Tell us something unexpected about yourself!
I am a self-termed ghetto retiree from Detroit. I spent six years living and working in Japan and appreciate my fellow human beings for their skills, values and social behaviors.
How did you get into writing?
A family member encouraged me to stop filling his ears with all of my thoughts. He reasoned that what I had to say would be beneficial to others and it would be a great way to give his eardrums a break.
What are your top 3 books of all time?
Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand, The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas, The Life and Times of Frederick Douglass by Frederick Douglass
Where did you get the inspiration for your current book?
Like many people I grew tired of hearing the same negative political rhetoric concerning race relations in America. I used my own life experiences to start a new narrative on the subject and provide possible solutions.
How long did it take you to write this book?
I published the book sixty months after I first set down and started writing it.
Have you got any writing rituals?
Just keep writing, rewriting and slip some bourbon. Repeat.
How important is marketing and social media for you?
It is very important to me. We live in a world with a very short attention span that is dominated by social media. Social media allows an author to visit a potential reader in their homes, on their jobs, on airplanes and on vacation. Social media is essential in any marketing plan.
Do you read your book reviews?
Yes, I read every single one. Five-star reviews get my five-star level of attention.
What advice would you have for other writers?
I'll pass along the best advice I have ever received. Once you start writing don't stop until it is published.
What are you reading now?
The Second Machine Age: Work, Progress Prosperity in a Time of Brilliant Technologies By Erik Brynjolfsson and Andrew McAfee
What's your next step?
My next steps are to promote the ideas presented in my book.
Follow Andre on Twitter @1hourmentor
