Robert Randisi

order now
by Robert J. Randisi

Click here to read exclusive online excerpts from this new Western anthology

by Robert J. Randisi

A gunslinger draws a gun on the man he was hired to kill and inadvertently kills a beautiful little girl. Even the booze can't get the image out of his head. And when he finds another girl who needs his help, he knows he's finally found a way to regain his soul--even if it costs him his life.

Western Author Interviews in the Archives...

Matt Braun

Frederick
Chiaventone

Patti Dickinson

Fred Grove

Jean Henry-Mead

Don Johnson

Louis L'Amour

Cynthia Leitich-Smith

Stan Lynde

John D. Nesbitt

Robert J. Randisi

Dale L. Walker

RTW: Over the past 20 years youve written over 300 western novels and that doesnt even address the number of mysteries youve written. It seems that makes for a pretty intense daily schedule. Are you a write-aholic, a creative genius, or a simply a very disciplined writer?

RJR: Judging from the things people have said about me in the past, all three. If I had to pick one I'd say write-aholic. I can't imagine ever NOT doing this.

RTW: What moved you to become a writer?

RJR: I started reading early, and was also a child of television. Both led me to want to tell my own stories, which lead to writing.

RTW: Mentor? Or self-taught?

RJR: Oh, self taught. I began writing in high school and knew, at 15, that I wanted to do it for a living. I graduated at 16 and did not go to college. I started working odd jobs during the day and writing at night and on weekends.

RTW: Has much changed in the Western genre since you first started writing?

RJR: Quite a bit. It was a wide open field when I started, thanks to Louis L'Amour and to the Adult Western market. Adult Westerns were frowned upon at the time by many western writers who were, at the same time, writing them under pseudonyms. I created and wrote and continue to write The Gunsmith under the pseudonym J. R. Roberts, but my real name has always been on the copyright page for all to see. The same goes for the Adult Westerns I wrote as "Tom Cutter," "W.B. Longely," "Joseph Meek," "Cole Weston." and others.

The field right now is not certainly as open. There are nowhere near as many publishers doing westerns when I started. All the major houses had western lines then, and the smaller houses Dorchester (Belmont/Tower at the time, Leisure now), Major, Zebra, Playboy and others, were heavily into it. It was certainly a good time to try to break in. Right now only four houses Berkley, Leisure, TOR and NAL will even admit to having western programs

RTW: Youve written under at least 14 pen names. Why is that?

RJR: That's because when I started out it didn't look good to have too many books out under one name. My agent advised me to use pseudonyms and not discuss them, and publishers liked to think they were getting all your effort. At the present time I only write under two names Randisi, and J.R. Roberts.

RTW: You write many adult westerns, yet over the years you have also edited many fine Western anthologies, and written novels such as The Ghost With Blue Eyes. Of the two styles, which do you find more challenging and rewarding?

RJR: Certainly the Gunsmiths are, to a large extent, formulaic, but that in itself makes it a challenge to keep it interesting for myself and for the reader. By the same token I would love to do more books like GHOST, and LEGEND. I have contracted to write another western for Leisure under my own name called MIRACLE OF THE JACAL. It's about El Fego Baca. I intend to do many more. As for the challenge, all writing is challenging.

RTW: Of the Western novels youve written, which are you most proud of?

RJR: I still have a soft spot in my heart for THE HAM REPORTER, which has never been in paper and which no one will reprint. It's about Bat Masterson when he was a sports writer in NY in 1911, and he and Damon Runyon solve a mystery. It was published in hardcover by Doubleday as a Double-D western, but no one would reprint it because they didn't know what to call it western, historical, mystery? It's the one book of mine I very much would like to get into paper. I'd GIVE it to some one to do in paper, just for royalties, no advance.

Of course, I'm very proud of THE GHOST WITH BLUE EYES, and of the collaborative western, LEGEND.

RTW: Are there any you wish you hadnt written    or wish you could change?

RJR: Sometime I just wish I hadn't written so many, but once I decided I wanted to do this a for a living that was the only way I could. I had to write a LOT of books, because my advances were not large enough to live on book to book.

RTW: How much research do you usually do when writing traditional fiction?

