Bob Armstrong is a fomer Marine, former Air Force officer, and former Chief of Veterinary Public Health for the city of Houston. He's also the author of Canis, his first mystery novel.

Welcome, Bob!

1. How did you become an author?

I started by believing that I could do as well or maybe better than Pat Cornwell and John Gresham. I began writing along two lines at the same time. I wrote the memoirs of my family, going back eight generations, and I wrote about things I knew. As the Director of Animal Control for Houston, I experienced a myriad of animal disasters. I thought I could fashion them into a mystery. The truth was that I had some real criminals on my staff, and because of the employment protections afforded by the city, I had a most difficult time getting them off the payroll. But Houston is not my world. I have traveled all over Europe, the Middle East, and the Far East.

2. What inspires you?

I am inspired by revealing the truth, although I write a lot of fiction. Even some of my memoirs contain fictional dialog.


3. What are you working on now? Future books?

I am currently working on my third mystery novel. It will be called ORYX or The ORYX. It is about a load of exotic animals shipped from Africa to the San Antonio Zoo. They get hijacked and slaughtered. The drivers are also killed, and it appears that the ALF, the Animal Liberation Front, has done the deed. I am also writing my personal memoirs. "My Life - So Far."

4. If you could have lunch with a literary figure (living or dead) who would it be? And why?

Winston Churchill, because he lived so long and saw so much. Of course Mark Twain would be acceptable. I have already met Senator Henry M. Jackson of Washington, and Teddy Kolick, the mayor of Jerusalem, both inspiring men.

5. What advice would you like to offer aspiring writers?

A. Travel, get out of your home town, see lots of places, watch the people, listen to them talk.
B. The key to success is re-writing.

6. What do you like to do besides writing?

I love to stream fish in Colorado, Idaho, Montana, or Washington with my sons. I took my fly rod with me to Thailand.

7. Favorite movie? Vacation spot? Food?

Movie: Dave
Vacation spot: Yellowstone Park
Food: Lobster Newburg

8. Anything you'd like to tell our readers? Upcoming contests? Booksignings? Events?

I have had the best booksignings in grocery stores. 80% of books are purchased by women. In most grocery stores the few men there have a note from their wife, or are talking to her on the cell phone.


Bob's Books:

CANIS (my first novel) is about dangerous dogs and the writing has been compared with Stephen King and James Herriot. CANIS - paperback, ISBN 0-595-29795-1 or eBook, ISBN 0-595-75078-8.


INDEX OF SUSPICION is a political thriller involving a presidential candidate and a potentially rabid cat.ISBN: 0-595-20485-6 Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble

Web site: http://home.houston.rr.com/rarmstrong9/ where you will find a full page of reviews.

My novels are self published by iUniverse and available on order from Amazon.com or Barnes and Noble.com.
My memoirs are self published by Kinko.

Robert E. Armstrong, DVM, MS, member Dog Writers Association of America, author of the veterinary mystery/thrillers.

Thank you, Bob. Sounds like my kind of books....