Yorkshire-born Robinson is the author of 26 novels and his Banks series has been adapted into a popular ITV drama starring Stephen Tompkinson.
The week is all about…
That depends on whether I'm deeply engaged in writing or not. If I am, then all days merge into one, and the only sign that the weekend is upon us is that there's no Pointless on at 5.15 to mark the end of my writing day! If I'm not writing, then my tasks are more varied - an interview, perhaps a book to puff, or research. After this sort of week, I have a clearer sense of the weekend arriving.
That Friday night feeling…
Friday night is just like any other when you don't have to spend your weekdays days travelling to and a from a job you hate.
Friends round, takeaway or cocktails - what does Friday night bring?
I split my time between Richmond and Toronto, so if I'm in Toronto, we usually treat ourselves to a sushi takeaway and watch a movie. Alas, good sushi is hard to find in Richmond. My wife enjoys cooking, so we often simply eat at home - maybe a chicken from Angus Morton's, our local butcher. There are usually a number of interesting music programmes on BBC4.
Saturday morning - papers or Park Run?
Papers, definitely. I can spend all day Saturday and Sunday reading the weekly arts and books supplements. First thing I do is head up to our local Brooks farm shop at the garage on the Darlington Road and buy a stack of papers.If that doesn't keep me busy, there's an afternoon walk to Easby Abbey. No running.
Feeding time - brunch, lunch or picnic?
Though we have enjoyed picnics by the Swale - local cheese and a baguette, a bottle of white wine chilling in the water - we now tend to eat lunch at home, soup and a sandwich, and work through one of the cryptic crosswords from the newspapers. If we do go out for lunch, we usually go to Rustique Bistro and enjoy steak and frites along with a bottle of Chateau Guiot.
Retail therapy and favourite shopping haunts
I love spending a day wandering around second hand book shops. I have found many an unexpected treasure in the Oxfam shop in Richmond. A bag full of rediscovered or newly-found books to examine over a pint or two at the end of the afternoon. Heaven.
Saturday night perfection is…
Usually dinner out, or with friends. Or both. We are also lucky to have a very lively arts scene in Richmond, especially during the May/June Swaledale Festival and the September/October Richmond Walking and Books Festival. There is also the wonderful Subscription Series of mostly chamber music concerts at the Influence Church in Richmond. And there's always something interesting on at the Georgian Theatre. Many of the pubs have live music, too, including Friday night folk at the Bishop Blaize.
Sunday chills - what's your relax
Papers again on Sunday. Then we eat our roast beef and Yorkshire pudding in the Black Lion in town, or drive out into the dale. After lunch, I'm not much use for anything except watching sports on TV.
Fresh air favourites
Walking in the Dales. A friend of mine usually manages to find some obscure destinations, with manageable hills, and as often as not these turn out to be interesting places to find a body, There's nothing quite like an overgrown ruined farmhouse in the middle of nowhere to get the creative juices flowing.
Sunday night rituals
TV again, usually. More likely than not these days it's Netflix or whatever historical or crime serial happens to be on regular TV.
Peter Robinson appears at the Ilkley Literature Festival on Saturday, October 5 at 7.30pm. He'll be talking about his career and new Detective Superintendent Banks' novel, Many Rivers to Cross.
ilkleyliteraturefestival.org.uk Box Office: 01943 816714 @ilkleylitfest
