Robert Stanek is a pen name of William Stanek. His Keeper Martin’s Tale and Elf Queen’s Quest were published in spring 2002 and become instant bestsellers, spending a combined 26 weeks on the Amazon.com Sci-Fi/Fantasy Top 50 list. These stories introduced readers to the fantasy world of Ruin Mist. The name “Ruin Mist” is the common language translation of an elvish word, which means “the lost ages”.

Robert Stanek's books have been featured in these printed books: Popular Series Fiction for Middle School and Teen Readers: A Reading and Selection Guide (Children's and Young Adult Literature Reference), Complete Idiots Guide to Elves and Fairies, and Ancient Art of Faery Magick; recommended by the Young Adult library staff at VOYA (Feb 2007), The Journal of Electronic Defense (June 2007), Parenting Magazine (Sept 2008), and others; and featured by Publishers Weekly (April 2009) and others. Reagent Press has been featured in Publishers Weekly, Children's Writer, The Children's Bookshelf, Foreword Magazine, Florida Today, Writer's Digest, The New York Times and other fine publications and periodicals.

The popularity of the Ruin Mist books built up through the release of the subsequent Ruin Mist books. Readers were taken with the magical realms, the grand adventures, and the combination of classic fantasy elements with a fresh, highly imaginative approach. In the spring of 2005, Robert Stanek’s books were first published in audio and became instant audio bestsellers, spending more than 52 weeks on Audible.com’s bestseller lists. In 2005, his book, The Kingdoms and the Elves of the Reaches, was a #1 Fiction bestseller for multiple weeks, a Top 10 bestseller for over 25 weeks, a Top 50 bestseller for 52 weeks and eventually the became one of the Top 100 all-time fiction bestsellers in Audible's history. The book was so popular, it was featured on the Audible.com home page throughout July and August 2005 and his books continued to be bestsellers on the Audible Kids & YA list for over 120 consecutive weeks, with the first book holding a spot in the Top 10 for 182 consecutive weeks out of over 14,500 other Kids & YA titles.

Robert's thriller The Pieces of the Puzzle - A Scott Evers Rogue Operative story was also a #1 Fiction bestseller at Audible for multiple weeks. He followed The Pieces of the Puzzle with The Cards in the Deck.

It’s been a fairly open secret that Robert Stanek is the name of the more familiar bestselling author William Stanek.

Robert Stanek Books and More

In 2005, Robert's books were recommended by and discussed in Popular Series Fiction for Middle School and Teen Readers: A Reading and Selection Guide (Children's and Young Adult Literature Reference), Complete Idiots Guide to Elves and Fairies, and Ancient Art of Faery Magick.

In September 2006, Wall Street Journal reporter Sarah Nassauer interviewed Reagent Press Vice President and Publisher Jeannie Kim for an upcoming story on the audio book industry. Sarah Nassauer’s article “Home & Family: Getting an Earful of Printed Words” appeared in the print edition of the Wall Street Journal on 28 September 2006, which featured William's Bugville Critters books. A sidebar accompanying the article showcased several of the Bugville Critter books as well.

In February 2007, the Young Adult library staff at VOYA had this to say about Robert Stanek's The Kingdoms and the Elves of the Reaches:

Dramatic illustrations draw the reader into the Tolkienesque world of Ruin Mist, plunged into darkness after a Great War five hundred years past. Blaming magic for their demise, the Kings of Men have decreed that all things magical be destroyed. Yet despite their efforts, the magical Dark Lord is slowly returning to power. Another bloody battle is foreshadowed for Ruin Mist when Adrina, the spoiled and lonely princess of Imtal, is visited by a mysterious woman who predicts Adrina's ghastly future. Meanwhile in the kingdom of Elves, Seth, devoted First of the Red Order of the Queen Mother Elf, is sent on a journey across the Great Sea to prevent war. Stuck somewhere in the middle is Vilmos, a young magical boy-who-would-be-mage, abducted for his own safety by a Yoda-like guide named Xith. All three journey to an unknown fate against treacherous and sometimes supernatural foes. Stanek augments the beginning of this complex tale with illustrations that are sure to attract fans of graphic novels and classic Tolkien alike-the only weakness in the illustrations is their scarcity. Stanek will likely draw a cult following, but his work is not for the novice fantasy reader. A complicated glossary at the end includes twenty-two pages of "People, Places, and Things in Ruin Mist," complete with geographical references, family lineages, and extraordinary sketches. Despite the sophisticated plot, however, this cliffhanger guarantees fans, and those fans will be ready to wield their swords against the Dark Lord in Stanek's next installment.

