As the sixth of seven children, she would get time out from her busy home life in her school library, and become lost in her favourite books.
"I loved The Berenstain Bears, as the kids always learned by realising what not to do," she said.
"I related to the story of The Little Red Hen, as she was looking for someone to help her, and no-one put their hand up.
"That stuck with me. I was 15, driving to work, and thinking, 'who's going to help me?'
"Looking back on it, it was the self-helped book I craved then that let me write my book today."
Around that time, Mrs McManaway realised she wanted a career helping others.
She tried her hand working in resthome care, oncology wards, for Rape Crisis, and as a counsellor -- but "nothing felt right".
"Then, I met a woman who told me 'you'd make a bloody good life coach'.
"I said, 'what the hell is that?'"
Ten years later, Mrs McManaway is chief executive of her life coaching business, LYF4U, and works with everyone from stressed parliamentary workers, to wealthy business people wanting more from life, to people struggling with depression.
She eventually joined up with the Professional Woman Network and, along with each of the ambassadors, wrote a chapter for the collective's manual The Power of Transformation.
Last year, network chief executive Linda Eastman offered her a scholarship to write a book of her own -- which Mrs McManaway said was "exciting", but daunting, as she had only months in which to write.
"Basically, I just typed, and didn't bother about punctuation or grammar -- an English teacher would have torn their hair out.
"My husband was so patient -- we went on holiday to Castlepoint, and he'd be sitting there while I wrote for about four hours straight."
As 60 per cent of Mrs McManaway's clients are men, her book is written in a straightforward style, with several analogies to cars, motors, machines, and featuring comical car-themed illustrations from her son, Regan.
"When men come to me, they want answers -- they're over it, and they want action already.
"I've kept it as simple as possible. No smoke and mirrors -- just common sense solutions for getting your life on track.
"Like instructions to look after a car, but for your mind."
