Biography
Abigail Manning is a wife, nanny, and author of YA romance. She resides with her husband, Marcus, in the beautiful state of Tennessee. In school, she studied both Early Childhood Development and Theatre Arts, both of which aided in the development of her Emerald Realm series, based off of retold fairy tales.
Abigail has always adored working with young children and drawing inspiration from their creativity. Her stories are geared towards young adults, but inspired off of children’s tales. She greatly enjoys the challenge of reinventing stories that most readers grew up with. She has only recently begun her career in writing, but already has growing ambitions revolving around her blossoming stories.
Tell us about your Emerald Realm Series.
The Emerald Realm is a series of fairy tale retellings that all interconnect within a single realm. Each book retells a classic fairy tale such as Snow White, Goldilocks, or Cinderella, but with a twist on the tale that you wouldn’t have expected. Each book features its own main character and possesses a happy ending, but a large story connects them all with a shared villain.
Is the series complete or can we expect more books? If it isn’t complete, what can you tell us about the future of the series?
The series is fully written but at this point in time only four out of the five books are released. The final book is coming soon, however! So, stay tuned!
Have you thought about what you want to write after the Emerald Realm Series is complete?
Absolutely! While the Emerald Realm may only have five books, I have currently written over seven full manuscripts… The extra two are each the first book of their own series, and I have big plans for them moving forward.
What drew you to write YA romance?
I always enjoyed reading YA romance, so it just felt natural for me to adapt it as my writing style. I also prefer to write clean romance, so my stories are also a good read for teens or anyone who doesn’t like things to get too spicy.
Tell us how your writing journey began.
I haven’t been writing for even a year yet, and only started in July of 2021. I just had a few days off work and a story on my mind that I wanted to put to paper, and I never really stopped!
What are your writing necessities (time, location, music, food, etc)?
I am a morning bird, so I get my best work done after I wake up, but unfortunately 90% of the time I can’t pick up my computer until the afternoon. I usually prefer quiet while I work, but will occasionally play some instrumental music, and no matter what I always need a cup of tea by my side.
What is the hardest aspect of writing for you?
Probably trying to avoid being repetitive. When writing fairy tale romances, it’s easy to fall into the tropes that they have created, but I like to strive to be original in both my stories and my writing. A thesaurus is often my best friend!
How have you improved as a writer since you began?
I would definitely say so. If anything, I’ve grown more confident in my writing and take criticism far better than I used too. There’s definitely a huge difference between the writing in my debut novel and my current WIP.
What do you like to do when you’re not writing?
I love binging Netflix with my husband or watching him game. We also have a puppy that tends to soak up more of my time then I realize.
What does success look like for you as an author?
For me, success is having my books read by someone that I’ve never met. I just think it’s incredible that maybe, somewhere around the world, I might be someone’s favorite author.
Anything additional you want to share with readers?
Thanks for reading! If you enjoy fairy tales or just sweet clean romance, check out the Emerald Realm series and stay tuned for more exciting stories to come!
Website: abigailmanningauthor.com
Book Locations: Amazon
Excerpt
Poisoned Heart: A Retelling of Snow White
“I take great pride in hunting down my victims, but you were no challenge.” He eyed me with annoyance. He spoke as if he was disappointed that I was too easy to kill. “I desire more excitement in my hunt than a pompous brat can offer, so princess, I am offering you a chance at escape.”
I gasped through my tears. It sounded like he was going to let me run just so he could catch me again, delaying my death long enough for me to potentially freeze in the cold on my own. My breathing grew unsteady as panic filled my every bone.
“So, here’s my deal, princess. I’m going to let you run, and after twenty-four hours, I’m going to come looking for you, just like a game of hide and seek.” I couldn’t see his mouth, but I imagined a sick smile on his face. “If I can’t find you after fourteen days, then congratulations, you win. I’ll return to my kingdom and explain that you got away, but if I find you…” he raised the dagger to my throat and my breath hitched, “then I’ll finish the job I was assigned.” He dropped the dagger and took a step back. I allowed myself to breathe again, filling my lungs with the icy air.
“Time starts now, princess. Better start running.”