In June 2007, The Journal of Electronic Defense gave his book, Stormjammers, their highest recommendation, saying:

EC-130s have participated in every significant combat operation US forces have been involved in for nearly two decades. Now, thanks to this book by former Compass Call "crew dog" Robert Stanek, readers can ride along with Stanek and his Grey Lady Compass Call crew during 32 combat missions from January to March 1991, during Operation Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm.

Based on the author's daily dairy, Stormjammers: The Extraordinary Story of Electronic Warfare Operations in the Gulf War, published in 2006, allows the reader to experience the hours of boredom punctuated with moments of terror that are typical of combat flying. Although many of the stories are somewhat repetitive, this is what Compass Call life is like, and the book quickly becomes hard to put down. Even though the reader can anticipate what a mission will be like, the tedium gives over to an adrenalin rush of anticipation when things begin to happen. It is impossible not to share the relief and pride of the individual crew members when the attack missions they protect exit Iraq safely because the Iraqi air defense command and control nets were completely defeated by Compass Call's powerful, targeted jamming.

Stanek, whose Gulf experiences are given credit for launching his successful career as an international writer, bookends his story by relating a gut-wrenching experience many of us can relate to, telling one's wife that you are off to war. He shares arriving in Turkey to temporary quarters (old military classrooms) that "quickly began to smell like an old sweat sock," getting to the showers before the hot water runs out, as well as the joy of finding out that the commissary got a shipment of real steaks and trying to coordinate a mission to get there while they last.

Another side of the book lets the reader ride along when Stanek's EC-130H has two engines quit in the war zone, and just when bailing out seems a certainty milking the hobbled airplane back to base only to have to argue with the tower over who has the worse emergency, Grey Lady or the aircraft critically low on fuel just ahead of it. There are also the missions when AWACS, the key to Compass Calls' protection, had to bug out because of maintenance problems, and the entire crew gives a thumbs-up to stay on station and continue their protective mission even though the risk is much, much higher.

In September 2008, Parenting Magazine recommended Bugville Critters as part of their audio & story selections in partnership with Audible Kids. Specifically, the magazine recommended "Bugville Audio Collection 1" / "Bugville Critters Storybook Treasury Volume 1" which include the stories "Visit Dad and Mom at Work," "Go To School," "Have A Sleepover," and "Visit Garden Box Farms."

In April 2009, the Publisher's Weekly Cover Story, Good Worlds and Bad - Pure Escapism and Dystopian Visions, selected Ruin Mist Chronicles to feature and write about in the article. The article also features commentary from editors in the field and books of other authors. Kingdom Alliance: Special Illustrated Edition (ISBN: 978-1-57545-510-5) was one of eight books singled out in and featured in the article.

Learn more at www.robertstanek.com.

From William Robert Stanek's blog @ http://robertstanek.blogspot.com/ (Oct 2012)

You know you're in the right place in life when you wake up every day with a smile on your face. You know you're in the right place as a writer when that smile is because you're eager to get to the keyboard, eager to get the thoughts racing through your mind down on paper.

That eagerness to capture thoughts on paper has carried me through many days, many years, and many books. As a writer, that eagerness has made the blank page a friend rather than a foe. That blank page can be your friend too--if you let it. And if you let it, you can fill it with everything that's inside you, everything that you can wonder about, everything that you can dream about, and everything that you can imagine.

On my blogs, I've written about and featured the books of many authors who weren't afraid of that blank page either--or maybe they were but they figured out how to turn that fear into something magical, if only for a time. That magical thing being a filled page, a page of letters and words. Words that dance and sing. Words that make your heart swoon or soar. Words that make your thoughts chase the heavens or scatter to the winds. Words that make your very breath catch, slow or race.

My day job is as a tech writer, a job I've been doing full-time since 1996. You can learn more about my William Stanek books at http://www.williamstanek.com/. Windows 8 Pocket Consultant is one of my latest tech books.

Before I wrote tech books, I was in the military and I wrote a true account of my war-time service in a book called Stormjammers: The Extraordinary Story of Electronic Warfare in the Gulf War. The book isn't as popular as No Easy Day, but I'd like to think it just as vividly depicts the sacrifices of the men and women I served with in the Gulf War. Learn more about this book at http://stanek.reagentpress.com/.

I started my writing journey in 1986 when I penned Keeper Martin's Tale, the first Ruin Mist book and my first full-length novel. As an instant, indie bestseller, Keeper Martin's Tale shook trees and rattled cages when it debuted in print in 2002--and it's still shaking trees and rattling cages today. Journey to Ruin Mist by visiting http://www.ruinmistmovie.com/.

