About Michael
THE BACKSTORY
The title of my first book, SIDELINED, holds special meaning for me. Personally, at the end of 2008, I found myself sidelined from the life I knew: laid off from my full-time job, disconnected from long-time friends, and facing tremendous uncertainty with really no idea how to move forward. After a few years of treading water, I decided to reboot my life. I think many people out there can relate. So to do that I decided to go back to the beginning.
I was born in Baltimore, Maryland where the David Wade series largely takes place. I embraced the research that brought me back in touch with a town, a state, I had long since left. The city streets and landmarks came alive for me again and I remembered fond childhood memories and discovered family connections and history; for example, my grandfather had built his business at Clipper Mill Park which is featured in the story.
The David Wade series is a murder mystery seeking to explore a very timely question: how far would you go to take back what is yours? The main character, David Wade, has lost his career, his passion, and everything that gave him his identity.
While this series has everything a reader would classically expect from a modern, fictional murder story, for me, the murders serve as vehicles to explore by what measures do we as humans define ourselves, what happens when those are stripped away, and how far are we willing to go to reclaim the lives we lost.
BORDERLINE is the first book in my Jenny Ackerman Series. It features a NEW character in a NEW setting facing NEW challenges, I am able to more deeply explore old questions, while asking and answering NEW ones. Currently in America, border security is a hot-button topic. A female main character brings a fresh perspective, which is ideal.
In the debut novel of my {newest} LENNY SPEARS series {PHANTOM PAIN: 2018}, I probe the grief, depression, rage & acceptance surrounding permanent physical disability. To fulfill a promise, and save the one he loves, wheelchair-bound former detective, Lenny Spears, must call a broken body & misanthropic spirit to action all while breaking free from past regrets & clinging to a fragile hope for a bright & purposeful future.
SECOND SHOT was released in October of 2019 and is the direct sequel to PHANTOM PAIN. Spears is still hunting an elusive, brazen killer. Quickly becoming a target again, will Lenny Spears back off the tantalizing murder investigation or will he give a cold-blooded killer a SECOND SHOT at stopping his meddling for good?
In June of 2020, I released my 10th title { a non-fiction book entitled A TASTE FOR THE AFTERLIFE }. I meticulously selected over 60 bountiful & bizarre last meals chosen by notorious death-row inmates to examine.
In July of 2021, I released the follow-up non-fiction title: {IN}FAMOUS LAST WORDS, which examines the poignant & provocative last words of death row inmates!
In early 2022, I'm working on MASKING MURDER: Book # 7 in the DAVID WADE Mystery Series. It will examine policing during the COVID-19 pandemic and be unique in that it's a crossover novel between my DAVID WADE & LENNY SPEARS characters.
* MASKING MURDER released in April, 2022 *
Biography
Michael David Manley was born in Baltimore, Maryland.
He is the author of the DAVID WADE Mystery Series: SIDELINED, VINDICATE, OUTCAST, GRUDGE, SLOW BURN, INSIDE OUT & MASKING MURDER.
As well as BORDERLINE, a mystery novel featuring U.S. Border Patrol Agent Jenny Ackerman.
In 2018, he launched a brand-new series: featuring a wheelchair-bound former homicide detective named LENNY SPEARS who debuted in the frenetic novel: PHANTOM PAIN.
SECOND SHOT was released in October of 2019 and is the action-packed direct sequel to the Lenny Spears debut novel: PHANTOM PAIN.
In June of 2020: Mr. Manley released his first non-fiction title, A TASTE FOR THE AFTERLIFE, which explores over sixty {60} bountiful & bizarre last meals savored by notorious death-row inmates.
In mid-2021: he released the follow-up non-fiction title: {IN}FAMOUS LAST WORDS, which examines the poignant & provocative last words of death row inmates!
He formerly served as Content Director and Co-Host of TWISTED, a monthly podcast devoted to the analysis of landmark true-crime cases.
Mr. Manley has published articles spotlighting a myriad of issues confronting people with disabilities, like social isolation & affordable housing.
He graduated Summa Cum Laude from The University of South Florida earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in History.
He currently resides in Boca Raton, Florida, USA.
What I've Learned...
1. A writer cannot properly develop his characters until he first visualizes them in his mind. This is achieved only through consistent effort & concentration.
2. For the AUTHOR, writing a novel is comparable to a marathon: the effort represents days, even years, of slow & steady progress. Yet, for the READER, the experience of the novel should be compared to a SPRINT: the aim is that the reader becomes so captivated by the story that he/she cannot stop turning pages. If anything, no matter how well-written, hinders that effect... DELETE IT!
3. Allow ample time for proofreading & editing. At a minimum, read through your work three ( 3 ) times: once for formatting, another for grammar & lastly for content.
4. Be consistent! Make writing a habit. There's never a perfect time, an ideally-written scene. Remember: you CANNOT edit what's NOT there! :D
5. Break out of your COMFORT ZONE: in June of 2020 I released my first NON-FICTION title.
6. In 2021, I released my second non-fiction book.
7. In early 2022, I'm working on MASKING MURDER: Book # 7 in the DAVID WADE Mystery Series. It will examine policing during the COVID-19 pandemic and be unique in that it's a crossover novel between my DAVID WADE & LENNY SPEARS characters. UPDATE: MASKING MURDER released in April of 2022.