Peter James , crime fiction writer extraordinaire

I had the good fortune to be invited by the AWRF to chair An Hour with Peter James last Saturday (below- photo Gil Hanly) and what an enjoyable experience it proved to be.

Back in 2001 with 16 novels to his credit his publishers Macmillan suggested he may like to consider writing a crime novel. I must say that was a stroke of genius on someone’s part at Macmillan because he took up the suggestion, created a cop to be his protagonist, Detective Inspector Grace, and now 11 years later he has eight Roy Grace novels published with sales of around 12 million copies and the series is translated into more than 30 languages.

I began by asking Peter to talk a little about the difference between writing crime fiction as you do now and spy thrillers and supernatural suspense stories as he did before and then tell us how he went about creating a character like Roy Grace, how it is he knows so much about Sussex police procedures and police politics.There were a few other questions from me, and from the audience, and suddenly the hour was over.

Peter was a gracious, articulate and interesting visitor and crime fiction readers in the audience went away pleased with their attendance judging by the long lines of fans getting  books signed after the event.

Thank you Peter, I hope you will visit NZ again.
Photo above - by Gil Hanly


Photo below shows Peter James (left) with the Creasey Bell which is held by the Chair of the Crime Writers Association, a position to which he has just been re-elected for a second term.

Left -Peter with the Brighton Pier in the background. He lives outside Brighton and his novels are all set, at least in part, in and around Brighton-Hove. The pier is a feature on the covers of all eight of his Detective Superintendent Roy Grace  novels, the latest of which published this month is NOT DEAD YET.

Footnote:

Peter talked about the newly formed Crime Readers Association, membership of which is free, and invited members of the audience to join at http://www.thecra.co.uk/