Peter Taylor

1939-2018

Peter William Taylor (journalist, novelist) was born in Campbellton, New Brunswick, 20 June 1939. He lived in this small railroad town in northern New Brunswick until he graduated from high school. After high school he attended Mount Allison University. Taylor’s first work experience was as an electrician’s helper on the railroads in New Brunswick. He returned to university to study journalism at Carleton University. When he finished, he began working as a journalist for Saint John’s Telegraph-Journal and then as a reporter for ten years for the Ottawa Citizen.  In 1967, Taylor published Watcha Gonna Do Boy… Watcha Gonna Be? The novel was later made into a film by the CBC and also a radio drama. Shortly after publishing his first novel, Taylor was offered a job with his publisher (McClelland & Stewart) in public relations and advertising – and later named vice president of marketing. He worked for M&S for twelve years in Toronto and then became an independent literary agent, and while doing so he wrote several books published between 1983 and 2002.  He died 9 July 2018.

Predominant New Brunswick Residences:

Campbellton