An Insight Into The Mind Behind Swarm And Other Fascinating Tales
Peter Birkett Thompson shares his journey from chef to full-time author, discussing his unique approach to storytelling and character development.
Peter Birkett Thompson is an author whose works effortlessly blend the worlds of urban fantasy and science fiction. With a growing collection of award-winning books, including his latest novel Swarm, which has drawn comparisons to The Last of Us and Star Wars, Peter takes readers on captivating journeys through dystopian landscapes, space travel, and complex moral dilemmas. Once a chef and computer services provider, Peter now dedicates himself to writing full-time in the often rain-soaked North West of England, where he finds inspiration in both his past experiences and the rich tapestry of characters he creates. In this interview, he discusses his unique path to authorship, the inspirations behind his stories, and the process of crafting relatable characters in fantastical settings.
How did your background as a chef influence the development of your characters and settings in your urban fantasy novels?
In that type of job, you come into contact with a wide variety of personalities. You tend to move around a lot and meet different people all the time. The more people you meet, the more insight you get into the human spirit. One of the key elements about the catering industry is that you get to see how different people handle pressure daily. From those that can remain calm in the eye of a storm, to the volcanic Gordon Ramsey types.
“In that type of job, you come into contact with a wide variety of personalities. You tend to move around a lot and meet different people all the time.” – Peter Birkett Thompson
In ‘Midas’, you explore the concept of healing powers. What inspired you to delve into this theme, and how do you think it resonates with readers?
Purely by chance, I had heard about a certain establishment that practised healing sessions, and wondered, wouldn’t it be great if it was the humble janitor who had the power to heal and not the self-professed faith healers, flaunting themselves and massaging their egos. (Who remembers Hong Kong Phooey?) It is a fantasy superpower, with the caveat that it can only be used once per day, which throws a whole load of moral dilemmas into the mix. I hope the readers ask the question, ‘what would I do in that position?’
‘Swarm’ has been described as ‘The Last of Us meets Star Wars’. Could you elaborate on how these influences shaped the narrative and world-building in your novel?
Swarm is the final book in the series that started with Midas. The story contains infected humans, a dystopian landscape and space travel. There is the post-apocalyptic element and also the notion that we are just one speck in one of a billion galaxies. Apart from that, there isn’t much similarity to either franchise. The Last of Us has strong elements of moral ambiguity, Swarm has only a sprinkling of that. Star Wars has the eternal ‘good vs evil’ struggle and also self-sacrifice, both those themes are present in Swarm.
Your works often feature paranormal elements. How do you balance the fantastical aspects with relatable human experiences to create engaging stories? If you build a believable fantasy world, you have to populate it with believable characters that the reader can relate to. Otherwise, it just won’t work. I try, using natural dialogue and a healthy amount of humour, to get the reader to buy into my characters, to the point where they can recognise elements of themselves or others. With the paranormal, you are giving yourself a blank canvas. Anything goes, which can spiral out of control. But you can ground the story with the characters.
As an author who transitioned from a career in the culinary arts, what challenges did you face in shifting to writing, and how did your previous profession contribute to your storytelling?
The biggest initial challenge was learning to type at a reasonable speed. That may sound like a joke, but, because I tend to churn out stuff for intense, brief periods, the first three books were handwritten before being typed up. A painstaking process, as anyone who has seen my handwriting will agree. My imagination had stayed fertile since my school days. Instead of entertaining people at work, with impressions and jokes, I put pen to paper. There are no crossover skills from the kitchen, though my first protagonist was a chef, so that I could make his background story more believable.
Could you share insights into your writing process, particularly how you develop complex characters and intricate plots within the urban fantasy genre?
With all five novels, I had the basic premise of an idea that needed fleshing out. Most of the main players in the story are present at that time, others are added on a need-to-basis. Then, I start writing and move the boundaries as I go. I’m able to develop complex characters thanks to my vast, overactive imagination. I would say it would be much more difficult but not impossible without it.
What feedback or reactions from readers have most surprised or moved you since the publication of your books?
As the stories exist in my mind, before putting them down to paper, I am sometimes surprised at how relatable readers find the characters and how invested they become, particularly in the series, which runs over four of the five books. And, how disappointed/upset they are when a character gets killed off.
What advice would you offer to aspiring authors looking to write in the urban fantasy or young adult genres?
I would say, find a theme that would interest you as a reader. Write to a genre, if you want success. Find a story that you might want to write about and that can develop as you progress. All my books start with a basic premise and most of the characters outlined, but one of the rewarding things is discovering how they change as the story unfolds and they are placed into challenging scenarios. There are twists and turns that you might implement that you aren’t aware of at the outset. But also …edit …edit …edit. Cut out any waffle or filler!
