Every story begins with a spark. For J.A. Manier, that spark ignited into an epic, action-packed series rooted in resilience, imagination, and the complexities of a changing world.
In this special AutoCrit Author Interview, we sat down with J.A. to explore the inspiration behind her series The Kind Chronicles, her experience winning the Novel90 Writing Challenge, and how community, persistence, and a touch of competitive spirit helped her cross the finish line.
Plus, she shares a sneak peek at her thrilling new project, featuring an unforgettable assassin you won’t want to miss.
Tell us about your book? Can you share a synopsis?
After escaping a facility secretly holding children with supernatural abilities captive, fourteen year old Zack Barkley attempts to protect his gifted brother and new friends and lead them to safety. Struggling between leading a superhuman army in an upcoming war, or just being a kid, Zack’s journey helps him embrace not only his ability to choose his own path, but the importance of letting his friends choose theirs as well. Even if they’re only ten. The major obstacle is Ansley Hawthorne, who is on a quest to restore the power taken from her by Zack, and to gain power over Zack and his friends. An unexpected plot twist occurs when it’s revealed that the undercover agents General Donovan put in place before the pandemic are in danger of capture, forcing Zack to accept responsibility as the leader of a rebel superhuman army, and rescue the men and the children with them.
What inspired you to write this story?
The inspiration for this book, and the first one (The Kind: Awakened) came to me in 2019, when rumors of a strange flu in China began. News programs talked about the possibility of it spreading and becoming a pandemic. Honestly, I don’t watch the news much, so I only saw glimpses of things, and through that the big “What If” swirled around in my head. Being a nurse at a children’s hospital, I’ve seen the yearly scares, the epidemics, the mass hysteria, and the results. It always results in my most hated part of the job—the shot. There’s always a shot. Always a vaccine.
As I was thinking of the next poke in the arm I’d have to endure because of the messy panic that was rising, an idea formed and GOHD was born. That’s the Global Organizational Health Department in my story. They created a vaccine, on orders from the Global Economic Forum, (GEF), meant to control the minds of all Man Kind. But their manipulation of the vaccine had unexpected side effects, creating superhuman abilities in children and a very small number of adults. A new KIND awakened and with book 2 that new KIND is fighting for their right to survive in a dystopian world.
What motivated you to enter the Novel90 Writing Challenge specifically?
My first book, The Kind: Awakened, was the original idea for this story. It was published in October 2021. Zack Barkely: The Kind Chronicles, is the continuation of the story. Book two was supposed to be called Rising, but I wasn’t satisfied with the final product of book one after it was published.
Then I found AutoCrit and AutoCrit Academy, and everything changed. My writing improved, my understanding of flow and structure improved, as well as genre expectations, and so many more things, I can’t list them all. The tools that AutoCrit has are awesome. I began entering every contest on AutoCrit I could, each one improving my skills, but my novel was suffering. I’d started and stopped so many times, and changed so much, I was lost. Then the Novel90 Challenge came along and I used it to light a fire under me and finish the novel.
What role does community play in your writing/publishing process?
The community at AutoCrit is very helpful and encouraging. I like interacting with other authors during the classes and clubs. Not only do I learn from the host, but from the other authors, and have a little fun while doing it.
What was it about Novel 90 that helped you cross the finish line for this project?
Having a schedule, deadline, and people expecting to see what I wrote helped push me to finish. And of course competition. Nothing like having people to compete against and prizes to win (even if it’s only being recognized as a winner) to motivate you to keep moving.
Tell us about the moment when you learned you won the Grand Prize for Novel 90 Team Pantser! What did that mean for you?
Just getting on the Shortlist was thrilling, but winning the Grand Prize is beyond words. I have been on the short list on a few of the other contests through AutoCrit, but this one—an entire novel—I never thought my writing would win. I was so nervous waiting to hear who won the grand prize that I was shocked and speechless when they said my name.
Are you working on any new writing projects? Can you give us a sneak peek?
Currently, I am working on a new project. Taking a short break from The KIND series, but will pick that up again after this current project is complete. I don’t have a title for this book yet, just ideas for the title. I plan for it to be a series with this first one being her journey to becoming an assassin.
Possible title: “Shifting Careers: Grandsassin, Book 1, or Grandsassin’s Ledger, Book 1”.
Grandma has a new job. She’s an assassin.
In this novel a sixty year old woman, Victoria Jeager (Vic), goes from being a career firefighter, Chief of a small town fire department, to forced retirement. Her pension is lost because the town went bankrupt, her career has ended because of a new government mandate—penalizing employers with older employees to encourage them to hire young. Then, she’s squeezed out of her home by the creation of a 15 minute city going in right where her home sits.
Trying to make the best out of a bad situation, she sets out to create a new life with her cousin, Lauren Jaeger (Ren), (who has also been aged out of her job) only to find out her cousin is dying of lung cancer. In an attempt to save Ren’s life, they enter into an experimental and costly treatment program. They have to travel (on a cruise ship) to Argentina for this mysterious treatment that is going to use blood from Vic, mixed with the unknown experimental treatment, to cure Ren. The title gives a hint.
In answer to potential questions: Yes, there will be shape shifting. No, it is not a paranormal romance!
Well, that sounds amazing. Where can we follow your work?
You can find me on my website, Instagram, X, Goodreads, and Facebook. My first novel The Kind: Awakened is on available for sale at Amazon and Barnes & Noble.
For more of our conversation, be sure to check out the full interview on our YouTube channel. Registration is now open for Novel 90: Summer Edition and the 2nd Annual Novel 90 Writing Challenge! We hope to see you there!
