The Ten Spot: James Amoateng

% of readers think this story is Fact. Add your two cents.

My most recent release is an action thriller titled Cocoa Island. It is a story set in an imaginary African country which had just gained independence. One ethnic group feels so left out they had plans to secede. Their leader is a young university professor who as part of his plans decides to build a powerful tank made of chitin. Unfortunately for him two of his colleagues, one a secret agent and the other an old professor had already got the technic of extracting chitin in it’s purest form. In order to save time , he decides to kidnap the two colleagues. He is aided in his plans by a strange veiled priest who unknown to everybody is a minister of state. Things come to an explosive crescendo on an abandoned island in the atlantic, Cocoa Island.

I am currently working on an anthology of short stories about people’s hardships they face and how they try to go around the problems.

I think the best way to acknowledge a writer is to give him some reviews when you enjoy his story. Not bad reviews of course, That is why I am choosing my words carefully. Emphasis on when you enjoy the story. It presupposes that if you don’t enjoy it don’t write.

Well that was a practical joke I played on my mates in 1970 when Ali and Joe Frazier had their first fight. In those days we did not have the benefit of satellite and sometimes it took weeks or months before you could watch a replay. Nobody would believe that Mohammed Ali had lost. I got out of my dormitory in high school, went and walked around for some time, came back and told them I had heard on somebody’s radio that Ali had actually won the fight. I went out again and sat under a tree just behind the dormitory to listen to people’s reaction. Soon there was a lot of jubilation coming out and I burst out laughing. Later the house prefect wondering what was happening came out of his room to inquire. He was told of the great news only for him to tell them there was no truth whatsoever in what I had said. I had then quietly disappeared somewhere else and stayed put for about two hours before returning to face their wrath.

I am not too sure about that. They don’t often say these things in front of you, you know. Usually behind your back and that doesn’t bother me. That is their problem.

I don’t think I would bother too much. I guess it goes with the job of going public. By all means some will like your work and others will not like it.

Yes. In Africa names mean a lot. You are usually named after some powerful people or people who have worked hard for their community so you can emulate them. I do the same for my novels. The bad guys are named to depict deceit and the good guys have softer names.

Yes very important. So far I have titles which immediately tell you which part of the world I come from. Cocoa Island because Ghana produces Cocoa and chocolates and Lamentations from Sikaman because Ghana used to be known as the Gold Coast. Sikaman is the Twi for Gold Coast.

If done away means actually bumping them off, then I am not guilty. If it means not being friends with people who you are not comfortable with, then several. Including girlfriends.

@AmoatengJames1

FB fan page