Look and Listen

Biography

Robin has lived half her life in Alaska, the most exciting years spent on her family homestead near Willow, in the mountains above Wasilla, Alaska. From there, she lived in Northern California, Phoenix, and Chicago. Now she travels extensively as she promotes Some Like It Red Hot, her current RV/Red Hot Ladies Club romantic suspense novel. "I don't have my RV yet," Merrill says, "so you'll find me out tent camping among the RVs at national and local RV events. Some of the Red Hat conventions, too, when I can find a nearby campground. High winds damaged my tent this year, and wild storms led to several sleepless nights, but at least I managed to avoid the tornadoes. Really, since I graduated from a hip-length, half-inch backpacker's sleep pad to a four-inch memory foam twin mattress that rolled up barely fits in the back seat in my car, comfort hasn't been a problem. Now, getting up off the ground several times a night...that can be a problem!" Merrill is working on the Red Hot Ladies Club sequel as she travels the country. Also in the works are a series of Alaskan non-fiction books, including her family’s homestead experience, an historic overview of the mining and homesteading era in the Willow/Wasilla area, and a look at some unique and in a few cases, world-renowned current Willow residents. Published works include Some Like It Red Hot, Acacia Publishing, 2008, “Coffee Break,” Map for Murder, Red Coyote Press, 2007, and “Fast Pace,” Medley of Murder, Red Coyote Press, 2005. Professional memberships include Sisters In Crime and PRO member of Romance Writers of America. RV clubs include Escapees, Good Sam’s, and RVing Women.

Inspiration

Inspiration for writing faced me every day during my early years in Alaska. The glory of nature surrounded me. Travails and experiences that tested not only our spirits but our very survival faced my family nearly every day. History unfolded around me, from working for Alaskan Statehood, meeting the last caretaker at the Lucky Shot gold mine and two grizzled old miners still scratching out a living in the mountains around us, to witnessing the final years of the National Homestead Act, the Kennedy era, and surviving the Alaskan earthquake. I always recognized the unique appeal of that special time, and always believed one day I would recreate that experience for posterity. Surely if I found it fascinating, perhaps someday others would, too. In the meantime, many long summer days and longer winter nights with a flashlight under the covers were spent reading everything I could get my hands on. Stories...worlds...opened up in my mind and inspired dreams of writing books of my own. Life happened, however, and writing novels became writing memos, reports and RFPs until I finally realized time was running out. I launched my writing career in 1993 with a resounding flop, but that inner passion to persevere in telling the stories in my head kept me learning, refining, and writing. That process continues to this day.