Another project I worked on for many years before publication is the tale of a big, little place called Bugville. Originally, I wrote the Bugville stories for my children who delighted in them so much they urged me to publish them for other children to enjoy. Buster's story begins with Visit Dad & Mom At Work, but I think it's more appropriate to share with you one of the the more recent stories. It's called Have a Spooktacular Halloween and it features Buster's friend Lass. Journey to Bugville by visiting http://www.bugvillecritters.com/.

If you decide to read my books, and I hope you do, one thing I hope you take with you afterward is the sense that anything's possible. You can dream. You can achieve dreams. All those years ago when I began writing, I had no idea where my dream would take me and yet I dared to dream because I believed the impossible was entirely possible. And, it is.

When I began writing stories in the 4th grade, I had no idea that 35 years later I'd be celebrating the upcoming publication of my 150th book or that nearly 7.5 million people would have read those books. Yet none of it would have been possible if I hadn't dared to dream. Got a dream? You can dare to dream too. And when that dream comes true give me a shout out. Tell the world William Robert Stanek sent you.

 

Thanks for reading,

William Robert Stanek

From William Robert Stanek's blog @ http://robertstanek.blogspot.com/ (Oct 2012)

A quick update about print books… Last time Australia and New Zealand, this time Germany and Brazil as RP just signed another distribution deal which will bring my fiction books in print to select bookstores in those countries. So that’s fantastic news as we head into the holidays! This past summer I featured nearly 100 indies in Summer of Indie. Whether you’re an author or a reader, I hope you’ll stop by the Go Indie - Read Indies blog and see what Summer of Indie was all about. http://ReadIndies.blogspot.com/.

If you're an indie author, you've probably seen me hanging out on Facebook over the past year. If you’re a reader, you’ve probably seen me hanging out on Facebook too. Why? I wanted to see if social media was worth all the fuss. Was it really the future of communication? Could you really connect with anyone in a meaningful way? Does it matter? The short answers: Yes, it could be. Yes, it’s possible. Yes, it matters. The long answers: forthcoming. http://www.facebook.com/WilliamStanekAuthor.

 

The Life of William Robert Stanek: From Military Service to Artistic Success

William Robert Stanek's life is a testament to resilience, dedication, and the transformative power of art. His military service, marked by numerous accolades, including the Distinguished Flying Cross, laid the foundation for a remarkable career in the arts.

William’s military career took him to various fields of combat and special operations around the world. His distinguished service earned him many medals, reflecting his bravery and skill. Among these, the Distinguished Flying Cross stands out, symbolizing his extraordinary achievements. However, the honor of these awards is tempered by the traumatic memories they evoke. "I would give all the medals away to be able to close my eyes and not see any of it," William says, highlighting the emotional toll of his service.

After leaving the military in the 1990s, William turned to art as a means of healing. His photography, painting, and writing became outlets for processing his experiences and sharing his journey with others. "My work has always been an outlet, if not for my own healing, then to help heal others," he explains.

William’s wife, Hui Cha Stanek, has been his unwavering support throughout this journey. Together, they have created a body of work that resonates deeply with many, offering solace and inspiration.

Much of William’s military work remains shrouded in secrecy. His collaborations with the NSA, Army, Marines, and Navy often involved classified missions. As a result, the full extent of his contributions is known only to a few. "Of my awards and accolades, a piece of paper accompanying an award often doesn’t even tell part of the story," William says. "Sometimes you get an award or accolade for one thing, because it’s the one thing that can be talked about. Other times, you get a handshake from a president, general, or such on behalf of a grateful nation."

Throughout his career, William had the honor of meeting multiple presidents and generals. These encounters were significant acknowledgments of his service. Despite the recognition, William prefers to let his record speak for itself, rarely discussing his military experiences.

One story that William does share is how he met his wife, Hui Cha. On his way to survival training at Fairchild AFB, he stopped at McChord AFB for some R&R. His first night back in the U.S. led him to a Denny’s, and later, to a bar where he struck up a conversation with the bartender—Hui Cha’s sister.

The bartender thought William and her sister would be a perfect match and convinced him to wait for her sister to arrive. After some persuasion and a few more calls, Hui Cha finally came in. Wearing blue jeans and a t-shirt, with no makeup besides red lipstick and mascara, she walked in and there was instant chemistry.

They hit it off quickly, talked for hours, and set a date for the following day. William saw Hui Cha every day he was on R&R at McChord. When he left, they promised to visit each other on weekends whenever possible. During his survival training, Hui Cha drove out to Fairchild AFB twice, and he drove back to the west coast once. After training, he spent another week of R&R at McChord before heading to Air Combat School. During this time, he convinced her to join him for the six months of ACS. Two months later, they married and have been together for 35 years.