Writing and Publishing

Dr. Bob and Rovell Enterprises have a long history in publishing. In the late 1970's, as Director, Computing Sevices for Athabasca University, Bob set up and managed a text-processing/full-page phototypesetting operation. This was well in advance of widepspread adoption of such technologies. At that time, his employee who oversaw the text-processing/phototypesetting operation attended a event on publishing in New York City. She reported on her return, that the presentor had everyone stand, then asked a series of consecutive questions about modern practices in the field, telling those who were "not there yet" to sit down. She was amazed to find herself in the final 5% still standing!

In 1981, Bob and Evelyn first incorporated Rovell Enterprises which was then instrumental in starting the Alphatel group of companies in Edmonton. The Alphatel group grew to include Alphatel Systems, Alphatel Videotext Directories, and Alphatel Computer Products. A fourth company, Alphatel Desktop Publishing, specialized in publishing services, creating products ranging from hardcover personal narrative (One Came Late, by Phillip Allen 1992) to product catalogs for a local plumbing supplies wholesaler.

With a Ph.D. in science education, Bob has a keen interest in the history of science, in ethical science, in education, health, business, politics, and government. His technical writings include a 278-page Doctoral thesis published in 1983 and quoted in professional literature as recently as 2006, an article published with his Ed Psych professor, A.R. Hakstian, in Psychometrica December 1974 (widely quoted and referred to as a "seminal work" and called a "classic study" in 2012 by JS Fleming), through to training-consulting reports for Land Force Western Battle School (1992-94). From 1995 until recently, his primary focus has been in developing and publishing e-learning.

In late 2011, disturbed by trends in wealth inequity, the stock market games and immoral corporate behavior that promoted it, and right wing fictions about the true causes, he wrote a non-fiction called Salvaging Capitalism / Saving Democracy — which he published in 2012. Then, triggered by a quote in a book by Andrew Harvey, called "The Hope" (which he had requoted with permission in Salvaging Capitalism...), he wrote a short dystopian literary fiction called "The Corporation".

Two New Adult novels, Trails, and a sequel, Fireballs, followed, both in part enviromentally themed. Bob joined Canadian Author's Association for a time and was publisher of the CAA-National Capital Region quarterly e-magazine, Byline from July 2013 until March 2016. In 2015, he added screen-writing to the mix, preparing the content of "The Corporation" for Feature Film production as Corporate Prey) He went on to direct and produce this feature film, which was in four film festivals, nominated by Maveric Movie Awards for best picture and best cinematographer for 2019, and received an Award of Merit from Indiefest in 2020.