THAT NIGHT
By Lisa McManus
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Interview:
Crystal: Today I have the pleasure of hosting Lisa McManus. Welcome Lisa! I'm so happy to have you here today. Would you share a little bit about yourself with us today?
Lisa: When I’m not being a wife, a mother to two teen boys, an office worker, and a person longing for a nap, I write slice-of-life stories as well as fiction for kids and teens. A creative person at heart, books and knitting needles always at the ready, I am also involved in archery. Like I said, I long for a nap….
Crystal: What are you currently working on?
Lisa: I’m working on a contemporary fantasy full-length novel about a boy and his genie. I love the characters, love the story, yet struggle with finding long stretches of time to work on it. Word by word, I’ll get it done. I wish….
Crystal: Where did you come up with the idea for either your current release or the WIP you are working on now?
Lisa: Ideas are everywhere, but nowhere at the same time – the idea morphed and grew as wrote, yet I can’t pin down how it came to be. I knew I wanted to do a story about what a loved one of someone who attempts suicide goes through, and the story grew from there. Teen life is turbulent and confusing; gossip and alcohol consumption often making certain situations worse. I hope that Luke’s story and what he learned in the aftermath of his girlfriend’s suicide attempt helps someone through a similar situation.
Crystal: Do you have a favorite snack that like to munch on while writing? If so would you mind sharing what it is with us?
Lisa: Mike ‘n Ike candies. I love them. I could easily substitute them for meals without question. No particular flavor or color is my fave – I love them all.
Crystal: Do you have a favorite scene you would like to share with us?
Lisa: I would have to say my favorite scene is Jessica confronting Luke in the library. Although that scene is not one of resolution of the conflict between the two characters, I hope I created a dramatic enough scene depicting Luke’s love and care for Jessica, despite the angst and drama unfolding between them.
Crystal: When you are not busy writing wonderful stories to keep us lucky readers entertained, what do you like to do? Do you have a hobby?
Lisa: When I’m not writing, I knit and usually have a book at my side. My to-be-read pile is a big as my yarn stash, if not bigger (I hide books around the house – it’s embarrassing now many I have). I have also in the last year taken up archery – something completely different for me. I love the meditative, focus-orientated nature of the sport, where for an hour or so I have to clear my mind and focus ONLY on getting the arrow in the middle of the target: easier said than done. I also write slice-of-life stories, and my story about archery, “Taking Aim at Excuses,” is in the book, Chicken Soup for the Soul: Think Possible.
Crystal: Do you have a favorite background noise you like to have going while you write (TV, Music, kids playing)?
Lisa: No noise is best, but I have often found that, despite my wishes, when there IS noise around I usually concentrate more – I strain to block out everything around me when there are other things going on (I write at the kitchen table), so in turn that only deepens my concentration. If there was something like a radio on, I’d end up singing to the songs (no autographs please – I can’t sing).
Crystal: Thank you for visiting today. It has been a pleasure to visit with you. Is there anything else you would like to share with us?
Lisa: Thank YOU so much for having me, and a special thanks to your readers for stopping by and reading about what I do. I hope your readers enjoyed this interview, and I look forward to connecting with them at my blog www.lisamcmanus.com Happy reading everyone!
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BLURB:
It can take a whole day to figure out what happened…that night.
On what was to be just another Monday morning at school, Luke’s girlfriend Jessica is nowhere to be found. Names like ‘psycho lover’ follow Luke to his
locker, even from his best friend. Luke soon learns Jessica tried to kill herself at a party from the previous Saturday night, and she’s blaming him. With posts on FaceBook feeding the rumors of what happened that night, the school has to investigate.
locker, even from his best friend. Luke soon learns Jessica tried to kill herself at a party from the previous Saturday night, and she’s blaming him. With posts on FaceBook feeding the rumors of what happened that night, the school has to investigate.
