A former merchant seaman, ex-entrepreneur, a sometime expatriate, and always an inveterate story-teller, R.E. (Bob) McDermott capped a long and varied career of international work and travel by turning to his secret passion, writing. Bob had the good fortune (and sometimes misfortune) of knowing more than a few 'interesting characters' and bits and pieces of them flesh out the characters 0f his novels.

McDermott's work is characterized by meticulous research and a gritty, seldom-matched realism. He strives to make his protagonists fallible humans – not superheroes, just ordinary people who screw up, but rise to life’s challenges in extraordinary situations. 

Bob lives on the outskirts of Nashville, Tennessee with his patient wife (and chief proofreader) and splits his time between their condo on Old Hickory Lake and a rural retreat in the Tennessee woods with no phone, no email, and no internet. He likes that just fine and his wife is even more enthusiastic about it since they got a working toilet.