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About the Book

In this inspirational story of hope, a first-time mom is faced with unthinkable circumstances. This was no the pregnancy any woman would have planned. This mom was forced to face the option of abortion while medical professional said her son would never survive a day outside the womb. There were many harsh words used to describe her precious unborn child, including the devastating declaration, “not compatible with life.”

Miracle In My Living Room chronicles a nearly 11-year journey for this mom, who when faced with absolutely no hope, found that there was ONLY hope.

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About the Author

Evelyn Mann is a stay-at-home mom who lives in Tampa, Florida raising her special needs son, aka,  “Miracle Mann.” She has been featured on WFLA Channel 8, Fox35 Orlando, Inspirational Radio and the Christian Television Network. Her Miracle Mann blog sharing her journey as a special needs mother has received 2 million hits. She is a contributor to both Tampa Bay Mom’s Blog and the online community, The Mighty.

Her son is one of eleven survivors worldwide living with Thanatophoric Dwarfism.

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Q&A

Q: What began your love for writing?

A: My dad read many books when I was growing up. His love for reading peaked my curiosity. I followed in his footsteps and began to read all the time. I remember being fascinated with the story of The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis. I was captivated. My love for reading never extinguished. The natural progression for me was to write, mostly in my diary. I remember one diary had a lock and key.

In high school, I wrote for the school newspaper. Around the same time, a travel article of one of my adventures was published by a local newspaper. Receiving payment for my first writing job gave me hope of being published one day. I continued journaling into my 20’s. But, I never felt I had a big enough topic for a full-length book.

This changed when my son was born. Then I had a story to tell.

Q: What is something most people don’t know about you?

A: My living accommodations as a child were not what you would call “traditional.” From age 3 to age 21, I lived on a 41 foot modified Spencer sailboat. Living onboard was a way of life which I considered normal. We often spent weekends sailing various islands in the Vancouver, British Columbia area.

By age 9, we went on a grand adventure which opened my eyes to a world of distant lands and languages. We sailed the coast of Washington state, California, and Central America. After traversing the Panama Canal, we bypassed most of the Carribean and settled in  Texas.

Q: What compelled you to write Miracle In My Living Room: The Story Of A Little Mann?

A: The rollercoaster ride my husband and I experienced during the birth and early months of my son’s life reminded me of a Lifetime movie. Except, we had no assurances of a happy ending. Doctors were telling us my son had a “not compatible with life” diagnosis.

We were told of two survivors who lived in Japan. One passed at 3-years-old and another at 7-years-old. That is all the information we were given. No parents to call, no hope from the doctors, and no survivors to point out. We faced incredible odds, and yet we believed for a miracle.

I wrote the memoir to offer hope to others facing unthinkable circumstances. To show miracles can and do happen. I also wanted parents whose children are diagnosed with this lethal form of dwarfism to have a resource to share with their doctors.

Q: What would surprise readers about your memoir?

A: Through the pages of the memoir, the reader encounters my heartbeat as a mother willing her son to live. However, the story is not only from my perspective.  My husband wrote a daily journal, and I used his notes to write the book. So, my husband’s perspective can also be seen.

He advocated for our son with the doctors and nurses and approached our circumstances with a “how can we fix this” mentality. He never gave up and offered me his shoulders to lean on. One reader told me my husband’s example could help other couples, facing their own unthinkable circumstances, to also never give up.

Q: Did you consider writing your memoir as fiction?

A: Yes, but I wasn’t sure the scenarios we experienced would seem real to a fiction audience. The truth was indeed weirder than fiction. And when I started writing, I couldn’t separate myself from the story to create fictional characters. Instead, I needed to write the whole story from a first person perspective to describe what happened.

I am working on my first fiction work writing a children’s book. Children are curious about little Samuel, and a children’s book is a great way to help them understand dwarfism.

Q: Do you think a fiction audience would appreciate a memoir?

A: The memoir reads like a fiction novel with many twists and turns. I also included fiction writing techniques with lots of dialogue. Many readers have told me they couldn’t put the book down. So, yes, I believe a fiction audience would appreciate this true account of a little boy defying all odds to become a miracle.

Q: Where can our readers learn more about your miraculous story?

A: Samuel was “interviewed” in a video posted by Special Books By Special Kids. This video has been viewed 2 million times. You can hear and see Samuel’s giggle and laugh firsthand here.

My interviews on WFLA Channel 8, Fox35 Orlando, Inspirational Radio and the Christian Television Network can be found on our website.

You can also see pictures and videos on Facebook.

Q: Where can our readers pick up a copy of the memoir?

A: Purchase Miracle in My Living Room ebook or a signed copy of the paperback.

 

 Join me in thanking Evelyn for sharing her story with us by leaving her a comment below!