Roben’s love of reading began when he was just a boy. On his birthday, his mother handed him a book—Masers and Lasers—a simple gift that opened a door he never closed again. He read it over and over, letting its pages pull him into worlds far bigger than his own. That spark grew into a lifelong devotion to stories. He devoured classics like Moby Dick, Journey to the Center of the Earth, War of the Worlds, and The Time Machine, and lost himself in the adventures of Tarzan, Conan, and John Carter of Mars. Books became both escape and companion.
Many of Roben’s stories are rooted in real life, shaped by the people he loved most. In his later years, he and his wife were blessed with the chance to raise two of their grandchildren. Those years were full of small joys—coaching games, cheering from the sidelines, watching the kids grow into themselves.
When Jenna turned twelve, she came to him with a quiet question that changed everything. She wanted to stop playing sports. She wanted to ride horses. The honesty in her voice surprised him, but the dream itself didn’t. Roben knew that longing well. When he was her age, his parents had bought two horses and boarded them near home. Every day, he and his sister walked to the stable, caring for the animals, learning their rhythms, and finding freedom in the saddle.
Jenna took to riding with the same devotion he once had. She became a skilled jumper, competing in show after show, collecting medals until one wall of her bedroom shimmered with them. For three years, Roben stood beside her—encouraging, guiding, celebrating every small victory.
Then came the call. Cowboy, Jenna’s favorite horse, had died. The loss hit her hard. Soon after, her trainer left the stables, and Jenna faced the painful reality of starting over with a new horse and a new coach. She chose to walk away instead. She didn’t want to rebuild what she had already poured her heart into.
Those memories stayed with Roben. They became the foundation for his first three books in the Hailey series—stories born from Jenna’s courage, her joy, and her heartbreak. Writing them rekindled something in him, the same spark that first lit when he opened Masers and Lasers as a child.
Now retired, Roben spends his days writing short stories and cherishing time with his grandchildren, grateful for the moments—both bright and bittersweet—that shaped the stories he now shares.