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Kwei's Blog: Latest News
Upcoming visit to GH
I will be blogging from Ghana March 4 to March 27, during which time I will be visiting the cities of Accra and Sekondi-Takoradi. I will blog as often as time and Internet access allow. The purpose of the visit … Continue reading
OCCUPY NIGERIA
Occupy Wall Street spawned scores of other occupy movements. One that you might not have heard of is Occupy Nigeria, which came to life at the beginning of 2012. Nigeria is a major oil exporter to the US. Read about it … Continue reading
THE GIRL WHOSE MOVIE HASN’T DONE SO WELL (SO FAR)
A friend of mine told me she had read all the books in the massively successful international hit Stieg Larsson’s Millennium Trilogy and that she had read some good reviews on the new movie, The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, based … Continue reading
WW1 AND THE SLAUGHTER OF INNOCENT CREATURES
Spoiler alert: this contains a review of the movie “War Horse” and has some references to the story line. War is a senseless exercise usually started and maintained by men, some of them crazy, megalomaniacal idiots. In war, women and … Continue reading
Human Rights in Africa
Many African countries have signed the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights, but as Hillary Clinton has said, “one group whose human rights are still denied in too many parts of the world today.” In sub-Saharan Africa, there is something of … Continue reading
Tags Africa, Hillary Clinton, human rights
Huffington Post posts article on cocoa and chocolate
Founded in 2005 by Arianna Huffington and Kenneth Lerer, the Huffington Post receives a large amount of traffic: 15.6 million views per weekday, according to Quantcast. It publishes about 100 original pieces every day in its politics section alone and is considered one … Continue reading
FPIF (not to be confused with TGIF)
I’m honored to have been invited to be a regular columnist for the online publication Foreign Policy in Focus (FPIF), which is a think tank for those who believe a more humane foreign policy is both possible and necessary. My first two articles on FPIF, … Continue reading
THE PEOPLE’S CHOICE
Many thanks to all for the terrific response to my blog Title for Book 3 in search of a new title for the 3rd Darko Dawson mystery. Apart from nominating the choices offered on the blog, some of you suggested your own … Continue reading
THE PEOPLE’S CHOICE
Many thanks to all for the terrific response to my blog Title for Book 3 in search of a new title for the 3rd Darko Dawson mystery. Apart from nominating the choices offered on the blog, some of you suggested your … Continue reading
Ghana Scores Another Top
After being cited by Economy Watch as the fastest growing GDP country in the world in the first half of 2011, Ghana made it onto another list, coming in at number 6 on Frommer’s Top Destinations 2012.
TITLE FOR BOOK 3
I’ve been thinking of a new working title for the 3rd Darko Dawson novel. This is all preliminary, of course. Working titles often end up being changed by the publisher, but I need a new way to refer to the … Continue reading
Tags Cape Three Points, Ghana, oil, Tullow Oil
E-BOOKS AND THE BLUDGEONING OF PUBLISHING
It’s been just over a year since I wrote about electronic books and the perils of publishing. Since then, developments have been hurtling us even faster into a future that’s already here. It’s affecting the entire book world and its components: … Continue reading
Tags Amazon, Borders, Darko Dawson mystery, e-books, Ghana, Kindle, Kobo, Nook, publishing, Random House
Oil in Ghana
A commentary by Kwei Quartey on Foreign Policy in Focus called Dismantling Elmina Castle.
Technology in Ghana: blessing or curse?
An interview I did on mongabay.com has spun off a number of other articles, the latest being E-week Europe’s Technology in Ghana: A Blessing Or a Curse? by Sophie Curtis. In a nutshell, Ghana is forging forward with the goal … Continue reading
Tags eweekeurope, Mongabay.com, Sophie Curtis, WEEE
Education Nation
During the week of September 25, 2011, NBC News held an Education Nation Summit. Along with Tavis Smiley’s TV program “Too Important to Fail”, it got my brainwheels turning and I wrote my own piece with some personal reflections.
