“Life’s too short to spend it doing something boring.” So says Larry Hayes, a man possessed of a great sense of fun and vivid imagination.
It may come as some surprise then, once you’ve discovered his children’s books, to find out he’s an investment fund manager. But, he tells Arts Editor TRISH LEE, “writing has been an excuse to get out of the world of corporate finance.”
Larry Hayes photo © michaelpilkington.com
Larry’s latest book, The Nightmares of Finnegan Quick, is published by Bloomsbury today (Thursday). It will be appeal to anyone aged 10 to 15 who likes a bit of creepy, action horror mixed with some laughs. If you like Goosebumps, Ghostbusters, Gremlins, Stranger Things or Beetlejuice Beetlejuice – you’ll love it.
Inspired by the idea of his nightmares coming true, The Nightmares of Finnegan Quick is dedicated to Larry’s brother.
When he was young he woke one night and saw a goblin sitting on his brother’s sleeping body. It was crouched low, peering over at his head. The light was dim and if he’d taken a second look, he thinks he’d have realised it was just a dream, an illusion or a trick of the mind. But he didn’t. Instead, he became addicted to horror, especially comedy horror.
Nightmares of Finnegan Quick
Larry, now 52 (“but I’ve slept a lot, so in waking years I’m only about 40”) lives just 10 minutes up the B4000 from Newbury, having moved from London almost 15 years ago and starting a family here.
“My background is in law and corporate finance but writing is so much more fun. Especially writing for children – it’s basically what I’ve wanted to do ever since I was an eight-year-old kid reading books with a torch under the duvet. I used to pretend to be ill, so I could stay off school and read books (don’t tell my mum).”
That vivid imagination has always been there. “At school I could daydream for hours at a time. I really recommend it.”
Larry started writing in 2019, just before Covid. “It was a story for my kids really. And then I chanced an agent, the brilliant Becky Bagnell of the Lindsay Literary Agency. She’s been immense.
His first children’s book came out in 2021 How to Survive Without Grown-ups. “It’s like a Tom Gates or 13-Storey Treehouse meets Star Wars.”
And it’s all snowballed from there. He’s now had five books published in over a dozen languages with three more coming out in 2025.
“I still can’t quite believe it.”
Larry Hayes
Hungerford Bookshop was where I first decided to start writing. I was so inspired by all the amazing books, I went straight to the café next door, Eliane, and started writing. I also have to put a word in for the café in Newbury’s Waitrose. Everyone in there is so amazingly friendly. If ever I get writer’s block, I go there and have a cup of tea.
The first thing you notice about Larry’s covers are the striking illustrations and that, he says, is so important. “I’ve worked with some amazing illustrators and they can make or break a book. Katie Abey and Joelle Dreidemy are both comic geniuses. If you check them out on Instagram you’ll see why.
“For my latest book, the cover for The Nightmares of Finnegan Quick, was created by the brilliant, comic artist Berat Pekmezci and it’s got this amazing Stranger Things vibe to it.
Larry writes in different genres and for different ages – all the way up to teens and young adult. His books are typically funny, short and fly along at breakneck speed. But they also have plenty of heart. And It’s all comedy, because that’s what I love. And most kids do too.
“My first How to Survive series are comedy sci-fi adventures for seven to 11-year-olds. They’re set in the near future, and see two kids battling an Elon Musk type figure as he tries to take over the world and colonise Mars.
“My new series is a Horror-Comedy for 10 to 15-year-olds. The Nightmares of Finnegan Quick is coming out with Bloomsbury on January 2.
“And it’s really fun writing for older kids and teens. I’ve run a lot of Creative Writing Workshops in Newbury schools and the children of Newbury are all obsessed with Comedy Horror – so I thought I’d better write one.”
Larry is on a mission to get local primary schoolchildren loving writing and loving books. He runs free creative writing workshops in primary and secondary schools.
“They’re basically a chance for students to create a live-action story, as a group. It’s a bit like a Choose Your Own Adventure where some kids act out the story, while the rest come up with ideas and decide what happens next. The idea is that it’s rocket fuel for kids imagination and writing.
“Emma Milne-White at Hungerford Bookshop has been amazing right from the get go. She’s helped organise tons of school visits.”
If your school wants some free creative writing sessions, please get in touch with me on Instagram @larryhayesauthor.
Larry Hayes
Larry’s aim is to make children to laugh, a lot.
“But also I want to write books that children and teens get lost in and can’t put down. There’s nothing quite like getting lost in a good book.
“The ultimate thing for a kids writer is when children tell you they’ve read the book twice, or more. Because then you know you’ve created something wonderful. I had one reluctant reader tell me my book was the first book he’s ever enjoyed reading – I can’t tell you how amazing it was to hear that.”
And children are the major source of his inspiration. “My own kids are full of funny ideas and I used to think they were especially funny. But they’re not. Most of their friends and the kids I meet on school visits are equally funny. Kids are just funnier than adults. That’s a fact. Growing up is bad for you.”
So what do his own children think about his writing?
“I think my daughter would like to be a writer, but my son wants to design video games. They were excited originally, but now they’re a bit older, they’re pretty unimpressed.
“My second book How to Survive Time Travel has been shortlisted for a Scholastic book award – for Funniest Book of 2024. It’s an amazing prize that’s been won previously by the likes of David Walliams and David Baddiel – but my daughter threatened to vote for one of the other books on the shortlist. I had to confiscate her phone…”
Larry Hayes
The Nightmares of Finnegan Quick by Larry Hayes out 2nd January 2025 (Bloomsbury Children’s Books, £7.99, Paperback)
Larry will be visiting Hungerford Primary School on the 13th January and also John O’Gaunt Secondary school too
Larry is also going to be doing a school event with Year 6 and Hungerford Bookshop on 13th January 13.
The Nightmares of Finnegan Quick by Larry Hayes out on January 2 (Bloomsbury Children’s Books, £7.99, Paperback)