08th
Jul
Jul
Today I’m excited to be among the first to see, and to
share, the brand new book ‘How to Be Manly’ by Maureen O’Leary Wanket coming
September 2014 from Giant Squid Books. ‘How to Be
Manly’ is a Young Adult Contemporary novel. The cover art is by Jillian
Blazek at JillianBlazek.com.
The Book:
“When you start this program, your whole life will
change.”
change.”
When Fatty Matty Sullivan finds a self-help book by
former football great Tad Manly at a yard sale, he secretly starts following
the old pro’s advice to turn himself into the kind of guy super hot Cassie Bale
will love.
former football great Tad Manly at a yard sale, he secretly starts following
the old pro’s advice to turn himself into the kind of guy super hot Cassie Bale
will love.
But between taking care of his grandfather, trying to
pass remedial Algebra, and getting caught up in his friend Jester’s
half-bakedweed-dealing schemes, Matt’s summer isn’t quite the game-changer he’d
planned. And when on top of it all his dad moves back in with his own plans to
get rich quick, Matt suddenly has much bigger things to worry about. It turns
out that there might be more to being manly than he thought.With the humor and
insight of YA favorites Judy Blume and Louis Sachar Maureen O’Leary Wanket’s
debut is a sharp, comic novel about trying to do the right thing…even when
you’re not sure what that is.
pass remedial Algebra, and getting caught up in his friend Jester’s
half-bakedweed-dealing schemes, Matt’s summer isn’t quite the game-changer he’d
planned. And when on top of it all his dad moves back in with his own plans to
get rich quick, Matt suddenly has much bigger things to worry about. It turns
out that there might be more to being manly than he thought.With the humor and
insight of YA favorites Judy Blume and Louis Sachar Maureen O’Leary Wanket’s
debut is a sharp, comic novel about trying to do the right thing…even when
you’re not sure what that is.
For more information about ‘How to Be Manly’ please visite Goodreads and Giant Squid Books & How to Be Manly.
And now without further
ado the cover of ‘How to Be Manly’……..
ado the cover of ‘How to Be Manly’……..
About the Book:
The cover of ‘How to Be Manly’ shows snippets of Matt
Sullivan’s story: donuts, his favorite food; grass stains from long days on the
football field; a stack of cash. In a series of cover-reveal posts, author
Maureen O’Leary Wanket talks about the importance of each of these things to
Matt’s story.
Sullivan’s story: donuts, his favorite food; grass stains from long days on the
football field; a stack of cash. In a series of cover-reveal posts, author
Maureen O’Leary Wanket talks about the importance of each of these things to
Matt’s story.
Maureen O’Leary Wanket on money in ‘How to Be Manly’:
In ‘How to Be Manly’, fifteen year-old Matty Sullivan and
his grandmother have a loving relationship and a shared sense of responsibility
for his Alzheimers-afflicted grandfather. Through the course of the
summer between his freshman and sophomore years of high school, Matty’s life
spins into turmoil when his grandfather’s health worsens, his roof falls in and
his dad comes back to town to break up the family. ‘How to Be Manly’ follows
Matty’s struggle to keep his family together, find love and become a good man
despite a father who makes all of his problems worse.
his grandmother have a loving relationship and a shared sense of responsibility
for his Alzheimers-afflicted grandfather. Through the course of the
summer between his freshman and sophomore years of high school, Matty’s life
spins into turmoil when his grandfather’s health worsens, his roof falls in and
his dad comes back to town to break up the family. ‘How to Be Manly’ follows
Matty’s struggle to keep his family together, find love and become a good man
despite a father who makes all of his problems worse.
In my work as a high school teacher in the past decade, I
see first hand how aware of their family’s financial problems students are
now. Kids know when their parents are anxious about money. Since the
recession, I’ve noticed that young people are smarter about financial realities
than they used to be. On one hand it’s sad because the average student isn’t
applying to college thinking she’ll follow her bliss. She’s concerned
about paying for it without crippling debt, and she’s planning her major so
that she can support herself. On the other hand, it’s great that kids want to
avoid debt.
see first hand how aware of their family’s financial problems students are
now. Kids know when their parents are anxious about money. Since the
recession, I’ve noticed that young people are smarter about financial realities
than they used to be. On one hand it’s sad because the average student isn’t
applying to college thinking she’ll follow her bliss. She’s concerned
about paying for it without crippling debt, and she’s planning her major so
that she can support herself. On the other hand, it’s great that kids want to
avoid debt.
‘How to Be Manly’ is a novel for anyone who has ever
worried about money. It’s about overcoming enormous obstacles through
cooperation and hidden resources you didn’t even know you had.
worried about money. It’s about overcoming enormous obstacles through
cooperation and hidden resources you didn’t even know you had.
Excerpt:
I went down the numbers again. Then I looked
through the bills open on the table. I picked up a pencil and made a list
of numbers. Everything we owed. Everything Grandma and Grandpa took
in with Social Security and their pensions. Before they retired, Grandma
was a teacher and Grandpa was an engineer and worked for the state. She’d
explained to me before that they had to be careful with money but I was never
supposed to worry. They would always have enough to get by. We
would always be okay.
She always told me not to worry.
I added up the numbers. I worried.About the Author:
Maureen O’Leary Wanket is a writer and teacher living in
Sacramento, California with her husband and two daughters. ‘How To Be Manly’ is
inspired by the humor and courage of the students she’s met in her classrooms
over the past twenty years.
Sacramento, California with her husband and two daughters. ‘How To Be Manly’ is
inspired by the humor and courage of the students she’s met in her classrooms
over the past twenty years.
Maureen’s short stories have appeared in Esopus, Xenith, Fiction
at Work, Blood and Thunder, Musings on the Art of Medicine and Prick of the
Spindle. ‘How To Be Manly’ is her first novel. Follow her on Twitter.
at Work, Blood and Thunder, Musings on the Art of Medicine and Prick of the
Spindle. ‘How To Be Manly’ is her first novel. Follow her on Twitter.
Giveaway:
Giveaway courtesy of Giant Squid Books.
This event was organized by CBB Book Promotions.
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Maureen is a mom, wife, nurse, and Ravenclaw living in the Netherlands. She spends her days juggling mom-life, reading, blogging, planning date nights with her husband and working as a nurse. Maureen also is a big Anglophile, loves cooking, Gilmore Girls, Bridgerton and Harry Potter.. Always! Facebook | Instagram
I really like this guest post because I remember money always being an issue as a kid and teen. I don't think it's something that talked about a lot in books but I remember it being something I thought about a lot as a teen because I had so few options because of it.
Thanks so much for posting the reveal!
I totally agree. Money is a big issue, not only for grown-ups but for children too. To be honest I think most parents don’t realize how much their children are aware of the things that are happening around them. I remember a lot of things about when I was little and how my mom struggled to pay for my education.
You’re welcome! I really love this cover. It’s gorgeous. 😉