The Ocean Inside [Paperback] [Unknown Binding]

JANNA MCMAHAN (Author)

Product Details

• Unknown Binding
• ASIN: B003YT8WY0
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (23 customer reviews)

More About the Author

I grew up in Central Kentucky in the furtile farming land at the foothills of the Appalachians. It was this beautiful area that inspired me to write CALLING HOME. Often people say when they read CALLING HOME that they wish they could visit Kentucky. They say they can tell how much I love the land and it is true that I've got a little Scarlett O'Hara in me when it comes to the black dirt and old houses that belong to my family. While definately not autobiographical, I do think CALLING HOME is a true story of growing up a country teenager in the late 1970s when rock-n-roll ruled and opportunities were few.

I've lived in South Carolina most of my adult life. I set my second novel, THE OCEAN INSIDE, along the coast here. I was nervous to have people from my adopted state read my work as I tend to be very descriptive about land and culture. The best review I got was from the Myrtle Beach paper where they wrote, "You'd never know she's not a native." Whew. A little farther afield was a review from Publisher's Weekly that found THE OCEAN INSIDE "vividly drawn." PW writes, "McMahan's descriptions of the Lowcountry and its unique climate and customs jump off the page." So, I breathed another sigh of relief that the literati liked it, too.

I'm hoping 2012 is the year my new novel is released. If you'd like to keep up with my progress, please like my Facebook page. I post up all sorts of literary information every day. I'll be running giveaways on my FB page when my new novel comes out. I also have a Twitter account, but I'm pretty lazy about that.

www.Facebook.com/jannamcmahan
https://twitter.com/#!/JannaMc
Check out my website, too. www.JannaMcMahan.com.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

21 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful Read, July 13, 2009

By 

K. Davis (Columbia, SC) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Ocean Inside (Paperback)

The moment I started this book, I could not put it down. The story begins at once and never lets you loose. The chapters flowed together and did not drag with unimportant filler. Reading the book moves even faster as the story line progresses. I wanted to know what was next, I was living the story. I could not put it down. The characers were real and believable. At times, I felt I could have known this family from my community and been apart of their lives. The story has a purpose and at the end of the book, I was satisfied with the conclusion. (This does not always happen at the end of a book!)This is a book I have told my family and friends is a must read. I am now a big fan of Janna McMahan.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A new talent, March 6, 2010

By 

Patricia Kay "author and avid reader" (Houston, TX United States) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Ocean Inside (Paperback)

I have thoroughly enjoyed the two books of McMahan's that I've read, and I've passed them on to my sister, who enjoys good women's fiction, too. THE OCEAN INSIDE is the story of what happens to a family when tragedy strikes. It's the kind of story anyone can relate to, and the fact that it's beautifully written certainly helps. I appreciated McMahan's ability to keep the story moving and not to get bogged down into melodrama, although I agree with the reviewer who said the fight with the insurance company was a bit heavy-handed. Still, I understood why. Too often, our lives are controlled by forces we can't fight, and this was but one example of what can happen to people who are at the mercy of insurance companies and their bottom-line mentality. I'm looking forward to reading more of McMahan's books and hope she has a long and successful career. RECOMMENDATION: an enjoyable read for anyone who likes stories with family themes.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent novel, April 29, 2009

By 

Susan Crane "Tennis778" (Columbia, SC) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Ocean Inside (Paperback)

What a great novel from Janna McMahan. This is a wonderfully written story about a family's struggle with children's cancer and a young girl's coming of age. The story, set in the South Carolina town, Pawley's Island, has lots of South Carolina references. The story is told from all of the characters points of view and you feel their worry, pain and heartache. The characters are very real and human. You experience their struggles and begin to understand what families have to go through when cancer is diagnosed. Within each character the reader can find a part of themselves. Pick up a copy and take out to the beach with you this summer. But take plenty of sunscreen, because you won't want to put it down. Also, take a look at her first novel Calling Home as well.