Writing teachers often tell us to “Picture your ideal reader in your head and write to them.”
I usually picture my mother. She is such a voracious reader that it would be a struggle to find a Christian romance she hasn’t read.
But my mom did not grow up in a Christian home. She met Jesus in the pages of a Grace Livingston Hill novel.
I received the enormous blessing of growing up in a Jesus-loving home because of Grace Livingston Hill. (Of course, God could have grabbed my mother’s heart in a zillion different ways, but he chose to use a romance novel.)
My mother worked in special eduation and then in public school administration for more than thirty years. I can’t even begin to imagine the lives she touched, the love she shared with all those kids. And it all started with a book of fiction, a story about love.
Hi! I’m Robin Merrill, and I’ve written in lots of different genres under different pen names, but my first indie novel was a Christian romance called Shelter. And I wept with joy when a reader reached out to tell me that my story was an important step in her choosing to follow Jesus. What on earth could be better than that?
I wasn’t much for romance as a kid, but I was obsessed with The Sugar Creek Gang Series. Anyone remember those books? They were so great! And the second my kids were old enough (maybe even a little before that) I started reading those old stories to them.
And something a little freaky happened. I kept finding pieces of myself in those pages: expressions I still say to this day, things I still believe, things I still find fascinating. I could clearly see evidence of how my personality had been shaped by those books. I’m so glad that those were the books I found as a kid, in my small church library, where I was hanging out thanks to my mom reading Grace Livingston Hill before I was ever born.
Stories are so powerful. I am so inspired seeing what they can do, and what God does through them.
I love to give books as gifts, and sometimes I can get discouraged because people don’t read them. Or they crinkle up their nose when they see the word God on the back cover. I know sometimes my gifts go straight to the Goodwill bin. But God’s word never returns void, so I will keep gifting God-honoring stories, knowing that at some point, God will put them in the hands of a heart that needs them.
A few years ago I sent one of my books to a young woman in jail. (I also sent a Bible, but that didn’t make it through security. My book did.) She read it, loved it, and passed it on. A week later, she told me that every woman in her part of the jail had read my book! That book has sold very few copies, but there is no question as to why God inspired me to write it.
Giveaway!
In that spirit let’s give away a copy of Shelter. Comment on the post to enter the giveaway. We will randomly choose one winner from those who comment. If the winner is in the US, they can chose between a paperback copy or an eBook copy. If the winner is outside of the US, I will send them an eBook edition. The winner will be chosen on May 13.
I am so delighted to be joining this amazing group of authors here at InspyRomance. If I ever doubted that God wanted me writing Christian romance, this invitation was my confirmation.
My current series is the Greater Life Romance series, the eBooks of which are available in Kindle Unlimited for a limited time. And I’m working on a new series right now!
I very much look forward to getting to know you. I love interacting with other believers and other avid readers. So drop a comment or shoot me a message on social media and introduce yourself! 💚
Hi, family! My name is Robin Merrill, though I write under a few other pen names. I live in rural Maine with my family and an assortment of barnyard critters. I have written more than fifty books, many of them during my daughter's dance events or my son's cattle shows. When I'm not reading, writing, or driving the minivan, I can often be found frolicking with my small goat herd. I also love gardening, but I'm really bad at it. Visit me at robinmerrill.com.
I read different genre, as long as they are clean. My favorites are Christian romance, clean romance, and cozy mysteries. My mom wasn’t an avid reader, but I saw her reading her Bible. My sister was an avid reader as a child. I didn’t become an avid reader until I was in my late 50s. Now, I’m an ARC member for several authors and really enjoy it.
I love Grace Livingston Hill, she competed with Janette Oke as my favourite in the late sixties, when there weren’t many Christian romances available, but every now and again I still have a Graxe Livingston Hill binge.
Now we are spoiled for choice…. And I still learn new Bible truths in nearly every Christian romance I read. Keep blessing your readers, they may not always tell you but God has given you a special opportunity.
What we read shapes and transforms us! also what we see, many of my adult tastes are related to my first reading or romance books experiences in my preadolescence.
Thank God, although they weren’t Christian fiction books (you won’t find that in Chilean bookstores), they were clean and healthy, many classics, mainly hehe, that’s where my love for Jane Austen began. I am one of those who think that all this talk of “Christian fiction is dominated by romance and women’s fiction” is not a bad thing but a good thing! If only people knew how many terrible “romance” books are influencing the values of girls and young women my age (I’m 26).
And I believe that the success of a Christian author is not measured so much by copies sold or what is the best seller, but rather by how God uses his writing, if you are a best seller but your books do not touch anyone or bring anyone closer to God, then there is problem if what you write is Christian fiction.