WEST HOLLYWOOD BOOK FAIR
This weekend, the West Hollywood Book Fair will be held on Sunday October 2. If you’re in LA this weekend, please plan to come and spend a couple hours at the fair. I’ll be on a panel at 1130 AM … Continue reading
West Hollywood Book Fair
The 10th annual West Hollywood Book Fair is coming up Sunday October 2nd, 2011. This is one of the largest and most lively book fairs I’ve attended over the years. This year, I’ll be on a panel discussion called … Continue reading
Hardware Scavengers
Alexis Madrigal, senior editor at The Atlantic and author of Powering the Dream has written an article called The Hardware Scavengers of Ghana about the dangerous world of TV and computer recycling in Accra’s Agbogbloshie slum. It features some of … Continue reading
Electronic waste in Ghana: a mountainous problem
Ever wonder where your electronic waste (e-waste) – computers, TVs, and the like – ends up? When we go to those hazardous materials depots in different cities, most of us imagine that all this stuff goes to a special “hazmat” … Continue reading
Fighting corrupt government
Did you know there was a Voice of Russia (VOR) like Voice of America (VOA)? Neither did I until I found myself doing an interview with them that they called Children of the Street: Fighting corrupt government.
Tags Voice of Russia
Africa’s crime writers are coming to the fore
Cary Darling, McClatchy Newspapers, has written an interesting article about Africa’s crime writers:
Diaspora Authors Shed Light on Africa
Nico Colombant writes about two authors in the African diaspora.
Watch, listen
Radio interview with KPFA’s Walter Turner, Africa Today (the discussion is preceded by a couple of announcements – bear with it or push the time marker forward a little to 02:25). TV interview with Connie Martinson, Connie Martinson Talks Books. You’ll … Continue reading
The Pasadena Book Club & Writing
I spent some time with the Pasadena Book Club on Sunday Aug 14. Jackie, one of the members had been at my Vroman’s book signing and the group were kind enough to invite me to their book club meeting. It’s … Continue reading
On the Hill & Dale show
Great interview on Wednesday August 3rd with Lucie Hill and Sharon Dale of LA Talk Radio. Scroll down the Hill & Dale page to catch me on their program, as well as all the other shows they’ve done. Sharon and Lucie often … Continue reading
A perceptive book review
In a review of CHILDREN OF THE STREET on her blog Murder by Type, Beth Crowley demonstrates a deep understanding of the worldwide social problem of homeless children.
E-buying options
I encourage readers who like paper to keep on buying the traditional book, but this being 2011, many have indicated that they would prefer to have the e-version of CHILDREN OF THE STREET (COTS). If so, there are so many options. … Continue reading
Tags Amazon, Android, iBookstore, iPad, Kindle, Nook, Sony Reader
Eso Won Books – discussion and signing
Wonderful crowd at Eso Won on a balmy evening of July 19 2011. We had a great discussion on Ghana, the world, and Darko Dawson, a lively Q & A and some good laughs. A small world when a childhood … Continue reading
The weekend, book-signing, & sundry
Spent a very quiet weekend at home working on the third novel MEN OF THE RIG – quiet mostly because I was nursing a nasty cough I’ve had for the past few days. Yes, I know – physician heal thyself. … Continue reading
VROMAN’S BOOK SIGNING
Good times at Vroman’s Bookstore Pasadena last night July 14, 2011, where I talked about Ghana, writing and CHILDREN OF THE STREET, and then, the best part, signed copies for the audience members. Many thanks to my delightful host Connie … Continue reading
A blog about a blog
For a second time, I’ve been honored with an invitation from Michael Sears, one half of the writing pair Michael Stanley, to do a guest blog on the internationally renowned Murder is Everywhere website. Many thanks to Michael for the … Continue reading
Discussion and Signing
You are cordially invited to my discussion and signing of CHILDREN OF THE STREET at Vroman’s Bookstore in Pasadena this evening at 7pm. The location is 695 E. Colorado Blvd Pasadena, CA 91101, and you can get directions here. There’ll be a surprise … Continue reading
COTS RELEASE DAY!
Today, July 12, 2011, CHILDREN OF THE STREET, an Inspector Darko Dawson mystery, officially goes on sale. A few lucky prize winners from contests held last year received a signed copy from me before today, but for the rest of us, this … Continue reading
COTS EVENTS SCHEDULE UPDATE
CHILDREN OF THE STREET/An Inspector Darko Dawson Mystery Events schedule 1)Release date: Tuesday July 12, 2011. Available from brick-and-mortar bookstores, or on Amazon.com, Google e-books, Kindle, iPad, or Nook. Pre-order to have the novel delivered on release date. 2) Vroman’s … Continue reading
GOG-Day 2 and Author Awards Banquet
Before I say anything else: But I’m jumping ahead of myself. Saturday May 21 morning began with breakfast – big meetings like this always make one hungry for some reason and anyway sistas are not going to meet and talk … Continue reading
GOG-DAY 1
That Go On Girl! Book Club has flourished over the preceding 20 years and continues to bloom brings joy to a writer’s heart. It is a huge group of avid readers with over 30 chapters in 13 states and it … Continue reading
And…he’s off!
