Robert Greenberger

answers the Usual Questions

Robert Greenberger

Bob Greenberger is a writer and editor.

A lifelong fan of comic books, comic strips, science fiction and Star Trek, he drifted towards writing and editing, encouraged by his father and inspired by Superman's alter ego, Clark Kent. (from his web site)

Has your interaction with fans, for example, at conventions, affected your work?

Quite often when I am at conventions, fans tend to be complimentary (or silent) about my work. I rarely get into interest, constructively critical conversations. I get such little feedback, I miss that sort of give and take. As a result, my work has never been influenced through fan interaction.

Is there any particular incident (a letter, a meeting, a comment that stands out?

Through the years it's fascinating to run into people who recall I ran a letter of theirs in a comic book or gave an office to when they were younger. The most interesting of those may be a chance encounter with Marc Guggenheim, now producing Arrow and The Flash for the CW, who recalls seeing me give library talks on Long Island back in the 1980s.

Do you have a favourite author or book (or writer or film or series) that has influenced you or that you return to?

I am a voracious reader, always wanting to read the next work from someone I like or someone I've been meaning to sample. As a result, I do not allow myself the time to reread works much as I should since I am a far different person than the teen who first read Asimov or Tolkien. No one author, therefore, can claim the mantle of chief influencer.

Who is the person you would most like to be trapped in a lift with? or a spaceship?

Great question. It would have to be someone widely read and fascinating to have a discussion with. My first two thoughts would be Isaac Asimov or Groucho Marx.

Who is the person you would most DISlike to be trapped in a lift with? Or a spaceship?

Urm, someone narrow minded with a limited world view. It might come down to someone like Iraq's Al-Maliki.

What would you pack for space? (Is there a food, beverage, book, teddy bear, etc that you couldn't do without?)

A well-stocked iPad with tons of books, obviously. A supply of peanut M&Ms and my Mets cap.

What is the most important thing you would like to get/achieve from your work?

The satisfaction of a job well done, with evidence of growth from the previous assignment.

What is the special satisfaction of your work?

For me the author or what I hope for the reader to achieve? In the case of the former, I have a broad range of interests so I like being able to delve into subjects, do the research, and synthesize it for the target audience. In terms of fiction, telling a good story that entertains. For the reader, I hope they learn something they didn't previously know and feel their time was not wasted.

submitted by Robert Greenberger

7 July 2014

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Just the facts:
Born: July 24, 1958, 5:30 a.m. EST in Brooklyn, NY.
Resides: Live in Maryland, teaching high school English at Owings Mills High School.
Bibliography/Awards:
Over the last thirty years I have written predominantly for the media tie-in market, notably the Star Trek franchise, along with Iron Man, Batman, After Earth, Zorro, and many others. I have written a smattering of comic book stories, from Superman to Scooby-Doo. My novelization of Hellboy II: The Golden Army won the Scribe Award for Best Novelization. My nonfiction work ranges from young adult historic works to The Essential Batman Encyclopedia.

Web site:
www.bobgreenberger.com, www.crazy8press.com,
@bobgreenberger on Twitter,
Facebook.

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