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Malibu surfside news | January 25, 2018 | 11
Pepperdine graduate student
pens his way to self-discovery
Second, third
volumes of Sanoja’s
series scheduled to
release this year
Kateri Wozny
Freelance Reporter
In 2004,
Manny Sanoja
experienced
something no
child wants to
at an early age:
Sanoja
the loss of a
parent.
His father passed away,
suddenly, from a severe
asthma attack.
“It was a tough time,”
Sanoja said. “My dad was
the glue to our family and
we owned a family business
[Manny’s Mexican
Grill]. When something
painful like that happens
and that stability, love and
foundation is taken away,
you are lost for a while and
that provokes you to go on
a journey.”
The journey led Sanoja,
36, to writing about his
hardships, losses, self-care
and lessons learned.
In July 2017, after six
years of writing and selfdiscovery,
he self-published
the first volume of
his book, “Enlightened
Awakening: A Practical
Guide to Self-Awareness,
Hope and Healing.”
As Sanoja explains, the
inspirational guide provides
insight into life’s
deepest question: Why?
Through his own personal
experiences, observations
and deep longing to inspire
hope in others, Sanoja uses
everyday challenges and
Manny Sanoja, a Pepperdine graduate student, selfpublished
“Enlightened Awakening: A Practical Guide
to Self-Awareness, Hope and Healing” last year and
expects to publish the second and third volumes in the
series this year. Image Submitted
examples to provide a better
understanding on some
of life’s most difficult questions.
Some of the book’s
themes include hope, encouragement,
change, spirituality,
giving, love, purpose
and friendship.
“When my friends told
me they liked the book, it
made me feel validated and
that I resonated people in a
positive way,” Sanoja said.
“I found my calling as an
author.”
The second volume of
Enlightened Awakening is
to be released on Feb. 14,
while the third volume is
expected to be released on
Aug. 3, Sanoja’s birthday.
“The book is like a daily
devotion,” Sanoja said.
“Each volume is about 150
pages long, so about six
months of daily inspiration.
I want young people to pick
it up and feel inspired.”
Sanoja grew up reading
and writing poetry, noting
Chilean poet Pablo Neruda
as a particular source of inspiration.
To date, Sanoja
has written 300 poems.
“[Neruda] wrote about
Please see Manny, 15
A dose of How We Met history
Surfside News
shares excerpt from
last year’s contestwinning
entry
Lauren Coughlin, Editor
Last week, we announced
our How We Met contest.
This week, we wish to
offer all the lovebirds in a
Malibu a dose of inspiration.
Here’s a short snippet
from last year’s winning
entry, penned by Malibu’s
Nanci Iannone, on her high
school sweetheart and husband,
John: “It was that
WHOOMP kind of love that
you really only feel when
you’re 15. A big hug of your
heart that fills you up starting
in your toes, working its
way through you until your
cheeks are warm and you
can’t stop smiling. When
your mother says you can’t
see him Saturday night, you
sort of can’t breathe. Watching
him talk to that pretty
girl in his class makes your
head spin. But just sitting
next to him on the bus might
be the best thing that’s ever
happened in your whole life.
Yeah – it was like that. ...
Twenty five (!) years later,
a high school girlfriend
found me on AOL (“You’ve
got MAIL!”). Evidently
my name had fallen off the
alumni list when I came out
west but they’d found me
now and invited me to our
class’ 25th reunion. By the
end of the conversation I’d
managed to sneak in, “Does
anyone know whatever happened
to John?” and was
gobsmacked to hear that
he’d attended every reunion
since our first, always casually
asking the same question
about me. Could it be?
We’re now married 10
High school sweethearts John and Nanci Iannone, of
Malibu, won last year’s How We Met contest. This year’s
contest runs through noon on Wednesday, Feb. 7.
Photo Submitted
years, blissfully ensconced
here in the most beautiful
place on earth, with a cat
in the yard and a purple
motorcycle for the canyons,
and every anniversary we
look up to the skies and
thank those two moms who
were wise enough to know
that all good things really
do come to those who wait.”
The prizes
One lucky couple will
receive the following:
• A one-night stay in a
king premier oceanfront
guest room at Malibu
Beach Inn Hotel and
Spa (22878 Pacific
Coast Highway)
• A day of service,
including a massage
and facial, at CURE Spa
(22741 Pacific Coast
Highway)
• A $250 gift certificate
to Geoffrey’s Malibu
(27400 Pacific Coast
Highway)
It’s your turn!
Send the written story of
how you and your significant
other met to lauren@
malibusurfsidenews.com by
noon on Wednesday, Feb. 7.
We ask that entries are limited
to 500 words or less.
Please also send a photo
of you two as well as your
name, phone number and
home address. The contest
is only open to residents of
Malibu. The winning story
will appear in print in the Feb.
15 issue of the Surfside News
(addresses and phone numbers
will not be published).
Questions may be directed
to lauren@malibus
urfsidenews.com or (310)
457-2112.
For prize details, see the
infobox on this page. The
Surfside thanks Malibu
Beach Inn Hotel and Spa,
CURE Spa and Geoffrey’s
Malibu for generously
sponsoring the contest.