Jamie Manning's Blog, page 12

Comma Crazy? Then read like Ben Stein!

Okay, so if that title didn't scare you away, welcome. This post is gonna give you a sure-fire way to understand exactly where you should be placing the dreaded COMMA--and where you shouldn't.

About a month ago, I was fortunate enough to snag an internship at a publishing house (score! though, that score! would be SCORE! if it were a paying position...but I digress), and since then, I've had the pleasure of reading several submissions from some very talented writer hopefuls. Overall,...

Waiting on Wednesday...REBIRTH!

The lovely Jill (a fellow Alabamian!) over at Breaking the Spine created the Waiting on Wednesday meme for us bloggers to showcase books we're waiting on. 

This week's selection was just announced by the author yesterday (or the day before? ugh, my days run together!) and I cannot WAIT to read it. It's more of a novella (or short), but it's the prequel to one of my all-time favorite novels (which just so happens to have been optioned for film, which makes me crazy happy!), so I'...

Release Day...THE STAR CHILD by Stephanie Keyes!

Just wanted to wish a very Happy Release Day to my friend Stephanie Keyes, whose debut novel THE STAR CHILD is out today!!
Here's a bit about the book:
THE STAR CHILD by Stephanie Keyespub date: TODAY!!
product description from goodreads.com
The world is about to be cloaked in darkness. Only one can stop the night.

Kellen St. James has spent his entire life being overlooked as an unwanted, ordinary, slightly geeky kid. That is until a beautiful girl, one who has haunted his dreams for the past elev...

Waiting on Wednesday...FIREBLOOD by Trisha Wolfe!

The lovely Jill (a fellow Alabamian!) over at Breaking the Spine created the Waiting on Wednesday meme for us bloggers to showcase books we're waiting on. 

This week's selection is by someone I consider a friend, who just happens to be a major talent. The cover was just revealed, and it's awesome--as is the synopsis. If you haven't already, please add to your TBRs...

FIREBLOOD
by Trisha Wolfe
pub date 10/2013

product description from goodreads.com

To save a kingdom, Zara must ch...

Monday Must Reads...HOLLOWED by Kelley York!

Not familiar with this little feature? It's simple, really. Monday Must Reads! is a feature I created to showcase books that I think you, well, Must Read (ha!).

This week's selection is a great paranormal read, and the first in what promises to be an exciting series. It's written by an amazingly talented author, whose debut novel still stands as one of my all-time favorites. If you haven't already, trust me when I say that you simply Must Read...

HOLLOWED
by Kelley York
pub date August 15, 2012

pr...

I! Am! Sparta! (well, my brain is)

As I'm typing this, my brain is fighting me on every word (literally...I've written and deleted this first sentence three times.). It keeps grabbing hold of the letters and refusing to let them out. It has unleashed a full-on assault, complete with spears and swords and 300 Spartans ready to give their last breath to win.

And why, you ask, has my brain turned on me over the mere attempt to write a blog post? 
Because it wants me to focus on the two WIPS currently fighting their own ...

Waiting on Wednesday...LIFE & DEATH OF LILY DRAKE!

The lovely Jill (a fellow Alabamian!) over at Breaking the Spine created the Waiting on Wednesday meme for us bloggers to showcase books we're waiting on. 

This week's selection is one I came across while perusing the Inkspell Publishing website (seriously, how fun is it to do that?). It popped out at me with its striking cover, and after reading the description, I was sold! Please, add to your TBRs...

LIFE & DEATH OF LILY DRAKE
by T Michelle Nelson
pub date: October 2012

produc...

Never Forget

Today marks eleven years since 9/11. Wow. It's so amazing and crazy how time moves when you're not paying attention, huh? I'm sure like most everyone, it feels like yesterday when I watched the events of that day on TV, numb and scared and in shock. But it wasn't yesterday. 
It was eleven years ago.
Eleven years, and yet the feelings I had from that day can come rushing back just like new. If I let them, they'll make me sad and depressed and hating the world, just like I did on 9/11. I cou...

Monday Must Reads...WANT by Stephanie Lawton!

Not familiar with this little feature? It's simple, really. Monday Must Reads! is a feature I created to showcase books that I think you, well, Must Read (ha!).

This week's selection is a good one. One of my new faves, actually. It's by an author that  is one of the nicest people I've "met"--who just happens to live down the street from me! (okay, technically an hour, but still) This is her debut novel, and it's filled with awesome characters, both darkness and humor, and music. In other...

The Booker Award!

The awesome Stephanie Keyes has nominated me for The Booker Award, and I'm thrilled! It's a simple job ahead: Pick my Top Five Books...EVER. 

Yeah. Simple. 

Okay, so here goes, my Top Five Books. EVER.

1. To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee
2. Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
3. The Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins
4. Animal Farm by George Orwell
5.The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton

And as per the "rules", my blogger nominations for The Booker Award:

Jess Leake
Mandie Baxter
Ginger Phillips
Elana...