A Little About Me:

I am an author, artist & craftsman living in Las Vegas, NV. Certified in both nutrition & ancestral health, I am a healthy nutrition & lifestyle advocate. As for personality type, I am INTJ (and BTW, got the mug too!). Ideologically, I consider myself an Individualist & Consensualist. I also love animals & wildlife, and am particularly fond of cats—both domestic and wild. Under Eastwood Innovations, LLC I operate this blog, Lifeology Store, Rand’s Bookshop, and Woodlands Press. My books are available on Amazon, and some of my fiction is also published on this blog under My Fiction. My much-anticipated epic novel PRIMEVAL was released on Amazon in Sept of 2025, and is currently available in trade paperback. Consider subscribing to this blog and/or following my Amazon author page for updates.

Education:

2021 – Acquired Ancestral Health Certification
2019 – Acquired Nutritional Certification
2011 – Acquired Pool & Spa Operator (CPO) Certification
2000 – Aviation License | Private Pilot Helicopter
Graduated: Ben Davis High School, Indianapolis – Majors: Math, English, Communications, Music

Writing Achievements:

2025: Published the first (September issue) of the “digital magazine-style” Lifeology Blog Newsletter Sept 27 (since discontinued, as I’ve finally shuttered Lifeology Blog)
2025: Published my epic (nearly 800 pages!) novel PRIMEVAL Sept 22
2023: Short story The Road Home selected as top series finalist & published in Crystal Lake Publishing‘s Shallow Waters Final Series Anthology
2021: Published Rolling The Bones in hardcover
2020: Short Story The Road Home awarded finalist and published in Crystal Lake Publishing‘s flash-fiction anthology Shallow Waters Vol. 5
2016: Published first book Rolling The Bones
2010: Short Story CATS: not the musical awarded Finalist in Writer’s Digest Annual Competition
2010: Won honorable mention (4th place) Carpe Articulum Literary Review‘s annual international short story competition with Forever Anna Day
2009: Won first place in Carpe Articulum Literary Review‘s annual international short story competition with The Traveler

Residence:

2002 – present: Las Vegas, Nevada – Summerlin area
1999 – 2002: Houston, Texas – Cypress area
Born – 1999: Indianapolis, Indiana – west side, Ben Davis area

History of Employment, Achievements, & Life Events:

Feb 2026: Transitioned Blog to Author Website
After some serious contemplation over many months, I finally decided to pull the plug on the bulk of my blogging, and just stick with my more personal content (“humbly sharing my work”), which entailed rebranding the former Lifeology Blog to the current Rand Eastwood | Author and scaling it down, removing hundreds of the essays, articles, posts, etc., and I now plan to primarily share my work along with content that is more personal and meaningful to me.

Oct 2025: Launched Rand’s Bookshop
Rand’s Bookshop is my own online bookstore. Since I’ve been reading & writing since I was a kid, and then blogged for many years, all the while continually citing books, referencing books, quoting from books, and of course recommending books, launched Rand’s Bookshop so I can more directly discuss and recommend my library, my favorite reads, and even my out-of-control TBR stacks! Plus, the Bookshop platform helps support independent authors & creators (like me), and they donate a percentage of all sales to independent bookstores across the nation, to support them and help them compete against the industry giants like Amazon and the big corporate chains.

Sept 2025: Published my novel PRIMEVAL
PRIMEVAL is my epic novel which was under development for 7 years. At 766 pages, it comprises a preface, a 4-part prologue, 3 main parts, and an epilogue. And, it quickly garnered a 5-star rating on Amazon! Read more about the novel here.

August 2025: The Ritual Awarded Finalist
My flash-fiction story The Ritual was awarded finalist in Crystal Lake Publishing’s monthly flash fiction competition

June 2025: Retired From Job
After running a pool service business with my brother for 13 years—plus a year working as a tech for another company, and a year working on the wholesale pool supply side prior to that, for a total of 15 years in the industry—as of May 31, 2025, I am retired from that job.

Of course, this doesn’t mean I won’t be working…in fact, I’m working even MORE, only on my “life work” at home, instead of at a dead-end job. Plus, meantime I’m keeping my eyes, mind, and spirit open to whatever new opportunities may present, perhaps something more meaningful and purposeful. But until then, I’ll be focusing on my novel PRIMEVAL (UPDATE 9/22/25: PRIMEVAL is now published!) and other writing projects, this blog, Lifeology Store, Lifeology Bookshop, tightening the screws on my health & fitness routines…and of course, continuing my ongoing morning studies and working on my multiple TBR stacks…

December 7, 2023: Passed Nutritional Re-Certification Exam (98%)
Precision Nutrition Level 1

October 21, 2023: Launched Lifeology Store
Online Store offering unique and exclusive products designed by yours truly
Shop: LifeologyStore.com
(Note: I also maintain the website)

September 29, 2023: The Road Home Published in Huge Anthology (Paperback)
My flash fiction story The Road Home was included in Crystal Lake Publishing’s huge Shallow Waters Horror Flash Fiction Anthology (over 100 top selections from the series, over 350 pages trade paperback)

May 11, 2023: Founded Eastwood Innovations, LLC
Las Vegas, NV
Eastwood Innovations, LLC is an umbrella LLC for various business ventures, including my online gift shop offering custom-designed products Lifeology Store, this growing and ever-expanding blog Insights, and other potential businesses either currently under consideration, or that may arise in the future.