Several hours before my flight tonight to Washington DC, I seem miraculously to be all packed. This is the beast: Why does it remind me of the Leaning Tower of Pisa? It was a fight to the death getting everything … Continue reading
Scene of the Crime, with Cathy Cole
Read Cathy’s interview with me on her terrific blog.
Tags Cathy Cole
Literature, Medicine and Mystery: The Doctor-Writer Connection
What do famous authors Anton Chekhov, Michael Crichton, Robin Cook, Khaled Hosseini and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle have in common? Answer: all had another profession apart from their writing: the practice of medicine. As some of my readers know, I have … Continue reading
Reviews of COTS
This list will be updated as needed: Michael Connelly “Kwei Quartey does what all the best storytellers do. He takes you to a world you have never seen and makes it as real to you as your own backyard. In … Continue reading
LAT Bookfest – 2
I was at the Book Festival from 10AM to about 12:30PM and it was a perfect day for it. I signed a few copies of WOTG at the Sisters-in-Crime (SinC) booth. I got the feeling there weren’t as many people … Continue reading
LOS ANGELES TIMES BOOK FESTIVAL
The LA Times Festival of Books is held every year generally in April. This year it hits today and tomorrow, April 30 and May 1. The change is that it will now be on the USC campus, not UCLA as … Continue reading
Oops
Apologies for the wonky link on my email for the previous post, Yay! There was a small error in the email template that automatically sends out the blog as soon as it has been posted. My brilliant webmaster Ricky Foyle … Continue reading
Tags Ricky Foyle, Yay!
Yay!
Finally! Today I completed the synopsis for my third novel MEN OF THE RIG, and emailed it to my agent Marly Rusoff for her feedback. Now it’s on to the research phase when I go to Ghana for 6 weeks, May … Continue reading
Mr. Quartey goes to Washington
Not trying to aspire to the similarly named film classic (which I’ve never seen in total BTW), I will be off to Washington DC May 20th, 2011. The G.O.G. National Book Club has honored me with their award for Best … Continue reading
CHILDREN OF THE STREET: The story behind the book
My agent Marly Rusoff has a tradition of her authors writing the background to their upcoming novels. Go to her site to read CHILDREN OF THE STREET: The story behind the book.
Quick Book Review
From time to time I’ll post a book review: The Dogs of Riga by Henning Mankell My rating: 4 of 5 stars This was an enjoyable read, with a lot of action. No wonder this is a popular series on … Continue reading
Bankrupt Borders
Here’s an interesting, informative article by author Karen Dionne about the ripple effect of Borders Books’ bankruptcy and how it can especially affect mid-list authors.
Truth in fiction
Have you ever closed the covers of a novel after reading the final paragraph and wondered how much of it could be true, or have you come away from a movie wondering if the events could have really taken place? … Continue reading
A Mystery Bookstore Murdered: Your feedback
In response to my post, here are your responses and observations so far (1) This is a thoughtful post. Mystery Bookstores are indeed struggling, as are all bookstores, but I think the thing you pointed out that had the most … Continue reading
The MLK-Ghana-Egypt Connection
Some of you might have noticed that on the occasion of the historic resignation today of Hosni Mubarak of Egypt, President Obama made a curious reference to Martin Luther King hailing Ghana’s independence from Britain on March 6, 1957. Quite … Continue reading
A Mystery Bookstore Murdered: Who done it?
On Jan 31, 2011, The Mystery Bookstore closed its doors after 23 years with a final goodbye to its faithful customers and readers alike. The huge soiree was hosted by Linda Brown, Bobby McCue and other staff in what must … Continue reading
Website revamp
Coming up in the next several weeks, there’ll be a revamp of the website kweiquartey.com. It will be streamlined, simpler and more logical to navigate, and will feature easily accessible sections devoted to the separate Darko Dawson mysteries, Wife of … Continue reading
Welcome to the Oil Club, Ghana
In the third Darko Dawson novel, working title MEN OF THE RIG, we get introduced to Ghana’s brave new world of petroleum. On December 15, 2010, the country officially began pumping light sweet crude from an area in the
Advance Praise for COTS
Every once in a while something takes place that makes you really very happy. I won’t argue the definition of “happiness,” but I’m talking about that feeling that makes your heart seem to jump with a thrill and a skip … Continue reading
Jacket design of CHILDREN OF THE STREET released
The jacket for CHILDREN OF THE STREET is now visible on Amazon.com and on Random House website.
