S. Rob

Born Robert James Thomas in 1965, Rob Thomas is an American author, producer, and screenwriter with a diverse career in television and literature. He is widely recognized for creating the popular television series *Veronica Mars*, which he later revived with a feature film funded through a record-breaking Kickstarter campaign. His other television credits include co-developing *90210* and co-creating *Party Down* and *iZombie*.

Before his success in television, Thomas taught high school journalism and advised a student magazine. His early writing career included work for *Channel One News*, which influenced his first novel, *Satellite Down*. He also had a history in music, playing in several bands in San Marcos, Texas. Thomas's journey into television writing began with *Space Ghost Coast to Coast*, leading to scripts for *Dawson's Creek* and the creation of his own series, *Cupid*. Despite facing creative differences and projects not moving to series, his persistence led to the development of numerous shows.

Robert James Thomas was born in Sunnyside, Washington, on August 15, 1965. He attended San Marcos High School, graduating in 1983. Thomas pursued higher education on a football scholarship at Texas Christian University (TCU), where he played as a backup tight end and on special teams. After his time at TCU, he transferred to the University of Texas at Austin, earning a Bachelor of Arts in history in 1987. Prior to his career as a novelist for young adults, he worked as a high school journalism teacher in San Antonio and Austin, Texas, and also served as an advisor for a student magazine at UT-Austin. From 1993 to 1995, Thomas was involved with *Channel One News*, an experience that later informed his novel *Satellite Down*. During the mid-1980s and early 1990s, he was also a member of three bands in San Marcos: Public Bulletin, Hey Zeus, and Black Irish.

Thomas's entry into television writing began with an episode of *Space Ghost Coast to Coast* in 1996. His script for the film *Fortune Cookie* led to an opportunity to write for *Dawson's Creek*. This script also caught the attention of Sony Entertainment's president, who encouraged Thomas to develop a romantic comedy pilot, which became the series *Cupid*. He was subsequently asked to lead ABC's *Snoops* but departed due to creative disagreements. Thomas developed several other pilots, including adaptations and original scripts, though not all reached series status. His most notable television creation is *Veronica Mars*, which aired from 2004 to 2007 and was later revived. He also co-developed *90210* and co-created *Party Down* and *iZombie*. Thomas has also written screenplays for films such as *Drive Me Crazy* and directed a short film adaptation.

Beyond his extensive television work, Rob Thomas is also an author of young adult novels. His published books include *Rats Saw God* (1996), *Slave Day* (1997), *Doing Time: Notes from the Undergrad* (1997), *Satellite Down* (1998), and *Green Thumb* (1999). Following the success of the *Veronica Mars* television series, Thomas co-wrote two novels set in the show's universe: *Veronica Mars: The Thousand Dollar Tan Line* (2014) and *Veronica Mars: Mr. Kiss and Tell* (2015). A significant achievement in his career was the crowdfunding of the *Veronica Mars* film, which he co-wrote and directed, released in 2014. He also produced the television series *iZombie*, based on a comic book, and explored adapting *The Lost Boys* into a multi-season television series.