Peter has lived in Oxford for over thirty years, and although he was also a student at the university, it's the side streets, the sense of local community, and water ways of non-tourist Oxford that he loves. It was inevitable that when he started to write crime fiction, it would be firmly based in this milieu.

Peter's Oxford whodunnits have attracted wide praise for their pace, excitement and authentic Oxford background. They feature a hard-nosed, irascible DI Susan Holden and a private-eye (Doug Mullen), a conflicted protector of the weak, a soft spot for any damsel in distress and a determination to right wrongs.

Peter's website is https://www.petertickler.co.uk and his Amazon page is https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/author/B0034Q1AQA/allbooks

You can also watch the Tickler’s Jam Murders video mentioned in our chat at:  https://www.youtube.com/@petertickler357/videos

Lesson Summary

Peter mentions the evolution of TV series character Jane Tennison, characterised as a feisty female. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prime_Suspect

Peter reflects on the development of his first series protagonist Susan Holden and how the character evolved over several novels, before later switching to Doug Mullen, a conflicted private investigator. The changes in the publishing industry also influenced Peter's decision to switch protagonists.

He and Morgen go on to discuss their experiences writers, including attending events, plotting stories, creating twists, editing, and working with publishers. The conversation also touches on the influence of personal experiences of character development and the dynamics of writing and publishing books.

• Peter's inspiration and process includes choosing realistic yet safe locations for scenes in his books around Oxford, where he has lived in Oxford for over thirty years, while Morgen has included Northampton, Tring and Hemel Hempstead in hers.
• They chat about the importance of creating a positive image of the locations and organising book launches in venues such as an ice cream shop and local cafe.
• Peter started his writing journey creating a non-fiction book about mercenaries before moving on to crime novels.

Peter and Morgen discuss various aspects of publishing and marketing their books, sharing anecdotes about cover design choices and interactions with publishers. They also mention their experience with traditional and self-publishing, including marketing strategies such as talks and utilising positive reviews.

• The challenges of marketing books and the different demographics they appeal to was highlighted as an issue for many writers.
• Peter's interest in crime writing was influenced by his reading preferences, such as Agatha Christie and while Colin Dexter's Inspector Morse series has been an inspiration to a point, Peter love of reading focuses on earlier works.
• Despite being a full-time writer now, Peter admits to having a chaotic writing routine due to family and work commitments but finds moments to write, even on holidays.

Additionally, Peter talks about his upcoming writing project, which features a female protagonist and a mysterious encounter during a therapy session.

The discussion also touches on the importance of setting and authenticity in writing, using personal knowledge of locations in their storytelling.