Popular writer Sherryl Clark has returned to Northland after 42 years of living in Australia. Photo / Michael Cunningham
Popular writer Sherryl Clark has returned to Northland after 42 years of living in Australia. Photo / Michael Cunningham
Switching between writing children's books and delving into the murky world of crime hasn't fazed Northland author Sherryl Clark.
The popular writer, who's had a long and successful career publishing 72 children's books, recently celebrated the publication of her third crime novel, Mad, Bad and Dead, which is based ongrisly real-life events.
Clark has been writing crime fiction "on the quiet" for many years while churning out her award-winning children's titles.
Crime writing has gradually taken over from children's books, however, because of the "time and brainwork it takes to plot the novels and make them work", she said.
"I usually don't do them at the same time, whatever I'm writing that's what I focus on at the time.
Mad, Bad and Dead – released in Australia and New Zealand this month - is the third novel in the Judi Westerholme series, which includes Trust Me, I'm Dead, and Dead and Gone.
Clark, who was born in Kawakawa and now lives in Whangārei, said she gets most of her ideas from true crime and reading newspapers, including the articles of renowned crime journalist John Silvester, who works for Melbourne newspaper The Age.
"The first book I had published, Trust Me, I'm Dead, the background of that is the Melbourne gangland wars," she said.
"That's where the idea starts, but I do other things with it.
"The latest one starts with a woman being shot in her bed, and that's something that actually happened.
"It was a hit on a woman who testified against her ex-partner in court.
"They shot her in bed next to her sleeping child.
"I tend to read things like that and it really sticks in my mind.
"One of the themes in crime novels is the effect of crime on innocent people.
"They get caught up in it and for some, their lives are ruined."
Clark recently published her third crime novel, Mad, Bad and Dead, which is based on grisly real-life events. Photo / Michael Cunningham
Clark's passion for writing was sparked after attending a writing class when she moved to Melbourne in 1978.
She completed an arts degree with an English literature major at Deakin University, then taught fiction and poetry writing at Victoria University Polytech in Melbourne.
Her PhD in creative writing focused on fairytales.
"I started in a hobby class and did the BA and kept writing and publishing short stories and poems."
Clark's first children's book. The Too-Tight Tutu, was published in 1997.
During the next 25 years, 71 more of her kids' books were published including Tiger Trouble, The Littlest Pirate and the Hammerheads, Sixth Grade Style Queen (Not!), and Jimmy's War.
Some of her books are historical fiction and there's a bit of fantasy and science fiction, but most are contemporary stories, along with poetry and children's verse novels.
Thirteen of her books were named notable books by the Children's Book Council of Australia, and Sixth Grade Style Queen (Not!) won a CBCA honour award in 2008.
Over the years she has picked up a couple of other awards including the NSW Premier's Award - Patricia Wrightson Prize for Children's Books 2005, the Children's Book Council of Australia Honour Book Award in 2008.
Writer Sherryl Clark, seen here reading one of her picture books at a bookshop event in Melbourne, balances her writing life between children's books and crime fiction. Photo / Supplied
Clark's foray into writing crime started with some short stories in the 1990s.
Apart from the "really bad novel" that's in her bottom drawer somewhere, she soon became successful.
By 2008, she had begun chipping away at her first crime novel while still penning books for youngsters.
It took 10 years to complete her first book, Trust Me, I'm Dead, which was longlisted for the NZ Ngaio Marsh debut award.
She also entered it in the CWA John Creasey Newblood award in the UK and was shortlisted, and led to a two-book deal with Verve Books.
The second in the series, Dead and Gone, came out in 2020.
Clark said her passion for crime began in the Bay of Islands many years ago.
Sherryl Clark teaching at Victoria University Polytechnic. Photo / Supplied
"I've always loved reading crime fiction.
"I started when I was a teenager, it's lucky I had a great teacher at Bay of Islands College who used to give me the books she was throwing out.
"There was a mix, but crime fiction was my favourite.
"I like the mystery, of trying to work out who did it."
Clark, who supplements her writing with work as a part-time editor, is inspired by the likes of British mystery crime writer Ann Cleeves, and Scottish writers Ian Rankin and Stuart MacBride.
She's at the library one morning a week to write, and that sets her up for the rest of the week.
"The rest of the week depends on what editing jobs I've got on.
"I usually try and write in the mornings; if something else is on I'll do some editing and write after that.
"I squeeze an hour or two in the day where I can.
"I tend to do a lot of thinking then sit down and bash it out."
Clark is now waiting to hear back from her agent about her latest crime novel, and is also starting work on the next, which will be set in either Northland or the Waikato in 1962.
"It's lovely to have your books published and be able to keep doing it," she said.
