D A Jamison - David Aidan Jamison - David - Dave)
Born - 1981
Lives - Derryboy, Killinchy, Co.Down (centre of known universe)
At the time of the release of his debut novel ‘The Tamalin’, DAJ is 40. His family (parents & grand-parents) moved out of Belfast when he was around 2yrs old. Being a family of builders they had gone in search of somewhere to build a new home outside of the big smoke. On a whim they ventured further out into the County Down countryside than they had intended and found a farmer with a marshy useless field that he happened to be looking rid of. Having an eye for potential and not being scared of a challenge (or years of hard work) they moved into a caravan on the field and life in the countryside began.
Years later (having acquired a small strip of woodland next door and discovering that the overgrown mess at the bottom of the field had concealed access to a lake) the muddy field now resembles a little piece of heaven, and all who visit agree that there is something special in the air at Derryboy. This was the low tech playground of the young DAJ, who, fuelled on the fiction works of CS Lewis and similar works of classic literature set out daily into the wilds of the back garden to see what adventure could be found.
Many more years later, married to his highschool sweetheart and with 3 kids and 2 beagles in tow, DAJ having moved away from home post-marriage realised a dream by being able to build his own home on the side of the very same piece of heaven he grew up on.
(the morning mist rising off a little piece of heaven)
(Dr.Watson - a beagle, unimpressed.)
Having eventually left the building trade, DAJ now works in Killard House Special School in Donaghadee as an ICT Technician and also runs his own recording studio looking down the garden at Derryboy. (millstonemusic)
It was early in the first Covid lockdown of 2020 that on his way to work DAJ made the mistake of thinking to himself:
“what else could I be doing?”.
The reply that came to mind was:
“you could try writing a book, that might be fun?”
At which the little DAJ on his left shoulder laughed and said:
“What would you write a book about? Sure you haven't written more than your name since you were at school!”
To which the little CS Lewis on his right shoulder took out his pipe, sat back in his chair and said with a grin:
“You know exactly what you would write a book about.”
As it turns out, and completely unexpectedly, he did. He would try and write a fantasy fiction novel in the style of all those wonderful adventure novels of the classic writers, but in language and context that would be more relevant and appealing to the young adults of today. So, the world of Theon Terr was born. Perhaps, if all goes well, some of them will be inspired to branch out into some of those classic stories that inspired me all those years ago, and go on to develop an imagination and a thirst for adventure just like little DAJ had.