Robert Pacilio

Some people are fortunate to have a”Second Act.” Robert Pacilio is one of the lucky ones. He taught English for 32 years becoming San Diego County’s “Teacher of the Year” representing Mount Carmel High School. He was San Diego Magazine’s “Top Ten Teachers to Watch” and has traveled California speaking to students and teachers.

However, his “Second Act” is his 15-year journey in semi-retirement as an author, and he has written seven books: two young adult works, three contemporary romances, and one courtroom drama, and a memoir It Was Never About the Books is his crusade to inspire teachers, reminding them that they do make a powerful difference in the lives of their students.

His latest novel in 2025 is a contemporary romance about a woman’s coming-of-a-certain-age: “The Revival of Molly O’Toole.” All his books are available on Amazon. "The Revival of Molly O’Toole" is a story of “Second Acts.” It is both a modern-day romance and a search for happiness and fulfillment in those so-called golden years. Molly O’Toole’s journey takes her back to her Irish roots, her proud but failing father, Liam, and her desire for independence. Her path will lead to the play "Love Letters" and her poignant relationship with Alan Bernstein.

In 2008 when he began a second career, Robert Pacilio’s debut YA novel "Meetings at the Metaphor Café," nominated for the National Education Book Award, demonstrates his teaching methods, that are designed to make you laugh, cry and celebrate life. Its sequel "Midnight Comes to the Metaphor Cafe" has been well received and both novels have been adopted as part of the literary curriculum in several school districts. His two novels "The Restoration" and "Meet Me at Moonlight Beach" are his debut novels in the adult fiction genre. His most recent novel is a courtroom drama focusing on racism and free speech entitled "Whitewash"; it was adapted from a play/ readers theater he wrote in 1979 and revised 9n 1998.

Mr. Pacilio's fifth novel "Whitewash" follows the 12th juror in a criminal trial of a racist politician. "Duke" Ellis has been charged with 'inciting a riot at the home of his political rival Congressman James Curtis, who is black and represents a county in Riverside, California. The jury must decide if Ellis' incendiary speech to his followers was responsible for their attack on the Curtis home and family. The question of protected speech and hate speech forces all of the members of the jury to weigh the First Amendment vs. the danger of inciting hate crimes with the power of words.

Bob’s fourth novel Meet Me at Moonlight Beach is set in his home town of Encinitas and was recently featured in an article in The Coast News, and it will be the focus of a piece in Encinitas Magazine’s January/February edition. It is a story of love and betrayal, of life's physical calamities, and the perseverance to rediscover both trust and love. Locals will spot the Pannikin, Las Olas, and other venues, including yoga studios and Moonlight Beach. His female protagonist Noelani is a dancer/ yoga instructor and her love interest is Lewis, a journalism teacher with a rare disease. They gain strength with the help of their loyal psychiatrist.

In 2015, Mr. Pacilio debuted his novel The Restoration which is set in Coronado and regales its readers of the island’s unique and historical ‘movie house’ known as The Village Theater. The restoration of that theater parallels the lives of two characters and the belief that by returning the Village Theater to its original grandeur, they are actually restoring themselves—heart and soul. The Village Theater’s closure and eventual renovation is based in fact. The novel’s fictional characters discover that 'the movies' can enlighten, inspire, and heal one's broken heart.

In 2008, Bob’s first novel Meetings at the Metaphor Café was nominated for the California Young Reader Medal. In this novel, four teenage narrators reveal their dreams and disasters during their junior year in high school. Through it all, they are inspired by their English teacher, Mr. Buscotti, who helps them navigate their troubled waters as they sip their lattes and reveal their deepest secrets at the Metaphor Café. It has been adopted in various school districts as part of their literary curriculum.