In 2009, Barry Finlay went up a mountain as an accountant and came down as a philanthropist. After over thirty years in various financial roles with the Canadian federal government, he took his life in a different direction and climbed Africa's Mount Kilimanjaro at age 60 with his son Chris. The climb and their fundraising efforts to help kids in Tanzania changed his life in a number of ways, including the start of his writing journey. He wrote his first book, the popular Kilimanjaro and Beyond: A Life-Changing Journey with his son in 2014.

He followed that up with the hilarious travel memoir, I Guess We Missed The Boat, and then The Marcie Kane Thriller Collection was born. Each of the thrillers has a socially relevant theme.

Now, he has introduced a new character named Jake Scott in a mystery series. The first in the series, Searching For Truth, debuted in 2021. The Guardians of Truth followed, and The Secret Truth was released in the fall, 2024. Shadows of Truth is scheduled for release on September 15, 2025.

In 2023, he decided to write a book around his popular quote, "Every mountain top is within reach if you just keep climbing." He interviewed eight people facing a variety of challenges and wove his own story into the motivational Just Keep Climbing: Inspirational Stories for Overcoming Challenges and Living Life.

Barry's books have received multiple literary awards, and he was named to the Authors Show's list of "50 Great Writers You Should Be Reading" in 2012. In 2013, he received the Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Medal for his philanthropic work in Africa. He lives in Ottawa, Canada, with his wife Evelyn.