about me

As a secondary school teacher, I probably should be writing books about troubled teenagers for troubled teenagers. But I don't. My novels so far (one completed and two on the way) are set in contemporary settings and have quite adult themes. My short stories, though, tend to deal with the uncanny.

I believe that more people should simply write for pleasure, and as I stand before the impressionable young adults in my charge as I deliver lessons on English and Literature, I subtlely try to instill this belief onto them. Maybe I shouldn't - it could be more competition in the future!

I began writing in earnest when I picked up an injury playing rugby which ended my playing days. I found myself with about 10 hours a week free and nothing to fill them. The pen has indeed become mightier than the scrum now, though, as I have completed one novel (hand-written, still typing up) and begun two others.

I Twitter (sporadically) on @thembarrett - there were already 716 mbarretts on Twitter, but none of them were egotistical enough to give themselves the title of THE... until me!

Watch this space for a writing for pleasure website, too, which I hope will help further my belief.

favourite books

Shade - Neil Jordan
The Picture of Dorian Gray - Oscar Wilde
Going Postal - Terry Pratchett
Felicia's Journey - William Trevor
Nineteen Eighty Four - George Orwell
The Diary of a Nobody - George & Weedon Grossmith

my websites