Guest Post: Holly Kerr

Why I want to write a children’s book

My latest novel, Coming Home, is women’s fiction and I’m quite comfortable writing in that genre.  My previous book, Baby! Baby? Baby?! is chick-lit and same goes for that.  I remember a piece of advice from a successful author strongly suggesting writers don’t jump genres because it confuses their readers.  So why would I have this desire to try my hand at writing a kids book?

I have kids.

I have kids who are at the age where they think it’s cool that mommy is an author.  Their friends think it’s great that I write books.  I have a little cluster of twelve year old fans that, while they have never read my books and have been instructed by me not to do so, seem to admire me.  And that’s a pretty awesome feeling!

I was recently a parent volunteer at Canada’s largest children’s literary event, Forest of Reading® Festival of Trees™.  There were workshops, author signings and a raucous awards ceremony where the winner of the 2014 Silver Birch award was selected.  I sat and watched twelve authors of children’s literature being introduced by kids – some very articulately – and watched the crowds go wild as each name was announced.

Reading is so important to these kids, my daughter included.  The kids at the ceremony acted like these authors were like rock stars or famous athletes, or movie stars.  The crowd went crazy each time a different author was introduced, as the kids showed support for their favourite books.

As I watched the writers on the stage, most seemed in awe of the response they produced.  Most authors claim to be introverts; quiet sorts who would be happier curled up with a book than on display in front of a crowd, so I’m assuming these people didn’t get into writing because of the adulation.  And as impressive as publishing a stream of best-sellers is, when was the last time you heard of an author being swarmed by a crowd of fanatic readers?  (Other than J.K Rowling, of course)

Being in the audience that morning and seeing how those writers could bring so much happiness and excitement and devotion to a group of kids who belong to the generation who believe their world is governed by the screens of their smart phones was amazing. 

And I have to admit, I wanted to be on that stage, making such an impact on kids lives. On the lives of my own children.  My kids are at an age where they are still impressed with what I do. But the apathy of the teenage years is fast approaching, where nothing I do will be good enough for them.  Sitting in the audience, watching my daughter and her classmates standing on their seats, cheering for their favourite authors was an eye-opener. 

I’m a writer.  I could write a book for her.  It might not be a best-seller and it probably won’t win the 2015 Silver Birch award, but I could give it a try.  I could write a book for my kids, giving them a memory of what my love and my talent did for them.

I’m still writing my next women’s fiction novel. There’s no way I’m going to make the jump to kids’ literature a permanent thing.  But when asked what I’m working on, I’m going to tell people I’m trying to write a book for my kids too.

About the Author

Ask any writer and they'll tell you they have always wrote and Holly Kerr is no exception. She’s written stories about bunnies dodging cars and sisters dying, distracting the cute boy in class and dark plots to kill your best friend's husband.  Coming Home is her latest novel, a story about sisters who can’t get along and living in a small town, two things she knows more than a little about!  A self-professed geek, she loves anything to do with Star Wars, super heroes, Joss Whedon and Harry Potter. She also enjoys running, playing in the dirt and sharing a glass of wine with friends. 

Her latest book is the women’s fiction, Coming Home.

For More Information

• Visit Holly Kerr’s website.
• Connect with Holly on Facebook and Twitter.
• Visit Holly’s blog.
• More books by Holly Kerr.
• Contact Holly Kerr.

About the Book:

Loving your sisters is easy. Liking them is the hard part. 

Brenna Ebans always wanted more than what Hill n’Valley could give her, so it seemed a simple decision to follow her black-sheep sister Dory’s footsteps and leave Hill n’Valley in her rearview, hoping to locate their missing father. Leaving her sisters and her first love Seamus was harder than she thought, but she’s made a life for herself in Vancouver, started her career at a prestigious law firm, and has found the man of her dreams. But when she finds her husband Toby in a compromising position at work, she loses both her love and her job, and has nowhere to go but home. 

Youngest sister Cat has remained in Hill n’Valley, leaving a string of broken hearts—and ex-husbands—in her wake. She’s happy living in the family home, with the ghost of their dead mother to keep her company during the day, and her latest conquest—Brenna’s old boyfriend, Seamus—to keep her warm at night. And she’s less than thrilled to hear about Brenna’s return. 

But when tragedy strikes, it brings their father back to Hill n’Valley, and the sisters will have a lot of issues to resolve… 

For More Information

• Coming Home is available at Amazon.
• Pick up your copy at Barnes & Noble.
• Discuss this book at PUYB Virtual Book Club at Goodreads.
• Read Chapter One here.