Sherryl Clark: 2023 Late Spring Residency

Sherryl began her writing career with short stories and poetry, many of which were published in journals and magazines. Two collections of poems were published by Pariah Press in 1991 and 1999. Her first crime short stories were published in the Artemis Press anthologies, as well as ‘The Age Summer Reading’ and in high school texts.

She has more than 70 published children’s and YA books, including novels, chapter books, picture books and verse novels. Farm Kid won the NSW Premier’s Award for children’s books in 2005 and Sixth Grade Style Queen (Not!) was a CBCA Honour Book in 2008. Most recently, Mina and the Whole Wide World (UQP) has been shortlisted for the Prime Minister’s Literary Awards. More than 14 other books have been CBCA Notables. Her books have been published in Australia, NZ and overseas, including the USA, UK, Spain, Mexico and China.

In 2018 she entered her novel, Trust Me, I’m Dead, in the CWA Debut Dagger and was shortlisted. This led to a two-book contract with Verve Books UK. Trust Me, I’m Dead was published in 2019, and was longlisted for the CWA John Creasey New Blood Award and the NZ Ngaio Marsh Debut Novel Award.

The second novel in the series, Dead and Gone, was published in 2020, and the third, Mad, Bad and Dead, in 2022.

Sherryl taught creative writing at Victoria University TAFE for 23 years and now works as a freelance editor. She has an MFA from Hamline University in Minnesota, and a PhD from Victoria University. She returned to NZ in early 2022.

During her residency Sherryl is working on a novel that she regards as a departure from her other crime novels. It is historical, set in New Zealand in 1972, at a time when small town life really was small. No social media, only the personal gossip networks and the telephone where others can listen in. A time where Fanta, crimplene and flagon beer was all the go, and kids were taken no notice of.