Interview with Kerrie Noor, author of Four Takeaways and a Funeral

What can you tell us about your new release, Four Takeways, and a Funeral?

It is the third in the Bellydance and Beyond series; funny stories about a group of women from the same Bellydancing troupe.

Four Takeaways and a Funeral is about love, loss and friendship which, come to think of it, the other two books are too! This time the story is about Mavis, Nefertiti’s best friend.

When I wrote Four Takeaways and a Funeral I was coming to terms with the loss of my parents and I wanted to write about death, how it comes so unexpectantly-even when it is expected. And how, at times, it brings out the worst in families. I couldn’t go to either of my parent’s funeral, so I went to town on the funeral scenes; let rip with comedy and outrageous characters…Drowned my sorrows in farce.

I also had been working alongside my husband in his family Indian restaurant. We moved from a posh succulent place of grand chandeliers to a rundown cupboard of a place.

And thought, there is a comedy here…And I don’t think I have finished yet!

What or who inspired you to become an author?

My parents loved comedy but could be very critical. When I was a child I used to try and entertain them with animated stories, making them laugh was not easy but when I did it was gold.

What’s on your top 5 list for the best books you’ve ever read?

What Katie Did– as a child

Catcher in the Rye– as a teenager

Darling Buds of May-as a young woman

Just William– as a mother

Jeeves and Wooster– as a mature woman and budding writer of great British wit!

Say you’re the host of a literary talk show. Who would be your first guest? What would you want to ask?

Germaine Greer, I just watched a documentary of her on BBC. She is from Melbourne like me and is as rude and arrogant as a few relatives I grew up with. My aim would be to see if she could say something positive about another human being.

What is a typical day like for you?

I wake up, make coffee, go back to bed and write until something aches, then make more coffee, write until the ache appears again. This cycle will continue until a) I am hungry, B) the postman comes c) I have to go to the shops cause there is nothing to eat.

Once I am all written out, I try to do something active and not watch too much TV (not always successful there) i.e. dance about like a 70’s chick with intermittent Bellydancing, walk, potter, pretend to clean.

In the evenings I stick on Midsummer Murders or something else I have seen about a million times and blog, promoting, marketing on the internet, or at least think about it.

I do go out sometimes. Just can’t remember when!

What scene in Four Takeaways and a Funeral was your favorite to write?

The funeral scene. I had different ideas about the funeral scene, in the end, Mavis did herself proud and the bad guys get to show their not so bad side.

Do you have a motto, quote or philosophy you live by?

Kind people are the happiest people I know.

Kerrie Noor is the author of the new book Four Takeaways and a Funeral. 

Connect with Kerrie:
Author Page
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