Robin Elder
When in my twenties, I thought to myself—I'd like to write a book someday. I’m resourceful, creative, have a vivid imagination, and think I can weave a darn good tale.
I finally attempted to do so years later in 2003. I lived in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina at the time (a Charleston burb). With my short attention span and impatience to finish projects, writing a short novel, aka a novella, was the perfect choice for me.
My first manuscript, Passport to the Past, was completed in 2006. It started selling on Amazon in 2007. After very scant sales, the only copy in my possession began to gather literal dust. But that didn’t deter me from writing another book. After my husband and I purchased a vacation home in the Florida Keys, I became interested in writing stories about the islands. In particular, intertwining modern day stories with true historical elements. I honed my writing skills and in 2014, Vindication Key, was picked up by a traditional publisher in Key West, at no cost to me. I was beyond thrilled, of course. It was received much better, and soon, I had a small, but loyal readership. This success inspired me to write again, and when I finished my next novella, Indian Key, the publisher offered to pick it up as well. But I chose instead to pursue complete creative control and decision making by self-publishing through Amazon's KDP. Today, Indian Key, Flashback Key, and revamped, Passport to the Past (now called Fate's Journey), are the result.
Fast forward to 2026, but a little backstory first. We moved from Mount Pleasant to the vibrant community of Keowee Key on Lake Keowee in 2017. Four years later, shortly before we sold our vacation home in the Keys, the idea for The Heirloom was hatched. My affection for both “Keys” prompted the idea to bring the two locales together through common threads—ancestry, the pull of the past, history, and one of South Carolina's most enduring legends...Issaqueena.
Now five novellas are in the books. They represent the culmination of everything I loved over the years as both reader and writer: mystery, history, romance, suspense, and lore. I’ve enjoyed taking real places and documented history, then weaving them into a mix of fictional and creative nonfiction stories that seem believable enough to make readers wonder what's true and what's not.
Looking back, what began decades ago as a dream, became a creative journey I never could have imagined. I hope you enjoy my stories and imagination!
