RICHARD Mallinson was a consummate journalist and former editor of the Huddersfield Examiner. When he retired, he proved to be a consummate short story writer. Now his work has been published in two volumes as Richard Mallinson's Fast Fiction.
Dick was a hero of mine. Not that I ever told him. He was a modest chap, a literary man and a journalist's journalist. He would have been embarrassed by the very idea that he was anyone's hero.
It was Dick (right) who suggested I start writing a column. I was unsure about it, but with his encouragement and advice, I gave it a go and took to it like a duck to water. Before long, I was writing a column every day of the week for the Examiner. It seemed to be my natural habitat.
A previous editor called in the office one day and said quizzically: “Why didn't you ever write like that for me?”
Because he hadn't asked. And, bluntly, because he wasn't Dick.
Dick was a Penistone Grammar School boy who studied Modern History at Balliol College, Oxford, and worked at The Guardian before moving to the Examiner, where he rose to become editor. He retired in 1995 and turned his hand to short stories.
Again, with total modesty, he didn't have great ambitions: he simply wanted to share his imagination. He sent them to the Open Writing website launched and run by another Examiner man, former News Editor Peter Hinchliffe.
Hinch enthused about them. Like the true journalist he was, Dick knew the value of words and his stories were never longer than one page.
“He set himself to telling a tale on an A4 sheet and wrote about a thousand of them,” said Hinch. “They are quite remarkable and unique.”
Dick died in 2010 but his stories have now been published by Authorhouse in two volumes called Richard Mallinson's Fast Fiction. Each contains about 500 tales. They are available in print form and as e-books. Find them on Google and Amazon and other sites.
They are a total delight and reflect the wit, wisdom and very special skills of a very special man.
