Interview with Bob Rector
Published 2013-11-20.
Do you remember the first story you ever read, and the impact it had on you?
The book that brought about my 'literary awakening' was April Morning by Howard Fast about the first day of the Revolutionary War. I was about 14, the same age as the protagonist. Mr. Fast got into my head and my soul, and I was hooked.
How do you approach cover design?
Each reader creates a movie of your book in their own mind as they read. I think it's a mistake to try to depict what your protagonist looks like on the cover or specific scenes. I try to convey the primary elements of the story, just enough to be intriguing.
What are your five favorite books, and why?
The Bible, April Morning by Howard Fast, anything by John D. MacDonald, Campbell's Kingdom by Hammond Innes, John Adams by David McCullough - all master works and all examples of highly crafted storytelling. Text books on how to do it right.
What do you read for pleasure?
Everything I read is for pleasure.
What is your e-reading device of choice?
Kindle.
Describe your desk
Cluttered. But I know where everything is. I think.
Where did you grow up, and how did this influence your writing?
I grew up in North Florida in a small town during the 50s. It was a very different America back then. It's the period I set my book Unthinkable Consequences in, only in South Florida instead of North. Family was the most important thing in people's lives and my family was huge. Air conditioning was not widely available yet and the days were hot and the nights even hotter, but in a different way. There was always at least one great drama going on at any specific time. It provided a great wealth of story material for an aspiring storyteller.
When did you first start writing?
In 1970 when I first started working in TV. Unthinkable Consequences is my first novel but I've lost count of all the scripts I've written. Normally these get absorbed into the production process and are seldom available to the public. I did write and direct a feature film, Don't Change My World, which was released to theaters, cable TV and home video, and also a 3-act play, Letters From the Front, which toured the world for 15 years.
What motivated you to become an indie author?
I'm a control freak.
How has Smashwords contributed to your success?
It's an amazing resource for writers. There are so many outlets for ebooks today, each with their own proprietary formats, rules and regs. Smashwords takes your finished manuscript, walks you through making the adjustments necessary for e-publication, wave their magic wand to make it universally compatible, then send it out to virtually all e-tailers. Lets the writer get back to writing.
What is the greatest joy of writing for you?
The creative process brings you closer to God, the ultimate Creator. Writers get to create little worlds of their own and fill them with people they've breathed life into, then live amongst them, observe what they do, and write stories about it. Not a bad way to make a living.
What are you working on next?
A fantasy/adventure story set in contemporary times and that's all I'm going to say about that.
Who are your favorite authors?
John D. MacDonald, the grand master. Hammond Innes, who I believe is the all-time greatest adventure writer. Among more contemporary writers: Michael Connelly and Ken Follett, both master craftsmen.
What is your writing process?
It's pretty simple. Butt in the seat, fingers on the keyboard. Write. A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. Take the step.
What inspires you to get out of bed each day?
The mortgage.
Smashwords Interviews are created by the profiled author or publisher.
Books by This Author
Unthinkable Consequences
by Bob Rector
(5.00 from 2 reviews)
Kurt Younger doesn't need anything from anybody. Now he's facing a midlife crisis. At the center of it is a sackful of stolen emeralds and a woman. One is worth two million bucks. The other is priceless, a woman who has captured his heart. Paula Taylor is enthralled with Kurt and must forsake all she has known to run away with him to his hideaway island in the Florida Keys or never see him again.
