About Barry · In my own words
Why I created
Sweetland.
Life can take an unexpected turn. That does not mean the adventure has to end.
It began with real life.
I was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes on Good Friday in 1984, when I was three. I remember it as my first Easter without Easter eggs. More than four decades later, that experience is part of who I am, but it is not the whole of my story.
I have worked since having a paper round at thirteen, lived independently with support from my family and the NHS, and stayed active. In 2002, I represented my country at the European skater hockey championships in Bienne, Switzerland.
I remain actively involved in skater hockey as a coach. I have coached at Medway Assassins since 2011, working with children aged around five to fifteen and supporting young players as they progress through different age groups.
During that time, the teams I have coached have achieved success in numerous national competitions. My involvement with Medway Assassins has also included European club competition through IISHF, with experiences in Germany and Switzerland.
Coaching has given me many years of direct experience helping children learn, develop confidence, work together, deal with setbacks and discover what they are capable of achieving. Alongside more than four decades of living with Type 1 diabetes and my relationship with my nephew Tarran, those experiences have helped shape Sweetland: an adventure about difference, friendship, support and continuing the journey when life changes.
Living with diabetes has brought challenges, but it has also shown me how much difference understanding, practical support and encouragement can make.
For Tarran, and for other families.
My nephew Tarran, who also lives with Type 1 diabetes, helped inspire Sweetland. I wanted to create something that could help him and other families think about the challenges that interrupt what feels like normal life.
Sweetland gave those ideas a world of their own. SugCon and his friends could experience uncertainty, find support and discover that a changed path does not have to mean a lost future.
A story before anything else.
I want Sweetland to feel like an adventure: a place of wonder, friendships and discoveries. Its deeper meaning comes from lived experience, but readers do not need to understand every connection to enjoy the story.
My hope is that the books help people feel less alone—and that the adults around them find another way to begin a thoughtful conversation.