When Tracey Oakman worked as a medical scientist, little did she know she was also preparing for life as a crime writer.
In her new thriller, Run Til You Can’t, Oakman uses a possible murder technique she became aware of in her days as a medical scientist.
“Nothing you learn ever goes to waste. That was in the back of my mind. I thought, I could use that.”
Run Til You Can’t is a thriller based around identity theft. Tracey Oakman, who writes as TL Oakman, was initially inspired by a real-life robbery.
“I read an article in the paper about a home invasion where people had their house robbed while they slept. And I thought, ‘Oh my gosh, that’s just horrifying, that would make a great novel’.”
The story centres around Tory, a young Mum who has her home robbed and her identity stolen. Oakman describes Tory as a young woman who had a ‘rough upbringing’ and ‘burned a few bridges’ before moving to a country town, where she met her husband and had a child. When her identity is stolen, her secret past catches up with her.
“I met someone who had their identity stolen and he described the things that happened during the 18 months that it took to clear his name. And I thought, ‘Wow, that is really going to be a great novel.’”
Oakman wrote her first book, The Pandemic Plan, while working as a Director of Public Health.
“I was concerned that people didn’t believe, or take much interest in, some of the health messages. I thought if I could write a novel that is interesting to read, but covers all those health messages by subterfuge, they might pick it up. So I wrote The Pandemic Plan in 2012 and included what you should do if a pandemic came.”
Writing her first book was a slow process as Oakman was working full time, had a young child and travelled a lot for work.
“I would be writing for 20 minutes or 30 minutes at night, on aeroplanes and in motels, when I was travelling for work.
“That was my first novel. You learn from writing a novel. This next one is much better. You learn from all the mistakes you made in the first one.”
Oakman says her long career in health has given her plenty of material for future books.
“The last seventeen years of my career I was the Director of Public Health and you’re exposed to an incredibly broad range of things that happen in the community.
“We’re involved in environmental health and immunisation and disease outbreaks and legal issues with tobacco. There are a broad range of issues that fall under the Public Health Act.
“There are probably decades of books that could be written about some of the stuff I learned in that job. So I’ll probably draw on that as I keep writing. And my next book very much draws from my professional skills.”
As an avid thriller reader herself, Oakman encourages anyone who enjoys a good story to come along to one of her upcoming library events. She is appearing on the RRL mobile library at Lockhart on Tuesday 10 February, and giving author talks at Finley Library, Corowa Library and Howlong Library in the coming weeks.
“I love engaging with people who are interested in stories. I really like sharing what I do with people.
“I love attending author talks myself, because as a writer I always learn something. I feel like every time I listen to an author talk I take a little bit away that will help me improve my writing skills. Sometimes it’s just nice to know that they struggle too.”
Now retried, Oakman plans to keep writing, and hopes to release a new book every two years.
“The more you write, the more you develop your writing craft. So you know, by the time, I get to my fifth book I should be brilliant,” she quips.
TL Oakman is appearing on the RRL mobile library at Lockhart on Tuesday 10 February at 10:00am.
She is also giving author talks at:
Finley Library on Friday 20 February at 1:30pm,
Corowa Library on Tuesday 24 February at 2:00pm,
Howlong Library on Tuesday 3 March at 2:00pm.
More info and tickets? Visit the events page of the Riverina Regional Library website or phone your local library.
