Featured Interview With Robert J. Emery (pen name R. J. Eastwood
Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
Born and Raised in Rhode Island, but now live in Florida. My only pet is my beautiful wife. Here is the rest of my story: During his film and television career, Robert J. Emery, who writes novels under the pen name, R. J. Eastwood, has written, produced, and directed feature motion pictures, television documentaries, national television commercials, political campaigns, and industrial films. Some of the highlights of his career include the award-winning ninety-one-episode television series The Directors for Starz/Encore, the award-winning four-part mini-series, The Genocide Factor for PBS, the award-winning documentary For God & Country: A Marine Sniper’s Story for MSNBC, and the award-winning motion picture, Swimming Upstream, for the Lifetime Television Network.
Mr. Emery has been honored with over seventy-five industry awards including seven years in a row at The New York Festivals, two Golden Eagles from The Chicago International Film & Television Festival, top honors at HoustonFest, and the Best Dramatic Feature Film Award for Swimming Upstream from the Los Angeles Angel City Film Festival. His previous novel, The Autopsy of Planet Earth, was awarded the Author’s Circle Novel of Excellence for Fiction, the Readers’ Favorite Award for Best Fiction, the Pulp Pen Award for Fiction, and book of the year award from Book Talk Radio Book. He is a member of the Directors Guild of America, American Association of Writers & Editors and the Alliance of Independent National Authors.
At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I began writing short stories in my early teens. I had no idea why, I just liked writing one or two pages about anything that came into my mind, like the time my dog died and I told of my loss. I kept writing all through my 4 years in the Air Force, and upon discharge, persued my dream of one day writing screenplays and directing, which I was fortunate to do. Upon retirement from active production, I finally had the time to write long-form and wrote my first novel, and then 4 books about a TV series I produced, then another novel, another non-fiction, and it keeps going from there. I love writing, it brings me great joy.
Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
Cormac McCarthy, Stephen King, Hemingway, and others. I like memoirs a lot and read them also. I am inspired by anyone who has the talent to sit down at a computer and spend a year or two or more writing. Writing is intensive whether it be fiction or non-fiction. It truly takes dedication to craft a book and see it one day published.
Tell us a little about your latest book?
My current project is non-fiction and simply titled “America.” I read two of the early books that have come out telling us we ever wanted to know about the Trump administration… and more come out each week. I decided I wanted to write a book not about Trump, not about politics, but what our country and its citizens have have had to endure from 2015 – 2021, and 2022 by the time I finished. I wanted to explore each event – the political admosphere, the pandemic, Black Lives Matter Movement, and more, to examine the consequences of each and how we as individuals might have been more active in dealing with them, and in a few cases, how we as individuals might have helped limited the pain and suffering. This book is about us, the people, which none of the other books coming out about this period are doing. Hopefully, “America” will be published at the end of the first quarter of 2022… at least that what’s I promished my publisher.
Connect with the Author on their Websites and Social media profiles
Robert J. Emery (pen name R. J. Eastwood’s Website