RJR: I do a lot of research on any western, traditional of Gunsmith. You'll notice that a lot of the Gunsmiths are based on fact, and feature Wyatt Earp, Bat Masterson, Luke Short, Hickok and many others. When I was doing the research for The Gunsmith #3: I discovered that Hickok had three deputies in Abilene at the time, but I only found the names of two of them. I simply dropped the Gunsmith into the situation as the third deputy.

RTW: Favorite authors?

RJR: Ross McDonald, because he turned me on to the private eye genre. My girlfriend/writing partner/life partner Marthayn Pelegrimas says she doesn't have favorite authors, she has favorite books. I've started thinking that way, as well. I no longer find an author and read everything he writes. I read them until they disappoint me. In the western field I presently like Ralph Cotton's Arizona Rangers books a lot, and have always like Loren Estleman's work. I thought was a masterpiece, and still have a soft spot for Loren's earlier work, . I enjoyed L'Amour's early Sackett books. I like many of my contemporary's works, but to name them here would mean I'd leave someone out. Why I like someone's books is because they entertain me. When they stop entertaining me, I stop reading.

RTW: Tell us about your newest release TIN STAR, your newest Western anthology....

RJR: TIN STAR was one of those ideas you instinctively know is a good one. I wanted not only to get writers who would produce fine stories about one of the badges of the old west, but I wanted to show the badge along with the story. I almost had this is mind as an art book. I surfed the web until I found some badge websites, then got permission to reproduce the badges either from the web, from digital photos, or directly from print catalogues. I managed to get Berkley not only interested in the idea, but excited about it. I had to fight a bit to make sure the badges themselves were included in the book, but I was not willing to budge on that point. I mean, that was the whole concept, story AND badge. Hopefully, there will be a TIN STAR II.

RTW: The contributing authors to TIN STAR reads like a Whos Who list of Western Writer greats. How difficult was it rounding up that group?

RJR: It's not difficult to round up writers when most of them are your friends. I've been around this business a long time now I'm 48, and have been doing this for a living for 18 years, and I was around before that, meeting people. E-mail certainly made it easy, as well. E-mail is very good for putting together anthologies. And when your friends also happen to be great writers, it's even better.

RTW: Were there any authors whose stories you wish you could have included in the anthology?

RJR: I wanted to include Dutch Leonard, if not with an original story, then a reprint. I invited him and he didn't have time. I then asked to reprint "3:10 From Yuma," but at the time his publisher was bringing out a collection of his stories and we couldn't make a deal.I am going to approach him for Tin Star II. I also wanted John Jakes, who didn't have time. I could have reprinted something of his, but ultimately I decided to do a book entirely of original stories. I might relent for a second book and reprint a Leonard and Jakes story. Also, maybe a Brian Garfield.

RTW: Any plans for other anthologies?

RJR: I'm presently working on two more western anthology ideas that I'm excited about, but can't discuss yet.

RTW: Who do you read in your free time?

RJR: Aside from the people I've mentioned I read many books in many different genres, and also some non-fiction for research. I'm awaiting the new books from Bob Crais and T. Jefferson Parker, and am about to start reading James Reasoner's civil war series. I wait for Loren's new books, and am still working by way through Ralph Cotton. I usually read two or three books at a time, and keep them in different rooms. In one room right now I have Harold Swindle's , and in another a collection of . I'm also going to read by Alyson Hagy, and Jane Smiley's soon. Also the new Conan Doyle biography.

RTW: What is the most important thing youve learned in your career?

RJR: That persistence breaks down almost any barrier. Once the barrier is broken down, though, it takes a combination of luck and talent to keep it down. I've been persistent enough, lucky enough and perhaps good enough to have had books out every year since 1982 and almost every month, given the schedule of The Gunsmith.

RTW: Have any advice youd like to pass on to the novice writer?

RJR: Yes. Write what you know, what moves you, what you're enthusiastic about, and do not try to write for an existing market, because it will change on you. And, as always, be persistent! Being good comes almost naturally, being lucky is a matter of chance, but you have a choice about whether or not you're persistent. Make it, and stick with it!

Copyright © 2000 ReadTheWest.com. All rights reserved.