Today, I’m having over for a chat a multi-talented man indeed! I met Bob Rector in my fabulous writers’ group, eNovel Authors At Work. Right off the bat, he’s come across as rarely easy to talk to, as if we’ve been friends for ages. Other than being an author, Bob has quite an astounding background in the world of music, film and theatre too! This, if anything, promises to make this an interview with a difference and for that, I can’t wait. But first, let’s find out more about Bob and his work!
Kurt Younger, an ex-mercenary, doesn’t need anything from anybody. Never has and hopes he never will. 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. Having one won’t do much good without the other. Paula Taylor is too smart and beautiful for her own good and going stale in the closet of a dead marriage and a meaningless life. Enthralled with Kurt Younger, she must decide: Forsake all that she has known to run away with Kurt to his hideaway island in the Florida Keys or never see him again. Kurt is determined to have both the emeralds and Paula. Only he knows lives are at stake. His, and if he isn’t careful–Paula’s.
Purchase link – Amazon
This play weaves actual war letters written from the battle front and home front dating back as far as Valley Forge into a story set during the waning days of WWII. The personal themes in the letters are honestly reflected, as is the commitment of everyday Americans to preserve freedom.
Popular essayist Katharine Hartgrove, whose son is fighting in Northern Italy, has been commissioned to write a play based on these letters. She enlists boyfriend Johnny Chastain, America’s favorite radio wise guy, to assist her. He provides an unseen twist to the story, along with plenty of comic relief. When the laughter and tears subside, Johnny is the most unlikely of heroes and Katharine is healed from emotional scars that have haunted her for 20 years.
Purchase link – Amazon
Interested in the show? Visit the LFTF blog to find out more!
Hello Bob and welcome to my blog!
Thank you Fros, I’m thrilled to be here.
Other than the two books I’m featuring here today, what other writing have you done? Anything else published?
Most of my writing has been in visual mediums in the form of scripts, which are not generally published. I recently indie-published the script for my play Letters From The Front which toured the world for 15 years and is in the process of being revived. Unthinkable Consequences is my first and only published novel.
Which are your favorite authors, and what do you love about them?
Dashiel Hammett, Erle Stanley Gardner, and John D. MacDonald. Their prose was sparse, their dialogue razor sharp, their men tough but smart, and their women worth fighting for. I’m also a big fan of Mary Stewart for being able to make you see and feel and smell every word, and Hammond Innes, the grand master of the adventure yarn – especially Campbell’s Kingdom.
What genres do you read mostly, and what are you reading now?
Mysteries (some police procedurals) and adventures, but there must be a romantic challenge that propels the plot. I’m currently reading Pete Barber’s Nanostrike. I can’t hit the Next Page button fast enough on my Kindle.
And if I may add, you’re not the first person who says this about Pete’s particular gem! Are there any sites or writing tools that you find useful and wish to recommend?
Since most of my writing career has been in script format, my favorite writing tool is Final Draft, the industry standard. It provides interactive templates for film, TV and stage, and there’s also one for manuscripts.
Interesting! I’ll look into it, thanks. Choose a male and a female character from your book and tell us which actor/actress you’d wish to play them in a film adaptation.
That’s easy. For Paula, Christina Hendricks. For Kurt, Matthew McConaughey. But I should explain that Unthinkable Consequences was in the works for over 25 years. Hendricks and McConaughey where children when I first created the characters, so obviously I was not influenced by them.
Describe your workstation. Are there any favorite objects you have there for inspiration?
I work on a big-screen iMac on a very cluttered desk, but a new project usually starts on assorted 5 x 7 notepads that pile up until I feel ready to commit them to the ‘big screen’ or dump them in the trash.
Do you listen to music while you write and if so, what kind?
I started my career making music videos so when I hear music I start thinking of how to turn it into a film. That’s just too distracting to be able to concentrate on the story at hand.
What has been the most important lesson you’ve learnt so far in life the hard way?
In the words of Teasdale, “Make the most of all that comes, the least of all that goes.”
Wise words! If you could choose another profession, what would that be?
Engineer on a steam locomotive. Not much demand for that these days.
Pity! You know, I could easily imagine you with the hat and everything. You’d be great at that too, no doubt. What are the things in your life that you’re most grateful for?
Family and friends. My beautiful, smart, unendingly fascinating wife, my two sons who are grown now and transitioned into best friends, and a wonderful assortment of friends who like fine wine just get better with age.
What a lovely answer! And judging from the sweetie that’s your wife, i.e. fellow author Marsha Roberts, I’m not in the least surprised by it. Last question, Bob! How would you like to be remembered?
Just being remembered will be good enough.
Ah! I think you’re all right with that one, Bob! The way I see it, you’re already a bit of a living legend. It’s been an absolute honor having you on my blog today. Thank you so much!
Thank you too, Fros! I really enjoyed it.
Bio
Bob Rector has been a professional storyteller for forty years, but his background is primarily in film, video, and stage work as a writer and director. Bob was one of the pioneers of music videos, first for The Now Explosion and then for Music Connection, which were highly popular nationally syndicated shows that preceded MTV by ten years. He created over 100 films for the top musical artists of the times. Bob wrote and directed an outdoor-adventure feature film, Don’t Change My World, and has won numerous awards for nature and sports documentaries. His original three-act play, Letters From the Front, entertained America’s troops around the world for fifteen years and was the first theatrical production to be performed at the Pentagon. Written and directed by Rector, this show became known as the World’s Most Decorated Play. After decades on the road (and in the air) Bob finally settled down long enough to write his first novel, Unthinkable Consequences.
Connect with Bob
Amazon author page: http://goo.gl/xV0ROf
Blog: http://rectorwriter.wordpress.com/
Unthinkable Consequences website: http://unthinkableconsequences.com/
Facebook author page: http://on.fb.me/XwmCe4
Twitter page: https://twitter.com/RectorWriter
Goodreads: http://goo.gl/x38WcW