s inspired one of your stories?

The absolute oddest thing ever is a car license plate. Weird, huh? Lol I was sitting at a traffic light one morning on my way to work when I happened to glance at the license plate staring me in the face. Part of the tag (K76, to be exact) brought forth a unique idea and my mind started spinning out a story. By the time I made it to work, I had a very short, very rough outline that I hope to get to one day!

That’s cool! Have you ever based a character on someone you know? If so, did you tell them? If not, is there someone in your life you’d like to base a character on?

I haven’t completely based a character on someone I know, but there are bits and pieces of my friends and family in every character I write. Whether it’s someone’s kindness, or their short temper, or their fondness of mustard (Blood Born inside joke), people in my life are all over the pages of my writing!

 I think everythign we write has a part of us or someone in it.  So tell me, what do the people in your “real life” think of your writing?

Most of the people in my life had no idea I was writing, so they were a bit shocked when I told them I was going to be published! But they have all been extremely supportive and excited for me!

Funny how we keep it to ourselves at first.  I did the same thing.  Can you tell us about your latest book.

My first book (well, the first to be published, haha!) Blood Born, came out yesterday! It tells the story of a half-vampire, half-human girl named Ava, who fights to save her humanity.

Sounds so awesome. I can’t wait to read it!  Is there a plot you’ve always wanted to write but haven’t been able to yet?

Not particularly. I tend to write whatever I enjoy (which is why my second series coming from Pendrell is dystopian—completely different from The Blood Prophecy Trilogy!)

I write what I enjoy as well.  What’s the most interesting place you’ve ever traveled to?

I used to travel all over the US with my job, and the two most interesting places I’ve visited were Niagara Falls (most beautiful sight ever. Trust me, everyone should see it!) and Santa Fe, New Mexico (beautiful, charming city nestled in a mountain valley. Gorgeous!)

I love Niagara Falls (probably because I’m Canadian!) What’s the most interesting place you’ve ever set a story in?

I once wrote a story (that will NEVER see the light of day, lol) set underground. That was pretty interesting!

That is interesting and I too have books that will never come out from under the bed! What books do you have available now (title and publisher)?

The first book in The Blood Prophecy Trilogy (and my first published book!), Blood Born, was released yesterday, April 24, 2012

What’s your favorite thing to drink while you’re writing?

Diet Coke, easy. It’s my crack. Um, not that I know what crack tastes like. ;P

HAHA! How do you come up with the ideas for your stories?

Ideas literally come from anywhere. As I said in an earlier question, they can even come from a random license plate on the bumper of a random car at a traffic light!

If you were from another planet, which one would you want to be from and why?

 I recently read Cinder by Marissa Meyer, which has a really cool race of people who live on the moon. So I think I’d have to say the moon (I know, not technically a planet, but hey, this is fiction, right?)

What genre are most of your stories? Why did you choose that genre?

Most things I write fall beneath the YA Paranormal genre, mainly because those are the stories I enjoy reading most of all. Though, I am branching out a bit (my second to-be-published series is dystopian, and I’m also working on a YA contemp!)

Which author have you always wanted to meet and why–besides me of course! LOL

I actually have two—and they couldn’t be more different! My all-time favorite is Harper Lee. To Kill A Mockingbird is by far my favorite novel, and I would love to sit down with Ms. Lee and discuss her work. Hey, she only lives an hour from me, so maybe one day!  The second is Stephenie Meyer. Twilight was a huge inspiration to me in that it got me off my lazy bum and in front of my computer. Without it, I wouldn’t be on the verge of becoming a published author!

Thanks so much for answering all my quesitons, Jamie.  Can you share your website and links where we can buy your books!

Here are links to all my sites:

 Website: http://jamie-manning.com/

Blog: http://jmanni32.blogspot.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/byJamieManning

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Blood-Prophecy-Trilogy/201864663182931

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4801040.Jamie_Manning

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/byjamiemanning/#

For more information about Jamie, please visit his website and check out his new release, Blood Born

BLOOD BORN:

Waking up in a coffin hungry for blood is only the beginning for sixteen-year-old Ava Blue. When Chance Caldon, the hottie who dug her up, tells her she’s half vampire, Ava’s world really turns upside down.

Half vamp? Ava can’t believe it…she doesn’t even know what that means! Not until Aldric, a thousand-year-old vampire, shows up and tells her it’s true–and that he’s the one who turned her. Then Ava truly begins to believe what she is. Now she has to deal with a sudden and powerful bloodlust, the desire to see Aldric dead, and her growing crush for Chance. Ava knows she’s a monster now, she can feel it; and her life is over.

But redemption isn’t lost. Aldric is giving her a chance to regain her humanity. The price? Kill 100 vampires, or remain a bloodsucker forever.

So Ava sets out to get her life back. But killing vampires begins a battle that could destroy everything she is working toward. In the end, Ava’s decision will forever change her life and the lives of those she loves.

PRAISE FOR BLOOD BORN:

“Full of secrets and twists, Manning’s action-packed YA debut is suspenseful and passionate. I devoured every word, and I’m still hungry for more Ava Blue and Chance.” ~ Trisha Wolfe, author of  DESTINY’S FIRE

“BLOOD BORN proves that there are still new great vampire stories out there. With its great cast of characters, refreshing mythology and unique spin on vampire lore, Jamie Manning has created himself a stake in this successful genre.” ~ Lani Woodland, author of INTRINSICAL and INDELIBLE

“With a compelling vampire mythology and unique story, Ava’s quest to come back from the undead kept me turning pages–and looking over my shoulder–late into the night.” ~ Angela Corbett, author of ETERNAL STARLING