Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson are already big names in the book world—Barry is the author of a truckload of best-selling humor titles (including his latest Boogers Are My Beat) and a mystery novel (Big Trouble), and Pearson is the creator of a string of well-regarded thrillers. The two friends, who are bandmates in the all-writers musical group the Rockbottom Remainders, hatched a plan to try their hands at a children's book. The result is Peter and the Starcatchers, a fast-paced and wholly original look at what Peter Pan might have been up to before the events depicted in J.M. Barrie's classic Peter Pan. BookPage recently asked the co-authors to tell us more about the project. Though they wouldn't reveal all their secrets (like who came up with characters' names such as King Zarboff the Third? And did they edit one another's writing?), they did share some interesting details about working together.

BookPage: What do you think J.M. Barrie would have to say about this prequel?
Dave Barry: He'd say: "Dang! I must be 150 years old by now!"
Ridley Pearson: He'd say, "Where's my check?"

What's the deal with boys and pirates—why the enduring fascination?
Dave: There's just something appealing about the idea of swashbuckling, of swinging on a rope with a knife clenched in your teeth. Of course, if I ever actually tried that, I would need years of cheek surgery.
Ridley: I'm a recreational tree climber (Dave accompanied me once, 80 feet up a Douglas fir). J.M. Barrie set up the pirate fascination; we just ran with it.

What's harder, writing a novel all by yourself or collaborating on one?
Dave: I think writing alone is harder. The great thing about working with Ridley is that he's a nuclear reactor of plot ideas—if you hit a snag, he comes up with a dozen ways around it.
Ridley: The beauty of collaboration is having someone with whom to solve problems as they come up. Dave's instincts for simplicity and action, plus his skills as a former teacher of English (to business types) make the process seamless. And it doesn't hurt to smile while you're working, something else Dave brings to the page.

What was the best/worst part of working with Dave?
Ridley: Working with Dave requires regular facial massage and humility, because he's too damn smart for his own good.

What was the best/worst part of working with Ridley?
Dave: The best part about working with Ridley is that he's highly imaginative, and incredibly productive. The worst part is that he's a madman for work. He wants to write the entire book in ONE SITTING.

Since you're already established authors for adults, why did you want to write a book for children?
Dave: It just seemed like something new that would be fun to do. And it really was, which is why we plan to do it again.
Ridley: I think Dave and I are basically kids in 50-plus bodies, so it's nice to acknowledge what's really going on. Added to that, we both have kids under seven, and they can't read much of what we normally write, so it was nice to create something they could finally read of ours.

Do you think your kids will like the book?
Dave: They'd better.
Ridley: Paige (7 years old) read it in just over four weeks. She LOVED it.

When you were a child, what were your favorite books and authors?
Dave: A.A. Milne, Walt Kelly, Robert Benchley, P.G. Wodehouse, the staff of Mad magazine and whoever wrote all those really bad Tom Swift books.
Ridley: There was a series called Landmark Books—historical "faction" that I thoroughly enjoyed; Hardy Boys; Harold and the Purple Crayon; Frank Baum.

What books have you most enjoyed reading with (or to) your children?
Dave: Winnie the Pooh is still my favorite read-to book.
Ridley: The Wizard of Oz was the most fun with Paige because she was spellbound.

If your book makes it to the big screen, who should play Peter in the movie?
Dave: Me. (This would require a MAJOR diet.)
Ridley: Dave, but this would require a MAJOR diet.