Lochyside’s Barry breaks into new genre with Beaky
‘ The character is like me when I was a boy... he’s really a fantasist’
BARRY Hutchison fans won’t have to control their cravings for the author’s fantasy words much longer, with his latest book set to hit the selves next month. Beaky Malone: World’s Greatest
Liar is the Lochaber author’s newest children’s book, and will be out on June 2.
The first title in a brand-new illustrated series, Beaky Malone is the funny and endearing central character who has a habit of telling porkies.
But then, his long-suffering sister shoves him into the truth telling machine at Madame Shirley’s Marvellous Emporium of Peculiarities, and now Beaky can’t tell a lie and a truth-telling Beaky is even worse.
The forthcoming novel is very different to the kinds of books Barry usually writes, but he says he was drawn to the story: ‘What appealed to me with this book, was that the character is like me when I was a boy.
‘ Yes, he is a compulsive liar, but he’s really a fantasist.
‘He has a big sister who he annoys, as do I, and there were a lot a similarities between us.’
‘I thought the story line had scope for a lot of funny stuff, so I came up with other characters and developed it from there.’
Adding yet another string to his bow, the author said: ‘All of my other books have been about the supernatural, and this one is a domestic comedy, based at home and at school.’ But Barry is nervous about this book more than others because of this change in genre: ‘I feel like it’s my first book coming out all over again, being nervous about the response because it’s so different.
‘It was difficult to change from my normal stories, but it was quite nice to get away from death, doom and monsters.’
Barry, 38, lives in Lochyside with his wife, his daughter, six, and his son, who is fourteen.
He has always dreamed of becoming a writer: ‘I have wanted to be a writer since I was about nine. Growing up round here there was nothing to do.
‘I lived in Caol, so I would go to the library to write stories. I loved to play with action figures and I would make up stories for them too.’
When he’s not tucked away writing at home, Barry is out visiting schools all over the UK: ‘I am constantly on the move.’
He does 50 to 100 events each year saying: ‘I try to spend two or three weeks away, doing about seven events, and then spend the rest of my time at home writing.’
The author loves touring schools and talking to the children just as much as he loves the writing part of his job.
‘I try to make myself relatable to the kids. I tell them funny stories about me growing up, and how my experiences have inspired the book.
‘I want to have a laugh with the children and hopefully they connect my humour to the books and it makes them want to read them.
‘I have had emails from parents after a visit, thanking me, because it was the first time their kid had picked up a book.
‘One parent told me my book got their son to stop playing Xbox for the first time in three years.’
When he’s not on tour, or writing books, he’s writing comic strips for the Beano: ‘I write for the Beano every week. I have one series about Dennis the Menace’s dogs, Gnasher and Gnipper.’
With such a busy schedule, his routine is military: ‘I get up at half past five every morning; I hate it, but after about 10 minutes I’m always glad I did it. I write until about eight, when I then get the kids ready for school.
‘Afterwards I take the dog for a walk.
‘This is where I do all my thinking and come up with my best ideas.’
Barry is also currently hard at work developing a 36- episode series for CITV called Bottom Knocker Street, and writing his adult horror novels The Bug.
The author has won numerous awards, including the Royal Mail Award for Children’s Books in 2011, and the Scottish Children’s Book Award in 2013. Beaky Malone: World’s Greatest Liar is out on June 2.