Emily Graves spoke with Kerry Cole about her new novel, the reality of the supernatural and the consequences of our choices.

Kerry Cole

Kerry Cole, Cross Rhythms co-founder, has released a brand new novel. Exit Darcus speaks into supernatural and relational issues, going deeper than the surface of relationships and has been described as a 'gift-wrapped torpedo', carrying a real, raw and redemptive message, so Emily Graves caught up with her to find out more.

Emily: So first of all, tell us a little bit about yourself.

Kerry: I've been married to my husband Chris for 32 years. We founded Cross Rhythms together and we have three lovely girls. Chris and I have also pastored a small but deep community for many years. I love to communicate the things I feel passionate about in a very visual and artistic way, so I would say my main gifting comes alive and expresses itself through the arts.

Emily: And so what is Exit Darcus all about?

Kerry: It's a modern story that gets deeply into the struggles within relationships and it's woven intricately with the luring mysteries of the paranormal and supernatural. So it's a bit of an emotional exposé that goes in search of all the secrets that lie beneath the surface in people.

Emily: Where did the name Exit Darcus come from?

Kerry: Darcus is one of the characters in the book, but I don't want to say too much about him. I think it was just one of those creative moments. You get names flowing through your head and I just settled on it and thought that would be a great name to describe this mysterious character.

Emily: You mentioned already about the paranormal activity and the supernatural in the book, but what other major things are covered in the book?

Kerry: There is the supernatural that looks at unhealthy spiritual practices, but it's very much a book about relationships, our search for love and emotional abandonment; it goes very deeply into what's beneath the surface in relationships.

Emily: Why did you choose to go down the route of covering these topics?

Kerry: I think it probably comes from life experience, pastoring people for years, plus my own journey. It is very much what you learn on the way in life; what you know is helpful to help unlock people and what you see as tragedy in people's choices. So as you go through life you see in your own life good and bad results of choices you have made and you also see it in those around you; those who you love and those that you don't even know, but you just see how bad choices or good choices have led to the outcomes. It is very much a book that explores outcomes and shows outcomes, whether that is for good or bad. Rather than it being a book about trying to teach people about something, it leads you to make your own conclusions from the decisions that many of the characters choose. A lot of people are saying to me that they can really relate very deeply and feel empathy for the characters and they feel care for the characters. A lot of people say they find themselves in the book.

Emily: So obviously these areas are all really relevant to life today?

Kerry: Yes, I really believe they are. It is a very modern story set within quite a mystical, magical setting. A lot of people say they are not sure at first if it is set in this world, or if it is a kind of magical setting and then it sort of crashes into very normal everyday life and shows peoples' deep struggles. It is very earthy, real, honest, raw and redemptive; it goes to the edge of a lot of issues in drug culture and heavy partying, sexuality, unhealthy supernatural practices and the results of that, so the main character is very oppressed from stuff that she's been involved with. She is on the edge of life and quite tormented, so it's about what is she going to do to get out of this situation? So you are immediately presented with a complication to see how and if she gets out of the difficulty she is in.

Emily: So is that what makes the book so unique?