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authorvalpenny
Dec 28, 20244 min read

My Writing Life by K.D. Sherrinford


Thank you for inviting me to your blog today, Val. My obsession with the mystery writers began at an early age. I loved the stories of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Agatha Christie.


I was always fascinated by the iconic character Irene Adler. I remember feeling disappointed when the acclaimed contralto failed to appear in any further Doyle stories after "A Scandal in Bohemia". I waited years for someone to write a pastiche about Irene and Sherlock, the ones that did, skirted around the subject without exploring its depths and endless possibilities. 

I thought no more about it. Until an impromptu visit with my daughter Katie, to the Sherlock Holmes Museum in 2019. Katie travelled  over from where she teaches in Taiwan on a cultural  trip with several English students. They were a lovely bunch. 


Someone dropped out of the museum trip and  I was invited  along on what was a thoroughly enjoyable day, which included a visit to the Globe Theatre, to watch a production of "A Midsummer Nights Dream".


After the museum trip, we went for dinner, and had a discussion about Irene Adler.       "Why, don't you write your own adaptation", my daughter said. I laughed it off, explaining, that I could never write a book. 


That conversation resonated with me. I began to write an outline and plotted, how, where and why Holmes and Adler would meet again after their adventures in "A Scandal in Bohemia"., seven years earlier. In the end I chose La Scala, Milan, March, 1895. 


I began work on my debut novel " Song for Someone" in February 2020, spending countless hours researching the nuances  of historical events, music and classical music. The opera  Holmes and Adler attend at their impromptu meeting "Silvano", was actually staged at La Scala during that time.


 One of my favourite parts of the book was bringing some of those characters to life, and  intermingling fictional characters with real life ones, such as Arturo Toscanini, Pietro Mascagni, Rodolfo, and Agatha Christie. 


"Song for Someone" was published in November 2022, and garnered some wonderful Editorial Reviews from the likes of  Book Viral. .Readers FavorIte. Literary Titan. and The Historical Fiction Company, which describes my debut novel as " An evocative masterpiece, and a tale that stands out in Contemporary Literature.


 A proud recipient of six awards, the novel was a recent Finalist at The Chanticleer International Book Awards, The Chatelaine. And more recently a winner at The International Impact Awards.


Books two and three, " Christmas at The Saporis", and " Meet Me in Milan",  have now moved forward to Shortlist status at Chanticleer in the shorts and Novellas category. 

Book Four of the Sherlock Holmes and Irene Adler Mystery Series "The Whistle of Revenge" is due to be released around the 27th of December. This story is also an exciting follow up to Doyle's "Hound of The Baskervilles". I am so excited about this book and cannot wait for it to hit the shelves. 


I have had some wonderful help along the way, including my wonderful daughter Katie. The fabulous editorial team at Extasy Books, and my amazing development editor Tony Waslin-Ashbridge. His knowledge of the Victorian  period's history and musical references is astounding. I shall be forever grateful for his wonderful insights and valuable advice. 

I plan to start work on Book five of the series next spring, which finds Holmes and  Adler on their way to America. Most notably Irene's Homeland, New Jersey, where their next adventure begins. 


Benedetta Cinquini wrote a wonderful article about me and my books, recently published in The Italian Strand Magazine. She has been of material  assistance with some of the tricky Italian translations and a great champion of my writing.


I have been struck by the wonderful people i have encountered on this incredible journey. Their kindness has been quite overwhelming at times, and spurs me on to continue writing. 

I hope Sherlock and Irene's  adventures continues to entertain people in years to come, and leaves an indelible mark on their memory. God, willing there will be more to come from the the acclaimed contralto, and the world-famous detective. 


The Author


KD Sherrinford was born and raised in Preston in the UK. She now lives on the Fylde Coast with her husband John and their two children, David and Katie. 


KD had a varied career working with thoroughbred horses and racing greyhounds. She and her husband John won the Blackpool Greyhound Derby with Scottie. Then to mix things up KD joined Entwistle Green, Countrywide, where she was employed for over twenty years, and became a Fellow of the National Association of Estate Agents. 


After a  demanding career, early retirement finally gave KD the time and opportunity to follow her dream to become a professional writer. She began work on her first novel" Song for Someone" after a visit to the Sherlock Holmes Museum in 2019, just before lockdown. 

Since the book was published in 2022, receiving critical acclaim and garnering several prestigious awards  KD wrote and published another two books in the series the Novellas " Christmas at The Saporis" and " Meet Me in Milan", both Shortlisted at Chanticleer in two categories. Book four of this thrilling series "The Whistle of Revenge" will be released at the end of this year or early 2025. This exciting, captivating novel is also a follow-up to Doyle's "Hound of The Baskervilles" A much anticipated read for KD's many fans.


The Links


This is the series link https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BN16PQY 

You can find me on my Facebook page Log into Facebook 

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