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.”
She will talk about her book at Finley Library on Friday February 20 at 1.30pm.
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’.”
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.”
Oakman says her long career in health has given her plenty of material for future books.
“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.”
As an avid thriller reader herself, Oakman encourages anyone who enjoys a good story to come along to her upcoming library event at Finley Library.
“I love engaging with people who are interested in stories. I really like sharing what I do with people.”
Now retried, Oakman plans to keep writing, and hopes to release a new book every two years.
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