Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Andreas Sutton is my pen name and I write young adult science fiction and fantasy books. Often in a dystopian setting. Though I was born in a small African nation, I have traveled extensively around the world and lived in Asia, Europe and the USA.
My love for writing started when I read a Tolkien book and that is when I fell in love with world building. Creating flawed and complicated characters is something I love doing. Not only that, but putting them in difficult situations is how I can tell who the character is.
I have written ten books, but The Throwaways is the fist in a line of six books in the series. The other four books are nonfiction books. After I finish promoting my fist debut novel for the Ivory Poison Series, I will publish the remaining five books.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The name of my latest book is The Throwaways and it is book one in The Ivory Poison Series.
This book is inspired by the two books I read, one is called Unravel Me by Taherah Mafi and the second one is Legend by Marie Lu.
It was then that an idea was formed. What if I combined the two books into one book. In Unravel Me, the main protagonist who is also a villain has powers. In Legend the female protagonist falls in love with the enemy and realizes the government who she works for is actually not the good guys and the supposed enemy is in fact an hero.
This was the first time I have written a story about someone who in the beginning isn’t a good guy. She kills for her government and believed that what she’s doing is right. After all no one thinks they are a villain. Heck even Lex Luthor and the Joker don’t see themselves as the bad guys.
The icing on the cake though was making my female protagonist a paid assassin who works for an organization that serves the government.
This was to show how easily it is to get corrupted and how simple it is to become the villain in your story.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Unusual is I have to listen to music that has the right beat for particular scenes. If the scene is emotional than I need to listen to emotional, ballads or slow songs. If it’s an action scene or a fast scene the music needs to have an upbeat or a fast pace. The music also needs to have words in it. I tend to right better when it’s 2:00 to 3:30 am. If I write after that my writing is often sloppy. Can’t write without music.
Watching television shows and music helps me understand characters far better than reading. Not sure if I would regard this as an unusual writing habit, but it’s unusual.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
Marie Lu, Veronica Roth, Lauren Oliver, Taherah Mafi, Veronica Rossi, Sabaa Tahir, Kass Morgan who wrote the “The 100,” and Victoria Aveyard.
What are you working on now?
I am working on book six in the Ivory Poison Series. This is the last book in the series.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Still figuring it out. There’s a lot of information out there, but getting reviews is something I actively do. The review site I use is pubby.co. I haven’t promoted a fiction book before and this is my first time doing it so I am still figuring out which website or method works the best.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
I started writing when I was thirteen, but I was too terrified to show my work after my classmates claimed I couldn’t have written the stories I showed them. For years I lived in fear because of that. No one can make you doubt your ability but you. Writing a book or short story can’t be taught, it’s either you have it or you don’t.
No one can help you create a story. No one can help you build a world with complicated characters, but that’s why authors are a strange bunch. We live perpetually between two places; our dreams and reality.
There will be people who make you doubt yourself and who make you question everything. Don’t do it. It’s either you are an author or you aren’t and if you aren’t then writing isn’t for you. It’s not an easy thing to do, but if you are ignore the critics. Take what you think is worth your time and throw out the rest.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Just do it.
What are you reading now?
Nothing yet
What’s next for you as a writer?
Finishing up publishing all the books in the Ivory Poison Series.
What is your favorite book of all time?
Legend by Marie Lu
Author Websites and Profiles
Andreas Sutton Website
Andreas Sutton Amazon Profile