Our next debut author resides in the US. Knowing how hard writing (and finishing!) your first book can be for many, I felt a certain amount of pride guiding Manon Jean’s debut novel Take Three, through our publishing process and to the shelves of Amazon. A thrilling read by a talented writer.
Thanks to Hedi Lampert for her valuable editing expertise that helped make this book a reality.
Your author name
Manon Jean
Your book title
Take Three: Three young women are kidnapped by a vengeful drug dealer willing to risk it all
Give us the elevator pitch for your book?
Three young women are abducted from a night club. Wannabe doctor, Madison a Haitian-American is struggling to get into med school, cash-strapped med student, Emily an African-American must work nights to support her siblings and junkie mother, and Jackie, a brilliant, young, Asian-American doctor is harboring a secret that could destroy her career. They must put aside their differences and work together or risk losing everything.
Who was the book written for?
Young women of African descent. I want my readers to see examples of characters who live unapologetically. I want my readers to know they can also reach for their goals even if it seems far-fetched to others.
How long did it take for you to finish the final draft of your book?
It took me four years.
What makes this book different from others on the shelf?
Not only do we follow three intriguing young women, but this book explores what it means to be a child of immigrants in the United States. Take Three details how the competing influences of the characters’ countries of origins and American individualism take shape.
We also see how discrimination among members of the same race and gender take form.
What was the hardest part of the writing journey for you?
I am very creative and can easily see the big picture but writing the details was hard. Describing settings and writing unique character actions took me a lot of time.
I am also dyslexic. Spelling and grammar has always been very difficult for me. When I was making corrections, I needed to use a ruler and read line by line to spot errors. Spell check is my best friend.
Your favourite place to write?
My home office. I like to light a candle and write with my morning coffee.
What kept you motivated to write during the times you felt stuck?
I love seeing my stories come alive. Even if I can only write a little bit at a time, I know that I am making progress.
Tell us something about yourself that readers would not be able to guess?
I am a black belt in Taekwondo.
Have you written any other books?
This is my first book! I have already started working on the second.
Assuming you may not write full-time, what is your day job?
I work in IT for a hospital.
How should someone get in touch with you?
Follow me on IG @authormanonjean
Website- www.authormanonjean.com
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