Robin Caroll Interview

Q: Let me start with asking you to tell us a little bit about yourself.
A. I love boxing, card making, reading, scrapbooking, being with my family and our pets. I’m passionate about stories—plots and characters and settings all converging to entertain and/or make people think or feel. I’m incredibly blessed to be able to do what I love.

Q: When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?
A. I’ve always kept a journal, writing down things I thought, saw, experienced. I’ve always told stories, changing outcomes as I grew or experienced something in a new way. I got serious about writing with the intent for publication after my youngest daughter was born in 2002.

Q: Could you give us the highlights of your professional writing career including how you got your first writing break?
A. When I decided to get serious about writing, I joined various writing groups. I joined ACFW in 2004. I was blessed to connect with an author whose books and writing style I loved, Colleen Coble. That we became friends and she mentored me was truly my first writing break. Her encouragement led to an introduction to who later turned out to be my first editor. That first book, Bayou Justice, originally released in late 2007.

Q: Would you tell us about your current book release Weaver’s Needle?
A: Weaver’s Needle is a modern-day treasure hunt! Pitted against each other to recover a map to the Lost Dutchman’s Gold Mine, two recovery specialists follow the trail to Arizona. But someone doesn’t want them to find the map. . .or the mine. They must work together despite their mistrust and growing attraction, to save themselves. The book has two protagonists: Landry and Nickolai, both are recovery specialists, which I think are pretty interesting careers to start. Both have such emotional loads they’re carrying from their pasts and their families that I think everyone can relate to them. The characters are both very strong personalities—Landry having served as an Army MP, and Nickolai having been on the police force. While they have much in common, they’re also polar opposites in many ways, which keeps them on their toes with one another.

Q: Where did you get your inspiration for Weaver’s Needle?
A: My husband’s mother was born in Arizona, and he grew up with the backdrop of the Superstition Mountains. We watched a documentary on TV about the lost gold mine, and my mind just wouldn’t leave it alone. I love the idea of treasure hunts—I guess that’s the adventurer in me!

Q: What is the main thing you hope readers remember from this story?
A: I never sit down and plot out a spiritual thread. Instead, usually an issue I’m working on myself comes out in the story, perhaps in a way I hadn’t previously considered. A lot of my stories, like in Weaver’s Needle, have a theme of forgiveness. I think that’s because I’m constantly striving to accept forgiveness. As a human, I often find it difficult to give forgiveness and 100% forget offenses, yet God is constantly giving me examples of how vast His love and forgiveness is to all of us. And while I sincerely hope readers enjoy the adventure of the story, if they take away anything after reading Weaver’s Needle, I hope they look at forgiveness in a new light.

Q: What inspires you to write?
A. I love to entertain others with story. I’ve always been a reader, from the time I started on the Trixie Belden series as a tween. I want to give other readers an adventure like the vast many I’ve had through story.

Q: Would you share with us what you are working on now?
A. I’m working on two projects at the moment that both push me out of my comfort zone, so I’m really excited about them. I’ve also gotten a lot of reader requests to write a novella to compliment one of my earlier series, so I’m considering writing a Christmas novella.

Q: When you’re not writing what do you like to do?
A. Spend time with my family! I can’t believe I have a teenager who’ll graduate next year and my youngest will be a sophomore! I’m enjoying as much time as a family as I can before it’s off to college. I love crafting—specifically scrapbooking and card-making. And envelopes…I love making and decorating envelopes!