I first came across Joey Manley's novel in an interview from Genre magazine flying from Los Angeles to Birmingham, Alabama. A year later I met him there at a book signing (or was it a bar?) We became fast friends. Even discovered I grew up in town this novel is based upon. Strange time, the early 90's. He helped me over a nasty break-up - I later helped him move to Kentucky, where he'd planned to begin his next novel. Over the next several years I would read and re-read "The Death of Donna-May Dean" and try unsuccessfuly to reach his last known number.

A few days ago, I found myself laughing in the kitchen - skimming pages...taken by the characters of Jamie, Keller and Thomas and the revelation of Donna-May Dean. This was a new copy I'd found by special order from a local bookshop; when it arrived they said it was officially out-of-print. I'd since given the two copies Joey gave me to friends over the years. This one will stay with me, and get read and re-read. Glad to find you here at Amazon.com. Thanks Stonewall Editions. It looks like I'll still have to wait for his next novel... but I'll wait!