Today in an all new session, we have the man behind the greatest and incredibly thrilling novels of Darko Dawson series which are all based in a not so explored land called Ghana. Kwei Quartey is the author of
Wife of the God,
Children of the Street and
Murder at Cape Three Points and many other tasteful and intriguing novels. We are all so glad to have him between us for a little chat. So what are you waiting for, scroll down to know more about Kwei Quartey.
Read the review of the book, Murder at Cape Three Points, here
Me: Hello Kwei, and welcome to my blog. And congratulations on your
new book, Murder at Cape Three Points. Please tell us briefly about
your latest book.
Kwei: Detective Darko Dawson
investigates a bizarre murder of a man and his wife who were pillars of
society in an up-and-coming city on Ghana’s coast, where offshore oil
has been discovered at Cape Three Points. Bitter family feuds, petroleum
greed, angry fishermen and zealous environmentalists make up a very
full list of suspects.
Me: You're a very successful doctor- a physician right? And doctors
have to take the oath that no matter what their patients lives comes
before anything, so how do you abide by this rule, when apart from
your patients, you've some thrilling and intriguing stories to
create? I mean how do you juggle being successful at both the
things?
Kwei: I compartmentalize the two. My
schedule and practice is such that it doesn’t suffer as a result of my
writing. It means I have to manage my time efficiently. Many physician
writers have existed through time: Anton Chekhov, Sir Arthur Conan
Doyle, Michael Crighton, Robin Cook, Khaled Hosseini are a few examples.
Me: You're a successful author having been awarded as the
Best Male Author in Los Angeles by G.O.G. National Book Club. How
do feel about being an author? Are there any perks apart from
writing and creating your own stories?
Kwei: I love being a writer, but awards don’t mean much as much to me as the satisfaction I get from people reading my books.
Me: I only read the Murder at Cape Three Points book. But your other
books are also based on various locations of Ghana. So do you
travel extensively for the purpose of research for your plots?
Kwei: The other novels, Wife of the Gods, and Children of the Street, are
also set in Ghana. I always travel to the locations in Ghana where my
books are set so I can see the local color for myself and observe life
as it exists there.
Me: In the last book, you've taken your readers to a city in Ghana.
But right now you are living in California and have been
living there for quite a long time. So what made you craft this
tale, Murder at Cape Three Points with such vividness? It's like you
took your readers on a trip to Cape Three Points to solve a murder
mystery?
Kwei: I grew up in Ghana and it’s more meaningful for me to set my stories there instead of where I live now. I try to show readers the scenery rather than describe. It’s not always easy and I don’t think I always succeed.
Me: Who or what's the inspiration behind your protagonist, Darko
Dawson?
Kwei: He’s probably a combination of
many different people I have known, perhaps a bit of me in him as well,
but he’s loyal to the things that matter to him the most: his family,
and bringing murderers to justice.
Me: In that book, you've written about so much political instability and
corruption in Ghana. Is that true? How did you get all the insider's
story behind all those political turmoil?
Kwei: There’s plenty I can get
online, in the newspapers and from talking to people who are highly
placed in government or trade. Some things in the book are taken from
real occurrences, others are made up.
Me: You're days are full with patients, taking care of them and also
writing some great novels. Do you even get time to unwind yourself
at the end of the day? And even if you do, how do you relax your
mind?
Kwei: Yes, I have enough time to unwind. Thank goodness for Netflix.
Me: What's next up on your writing sleeves? Please tell us briefly
about it.
Kwei: My next Darko Dawson novel is
GOLD OF THE FATHERS, in which Darko investigates the death of an illegal
Chinese miner in Ghana, where thousands of Chinese people have been
arriving to engage in illicit alluvial gold mining. I think there’s a
bit more action and suspense in this one compared to the first three.
Me: Thank you so much for sparing time for me to have an Author
Q&A Session on my blog. I'm really grateful to you for your
generosity. I can only wish you all the best in all your future
endeavors.
Kwei: Thank you. I very much appreciate your interest, and hope your readers will give my novels a try.
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Kwei's Bio:
Kwei Quartey is a crime fiction writer and physician living in Pasadena,
California. Having practiced medicine for more than 20 years while
simultaneously working as a writer, he has attained noteworthy
achievements in both fields. Dr. Quartey balances the two professions by
dedicating the early morning hours to writing before beginning a day in
his clinic.
Kwei Quartey attended medical school at Howard
University in Washington, D.C. In 1990, he began practicing medicine in
California with HealthCare Partners. Dr. Quartey later founded the
facility's wound care center while working as an urgent care physician.
As
a crime fiction writer, Kwei Quartey made the Los Angeles Times
Bestseller List in 2009. The following year, the G.O.G. National Book
Club awarded him the title of Best Male Author. Having published Wife of
the Gods and Children of the Street, he is anticipating the release of a
third novel in the series, Murder at Cape Three Points, in March 2014.
Death at the Voyager Hotel, a mystery e-novella not belonging to the
series, was published August 2013. Dr. Quartey is also a member of the
Los Angeles chapter of Sisters in Crime, a fiction writers’
organization.
Connect With Kwei On: Facebook | Twitter | Email
20 November 2014
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Thank you, Aditi, for a beautifully laid out interview.
ReplyDeleteThank you and it was my pleasure :)
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