Barefoot Billy and 'It’s The First Capital That Counts'

Some books are carefully planned, plotted, and polished over time.

Others arrive the way life does… messy, unexpected, and full of lived experience.

It’s The First Capital That Counts, the debut novel by Barefoot Billy, falls firmly into the second category.

Billy Campbell isn’t your typical author.

He’s a single father who raised three young children on his own. A man who has lived a life that spans continents, hardship, humour, and more than a few sharp turns along the way. These days, he calls Coochie home, but his story stretches far beyond its shores.

And somewhere in the middle of all that life… he wrote a book.

Not because he had a perfectly mapped-out plan. But because the ideas were already there, “going through my head,” as he puts it.

A Crime Story with a Personal Pulse

At its core, It’s The First Capital That Counts is a crime thriller.

The story follows Billy Campbell, a detective based in Brisbane, juggling life as a single dad while investigating a string of unsettling murders across Sydney, Canberra, and Brisbane. The case eventually leads him overseas, uncovering long-lost family connections before drawing him back home for a final confrontation with the killer.

But this isn’t just a straight crime novel.

Billy blends humour, poetry, and even song lyrics into the narrative, giving the story a different rhythm. It’s less about ticking genre boxes and more about telling a story in his own voice.

Written in the Middle of Life

What makes this book stand out isn’t just the plot. It’s when, and how, it was written.

Years ago, Billy fought for and won sole custody of his three children, then just 4, 2, and 1 years old. Writing took a back seat. Life had other priorities.

But the ideas didn’t go away.

They sat there. Brewing.

When the time finally opened up again, he didn’t overthink it. He just started writing.

No rigid structure. No elaborate planning.

“I just went and carried on… something happens and you follow it,” he says.

It’s storytelling in its rawest form.

A Book That Exists… But Isn’t Quite Out There

Here’s where the story takes a turn.

The book was published about seven years ago, but like many independent authors, Billy found himself in unfamiliar territory. Questions around publishing, royalties, distribution… all the parts no one really explains when you just want to write a book.

“I write a book, but I don’t know how it works,” he admits at one point.

Copies exist. Some have been sold. People who’ve read it have enjoyed it.

But the book hasn’t had the kind of visibility it deserves.

Which is, frankly, a story as old as publishing itself.

More Stories Still to Come

The surprising part?

This isn’t a one-book effort.

Billy is already working on follow-ups, along with a deeply personal memoir drawn from his own life experiences. And if our conversation was anything to go by, there’s no shortage of material.

He’s lived enough for several books.

And he’s still going.

Why This Book Matters

It’s The First Capital That Counts isn’t just a crime novel.

It’s proof that creativity doesn’t follow a neat timeline.

That life can interrupt… and then return, stronger and richer for it.

And that sometimes, the most interesting stories come from people who didn’t set out to be authors at all.

They just had something to say.

Final Word from Billy

Billy signs off his message to readers simply:

“Be kind to one another and peace will prevail. Peace and love to you all.”

And honestly… that might be the most telling line of all.

Grab your copy of Barefoot Billy's book here!

Check out  Billy's YouTube channel (give it some lurve by subscribing), his creative works extend much further than writing!