Robin Mayhall
© Jason Cohen
Robin Mayhall is a public relations professional with more than 20 years of experience in business and feature writing. She lives in her hometown of Baton Rouge, La., writing science fiction short stories and poetry in her “spare time” with occasional help from her three cats. Mayhall’s poetry has appeared in several print and online publications and has been nominated for an industry award. She graduated with a journalism degree with highest honors from the University of Texas at Austin and has battled rheumatoid arthritis for more than 20 years.
Interview
What was your favorite book when you were a child?
Black Beauty as a very young child; later, the Lord of the Rings trilogy.
What’s your favorite line from a book?
- "Horns, horns, horns. In dark Mindolluin’s sides they dimly echoed. Great horns of the North wildly blowing. Rohan had come at last."—The Return of the King, J.R.R. Tolkien
Who are your top three favorite authors or illustrators?
J.R.R. Tolkien, Diana Gabaldon, and Stephen King
Why did you want to become an author or illustrator?
- I love to write and have been writing since I could barely hold a pencil. I’ve always enjoyed words—learning new ones, playing with them, trying to use them inventively and well.
Do you have any advice for future authors or illustrators?
- First I would say to do it for yourself and not for anyone else or for any form of reward or accomplishment, such as money, fame or even publication. There are probably millions of people out there who could write a great novel, and hundreds of thousands who have done—but who will never see them in print. You must take your satisfaction from the act of writing, the love of words and the need to tell your story.But with that said, be persistent! Don’t ever give up your dream, whether your dream is to be published or to win a certain award. Becoming a successful author is somewhat like winning the lottery; it’s not likely to happen, but if it does, the rewards are enormous. And it’s fun to try!
