Novelist, screenwriter and playwright Robert Inman is a native of Elba, Alabama where he began his writing career in junior high school with his hometown weekly newspaper. He left a 31-year career in journalism in June, 1996 to devote full time to creative writing.
Inman is the author of four novels, all published by Little, Brown and Company: Home Fires Burning (1987), Old Dogs and Children (1991), Dairy Queen Days (1997), and Captain Saturday (2002).
Three of his novels were chosen as "Booksense 76" feature recommendations by independent book dealers nationwide. Three received the “Outstanding Fiction Award” from the Alabama Library Association.
Down Home Press published a collection of his non-fiction work, Coming Home: Life, Love and All Things Southern, in October, 2000.
Inman is the author of seven stage plays: Crossroads (musical comedy, 2003); The Christmas Bus (holiday, 2003); Dairy Queen Days (comedy/drama, 2005); The Christmas Bus: The Musical (holiday musical, 2006); Welcome To Mitford (drama, 2007); A High Country Christmas (holiday, 2008); and The Drama Club (drama, 2009). Inman wrote the book, lyrics and music for the two musical productions. All are published by Dramatic Publishing Company and are being produced by theatres nationwide.
Novello Festival Press published an illustrated book version of The Christmas Bus in 2006.
He has written screenplays for six motion pictures for television, two of which have been “Hallmark Hall of Fame” presentations. His script for The Summer of Ben Tyler, a Hallmark production, won the Writers’ Guild of America Award as the best original television screenplay of 1997. His other Hallmark feature was Home Fires Burning, a 1989 adaptation of his novel.
Inman is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of The University of Alabama with Bachelor of Arts (Communications) and Master of Fine Arts (Creative Writing) degrees. He is a member of the Authors Guild, Writers Guild of America, Dramatists Guild, PEN American Center, North Carolina Writers Conference, North Carolina Writers Network, and Alabama Writers Forum.
Inman and his wife, Paulette, live in Charlotte and Boone, North Carolina. They have two daughters: Mrs. Larkin Ferris of Breckenridge, CO; and Mrs. Lee Farabaugh of Franklin, TN.