Peter Kerr (author)

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.

The inspiration for Peter's Mallorcan books comes from his own experience. In response to the recession of the 1980s he relocated from Scotland to a Mallorcan orange farm.

Thistle Soup, a prequel to Snowball Oranges, was published in 2002 and is an account of his life from boyhood in East Lothian. Peter's latest travel book, From Paella to Porridge (Summersdale 2006), 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, to be followed by Bob Burns Investigates – The Sporran Connection (2007). 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. A talented artist, Peter also illustrates his own work.

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.

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. This catapulted them into a frenzy of incessant touring, recording and broadcasting, including regular network TV dates with luminaries such as Shirley Bassey, Morcambe and Wise, Brenda Lee, Petula Clark, Dusty Springfield and The Beatles. ‘The Clydes’ also played the title music for Norman Wisdom's comedy film romp On the Beat and appeared in Tommy Steele's It’s All Happening.

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!

• Peter Kerr's official website
• Peter Kerr's Author Page on Amazon
• Summersdale - publishers of Peter Kerr's travel books