MY INTERVIEW WITH AUTHOR KERRY WATTS

MY INTERVIEW WITH AUTHOR KERRY WATTS

What’s your name and what genre would you consider your books to be?

My name is Kerry Watts multi genre author but mainly crime fiction.

Tell me about your book. How did you come up with that (story, angle, idea)?

The first book in my DI Joe Barber – Dark – series is called Into Darkness and is currently available for 99p on Amazon. Available in both kindle and paperback format. Book 2 is called Under Dark Skies and will be published by Crazy Ink on January 5^th

How did you get interested in writing this particular genre (historical novels, mysteries, sci-fi, children’s books, etc.)?

Writing crime fiction comes from my bizarre fascination with serial killers. I find them intriguing and the link between nature and nurture really interests me. There are so many people in the world who go through early childhood trauma but who don’t become killers and on the flip side there are psychopaths who achieve great professional success.

What kind of research did you do for this book?

Research for Into Darkness took the form of watching hours of infamous serial killer Ted Bundy interviews on youtube. I wanted to get his body language and mannerisms as perfect as I could.

Can you tell me about your Series?

The Dark series is lead by Detective Inspector Joe Barber and book 1 introduces Joe and Lizzie Reynolds whom he meets and falls in love with immediately after he rescues her outside a nightclub. Her connection to a cruel serial killer tests Joe to the limit and forces him to make uncomfortable choices.

Do you have a favorite book out of this series?

I enjoyed writing both book 1 and 2 but I’m excited to see what readers think about the challenges Joe and his team face in the second one when they are faced with crimes beyond human understanding.

Was it always meant to become a series?

This was always intended to be a series because I thought Joe had so much life to him. He is flawed but honest and true to himself.

What’s a typical working day like for you? When and where do you write? Do you set a daily writing goal?

A typical writing day starts after breakfast which is usually hot buttered toast with my 3^rd cup of tea. You really can’t beat melted, drippy butter on hot toast. I usually watch Most Haunted while I eat breakfast. I love all things paranormal and Yvette and her team are so good. I would then check my emails and social media etc before starting to write. I set myself a target of 2000 words a day. Some days I get more. Others less. If I can achieve on average 10,000 a week I’m happy. I have a nice little desk in my bedroom now which I love. I also enjoy listening to loud music while I write; mainly 1980’s rock which I remember from the first time round!

Do you have a new book in the making and if so, what’s the name of your upcoming book?

Book 2 in the DI Joe Barber series will be published on January 5^th.

How important are character names to you in your books? Is there a special meaning to any of the names?

Character names kind of bubble around in my brain for a bit then they just stick. There’s no formula. I just wing it.

Where do your ideas come from?

Ideas tend to form in my head from nowhere it seems. Then I add, what if and from that a book is born.

What do you consider to be your best accomplishment?

My biggest professional accomplishment must be signing a contract with Bookouture which I did during the summer. I am currently writing 3 books for them with a brand new Scottish detective.

What’s the best thing about being an author?

Everything!

Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

I see myself doing exactly what I’m doing now. Writing books and hoping that people enjoy them. Perhaps with more money in the bank.

What writing advice do you have for aspiring authors?

Don’t sweat the editing until the 1^st draft is finished. Just enjoy the process.

If you didn’t like writing books, or weren’t any good at it, what would you like to do for a living?

I would love to have been a jockey.

Do you read reviews of your book(s)? Do you respond to them, good or bad? How do you deal with the bad?

I read them and in general they have been favorable.

What is your least favourite part of the writing / publishing process?

Finding a good publisher has been hard and marketing can be very hard.

What are you working on now?

I’m working on a brand new detective series set in beautiful Perthshire.

Do you have any favorite authors or favorite books?

My favourite book is The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown.

Of all the characters you have created, which is your favourite and why?

So far, it’s been DI Joe Barber. He is gorgeous!

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What is your writing Kryptonite?

Marketing is my weakness I think. I do struggle with that. It gets me down sometimes when I don’t see any progress.

Do you try more to be original or to deliver to readers what they want?

I like to think I’m original and give my characters a unique quirk that readers can fall in love with.

What other authors are you friends with, and how do they help you become a better writer?

Facebook has introduced me to so many wonderful authors. They inspire me through their success and we encourage each other when things are maybe not going so great.

If you were writing a book about your life, what would the title be?

Shit, I never saw that coming. I’m not kidding!

What question have you always wanted to be asked in an interview? How would you answer that question?

I’ve always wanted to be asked – Can I make your book into a movie and give you a million pound? Wouldn’t take me long to think of an answer!