Barry Trotter is 22 and has never left the Hogwash School of Magic - there's been no need; after all, G.K. Rollin's books about him have made him a millionaire, and Barry is perfectly happy to while away his days as a perpetual (loaded) student. The hoardes of Muddles who hang around outside Hogwash desperate to see him, touch him, are a bit of pain but he can deal with that. But then comes news that Hollywood is planning a film of Rollin's first book about Barry. And they all know what that means: loss of creative control; cheap merchandising; millions more Muddles swarming over Hogwash. Barry agrees a plan with Bumblemore: the film must be stopped. BARRY TROTTER AND THE SHAMELESS PARODY is an incisive and hilarious parody of the Harry Potter phenomenon. There are slyly affectionate digs at the books themselves but Gerber's main scorn is directed at the monster that the Harry Potter franchise has become. The book has a creative energy all its own introducing characters and a hilarious take on magic that even J.K Rowling might appreciate.
Michael Gerber (b. 1969) has sold 1.2 million books in 20 different countries, most notably Barry Trotter and the Shameless Parody, which reached #2 on The London Times bestseller list and launched a renaissance in that type of comic prose. Prior to working in the novel form, Gerber sold humorous writing to every major American magazine and newspaper that publishes such drivel, including The New Yorker, The Atlantic, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and many others. He has also contributed to NPR and TV's "Saturday Night Live." In his spare time, he leads the 501(c)3 overseeing The Yale Record, America's oldest college humor magazine, and mentors many student writers all around the world.
An ardent fan of The Beatles, Gerber runs a team blog on the group located at http://www.heydullblog.blogspot.com. He lives in Santa Monica, CA, with his wife and two cats.
