Meet Jeremiah Davis: Author

We had the good fortune of connecting with Jeremiah Davis and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jeremiah, what role has risk played in your life or career?
Writing itself is a risk because it requires a lot of time and effort, if done correctly, and is not always rewarding immediately. Writers are rewarded based on the amount of readers they can attract and even a good book is not guaranteed to garner a lot of attention. In addition, as a person who uses writing as a way to discuss different issues in the world, some of which are highly controversial, there is an added risk because if I write the wrong thing or say the wrong thing through one of my characters, there could be backlash, I could lose readers, or my work could be written off entirely. So, in essence, every aspect of what I do has its risks, but I feel there is no reward without risk, and that it would be detrimental to my work for me to conform to the wishes of everybody else when it comes to what and how I write. My art is my art, and I choose to use it in my own way.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I believe what sets me apart in my writing is my ability to create characters that feel real and relatable. I try to write dialogue that is believable and engaging; dialogue that you would expect to hear in the real world. At the moment, I am most proud of my growth as a writer. Although I feel I can improve further, I believe I have become a far better narrator since my first book, and I feel excited to continue growing for both myself and those who read my books. In all honesty, I’ve gotten to where I am through hard work and a little bit of luck. I’ve been given opportunities that others are not always afforded and I’ve tried to make the most of them. I still have a long way to go, but it’s certainly been a journey. Writing has always been a love of mine, but trying to attract readers has been the hardest challenge overcome, and I’m not working to overcome it to this day. However, in attempting to get more readers, I’ve changed my marketing tactics, invested more money in marketing, and generally focused more on reaching audiences. Through trial and error, I’ve learned what strategies work, which ones don’t, and how best to attract positive attention from my desired audience. All in all, I want the to understand the level of passion and effort I out into my craft. I want the world to understand that for me, writing is sacred and I don’t believe in taking shortcuts to create my art.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I would take them to either Busy Bee’s or Mac’s for food. Depending on the person, we may go to the Trap Museum or Mercedes Benz to see a game. If we want to simply hang out, we could walk around downtown Atlanta, get some food to eat, and enjoy the weather if it’s good. One thing I’ve always wanted to do and what I would like to do with friends is go to a Hawks game. It’s been awhile since I’ve been to a game for any sports team, but I really like the atmosphere the Hawks have created over the last three years. They’ve truly embraced Atlanta as a city full of positive black influence. I also enjoy watching Trae Young play.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
There are many people who have helped me along the way, but the person who has contributed the most to my success is my mother. She nurtured my love of reading and writing, and without her, I wouldn’t be determined to be one of the greatest writers in history. In high school, my swim coach, Coach Moore, helped me with publishing my first book. Without him, it more than likely would have taken a lot longer for me to feel comfortable putting a book out. My mentor Carlos purchased a website for me and my other mentor Marvin has encouraged me along with marketing on behalf. I have received support from a lot of people and I appreciate them so much for it because it’s not easy to put yourself out there without any guarantees that the reception will be pleasant.

Website: jayddavis.com

Instagram: jdd_books

Facebook: JDD Books

Image Credits
The Chaos Conspiracy- Simone Robinson The Hunt For The Great Beasts Book 1: Jacqueline Garcia The Test/Little Black Boy- Waladi Ali