Dan Ramm shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
Good morning Dan, it’s such a great way to kick off the day – I think our readers will love hearing your stories, experiences and about how you think about life and work. Let’s jump right in? What do the first 90 minutes of your day look like?
I think like most people, the first part of my day is answering emails. What did we do before that? Write letters? I don’t remember doing that. I try to get most of my obligations done by early afternoon and spend the rest of the day writing.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m a writer and accidental author. I have been working in television for nearly 25 years and in that time I’ve worked on several shows, some you may know like Criminal Minds. Others done for smaller networks you may not have heard of. But big success is rather rare in any strain of show business. I feel very blessed to have made a livin at it.
During the COVID pandemic and the subsequent writers strike the following year I had a lot of extra time on my hands. I had an idea for a TV series and during this forced downtime and I thought I would try to write a novel. A year and a half later I published my first book, Long Branch. It’s the story of an out of work actor who travels back to his hometown of Long Branch Georgia to sort of regroup. Once there he finds out about a murder from 20 years ago and begins asking questions.
The book has been a big success and I am nearly done with the follow up story called, The Case of Frankie Abernathy. Due out in the Spring of 2026
Okay, so here’s a deep one: Who saw you clearly before you could see yourself?
I had made friends with the actor Joe Mantegna prior to working in TV. At the time I had a construction company and did some work on his house. Eventually he asked me to come work for him and that was 25 years ago. He said later in an interview that he saw something in me and knew I had much more potential. He’s the one who encouraged me to write. For that I owe him all my success.
What did suffering teach you that success never could?
That you have to do the homework. Failure is just a learning experience that if accepted correctly will help you improve and do better. You have to believe in yourself, otherwise, how do you expect someone else to believe in you?
Alright, so if you are open to it, let’s explore some philosophical questions that touch on your values and worldview. What’s a cultural value you protect at all costs?
Politeness. I think it’s so important to be kind and polite, especially during those moments when you could so easily go the other way. Of course I get mad when someone cuts me off in traffic, but I take a moment and think, maybe they are rushing to the hospital to see a parent before they pass, or maybe they are late for the most important moment in their life. I try to thank people who usually don’t get seen, a bathroom attendant, a gardener, etc.
My father used to say, “it doesn’t cost anything to be polite.”
Thank you so much for all of your openness so far. Maybe we can close with a future oriented question. What will you regret not doing?
Trying harder. You can’t win if you don’t play. There have been so many time that I spoke up and asked a question or for a favor that turned out to be an important moment for me. You have to be your own publicist, and advocate. You must build and maintain relationships.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.DanRammBooks.com
- Instagram: DanRammAuthor
- Twitter: DanRammAuthor
Image Credits
Photos by Liz Ramm
