Justine Manzano » Postcards & Authors

October 13, 2021

Justine Manzano – Never Say Never

I can’t write normal things… I get bored.

– Justine Manzano

Justine Manzano describes her sophomore novel, Never Say Never, as a YA romantic comedy with a sprinkling of fantasy. The cast of mostly students at Birchwood High School includes Brynn Stark, disillusioned with love and relationships, and Valentina Kokinos (Val), her friend who has challenged herself to find a guy for Brynn to love and vice versa. Brynn is super annoyed with Val.

Part of Justine Manzano\’s synopsis for Never Say Never describes an incident that is one of several reasons for Brynn\’s determination to avoid having a boyfriend.

After she walks in on her mom doing the horizontal mambo with a man that\’s decidedly not her dad, Brynn Stark swears off love. One of her friends – Val – is determined to change her mind, no matter the consequences. Prickly and cynical, Brynn tries to avoid Val\’s attempts at setting her up, until Val reveals her true identity–Aphrodite, goddess of love, who promises to show Brynn why she shouldn\’t lose faith.

Yes, you read it right. Val is Aphrodite in human form!

While writing Never Say Never, Justine Manzano drew from her life and her sister Meghan\’s to create Brynn. The BFF in the story, Nina, was inspired by Justine\’s life-long friend Joy. So much of the story is about female friendship; however, Adam, Reeve, and Raphael add plot lines and dimensions that make Never Say Never an entertaining and inspiring read.

Chapter one of Never Say Never can be read via Justine Manzano\’s website.

Justine\’s T-shirts & Mugs (not a store):

As I was scrolling through Justine Manzano\’s Instagram account, I noticed a photo of her wearing a T-shirt with graphic lettering. I recognized it as a group of phrases that I\’ve mostly seen on little flags on neighborhood lawns. Displayed across Justine\’s upper body was:

Science Is Real
Black Lives Matter
No Human Is Illegal
Love Is Love
Women\’s Rights Are Human Rights
Kindness Is Everything

\”That says a lot about Justine Manzano,\” I thought. I wondered if there were more photos with graphic T-shirts and began to scroll further.

The next one I found:

Fill your paper with the breathing of your heart
~Willam Wordsworth

\”I can\’t stop now!\” My curiosity about this high-spirited author, editor, wife, mother, and volunteer continued. More T-shirt photos came into view as I scrolled:

This Is My Good Side

Super Metroid – Nintendo

All that we see or seem is but a dream within a dream
~Edgar Allen Poe

Party Animal

Sword & Silk
(The publisher of Never Say Never)

The Bronx Is Reading

Poe &
Twain &
Steig &
Baldwin &
Clark &
Doctorow &
Paley &
Manzano
(All writers are from the Bronx. Manzano is Sesame Street’s Maria – Sonia Manzano.)

Love Not Hate

I Believe In Stardust

Eye Rolling Myself To Another Universe

Coffee Please

Rhinestone Cowgirl

Unique

Farscape
(Sci-Fi TV series)

Wonder Woman

National Novel Writing Month

NaNoWriMo
2015 Winner

LiteBrite
(a toy that illuminates)

The graphic mugs:

Camp NANOWRIMO

Keep It Simple – Life is Good
Do what you love, love what you do.

Noveling Power-Up
NaNoWriMo
CAFFEINE

Rise and SHINE Bitches

The Creatures of CAMP NANOWRIMO
(Halloween theme)

Awaken the Muse
National Novel Writing Month

I WRITE
Therefore I rewrite

EVERYTHING Taste Better WITH Cat Hair IN IT

Writer In Motion

On Justine\’s Lite Brite T-shirt post, she says [to herself]: \”You are a true professional, Justine. And I rarely say that to someone in a LiteBrite T-shirt.\”

Justine Manzano takes life seriously but doesn\’t take herself too seriously. Her novel Never Say Never reflects the creativity and out-of-the-boxness that is Justine\’s extraordinary trademark.

Justine Manzano was featured on Postcards and Authors in 2020 to celebrate her debut novel, The Order of the Key.

Thank you Justine, for this postcard of your beloved borough – The Bronx in word art. Am I alone in thinking that its shape looks like Moses on Mount Sinai? I love it! 🙂

~Anita~

Postcard by ICONYC. Credit to USPS for the mouse stamp! 🐭

Justine\’s postcard message says: Hi Anita, and all the readers here. Though my latest novel doesn\’t mention The Bronx, I decided to send a postcard that displayed all the diverse neighborhoods of my beloved borough of NYC. Wishing you the best, [Justine\’s signature]

October 12, 2020

Justine Manzano – The Order of the Key

If you have a story in your head, stick to it.

-Justine Manzano

On pub day for The Order of the Key, Justine Manzano imagined herself as an Oscar winner and wrote in her blog post, “I’m prone to hysterics and over-the-top happiness.” Justine’s YA Urban Fantasy novel was out in the world after a long gestation and ready to take its readers on a fast-paced, action-packed adventure.

Still in its infancy, readers who have yet to experience The Order of the Key can expect this setting when they open the book and enter a world of monsters, aliens, and superheroes:

Jacklyn Madison never expected to be attacked by a beast on an evening snack run. Add a rescue mission enacted by a trained regiment of teenaged warriors, and her night officially becomes just like a scene from one of her beloved comic books. Turns out, her parents were once members of The Order of the Key, gifted humans that protect humanity from creatures spilling through inter-dimensional rifts. Unable to control her newfound abilities, Jacklyn and her family rejoin the Order.

After an attack on their headquarters leaves Jacklyn questioning their leadership, Kyp—the boy who led her initial rescue—reveals a darker secret. The Order’s leader may be corrupt, and Jacklyn’s questions could put her family in danger. Drawn into the search for proof, Jacklyn must use her guts and magical brawn to protect her family, her friends, and herself from the monsters spilling from rifts, and those hiding within the Order.

(from Justine Manzano’s website)

Justine Manzano has said she has only two things in common with her character Jacklyn: her hometown of The Bronx and that she’s a smart mouth geek. However, the good versus evil theme certainly stems from Justine’s vibrant, enthusiastic personality – her ability to create heartfelt characters that do the right thing when other characters don\’t, keeping it all fantastical. Having a strong sense of family, Justine Manzano feels just as connected with significant people who she’s not biologically related to – another subliminal theme in The Order of the Key.

A second novel by Justine Manzano, Never Say Never, is scheduled for release on June 15, 2021.

When she’s not writing or spending time with her husband and son, Justine Manzano works as an editor at WriteHive. They are a literary organization that provides free services to people of all backgrounds who don’t have access to paid edits. Justine is passionate about championing beginning writers.

Another organization Justine is proud to be associated with is Boogie Down Books, “A Bookstore Without Walls.” It’s a pop-up in the Bronx, N.Y. that focuses on children, teens, educators, and caretakers. Signed copies of The Order of the Key are available via their pop-up (location listed on their website) or their contact page.

Readers, authors, bloggers, podcasters, book clubs: Justine Manzano is available via her contact page. Also listed are various ways to bond with her – You, who she considers her tribe.

Justine Manzano’s social media icons are shown on the bottom of her website pages.

Justine, the scene on this postcard in The Bronx, NY is beautiful! It’s a pleasure to imagine being there. Thank you for sending it for my collection. 🙂

~Anita~