Literary Birthday – 17 March – Peter Robinson

Happy Birthday, Peter Robinson, born 17 March 1950, died 4October2022.

Five Writing Quotes

1. I used to write my own versions of famous tales, such as William Tell or Robin Hood, and illustrate them myself, too. When I entered my teens, I got more into horror and science fiction and wrote a lot of short stories. A literary education complicated things and for many years I wrote nothing but poetry. Then I got back to story-telling.
2. I usually write from about 8.30am to late afternoon. The more days in a row, the better.
3. Put your bum on the chair and your fingers on the keyboard. …read widely, too. When my students fail it’s usually nothing to do with lack of talent but everything to do with lack of application. So many people want to be writers, but few actually want to write!
4. I think writers have to be able to enjoy solitude rather than just endure it. I’ve always enjoyed being left alone with my imagination, ever since I was a kid.
5. I like newspaper stories that are incomplete, that give me room to imagine the rest. It’s no good to me reading about something that’s all neatly solved and wrapped up. That’s why so many of my stories revolve around human psychology, around why someone commits a certain crime, or series of crimes. I don’t profess to know the answers but I like to explore the possibilities.

Peter Robinson was a Canadian crime writer born in Britain. He was best known for his crime novels set in Yorkshire featuring Inspector Alan Banks. The first book in the series was Gallows View. He wrote 25 books.

Source for Image: InspectorBanks.com (used with permission)

 by Amanda Patterson

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