John C.A. Manley's Blog, page 5

Doctor loses license for claiming that a walk in nature will support your immune system

With this Sunday's virtual book launch for All the Humans Are Sleeping, Dr. Marissa Heisel will handle all the female lines for the multicast reading. She's playing Dr. Marta Wink (a historian from 2291), Rebecca Stevens (a 16-year-old girl from 2041) and one of the creepy Mercybots (creepy nursing robots).

Marissa and her family live in Panama. Five years ago, however, she used to work as a chiropractor in Ontario.

But then the COVID-19 gas-lighting started.

"In April 2020," Marissa told me, "the College of Chiropractors sent out an email to all members in Ontario, telling us that we could not discuss the immune system with our patients at the beginning of a so-called 'pandemic.'"

Being the purple-haired renegade doctor that she is, she published a blog post suggesting some radical approaches to supporting your immune system: getting a massage, going for a walk in nature and even booking a chiropractic adjustment.

"Some troll was scanning for chiropractic information online and sent that to the College," she explained, "who contacted me and demanded that I retract the blog."

Instead of acquiescing, she resigned her license so she could be "free to say or write whatever the heck I wanted to."

She kept writing and speaking at protests, while the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario went after her MD in Toronto for writing two mask exemptions. Then they went after another MD friend for exposing the narrative publicly on a hospital Zoom call. The second MD had their bank accounts frozen for two weeks.

"That's when we decided that we were done with the great Canadian Marxist experience," she says.

Her family packed their bags and moved to Panama.

But on Sunday, at 3 pm EST, she'll be beaming back to Marxist Canada for my virtual book launch of All the Humans Are Sleeping — performing the three female roles with our multicast reading.

If you haven't yet, you can sign up for the webinar at: https://blazingpinecone.com/books/all-the-humans-are-sleeping?source=good_reads

Marissa is also the co-founder of Bridging Gaps, an organization committed to short-term stabilization and long-term comprehensive, holistic support for people over the age of 16 who have been sexually exploited and/or trafficked. You can find out more about Bridging Gaps here: https://www.bridginggapsaht.com

You can reach Dr. Marissa Hiesel at ElementalHealingArts@protonmail.com.

Mad Dug hated everything about my first novel except...

It wasn't hard convincing Anthony Anderson, chief reporter over at the satirical site Get Woked Up! to be part of the multi-cast, live reading of my new novel, All the Humans Are Sleeping on Sunday.

But his colleague Mad Dug will probably refuse to have anything to do with the book. He despised everything about my last novel, Much Ado About Corona — except the villain. I think he thought Constable Justin T. MacKenzie (AKA Constable Corona) was the hero.

Which is why I want Mad Dug to perform the lines of one of the secondary villains, Dr. William Fizzard, in All the Humans Are Sleeping. Mad Dug's slightly deranged voice will be perfect for the role.

So to get him to come on, Anthony's going to mislead him (AKA lie) into believing it's a Margaret Atwood book launch instead. That should work.

In the meantime, if you haven't heard Anthony Anderson and Mad Dug's wacky podcast, where they poke fun at all things woke, head on over here for some politically incorrect laughs: https://getwokeup.com/category/podcast/

You can also go back in the archives to season two, episode five, where they interviewed me about my first novel, Much Ado About Corona: A Dystopian Love Story: https://getwokeup.com/transvaccinated-novel-virus/

And If you haven't yet, be sure to sign up for the All the Humans Are Sleeping book launch webinar on Sunday (with Anthony, Mad Dug and other special guests) at: https://blazingpinecone.com/books/all-the-humans-are-sleeping?source=blazing_archives

Which audiobook cover do you like better?

For the Audible version of All the Humans Are Sleeping the rectangular book cover needed to be redesigned into a square audiobook cover.

That means I have to either make it extra small or crop some of Jordan Henderson's haunting painting.

Here are two versions, please let me know which one makes you feel an irresistible urge to purchase and download the audiobook (or, failing that, which one you prefer more):

Here are two versions, please let me know which one makes you feel an irresistible urge to purchase and download the audiobook (or, failing that, which one you prefer more):

https://blazingpinecone.com/news/2024/11/28/#covers

Would you like a free, advance copy of the All of the Humans Are Sleeping audiobook?

Today, I finished recording the All the Humans Are Sleeping audiobook (at a local studio used by Penguin Books Canada).

The seven-hour audiobook took 18 hours to record.

And then another four hours to re-record over 200 retakes.

Before the December 1st release, however, I'd like someone (other than me) to give it a final proof listen.

There should be little or no remaining glitches. You just need to listen, read along, and note any incorrect words or audio glitches.

In addition to the ebook and audiobook, I'll also post you a signed hardcover copy of the novel.

If that interests you, send me an email at john@blazingpinecone.com and let me know how soon you think you can have it done (preferably this week).

"Make it dark, make it grim, make it tough, but then..."

Over a year ago, Jordan Henderson, the cover artist to my forthcoming novel, All the Humans Are Sleeping, read the original, shorter novella version of the same story. A couple of months ago, however, I sent him a proof of the expanded, soon-to-be-published version (with his creepy painting on the cover). He wrote me the other day to say:

"I didn't immediately read the proof you sent me of All the Humans Are Sleeping because I always have a hard time re-reading or re-watching books or movies unless a long time has gone by...

