Bob Allen
Born:
Connection to Illinois: Allen is a life-long resident of Chicago, mostly on the South Side. He currently resides in Beverly. Biography: Bob Allen's past involves making eyeglasses, stand-up comedy, loading airplanes, practicing law and tending bar, among other things. His play, "Opening Day", was produced to exactly zero reviews, however a friend gave it a thumbs up on the way out, so there's that. Also, in case you were wondering, Bob likes the Sox over the Cubs, thin crust over deep dish, dry over wet, Stones over the Beatles and Ginger over Mary Ann.
Awards:
Selected Titles
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Let It Be At That ISBN: 1958943258 OCLC: Purpletooth Publishing 2023 The year is 1970. The place is an Irish Catholic working-class neighborhood in the south side of Chicago. The parish of St. Justin Martyr. Gary "Weezer" O'Donnell is about to enter the eighth grade and feels that it is time to put away childish things and to start exploring the process of growing up. But he has questions. Many questions. Father Tom Mallon has returned to St. Justin after some financial misfeasance at his prior church assignment. He grew up in the parish almost two decades earlier. Both of his parents had died while he was young and he found himself living with his Uncle Wally, a kind man who made his living collecting gambling debts in the neighborhood. Through Uncle Wally, both Tom and his best friend, Freddy Gallagher, acquiescence the ways and means of the gambling world, yet Tom keeps his promise to his mother and becomes a priest. But old habits die hard, and Tom has his own set of questions. It is then that the paths of Father Mallon and Weezer O'Donnell cross in fateful and ironic ways that leave each of them satisfied that sometimes your questions can't be answered, and you just have to let it be at that. |
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The Back Door to Heaven ISBN: B0DLHVLYJW OCLC: Robert L. Allen 2024 After many years working for the City of Chicago and serving a loyal precinct captain in the 51st Ward, Pat Sullivan, a guy who did things right, looks forward to his retirement. He has one final election to get the vote out for the incumbent alderman, Eddie Byrne. Afterward, Pat and Mary, his wife of more than 40 years, will relax, play with the grandchildren, and maybe learn to fish. That was the plan. But Pat's plan goes awry when his son, Tommy, is accused of murdering his troubled young wife. Pat puts his home and nest egg up for Tommy's lawyer and bond to ensure his presence in court. Despite his claims of innocence, Tommy disappears into the big city, jeopardizing Pat's home and future. While working the aldermanic election in a racially charged and shifting ward, Pat searches for his estranged son, only to realize a "tail" and others are also looking for Tommy, as well as CPD Detective Larry Wiggin and Reverend Zuko -- an arms-length ally of Alderman Byrne -- who found religion while serving time in prison. Who's worthy of Pat's trust? Pat finds more questions than answers as his search intensifies. Under the pressure of a court-issued deadline, Pat's search of a lifetime unearths secrets in his own family, his trusted alderman and the chameleon Reverend Zuko. Has Pat Sullivan's entire South Side life been rooted in blind ambition? Is it too late? |