Look and Listen

Biography

Robert J. Pajer was born in Yonkers, New York. He has been a correspondent for Mini-World Magazine written in English for Japanese readers, and has written articles for American magazines that dealt with religious topics in American culture. A Handful of Dust is his first novel. He spent over 10 years researching the book while working a full-time job. A Handful of Dust is an incredible journey through the streets of 1930 depression-stricken New York City. "People are again experiencing some of the difficulties our parents and grandparents went through during the thirties," Pajer said. "The past two years have been a humbling time financially for many people and identifying with the past can help us understand this isn't a new situation historically, others have gone through it and survived. My desire is that "A Handful of Dust" will not only entertain, but also remind us the most important things in life are family and relationships. Mr. Pajer lives in Yonkers, New York is married and he and his wife have two daughters.

Inspiration

Words, stories, and imagination have always had a deep influence upon my life. The resonance of a well constructed sentence created a euphoric high within me that I, to this day, still find alluring. It is a precious gift that I am grateful for because of all the pleasurable moments I have experienced through reading and my own writing. To many in the world this is incomprehensible, but to another writer or avid reader it is quite understandable. It is to you, the collective community of story and word lovers who understand the depth of this love, that I can relate. The greatest influence in my life is this inate love of books. It compels me to read, to write, to search, to study, to know all there is to know about this wonderful gift of life. Every precious moment is an opportunity to add to the reservoir of knowledge that will uncover the secrets of this mysterious universe. Another writer once told me if you want to write then write and read everything you can get your hands on-- fiction, non-fiction, cover every discipline: science, philosophy, theology, language, and history. Those words were heeded and they did help me write my first novel, "A Handful of Dust." It took almost ten years because I did work another job while writing the book. The discipline I learned from those words helped me research and create a story that readers can lose themselves in for what I hope is many pleasurable hours.