"But last week I picked it up... and didn't put it down; in three evenings, I read it cover to cover. Excellent work. The humour was wonderful as it just kind of crept in in quite an unexpected manner. That passage where Pete asks Domestico if he ******SPOILER ALERT****** — good thing I wasn't drinking anything then, or I would have spit it out after reading Domestico's retort."

As my editor says, my stories have a signature blend of "gravitas and humour." While All the Humans Are Sleeping is by no means a comedy or satire, it's a dystopian story that will make you laugh (in between the shock and tears).

I often quote screenwriter Josh Whedon's advice: "Make it dark, make it grim, make it tough, but then, for the love of God, tell a joke."

Oh, and Jordan also had this to say:

"The ending, too, was totally unexpected."

You can sign up for the virtual book launch (with special guests like Jordan Henderson) and get a free preview copy of All the Humans Are Sleeping here: https://blazingpinecone.com/books/all-the-humans-are-sleeping?source=good_reads

"Serious goosebumps" coming next Sunday...

Next Sunday, at 3 pm EST, I'll be releasing my second novel, All the Humans Are Sleeping — in print, ebook and audiobook formats.

It's only taken two decades and over 50 rewrites.

Fortunately, the hard work has produced a hard-to-put down tale — Just Right Media is calling it a "masterpiece." Seán ÓLaoire, PhD, author of Spirits in Spacesuits, was "both shocked and delighted." And L.L. Tremblay, author of Seven Roses, says she suffered "serious goosebumps" binge-reading it in one weekend.

Sign up for the virtual book launch and get a free preview copy here: https://blazingpinecone.com/books/all-the-humans-are-sleeping?source=good_reads

As you can see on the signup page, some special guests are joining me to discuss the novel and give a multi-cast reading of the prologue and chapter 4.03.

Even if you can't attend live, sign up to get the recording of the book launch, the first 43 chapters of All the Humans Are Sleeping and behind-the-scenes content.

"...an act of self-hatred and extreme disrespect to self..."

If you thought my "Make Atherosclerosis Great Again" meme from yesterday was a bit harsh, you should read what mind-control researcher Jason Christoff had to say about Trump & Co. McDonald's photo-op:

"When I first found this picture, I was confused and demoralized because anyone healthy doesn't eat McDonald's. Let's be honest, eating McDonald's is basically an act of self-hatred and extreme disrespect to self. Everything served there would choke a maggot. McDonald's is pure poison and therefore it was completely logical that I felt confused and demoralized.

"I thought RFK was all about MAHA, which stands for Make America Healthy Again. These guys look more like teenagers, when one of them just got their driver's license, rather than empowered alpha males looking to take the USA bull by the horns. Are these the team members that God hand blessed personally, to bring the most powerful nation on earth back from the brink?"

You can read Jason Christoff's full article explaining why he believes this "photo of grown adults, who now sit in the ultimate positions of power, eating poison (when they campaigned against poison)" is part of a larger psychological operation, at: https://www.jchristoff.com/blog/rfk-trump-musk-and-company-eating-mcdonalds-why-was-it-taken

Maybe Jason and I are just "health nuts" or maybe we are onto something. If you missed my meme you can view it on X: https://x.com/JohnMan54880915/status/1860057101151928609

Make Arteriosclerosis Great Again

After seeing this ironic photo, I couldn't help turning it into a meme...

Is it just me or does Robert "Make America Healthy Again" Kennedy Jr. look a little guilt-ridden in this picture?

McDonald's being an emblem of American greatness makes me cringe in the same way many Canucks would like the Canadian coffee chain Tim Hortons added to our national anthem.

As far as great American pastimes go, I'd rather have seen a photo of the new gang playing baseball, climbing Mt. Rushmore or square dancing.

Otherwise, I appreciate the rebellious spirit of the photo. If you enjoyed my meme, please share it on X: https://x.com/JohnMan54880915/status/1859338121625669919/photo/1

This one-two jab is literally out of this world

I'm a big fan of stories that end with a one-two jab. I did this with Much Ado About Corona. When you thought the story was concluded, I added another twist. I've done an even better one-two jab at the end of All the Humans Are Sleeping.

Before my father was married, he had a housekeeper who always served two desserts. A slice of pie followed by something else. He gained a fair bit of weight under her care. That's what a story concluding with a one-two jab is like.

Fortunately, an extra plot twist at the end of a story doesn't affect your BMI like pie and pudding.

A fictional commercial circulating the net, offering four years of cryogenic freeze to those upset at Trump's election victory, has such a brilliant one-two jab ending. The short skit has a mildly satisfying and expected ending... but follows with a second ending (an epilogue, if you will), which is unexpected (well, I guess I ruined that part for you — try to forget it's coming) and literally out of this world.

You can watch it here: https://x.com/justin_hart/status/1856722404996755526

Voice actresses needed for All the Humans Are Sleeping book launch

As part of the virtual book launch webinar for my forthcoming novel, All the Humans Are Sleeping, I'm working towards including a multi-cast reading of select chapters.

I'm currently looking for one or two female voice actresses to read the lines of an older female historian and/or a 16-year-old girl. You don't have to be a professional (just good). No memorization is required, but there will be at least one rehearsal. It's a paid position (either a signed copy of the novel, cash or bitcoin).

The online book launch will be on Sunday, December 1st at 3 p.m. EST (12 p.m. PST or 8 p.m. GMT).

To audition, email me at john@blazingpinecone.com and I'll send you an excerpt to record and submit.

Please note: No transgender auditions will be considered. Biological females only! Call me a transphobe or whatever you want (except a girl!), that's the rule.