00:00So we're here in Wolverhampton and we're here with author Kerri-Anne. Hello, Kerri.
00:04Hello.
00:04So, Kerri, tell us about your book, Death on the Waves. What's kind of the synopsis?
00:10Okay, so basically you'll be introduced to a freelance reporter. Her name is Scarlet Fox
00:17and she's witty, she's intrepid and she wants to basically give everyone the truth.
00:26Yeah. So this book is, we've got a couple of books in the pipeline as well, haven't we?
00:32This is going to be your first published book, but if people go to your website, which is?
00:38Well, it's a very long one. It's got Canva in the name and I can't remember it.
00:43If they Google Kerri-Anne, Death on the Waves, they'll find it.
00:47So the other books that are coming, are they kind of a follow-on from this or separate entities?
00:51Yes. No, so they do follow-on. You can read them separately, but they do follow-on.
00:56So the second one that is up for pre-order currently comes out in December and that's called Death in the Hotel.
01:04Ah.
01:05And then I am writing Death at the Fair as well.
01:10Death at the Fair, I like the sound of that.
01:11Yeah, so I'm hoping that that one will be out in springtime, I think, next year.
01:14So tell us a little bit about you. Have you, has it always been an ambition to write a book?
01:19You know, were you kind of scribbling away as a youngster writing poems and stories?
01:23Yeah, yeah, definitely. I think it's always been a thing.
01:26It's just I never thought anyone else was kind of interested in reading what I had to say.
01:30Yeah.
01:30So it was, I recently met the author Mark Edwards and I kind of, he told me his story about how his first book, The Magpies, was Indie, which is the same route as I've gone.
01:45And he's now, you know, sort of, Travi's recently been to Canada promoting his book.
01:50So I thought, you know what, I'm just going to give it a go and if people like it, they like it.
01:55So, yeah. So how do you, what's your style of writing in terms of, are you strict to yourself?
02:02Is there like set times in the day? You know, do you, are you writing on a settee with a mug of tea in the one hand and a pen in the other?
02:09Or is it a laptop and how does it work?
02:11It's definitely a mixture.
02:13Yeah, yeah.
02:14I'm not very disciplined, so it's all on a laptop.
02:17I do jot my character bios down on paper because they change quite often.
02:22But it's all on a laptop, definitely a cup of tea and a slice of cake because, you know, why not?
02:29But I'm not strict in terms of times when I write.
02:33So I work full time as a data manager in primary schools.
02:38So basically I just write when I can.
02:40Yeah, yeah.
02:41You know, I've got a family, so it's basically just when I can.
02:45And do you have to have like a little notepad in hand, you know, where you kind of, you're on a bus somewhere and you think,
02:50hang on, that would be a great little plot twist and you've got to capture that.
02:54Always.
02:55It's always happening.
02:56It happens in the shower.
02:57It happens in the bath.
02:58Yeah, yeah.
02:58It happens in the middle of the night.
03:00It just, whenever it comes to me, I have to write it down because I'll forget.
03:03Yeah, yeah.
03:04So it's all kind of like murder mystery then, crime stuff.
03:10Yeah?
03:10Yeah, yeah.
03:10I like to call it cosy crime.
03:12Okay, so define cosy crime for us then.
03:14What's that mean?
03:15So for me, I think there's different versions.
03:17Yeah.
03:17My version is there's definitely murder because you can't have crime without murder.
03:22It comes hand in hand.
03:23However, Scarlett herself is very much, she likes her home comfort.
03:28She likes cups of tea and cups of tea solves everything.
03:31She likes cake.
03:33She likes sitting by the fire.
03:34You know, I like to add in these elements and sort of bring that home with my characters.
03:41And I think people resonate more as well when they've got sort of those home comforts, you know.
03:47So, yes, it is crime and it does have a thrill element, but it's also quite cosy.
03:54Yeah, so it's not all kind of blood, guts and gore, that kind of vibe.
03:56Definitely not.
03:57Yeah, no, no.
03:59So, tell us about this.
04:01There's another local author that you found quite inspiring.
04:03Is that right?
04:04Yes.
04:05From Wombin.
04:05Yes, so Angela Martins, yeah.
04:08She is, I've got all of her books behind me.
04:12She's incredible.
04:13She writes about local, so everything, all the murders happen sort of.
04:17Hagley Road and, you know, all the places that we know and we see every day.
04:22And she was a huge inspiration for me because, one, I fell in love with her books.
04:27And then, two, I just thought, because she started out working in the Maryhill Centre in Brolyhill.
04:33And I thought, you know what, someone normal like myself sort of, you know, made this amazing, this amazing thing.
04:41And everyone loves it.
04:42And I just thought, you know what, that's it, I'm going to do it.
04:44Yeah, it kind of inspired you to think, why not?
04:47Oh, 100%, yeah.
04:48Well, it's a good job you did, isn't it?
04:50Because, I mean, you know, obviously the publishers and whoever's read it has, you know, enjoyed it.
04:55So, in terms of family, are you kind of, do you enjoy, you know, saying, oh, get me book and read me book?
05:01Or do you kind of, is that too close?
05:04You know what I mean?
05:05So, I am kind of, I hold back a lot, not just family, but with friends as well.
05:12I do, I definitely hold back and I'm sort of, I keep it, you know, low.
05:17Yeah, yeah, yeah.
05:18But then recently I was speaking with another author, Kim Nash, she's unbelievable, she's so lovely.
05:25And she sort of said, you know what, you're an author now.
05:28She said, but do your thing.
05:30Yeah, yeah.
05:31Tell everyone, you know, tell them that you've written this book.
05:34Stand up and be proud about it.
05:36Yeah, 100%.
05:36Because at the start I was very reserved about it.
05:39But she's brought me out of my shell.
05:41Right, well, we wish you all the best with this one and look forward to the ones coming in future.
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