Interview With Author Dane Andrew
Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I live in Jamaica, West Indies and work as an Accountant at a housing financing institution. I’m also a disc jockey.
Books I have written are: The Martial Art: An Adam Emerson Novel (self-published on Amazon) & On Jamaica Government Service: An Adam Emerson Novel (Release date June 30, 2023, also on Amazon)
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The Martial Art: An Adam Emerson Novel.
The original title was going to be, Black Ninja. This was in honour of my mother, because when she was alive, she used to fall asleep in front of the tv and wake up and ask us if the movie was called Black Ninja. Up until now, I have not encountered a movie with that name, so I decided to create a story around that title, even though I eventually changed it.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
There are a lot of ideas swimming around in my head, so, instead of writing a story and choosing a name afterwards, I come up with a name I think is catchy and build my story around that. Also, I make every effort to ensure that the titles are ambiguous, not obvious.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
Clive Cussler, Robert Ludlum, Dan Brown, Jeffery Deaver, Vince Flynn, David Baldacci. Sydney Sheldon, James Patterson & Ted Bell.
What are you working on now?
On Jamaica Government Service: An Adam Emerson Novel. Book 2 in the series. It’s about human trafficking and illicit artefacts. the primary locales for this book are, Jamaica, USA and the Middle East.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I’m not really au fait with promotion, I’ve had limited success using Amazon ads. I’m hoping this and other sites will boost my readership.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write it down. wherever you are, and whatever you’re doing, if an idea comes to you, write it down. it might be the next big thing. Also, I used to fancy myself a “pantser”, that is, I wrote my first book almost entirely without an outline. That process took me 30 years to finish my first novel, mainly because I had no clear vision of the flow or details of the book. I knew how I wanted it to end, but I didn’t have a clear path to it.
My second novel took me only 18 months to complete, because I started with a clear outline.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
“Winners have scars, losers have funerals.” I heard this in a movie. It may be applied literally or figuratively. In the non-literal sense, I use it to fuel my actions, however, unattainable or frightening my dreams are, if I don’t try and achieve them, they’re eventually going to become nightmares and regrets.
So Ima go get it.
What are you reading now?
Reading: Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill
Listening to: Murder in Bermuda by James Patterson
What’s next for you as a writer?
Keep telling stories. Go on book tours to promote my creations. Visit new places to fuel my creative imagination.
If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown
Assassin by Ted Bell
The Burning Wire by Jeffery Deaver
Robert Ludlum’s The Janson Option by Paul Garrison
Author Websites and Profiles
Dane Andrew’s Social Media Links