Kelly, your upcoming debut novel, The Wild Beneath, is out in August. Can you tell us a little about the book? It’s an oceanic love story! Annie MacLeod was raised on a sailboat in the remote Pacific Northwest, until a tsunami strands her on shore and she finds a mysterious man in the wreckage who emits a humming sound only she can hear. It’s built for readers who love immersive, emotional fiction in vast, beautiful landscapes where the magic feels believable — like it could happen in our own lives. What was the inspiration for this novel? When I started writing The Wild Beneath in 2019, I was quietly drowning inside my own life as a doctor. I looked “fine” from the outside, but inside I felt robotic and flat, like I’d somehow abandoned myself. One winter morning, while doing a three-point turn in my driveway, the idea arrived almost fully formed—the thought that people can turn into other things. I think, in some way, I was looking for that kind of metamorphosis in my own life. Who was your favourite character to write? Walker — the man in the wreckage of the tsunami making the humming sound — found me first. He arrived before the rest of the story did, and I was fascinated by the mystery of him. But Annie is probably the character I know most intimately. Writing Annie (who is a doctor in the second half of the novel) was a way for me to imagine myself into a different life. The closer I got to writing her freedom, the more recognition I faced about my own unrelenting desire for it. What has been the highlight of publishing your debut novel so far? This book speaks to the wild parts of ourselves we’ve temporarily forgotten. Hearing from readers — when the story touched something intuitive and wild inside of them — has been incredibly moving. It also still feels surreal to hold the finished book in my hands after rewriting it four times over five years. What do you do when you’re not writing? I still practice medicine in ways that are super meaningful to me, but when I’m not working or writing, I’m happiest outside. Give me a cabin beside the Pacific Ocean, a long walk through an ancient forest, a jump into cold water, or a novel to read by a fireplace… and I’m set. |
The Wild Beneath by Kelly Anderson is out on the 27th August.
Pre-order your copy here.
SYNOPSIS
The pull of the land or the call of the sea…
Annie MacLeod always knew she was different, growing up on a sailboat, navigating by stars and swimming with sea creatures, alongside her best friend, Evan. But when a tsunami hits, Annie is stranded on land; her entire world, and her eccentric identity, torn apart and upended.
In the wreckage, she rescues a wordless man named Walker, who emits a hum only she can hear. Their connection is instant. Walker’s touch gives Annie visions of the ocean’s hidden world, a life she’s never known but feels inexplicably drawn to. Yet even as she is pulled toward him, Evan – the steadfast love who has always been there – remains on dry land, offering stability and security. Annie is torn between Evan’s grounding presence and Walker’s magnetic secrets. But then, Walker vanishes, along with the answers Annie needs about who she really is.
Six years later, Annie has left the sea and buried the past – until Walker returns, pulling her back towards the ocean and the life she abandoned. The truth has roots more ancient than she ever could have known, and Annie must confront a choice that will test her heart and determine her future.