NEW PHOTOS
I dread hearing this at my book-signings: “You don’t look anything like your pictures.” My last photos were in 2009, so here from December 4, 2010 is an updated set. I’ll eventually get them posted in the gallery section.
MY FAVORITE PLACES (PART 2), AND E-READERS
In Part 1, I talked about Book’em Mysteries, Eso Won and The Mystery Bookstore. Another bookstore that’s close to home in Pasadena is the venerable Vroman’s Bookstore. It’s Southern California’s oldest and largest indie bookstore, attached to which is the … Continue reading
My favorite places – Part 1
More correctly, my favorite indie bookstores in the Los Angeles area. I’ll start with one closest to my home, Book’em Mysteries, in South Pasadena. A fixture of S. Pasadena for some 20 years, they are what their name says: specifically … Continue reading
The Amazing Race, Bangladesh and Darko Dawson
This weekend, the remaining teams on The Amazing Race went to Dhaka, Bangladesh. This wouldn’t otherwise be commented on in this blog except for the fact that compared to Dhaka, Accra (Ghana) looked like Shangri-La. There are obviously degrees of … Continue reading
Tags Accra, Bangladesh, Darko Dawson, Dhaka, Ghana
QUARTEY CROWNED IN LITERARY DEATH MATCH (LDM) #35
Up early on Friday Nov 12 to head up to San Francisco for Literary Death Match. The day didn’t start off very promisingly when Virgin America announced that the flight would be delayed for an unspecified time, which is never … Continue reading
Literary Death Match
In the left corner we have the Menacing Masked Clevenger. In the right corner is the Deadly Dark Prince of West African Mystery, Kwei Quartey. They are up against each other in a fight to the finish, the Literary Death … Continue reading
THE GIRL WHO KICKED THE TERMITE’S HILL
Having lived in Ghana where these insect-constructed architectural marvels are common, THE GIRL WHO KICKED THE TERMITE’S HILL struck me as a good title for my next book. The sequel could be “The Termite That Bit the Girl.” No? Too … Continue reading
KAMILA – Life before Darko Dawson
In the mid nineties, Vantage Press published my novel called Kamila. It takes place during the Algerian war for independence from France. Against this backdrop, a young Algerian woman is torn between the love of a Frenchman and the attentions … Continue reading
MEN OF MYSTERY
That time of the year again for the annual Men of Mystery Conference when 50+ male writers in the mystery genre gather annually at the Irvine Marriott along with enthusiastic readers for some fun, a great lunch including the now … Continue reading
Follow me on Twitter – because it’s a quick way not only to get info on appearances and events, but I may tweet content that I wouldn’t necessarily blog.
Tags Twitter
BOUCHERCON AND MORE
On Friday October 15, 2010, I zipped up to San Francisco for one day at Bouchercon. Boucher who? Yes, that’s what I said when I first heard the name. Bouchercon, or the Anthony Boucher Memorial World Mystery Convention, is an … Continue reading
The Amazing Race, Ghana – Part 2: “A Kiss Saves the Day”
On Sunday October 3, 2010, The Amazing Race competing teams were down to ten in number after elimination of one pair of contestants.As winners of the first leg of the race, dating couple Jill and Thomas got to leave first. … Continue reading
Interview on KPFA
I was interviewed on September 27 2010 by Walter Turner of KPFA on his program AFRICA TODAY. He has a conversational and affable style of interview that I enjoyed very much. We talked about life in Ghana, writing, and WIFE … Continue reading
The Amazing Race, Ghana – Part 1
The premier episode of The Amazing Race (AR), Season 17 began on Sunday, September 26. In this CBS reality TV show hosted by Phil Keoghan, several two-person teams race to a winning destination via multiple countries in which they must … Continue reading
INCEPTION (the movie), dreams, and writing
While in Stockholm, I saw the movie Inception, a 2010 science fiction film written, produced, and directed by Christopher Nolan of The Dark Knight fame and others. It stars Leonardo DiCaprio in the lead role and runs a hefty 2 … Continue reading
Images of Stockholm
A collection of random photos from the city of Stockholm, Sweden, where I’m spending a few days of vacation. (Click on images to magnify.) Stockholm shoreline (the city is a collection of islands): Aerial Views from the Ericsson Globe Arena, … Continue reading
Kwei Interviews Quartey – Part 2 of 2
(This post contains external links) Q: So, the question was how much of Detective Inspector Darko Dawson is me, or how much of me is in Darko. To clear something up from the very start, I don’t smoke marijuana, nor … Continue reading
Perils in publishing
(This post contains external links) In July, Andrew Wylie, a top literary agent, caused quite some consternation in publishing circles when he announced that his new electronic book publishing venture, Odyssey Editions, via an exclusive arrangement with Amazon, was going … Continue reading
Becoming regular
Not a reference to metamucil or anything like that. What I want to say is that I will make every effort, in my “spare time”, to regularly post a blog. It’s likely that I’ll do it on weekends. It might … Continue reading
Coming Soon
THE GIRL WHO KICKED THE TERMITE HILL
Happy Release Day
Trade Paperback WIFE OF THE GODS goes on sale today, August 3, 2010 http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_1_7?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=wife+of+the+gods+by+kwei+quartey&sprefix=wife+of&ih=4_0_3_1_0_0_0_0_0_1.136_162&fsc=-1
Darko Dawson Drinks Malta Guinness
Several readers, including those I’ve met at various book club discussions, have been curious about a beverage that Darko Dawson can’t get enough of in WOTG and the upcoming CHILDREN OF THE STREET (COTS). It’s a carbonated malt soft drink … Continue reading
Sisters with Books (Spikes??)
