Peter Kerr (author)
Peter Kerr is a best-selling author of travel books and fiction. He re-located from Scotland to Mallorca in the 1980s and began his writing career while working as a farmer.[1]
Writing
Peter Kerr is a best-selling Scottish author. Snowball Oranges], Mañana Mañana, Viva Mallorca! and A Basketful of Snowflakes], his Mallorcan-based travel books, have been translated into fourteen languages.[citation needed]
Thistle Soup, a prequel to Snowball Oranges, was published in 2002 and is an account of his life from boyhood in East Lothian. A new edition was released in 2017.[1] Peter's latest travel book, From Paella to Porridge, tells of the Kerr family's final year in Mallorca and what they got up to on returning to East Lothian.
His first fiction book, a mystery called Bob Burns Investigates – The Mallorca Connection, was also released in 2006, and followed by Bob Burns Investigates – The Sporran Connection . Fiddler On the Make, a quirky town-meets-country caper, was published later the same year, with The Cruise Connection, the third in the Bob Burns trilogy, and The Gannet Has Landed, a romantic adventure set in Mallorca, both released in 2008.
His first historical novel, Song of the Eight Winds, set in 13th century Mallorca, was published in 2012. Don’t Call Me Clyde!, a fascinating memoir of his life as a young jazz musician in early-Sixties London, was completed in 2016. In May 2020 he released Goblin Hall his first fantasy title.[2]
Awards
In 2002, Snowball Oranges won the bronze prize in American Book of the Year, while Manana Manana was shortlisted for the WH Smith British Book of the Year.[citation needed]
Music
Prior to taking over the family farm Peter was a musician. His musical career is rooted in jazz and he was the clarinettist-leader of Scotland's premiere jazz band The Clyde Valley Stompers in the 1960s. Recording for Beatles producer George Martin, The Stompers stormed the charts in 1962 with Prokofiev's Peter and the Wolf.[2]
As a freelance producer Peter hit the jackpot in 1972 with what became the biggest-selling instrumental single of all time: the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards’ Amazing Grace. Less tuneful but still a monster hit, Peter also wrote the music and lyrics for The Krankies’ trademark song - Fan-Dabi-Dozi!
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Peter Kerr, born in Lossiemouth, Morayshire in 1940.
References
- ^ a b Dunford, Jane (2017-04-21). "I fell for Mallorca and bought an orange farm there … on a whim". The Guardian. Retrieved 10 August 2020.
- ^ a b Ritchie, Cameron (3 May 2020). "Goblin Ha' inspires author to release first fantasy novel". East Lothian Courier. Retrieved 10 August 2020.
