On the scent of fun
> British actor-author Andrew Clover hopes to encourage children to dream big and laugh silly through his Rory Branagan Detective series
fishy has happened with his dad.
“It’s only as the series develops do you realise his mum had big reasons for keeping the information from him.”
Drawing a face for Rory and the rest of the books’ quirky characters is illustrator Ralph Lazar ( right) of Happiness is … fame, whose detailed depictions of the child detective’s escapades serve as a visual guide to the stories.
“So I write the stories, imagining them drawn by Ralph – and that makes me do mountains, monsters, deep holes, maps … that’s what Ralph draws well,” says Clover, who “adores [Lazar’s] pictures” because “they have such charm”.
This includes Wilkins Welkin, Rory’s best friend, “the brave sausage dog”, who gets a more prominent role in The Dog Squad.
Wilkins is a character that Clover enjoyed bringing to life with his writing, adding that “[Rory] loves that dog, is so proud of him, and I get carried along by his enthusiasm”.
With a comprehensive list of good guys, bad guys, and even Wilkins’ hedgehog (its favourite toy), it is evident that the British author has an eye for detail, littering unexpected amusing gems in his writing.
However, he acknowledges that “the story comes first”.
With two books out and the third on its way, Clover jumps ahead to the later part of Rory’s adventure in the series, giving his young fans a glimpse of what to expect, notably in book six.
“I wanted the seven books to be a great mythic story, and book six is going to be The Visit to Death.
“How could Rory die, then come back? ‘Bitten by a snake’, I thought, so I invented a scary baddie who keep snakes, and he’s snake-like himself – Ryan ‘The Reptile’ O’Riley.”
On top of being an actor and author, Clover’s passion for working with children extends to his Seven Secrets of Storytelling workshop.
He says: “Doing comedy for kids is so much fun. They’re so playful and generous.”
He’s usually invited by schools all around the world, where he spreads the joy of writing through his interactive and hilarious methods.
Yet, as Clover puts it: “I suspect that Rory Branagan may be my biggest contribution to the world. I do everything to make it good (and I’ve spent my life preparing for now)!”