I had a super book club meeting with Sisters with Books in Inglewood on June 27, 2010 – good food and wildly animated and often hilarious conversation. I learned even more about my characters than I knew before! I don’t … Continue reading
LEIMERT PARK – oh, and soccer
So while Ghana’s Black Stars were annihilating the USA soccer team on June 26 (okay, they didn’t quite annihilate them, but GO GHANA ALL THE WAY!) a couple days ago, I was at the annual Leimert Park Book Fair. Attendance … Continue reading
Paperback WOTG
The trade paperback (TPB) version of WIFE OF THE GODS goes on sale August 3, 2010 http://www.randomhouse.com/catalog/display.pperl?isbn=9780812979367 ahead of its originally anticipated release date. It has a brand new jacket design, and a couple of small corrections and additions to … Continue reading
On schedule
CHILDREN OF THE STREET (COTS) is right on schedule for release next summer, barring anything unforeseen. My Random House editor Jen Smith and I are working diligently “on the case,” so to speak, and things are moving forward nicely. We … Continue reading
Tags CHILDREN OF THE STREET, COTS
Los Angeles Times Festival of Books
On Saturday April 24, I was at LATFOB at the Sisters in Crime-LA booth signing books in the morning. In the afternoon, I participated in a panel discussion called “African Landscapes” with Lisa Fugard (author of “Skinner’s Drift”) and Ngugi … Continue reading
Back in the USA
It’s 3:15 PM EST and I’m in NY waiting for my connection to LA at 4:30 PM. I went through Frankfurt and contrary to mental images of widespread chaos and wildly disrupted schedules as a result of the recent volcanic … Continue reading
Make it Easier
The contest for the length of the COTS trailer proved to be quite tough. Congratulations to the only two people, H.Kang and S. Hawkins, to get within 1 second of the correct answer. They are winners! I’d still like to … Continue reading
The Game is Afoot!
Lots of good entries so far. For clarification, to enter, click on http://www.kweiquartey.com and the new trailer should launch. If not, click on [PLAY]. Time the length of the trailer and submit your answer through the Guestbook.
CORRECTION!
Sorry for the confusion folks, I made a mistake in my message(s). I should have said the correct length of the video to the nearest SECOND! If you have the ability to time it to a fraction of a second, … Continue reading
IT’S UP!
The Children of the Streets (COTS) trailer is running! Don’t forget to enter the contest. The first five people to correctly state the length of the trailer to the nearest one minute win a free copy of the novel when … Continue reading
Tags CHILDREN OF THE STREET, contest, COTS
COTS TRAILER RELEASE
The CHILDREN OF THE STREET (COTS) trailer will be released on Friday January 29 at 12:01 PM, USA Eastern Standard Time (or 5:01 PM GMT). The first five people to correctly state (via the Guestbook) exactly how long the trailer … Continue reading
Tags CHILDREN OF THE STREET, COTS
KWEI QUARTEY TO RELEASE NEW TRAILER
With input from Kwei Quartey, author of WIFE OF THE GODS, ace web designers Mel Croucher and Ricky Foyle at melcroucher.com are putting the finishing touches on the brand new trailer for the second Darko Dawson novel, CHILDREN OF THE STREET. … Continue reading