Tekoa Manning Interview Published on: 19, Aug 2020

I was born in Louisville, KY. In my younger days, I lived in Willmington, North Carolina, for a year or two. I miss the beach and hope to retire there one day.

After writing a poem in 5th grade and being accused of plagiarizing Emily Dickison, I stopped writing. I was unaware of what the word plagiarizing meant. All I knew was that I had been punished for something that made me feel free. I penned my first story in a spiral notebook, which ended up becoming Polishing Jade.

I am currently working on several manuscripts that I hope to get picked up by a publisher. Self-publishing was a route my husband and I choose after signing a contract with a publisher in New York. The agreement was for me to write a book for a motivational speaker in return for publishing and marketing. I kept my end of the bargain, but the publishing partners ended up suing each other and dissolving the business.

I feel like I research non-stop. I am studying as we speak. Ha! While researching for one novel. I feared my computer would be confiscated for looking into murder, disposing of bodies, and poisons that do not show up in toxicology reports.

My biggest challenge was making sure I knew my audience and not going so deep into the Hebrew and the language of the feast days in rabbinical writings that Christians were unable to grasp the message of Messiah in each feast.

Over ten years ago, I was thrust into ministry at a large megachurch. A few months later, I had the keys to an office and was assisting the deliverance minister. Often, the approach and scriptures used to free the people did the opposite and brought fear and bondage of the religious type. Although the ministers meant well, they were hurting sheep and keeping them afraid of demonic spirits to the point they couldn't live a life of victory. They used many scriptures out of context. I was also very interested in how over 40,000 denominations, the catholic church, and non-denominations all had the same book (the Bible) yet could not agree or become unified. They had thrown out the truth and exchanged it for the doctrines of men.

After my divorce, at age 30, I entered college and began writing both fiction novels in a notebook. I had to live at my brothers for a year. As a single mother, my children and I needed time to get on our feet. One night I envisioned being alone and homeless and wondered what I would do in the winter as KY has bitter winters. I flipped the scenario. Soon, Walter became the man who was sneaking into a single mother's home, eating tiny meals, fixing broken items, and leaving before she and her children returned.

I never know what I am going to write. I start writing, and I hear names, places, and details. I am often surprised at the plots and characters, and yes, the places I put them in. I have never lived or even visited Mississipi, but I knew it was a hot spot for racial tension.

I have had so many positive reviews on my novels to pick one that would be difficult. One review for Polishing Jade came to my home in a letter form. The woman had been sexually assaulted, and Jade had brought much healing. This would probably be my favorite. As an author and active blogger, I know there will always be critics. After mostly 4 and 5 star reviews for Jade, I was a bit dumbfounded by several 1 *star reviews on Goodreads from people from foreign countries, until I realized they thought the fiction book was a book on polishing gemstones.

I was shocked. My English professor took me aside and encouraged me to enter the contest. She has been a great encourager. Over twenty years later, we are still friends who meet for wine and dinner.

My sons have read my fiction, and my oldest has read portions of many.

I'm not sure. I am hoping to add time travel.

I love raw characters who feel as if they are standing and breathing in my living room. Cooky characters that have strange habits or idiosyncrasies.

Probably the most notable was signing books at the Kentucky Book Fair with Wendell Berry. I had the pleasure of meeting Mary McDonough, who played Erin on The Walton’s. She stopped by our table and greeted me on her way to the back. New York Times best-selling author Sharon McCrumb was there, Jacinda Townsend’s, Bobbie Ann Mason, Cheryl Della Pietra, and many other authors who are very well-known for their craft.

I love the banners AllAuthors creates. So many ways to market for such an affordable price. I have seen more book sales due to added tweets and promotions. I hope to have more time to share and use everything AllAuthor has made available to me. Thanks so much!