About Robert O'Brien
Robert would describe himself as a reluctantly optimistic seeker. Growing up in Ireland with a stutter and hiding his sexuality made navigating childhood and adolescence rather difficult. Never feeling like he fit in, he found solace in cars. They were safe, cosseting and provided a literal escape from the world outside.
It was one car in particular that inspired Robert to try and fix himself after embracing speech therapy and eventually acting school in Vancouver, Canada where he would come out at the age of 32. 'The Beast' was his father's E30 M3 Sport Evolution and this car tempted and tormented him as it always seemed just out of reach. Just One More Drive: The true story of a stuttering homosexual and his race car is Robert's second published work of non-fiction and it is a brutally honest account of the bond he formed with this car and how this vehicle saved his life and inspired him to share his story to inspire others through dark humour and honesty.
Robert has discovered on his own journey that he is not alone or special and that there was never anything to fix. His book is on sale globally and he has given various workshops on vulnerability and acceptance. He currently resides in Vancouver, BC working as a teacher and co-instructor for “The Unblockables”, an improv acting course for people who stutter with Tightrope Theatre.
Other written works includes The MINI: A Strategic Relaunch of a Dormant Brand (Lambert Academic Publishing, 2016).
