Born on April 27, 1959 in Devonport, Tasmania, to a printer and a
homemaker, Peter Richmond developed a passion for fiction during his
High School years. Spending the long winter evenings in front of an open
fire in his parents’ living room he read voraciously, consuming practically
every fiction novel in the school’s library.
After graduating from the University of Tasmania in 1983, with a Degree
in Surveying, he entered the spatial information industry working for many
years for the State’s power authority.
During that time writing became a hobby and he completed many short
stories and poems.
However, since his late teens he had lived under the debilitating grip of a
social phobia. Realizing that it was impossible to lead a fulfilling life
under its spell he decided that it had to be overcome. Without any
professional aid and without instructions from books, Richmond thought
the problem through until finally in 1997 he had developed a ‘mind tool’
to overcome and eventually rid himself of the disorder.
This journey through the mind left an indelible impression on Richmond
and left him in complete awe at the capabilities and power of the mind. It
also gave him the inspiration for his first novel, The Mind Man.
In 2001, however, the opportunity arose to consult for the United Nations
in Northern Iraq as part of the Oil-for-Food Program. Having always been
an enthusiastic traveller, Richmond eagerly accepted the offer, remaining
with the UN until the beginning of the second Gulf War.
After being evacuated, Richmond left the region for Moscow where he
joined his future wife and remained for twelve months acquainting himself
with Russian life, much snow and ice, his potential in-laws and enjoying
the café culture of a Moscow summer.
Upon returning to Australia, Richmond rejoined the spatial information
profession for a short period before finally leaving to write fulltime. His
first writing task was to complete the story which had remained so dear to
his heart, The Mind Man.
Richmond currently lives in Sydney.