Born in rural Oklahoma, Blanche is a fourth generation daughter of Cherokee County. She grew up mostly in rural settings.
In high school, her favorite subjects were English and Journalism. She was a member of the Quill and Scroll Club at Tahlequah High. She earned her Bachelor’s degree from Northeastern State University, got married, taught school, and became a mom. Later, she earned a master’s degree in education and teaching certificates in reading and early childhood education. While teaching, Blanche worked part time for the Tahlequah Daily Press as a feature writer. During this time, she wrote articles on Tahlequah’s history, the people and events that shaped this capital of the Cherokee Nation.
Blanche Day Manos is the author of three Darcy Campbell and Flora Tucker cozy mysteries. Fans of this series have followed the mother and daughter duo through their adventures and narrow escapes in The Cemetery Club and Grave Shift. The third book in the trilogy, Best Left Buried made its debut November 1. The first two books, previously published, are re-edited, re-formatted, and have new cover pictures. The third is being published for the first time. Soon, Grave Heritage will join the Darcy and Flora series as the duo encounter more strange happenings in the small town of Levi, Oklahoma.
In November, 2015, a new cozy mystery series launched with the publication of Moonlight Can Be Murder. In this first book, Nettie Elizabeth Duncan McNeil (Ned for short) comes back to her hometown of Ednalee, Oklahoma in answer to a desperate cry for help. Ned finds herself ducking a depraved killer while fighting to clear her own name in a tangled murder plot.
Blanche has written for many years. Her articles, short stories and poems have appeared in periodicals such as Turtle, Humpty Dumpty, Wee Wisdom, Cricket, Jack and Jill, Guide, The Friend, and Keys for Kids. Other sales include articles and verse to Grit, Ozark Mountaineer, Good Old Days, Cappers, The Secret Place, Christian Life, The Gem, Leanin’ Tree, Instructor and Christian Teacher. One of her poems, Cloud Animals, was published in a book by Fitzhugh Dodson, Give Your Child a Head Start In Reading.
Her weekly column, “Looking Back” appeared in The Tahlequah Daily Press for several years. While living in Oklahoma, Blanche wrote two books on the early life of her mother, Susie Latty Day. These books, The Heritage of Etta Bend and Remembering Etta Bend, are now out of print. She currently writes on assignment for Union Gospel Press.
Since her move to Northwest Arkansas a few years back to be near her son and his family, Blanche’s days are filled with working on her current cozy mystery, public speaking promoting her books, and enjoying life only minutes away from those two most inspiring and fascinating characters, her grandchildren.