Torn between worry, guilt, loyalty, priorities, and an urgency to clear his name and protect hers, he has to find her—he loves her no matter what. The teacher in
the middle of the investigation is also the same one to provide academic and character references for Luke’s college applications due by the end of the week. Luke knows he’s not to blame, but with no contact from Jessica and everyone blaming him for what happened, he’s at risk of losing everything—Jessica and his dreams of being a mechanic—all because of what happened that night.
the middle of the investigation is also the same one to provide academic and character references for Luke’s college applications due by the end of the week. Luke knows he’s not to blame, but with no contact from Jessica and everyone blaming him for what happened, he’s at risk of losing everything—Jessica and his dreams of being a mechanic—all because of what happened that night.
Teen/Contemporary/Romance/Suicide/Bullying
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Excerpt:
“Hey, man.” I nodded to Jeremy Waters as I started the long trek up the front lawn of
the school. He nodded back but gave me a questioning stare as I walked past.
Again, weird. What is with everyone today? I wondered.
the school. He nodded back but gave me a questioning stare as I walked past.
Again, weird. What is with everyone today? I wondered.
I scanned the busy school grounds. Where was Jessica? I knew our
break-up was inevitable, but I dreaded it. I still cared about her very much,
but things were changing: me, her, and ‘us’––and I didn’t know what to do about
it. Neither did she.
break-up was inevitable, but I dreaded it. I still cared about her very much,
but things were changing: me, her, and ‘us’––and I didn’t know what to do about
it. Neither did she.
At first I didn’t notice anything off, but as I passed group after group of unusually
silent guys and girls from all grades, I got that weird feeling, like I was being watched, like the whole school was focused on me or something.
silent guys and girls from all grades, I got that weird feeling, like I was being watched, like the whole school was focused on me or something.
Some of the guys pulled their buds out of their ears as I approached, their banter from
moments before silencing as I passed. One guy shook his head as if in disgust.
Another guy awkwardly picked at something on the ground with the toe of his
shoe, as if he were avoiding something.
moments before silencing as I passed. One guy shook his head as if in disgust.
Another guy awkwardly picked at something on the ground with the toe of his
shoe, as if he were avoiding something.
I kept going, trying to walk as normally as I could. Hard to do when you know you’re being watched.
Where was Jess? I checked my phone to see if there was anything from her: nothing.
I shifted my backpack and made my way up the path to the front steps of the school. With every footstep, uncertainty and foreboding gnawed at my gut.
A group of girls from Jessica’s drama club huddled on the front steps like a bunch of
hens. They all gave me the once-over. One of them was crying and another gave
me the finger.
hens. They all gave me the once-over. One of them was crying and another gave
me the finger.
That stopped me in my tracks. “What the hell?” I stared them down. “What was that for?”
“Screw you, Luke!” The one with the ornery finger spat. “Stay away from Jessica!”
What the...? Whatever.
Bunch of gossips––they seriously need to get a life.
Bunch of gossips––they seriously need to get a life.
Jessica and I had been drifting apart for a while. Where she was involved in her drama
club, her social life, I preferred being under the hood of a car, alone. But it wasn’t that I chose cars over her or anything. I cared about her very, very much. At one time I even contemplated the L-word thing with her. But lately, something had changed, and I couldn’t figure out what. I mean, I knew I wanted to be with her but it was like we were drifting towards each other, then away, then back towards each other again. Only to then again drift further away.
club, her social life, I preferred being under the hood of a car, alone. But it wasn’t that I chose cars over her or anything. I cared about her very, very much. At one time I even contemplated the L-word thing with her. But lately, something had changed, and I couldn’t figure out what. I mean, I knew I wanted to be with her but it was like we were drifting towards each other, then away, then back towards each other again. Only to then again drift further away.
But I would never do anything to her, to earn me the middle finger from her friends. So why were they acting like that? What the...? I shook my head and kept going. I hadn’t done anything to provoke their reaction, so they could just go back to their pointless chatter about hair or whatever.