November 15, 2021: Published Rolling The Bones in Hardcover
Originally published in 2016 in paperback, Rolling The Bones is now also available in hardcover! Rolling The Bones is a collection of twelve subtly interconnected tales of dark fiction—including a few award-winners—comprising 8 short stories, 3 novellas, and a short novel

October 2021: Passed Nutritional Re-Certification Exam (94%)
Precision Nutrition Level 1

October 2021: Acquired Ancestral Health Certification
Primal Mastery Course | Primal Health Coach, LLC
Evolutionary science, Genetics, Nutrition (paleo, low carb, keto), ancestral lifestyle practices

April 2020: The Road Home Awarded Finalist and Published in Anthology (Kindle)
Shallow Waters Flash Fiction Anthology, Vol. 5
My flash-fiction story The Road Home was awarded finalist and published in Crystal Lake Publishing’s Shallow Waters Flash Fiction Anthology, Vol. 5

December 2019: Acquired Nutritional Certification
Precision Nutrition Level 1

June 2016: Published Rolling The Bones
Rolling The Bones is a collection of twelve subtly interconnected tales dark fiction—including a few award-winners—comprising 8 short stories, 3 novellas, and a short novel

2011: Started the original Rand Eastwood Blog
Rand Eastwood Blog: the pursuit of life, liberty, health, & happiness (since rebranded to INSIGHTS in the Quest for Truth, Wisdom, Beauty, & Wonder, then rebranded to Lifeology: The Unexamined Life is Not Worth Living, and now scaled back to Rand Eastwood: Author • Artist • Craftsman | Humbly sharing my work, thoughts, and passions)
(Note: I also designed & maintain the website)

April 2011: Acquired Pool & Spa Operator Certification
Las Vegas, NV
NSFP (National Swimming Pool Foundation) Certified CPO

March 2011: Started Riptide Pool Care
Las Vegas, NV
Launched Riptide Pool Care with my brother
(Note: I also maintain the website)
See Photo

2011: Moved Myself & Brother to Las Vegas, NV
We moved to Las Vegas to start a pool service company (Riptide Pool Care)

2010: Worked at Hardware Store
Menards Home Improvement Center, Avon IN
Stocking Associate

2010: Short Story CATS (not the musical) Awarded Finalist
Finalist (top 100), eventually placed #40 in Genre Fiction
Writer’s Digest 79th Annual Writing Competition
(Short story since expanded to a short novel CATS: the number of the beast, which I’ve since unpublished and instead included it in the collection Rolling The Bones)
See CATS Cover Art

2010: Short Story Forever Anna Day Awarded Honorable Mention
International Short Fiction Competition
Carpe Articulum Literary Review Magazine
(Short story since expanded to a novella now available on Amazon, and also included in the collection Rolling The Bones)

2009: Short Story The Traveler Awarded First Place
International Short Fiction Competition, Carpe Articulum Literary Review Magazine
Now also available in the collection Rolling The Bones

2009: Moved To Indianapolis
Helped brother renovate newly purchased condo

2008: Registered randeastwood.com
Started blog

2008: Returned to Las Vegas
Started job at Rampart Casino
Sports Book Cashier

2007 – 2008: Worked in Hardware Store
Sears Hardware & Appliances, Avon, IN
Tool & Hardware Lead, Shift Manager
Business Defunct

2007 – 2008: Worked in Property Maintenance
LJC Properties, LLC, Indianapolis, IN
Rental Property Maintenance

2007: Moved To Indianapolis (Avon) IN
Helped brother renovate home for sale

2005 – 2006: Worked at Sign Shop
Signs, Etc. of Las Vegas
Graphic Design, Sign Production/Installation
Business Defunct

2004 – 2007: Worked at Book Store
Borders Bookstore, McCarran Intl Airport, Las Vegas NV
Shift Manager
Increased annual store sales $10k
Business Defunct

2003: Worked as Pool Tech
West Coast Pool & Spa, Las Vegas, NV
Worked a 50-pool weekly route
Business Defunct

Aug 2002: Moved to Las Vegas, NV
From Houston (Cypress), TX
Started job as warehouse manager trainee for pool products wholesaler, but left in short order due to poor management & internal conflict

Aug 2000: Completed My First Short Story: A Sweet Ride
A reader favorite to this day, A Sweet Ride is now available on Amazon

June 2000: Acquired Helicopter Pilot License
Houston (Spring), TX
Private Pilot Rotorcraft

March 2000: Started Helicopter Pilot Training
Houston (Spring), TX
Helicopter Services, Inc., David Wayne Hooks Memorial Airport
See Photo

Nov 1999: Moved to Houston, TX
From Indianapolis, IN
To attend helicopter flight school

1992 – 1999: Worked in Manufacturing
LasTec Inc., Lizton, IN
Research & Development / Machine Design
Manufacturing Technician
Purchasing & Inventory Manager
Publications Manager
LasTec, Inc. merged with Wood-Mizer Products, Inc. in 1997 (see below)

1990 – 1992: Worked in Retail Management
Indiana Video Concepts, Inc., Indianapolis, IN
Video Store Manager, Store No. 5
Designated Company Manager Trainer
Business Defunct

1985 – 1989: Worked in Manufacturing
Wood-Mizer Products, Inc., Indianapolis, IN
General Machine Shop
Vacuum Dry-Kiln Assembly Foreman

1982 – 1985: Worked in Manufacturing
Laskowski Enterprises, Speedway, IN
General Machine Shop
Shipping & Warehouse Manager
Research & Development
Transitioned to Wood-Mizer Products, Inc. in 1985 (see above)

1981: Graduated Ben Davis High School
Indianapolis, IN
Majors:
Math, English, Communications, Music
Extra-Curricular:
(Award-winning) Photographer for Yearbook & Newspaper
(Award-winning) Drumline Section Leader
Also wrote drumline parade cadences and components of drumline halftime show
Final Senior Composition paper kept by teacher as model for future students
Final DNA model kept by science teacher as model for future students
First Place grade 9 Science Fair
First Place grade 8 Science Fair