Philip Henry (46) grew up in the country about 5 miles outside Ballymoney, he has been living in Portstewart on the North Coast for the last 12 years. He writes books, songs, and screenplays, and makes films.
Philip studied Performing Arts after school and it was there he wrote and recorded his first song, Holding You Tonight. It was also during PA that he started writing sketches for their live shows, acting, playing live with a band, and directing.
What genre / style do you create in?
I suppose I’m drawn to the supernatural. I’ve written ten books and most of them have some supernatural slant, but I’ve also written some children’s books, which I suppose you would classify as fantasy. All my stuff has a sense of humour about it though.
What would you be best known for?
It depends what circles you move in! I made a feature film called Noirland a few years ago which got a great reception.
We sold out the Dublin Road cinema when it screened at Belfast Film Festival and now it’s up on Amazon Prime Video and doing well.
As for my books – my first book, Vampire Dawn, has sold the most, but I probably get the most emails about Freak, which readers really seem to love. And if you like my music, my album Songs About Girls is probably what you know me for.
What would you consider your biggest achievement?
I suppose the body of work I have to date in books, movies and music. I think by anyone’s standard’s it’s quite a lot.
What would you consider to be the biggest lesson you’ve learned in your industry?
Be open to all advice, but don’t take it all. Listen to your gut for what is good advice and what isn’t.
What has been your biggest challenge to date?
Breaking into the movie/ TV business. It’s a horribly circular situation; production companies won’t read anything unless it comes through an agent, and the majority of agents tell me not to even bother sending stuff in because they’re not taking on any new writers at the moment. I’ve just kept being persistent and now a few doors are beginning to open, if only a crack.
Tell us a little about your personal life, are you married, kids, hobbies etc?
Still on the lookout for a woman who’s a mix of Kate Bush, Princess Leia and Buffy the Vampire Slayer (she’s proving quite elusive). The Exploration Station, the children’s book series I write under the pseudonym B.B. Phelps, is based on my nephews and niece – they’re the stars. I adore them. I suppose I’m lucky my job is also my hobby. I’m always writing something, editing a film or playing music.
Tell us about your most recent work?
In the last three months, I’ve completed four projects. A WWII feature film script set in Northern Ireland, a short film about a couple in lockdown called The Last Time We Spoke, a book of modern fairytales for kids and the final part of my Exploration Station trilogy.
What would you like us to tell people about?
My website! www.philiphenry.com has links to where you can get all my books, where you can watch all my films and listen to my music. It also has links to all my socials if you want to follow me.
If you had to describe your work to someone who has never heard of you what would you say?
Eclectic. Sometimes dark, sometimes funny, but always entertaining.
What’s the funniest experience you’ve had in your business?
OK, kids leave the room, please! I once got an email from a woman who said she had read a particular love scene in one of my books and really enjoyed it, so much so she read it several times until she had finished enjoying it. 😉 That made me laugh. It’s not what you expect in your morning email. I took it as a great compliment.
What would your advice be to young people hoping to pursue the same industry?
Don’t expect things to happen quickly for you. Perseverance is the key. There’s also a great deal of luck involved – you can read all the books and take all the courses you like, but nothing beats being in the right place at the right time with the right person. When I was starting out someone said to me: ‘If you want to sell, remember the acronym S.A.L.E. – Stick Around Long Enough – and it’ll happen.’
Anything else you want to tell people about yourself or your work?
My children’s book New Century Fairytales should be out by Christmas. I’m not sure if my illustrator can get the drawings for the final Exploration Station book done in time for Christmas as well, but we’ll try. If not, it should be out early in 2021. I also have a new book for grown-ups; a psychological thriller currently doing the rounds of agents and publishers which should be out next year too.
Who do you look up to and why?
I could rattle off a long list of writers, musicians and film-makers I admire, but the thing they all have in common is they followed their dream. That may sound a bit clichéd and wishy-washy, but take it from me, this is not an easy path to walk.
There are very few fellow travellers who will stay with you all the way, and no signposts to tell you how far away you still are from your goal. So I admire anyone who stuck with that road to the end. That takes courage.