With fifteen minutes to go until the first bell, I wanted to catch up with Jess before
classes started. She lived way on the other side of town, and as much I would have loved to pick her up every morning, her mom insisted on driving her. Her mom liked me, so it wasn’t anything against me personally, but Jessica said it was a ‘mom and daughter thing.’ And besides, we always met first thing at school and I would, at least, get to drive her home.
classes started. She lived way on the other side of town, and as much I would have loved to pick her up every morning, her mom insisted on driving her. Her mom liked me, so it wasn’t anything against me personally, but Jessica said it was a ‘mom and daughter thing.’ And besides, we always met first thing at school and I would, at least, get to drive her home.
But that day, even though I wasn’t exactly about to have ‘the talk’ with her right
before class, I wanted to at least see her that morning to start the day––it was our ‘thing.’ A pang of regret fluttered in my gut. If we broke up, would we still meet in the mornings? She had become part of my day and I still wanted that.
before class, I wanted to at least see her that morning to start the day––it was our ‘thing.’ A pang of regret fluttered in my gut. If we broke up, would we still meet in the mornings? She had become part of my day and I still wanted that.
I made my way through the doors of the school. The halls were already swarming with East Clark High’s student body. I searched for Jessica as I pushed and wove my way
through the crowd. But I soon realized I wasn’t pushing past anyone, anymore.
The constant buzz in the halls had all but died down, and people were stepping
aside giving me a wide berth as I went.
through the crowd. But I soon realized I wasn’t pushing past anyone, anymore.
The constant buzz in the halls had all but died down, and people were stepping
aside giving me a wide berth as I went.
What the hell was wrong with everyone? I frowned at everyone practically plastered up against the lockers, avoiding me like I was contagious or something. Did I smell like dog sh––
“Psycho!” A familiar voice hissed in my ear, cutting off my thoughts. Great––Mark.
I stuttered to a stop but tried to keep going. I, along with everyone else, was used to his stupid ways, but I had to find Jessica. I didn’t want to waste time getting into it with him right then.
I stuttered to a stop but tried to keep going. I, along with everyone else, was used to his stupid ways, but I had to find Jessica. I didn’t want to waste time getting into it with him right then.
But he came at me again with, “Psycho-lover!” and that definitely had me coming to a full stop. I swear I felt spit on my cheek.
I refused to swipe it away, giving him the satisfaction of … I didn’t know what. Something.
I glanced up to find his buddies chuckling while Mark, the idiot himself, contorted his face into what he assumed was the look of a crazy person.
I glanced up to find his buddies chuckling while Mark, the idiot himself, contorted his face into what he assumed was the look of a crazy person.
He didn’t have to try very hard. It came naturally.
And I hoped his eyes stayed crossed like that.
I stared him down, and just when I turned away he was up against me, his face so close to mine his eyes looked crossed. “Jessica almost knocked herself off the other night. Whadidja do? Screw her over?” he hissed.
I stared at him in confusion. My face numbed. My neck heated. What was he talking about? What did he mean, ‘knock herself off’?
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About the Author:
Lisa McManus has been an avid reader since her teen years, and is inspired daily by her teenage boys and the forests and beaches of
Vancouver Island, British Columbia where she lives. Along with writing for kids and teens, she is also multi-published with Chicken Soup for the Soul and numerous other magazines and anthologies.
When she’s not writing, reading or refereeing her family, she is either
hiking or out on the archery range.
Vancouver Island, British Columbia where she lives. Along with writing for kids and teens, she is also multi-published with Chicken Soup for the Soul and numerous other magazines and anthologies.
When she’s not writing, reading or refereeing her family, she is either
hiking or out on the archery range.
Websites: www.lisamcmanus.com
Twitter: @LisaMcManusLang
Amazon author page www.amazon.com/author/lisamcmanus
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Just want to say thank you to Crystal for hosting me and allowing me to chat about my book. I appreciate the support and thank you to everyone who stopped by! Happy Reading! xo Lisa
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