Philip Kerr
Philip Kerr
Philip Kerris a British author...
NationalityBritish
ProfessionNovelist
Date of Birth22 February 1956
bloody church dad house knock quite religion sundays talk three took work
Religion was quite a thing in our house - we were Baptists. Some Sundays I went to church three times. If there was a talk on missionary work in the afternoon, I could be there all bloody day. But religion took its first big knock after Dad died.
diligent might quite thrown
If I weren't a writer, I think I might have thrown myself more enthusiastically into advertising. But, it's difficult to imagine being a diligent copywriter. It would be quite exasperating for me.
although bible bond early james might seemed since understand
James Bond was an early favourite, although I didn't understand much of it. I read the Bible a lot, too. You might say that this was my favourite, since I seemed to read it so often.
clapton good king lead quite
I used to play quite a good lead guitar, R&B style. Clapton and BB King are heroes.
outward race slightly tortured turmoil
There's something weird about the Scots. We are a troubled, slightly tortured race - the sense of the respectable outward character and, inside, the turmoil of something darker.
putting
Publishers just want you to write the same book over and over again. But why would I want to do that? It would be like putting on a threadbare dressing-gown day after day.
crosses ethnic figures greater lines occupies sports turn
Sport crosses party lines and ethnic lines. It occupies a greater realm, and it's all the more disappointing when sports figures turn out to be like everyone else.
defending official tired
After a while, you get tired of being the official Scot and defending everything Scottish.
rely twisted whether
As a writer, you rely on whatever makes you up as a person, whether those things are twisted and nasty or otherwise.
written
I always worry I've probably written one too many Bernie Gunther books and that I should probably give him his gold watch.
behave heroes
I don't really like heroes who always behave heroically. That's not interesting to me.
authentic best deliver likely
The mark of a writer is to make a story as likely as possible, and I've done my best to deliver authentic atmosphere.
borrow friday member money nearly pocket spend took
I was a member of Corstorphine Library in Edinburgh, and every Friday night, my parents took me there to borrow books. I also used to spend nearly all my pocket money on books.
pack repeating written
When I feel I'm repeating myself, I'll probably pack it in. What will undoubtedly happen is I'll write one too many. The important thing is to recognize when you've written too many and stop there.