Crime Thriller / Suspense
Date Published: 09-07-2026
Publisher: Mission Point Press
Author Interview
Tell me about yourself. Where are you from?
RM: I was born in Ferndale, Michigan, a northern suburb of Detroit. I was attracted to classical music at an early age, playing violin in grade school orchestras and moving to the French horn in high school. I went to the Eastman School of Music (Rochester, N.Y.) where I became 1st horn in their orchestras.
I was a virtuoso horn player in two major east coast symphonies before age 22. Because piano was easy for me, I was always playing piano gigs during the orchestra nights off. Finally, so many piano gigs were offered to me that I quit the horn and became the busiest piano player in Detroit in 1964. (My mother was horrified, saying "You went from concert hall horn player to barroom piano player in only two months!") Eventually this led to a 30-year solo piano concert career that took me around the world. Now retired, I stay in my woodland home near Lapeer, MI, and look for fun things to do. Like writing books.
What genre do you read? Who's an author you read? Name your top 5 authors.
RM: I've composed all kinds of music, everything from country songs and piano concertos to a full scale grand opera. I never studied the composing styles of the most famous composers because I already knew how to write music simply by listening to it. Similarly, I have never studied the writing style of any author. As in both music and literature, the final judge is the audience. In music, as both a performer and composer, the goal is to "avoid boring the audience: know when to start and when to quit." The same principle applies to writing books.
Favorite sports.
RM: I was a semi-professional pool player my entire life. Since I couldn't sacrifice my concert appearances to go play in pool tournaments, I was never classified as "professional." Furthermore, in pool when you make a great shot and win the game everyone hates you because they lost. In piano, when you play either a simple, beautiful melody or a thundering boogie-woogie, everyone stands up cheering and loves you. I chose wisely.
Favorite thing about your state you live in.
RM: Michigan has four equal seasons. Three of them are for everyone. One is only for those with true grit.
How long have you been writing?
RM: I've been writing all my life. Started off writing articles for music publications, then dissertations on music, then a book about my "saloon playing days" around Detroit (The Journeyman Piano Player: Adventures in Gracious Dining), a historical account of America's first mass murderer, and finally a few novels that interested me.
What is your writing process like? Are you more of a plotter or a pantser?
RM: I know the entire plot of the book before ever starting to write it.
How did you come up with the ideas for your series?
RM: My ideas come from true life experiences.
How do you celebrate finishing a book?
RM: I celebrate with a bowl of popcorn, a treat I don't allow very often.
What would you tell a writer who is just starting out? What program do you use for writing? What advice would you give to a writer working on their first book? What’s your writing software of choice?
RM: My software is Microsoft Word. I would suggest trying to think the entire book through before ever starting.
How do you organize everything and finding the time to sit down and write?
RM: You don't "find time" to write. You simply stop doing everything else, including turning off your phone, and begin.
As an author, what would you choose as your spirit animal?
RM: Cats. Cats are decisive. They also biff things they don't like. Everyone should be like cats.
Who has been the biggest supporter of your writing?
RM: My wife Linda, our two daughters, and my fans.
How do you name your characters?
RM: Most of the names I've used are actual names of people I know.
Can you describe a typical day in your writing life?
RM: There's no such thing as a "typical" day. I write things. Then I ask myself, "Is this the best you can do?" Then I rewrite. This continues until someone takes it away from me.
About the Author
Bob’s extraordinary musical abilities were the subject of numerous brain studies, which have inspired a popular RadioLab podcast.
Little did they know that Bob was also a talented writer.
For years he wrote articles about his saloon-playing days for music publications. Many of these stories were compiled into a book called The Journeyman Piano Player: Adventures in Gracious Dining. Bob has written reams of poetry, some of which became lyrics to songs that he composed. The longest piece of poetry he ever wrote was the lyric book for The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, a grand opera he composed and orchestrated.
Mr. Milne has been fascinated by nature his entire life. At a young age he realized that instincts are present in all species of birds, mammals (including humans), and literally every living thing in nature. He has used this information countless times over his lifetime to predict what the human species will do in future situations.
Bob is now retired from the long piano tours and is enjoying his woodland home. Today he spends his time studying nature in the woods. Signed copies of his book may be purchased through his website.
