Raymond Obstfeld
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Raymond Obstfeld (b. 1952, Williamsport, Pennsylvania) is an American novelist, screenwriter and non-fiction writer. He teaches creative writing at Orange Coast College.
[edit] Biography
Raymond published his first novel when he was 24. His second novel, Dead Heat, was nominated for an Edgar by the Mystery Writers of America. Forty books and a dozen screenplays later, Raymond is still going strong. Although he has published extensively under his own name, he has also written under the pseudonyms Pike Bishop (the Western series, Diamondback), Jason Frost (the futuristic series Warlord), Carl Stevens (a mystery series), and Don Pendleton (the Executioner series). However, Raymond achieved his greatest success writing as Laramie Dunaway (Hungry Women, Borrowed Lives, and Lessons in Survival). His Dunaway books have been published around the world from England to Korea. His award-winning young-adult novel, Joker and the Thief, has also been published in several countries.
As a screenwriter, Raymond adapted his novel Dead Heat for Michael Keaton and his novel Warlord for Arnold Schwarzenegger and Robert Hamner. His original scripts have all been optioned. These include various genres, from romantic comedy (Mr. Moonlight) to caper-comedy (Foolproof) to teen action (The Joker and the Thief) to cop dramas (Tangled Up in Blue and Gambol’s Luck). He has rewritten original screenplays for Paramount (Sword Fight) and Don “the Dragon” Wilson (Whatever It Takes). Most recently he has rewritten the scripts Whackers and Robodog for Thornbush Entertainment. His adaptation of his novel, Joker and the Thief, is being developed by Chartoff Productions (Raging Bull, Rocky).
He is also very active writing non-fiction. Aside from his many articles in Writer's Digest (where he is a Contributing Editor), he has published two instructional books on writing, including The Novelist’s Essential Guide to Crafting Scenes and Fiction First Aid (Writer’s Digest Books). In addition, he has several books due in the coming years, including What God Wants: What the World’s Major Religions Teach about Today’s Most Controversial Issue, SpiritWise: The Moral Teachings of Native Americans, and Black Op (previously optioned by Morgan Freeman). Four books have been written for Lucent Books: Napoleon Bonaparte, Moby-Dick: Critical Essays, The Renaissance and Nations in Transition: India.
Raymond Obstfeld's next novel, Anatomy Lesson, will be released on April 1, 2008 and will be available for purchase from Iota Publishing.