I’ll read any genre as long as it’s CF! My Mom used to read Grace Livingston Hill, and she couldn’t get over that I put quite a few of her books on my Kindle! Plus, I’ve read quite a few in paperbacks, too! I’ve always loved to read, and was thrilled when I started reading more CF in the early 80’s with Jeannette Oke’s books, and Jane Peart’s, when Zondervan came out with CF the length of Harlequin’s.
My kids read the Sugar Creek Gang books, and I enjoyed many of Grace Livingston Hill’s novels. My mom was a voracious reader until the year she turned 104. She fell and spent time in rehab. After that, I believe she didn’t read another book. That also was the year my first novel came out.
How amazing to know you’re truly making a difference in people’s lives! I didn’t grow up in a Christian home & I found Jesus in the pages of novels too. Originally Janette Oke & Karen Kingsbury, but after reading their books, I expanded to many different authors & now read exclusively Christmas fiction & clean romance.
Welcome, fellow bad gardener! My “gardening” equates mostly to pulling weeds. I agree, a Christian author plants the seeds, the Holy Spirit waters, and God gives the increase.
Welcome, Robin. I love Christian novels. I have read many Jeanette Oke books. Also Beverly Lewis. They have been favorite authors for quite some time. Now there are so many authors of Christian novels that I admire and read. Inspy is a wonderful platform. I gave my grandson the Sugar Creek Gang books for Christhas several years ago.
My thoughts seem to be going in all directions here. But I just want to say, keep up the good work. You have obviously touched lives already. And there are many out there who need to hear the good news. Christian novels may be the way for them to hear that news. I will be looking into your books. I don’t think I have any of them yet.
Hi Robin! I think you’re so right that the books we read shape us, I think all you writers of Christian fiction do such an important job.
We’ve been talking a lot at my Church recently about how we are all called to share Jesus with the world even by small things in our life, and how we can do this – I admit I do find it hard to do, and I do so admire you and other writers here who are called to share Jesus in a way that brings such a lot of joy to those who read your books.
104! That’s incredible! Congratulations on your novel!
That is incredible! Thank you for sharing!
🤣 Weeding is very therapeutic! (And I only occassionally yank up the actual plant I’m trying to save.)
Thank you, Bonnie. It’s wonderful to meet you here. 🤗
That’s awesome, Bonnie. ARC readers are heroes! And I love lots of genres too. :)
Thank you, Jeannette! And you’re right, there are so many choices now! Thank you, Father!
Thank you, Lilly. Isn’t it cool to be able to look back and see what has shaped us? And VERY cool that you live in Chile!
I’m so grateful for the shorter books. Sometimes it’s just what I need!
Thank you, Ruthie! It sure can be hard, but then sometimes when it’s a truly God-given opportunity, it comes easily. (Sometimes! lol)
I loved to read as a child. I did read Grace Livingston Hill as well as Janette Oak and others in my teens. My children love to read too. I later read Francine Rivers and Angela Hunt which started me reading other authors.
Welcome. It is wonderful to meet you. I have been married to my husband for 34 years. We were not blessed with children. We have three indoor cats, Luci, Daisy and Fearless. We feed the stray cats and kittens. Thank you so much for sharing. God bless you.
Welcome to this awesome group!
interesting inspiration
Growing up I devoured Grace Livingston Hill. Her messages are timeless. Like you, I grew up in a Christian home. However, I still enjoy stories with the theme of salvation. Welcome to the group!
Welcome Robin, I am one of the aussies here. It’s interesting I found some Grace Livingston books but after the second or third I stopped reading them. I think I may have read the wrong ones first but found one I read rather pessimistic. It was set during war time and talking about how immoral so many were. Not what I was expecting But as I said I may have picked the wrong ones to read first.
I have hear of the Sugar Creek Gang. I think they were given to kids in Sunday school as a gift. In my time we were given Narnia and the Peggy series which I devoured.
Hi Robin, Welcome to Inspy Romance! 😊
Welcome Robin! I have been a reader of Christian fiction for many years, first YA books and now a lot of women’s fiction and romance. I don’t read CF exclusively and I often find that I miss the faith element in secular books.
Hi Robin! I too found God through Christian fiction romances. There was a sweet lady in our church who laoned me so many Christian fiction books through my teen years. Because of her I understand more about God, how He wants us to live and the love He has for us. I’m so grateful He made us cross each other paths.
All such pivotal authors!
Fearless! 🤣 I love it! Please give them snuggles for me.
God bless you too!
Thank you, Laurie!
Thank you, Cherie! Glad to be here!
I hear you. She’s not for everyone, but that’s why God has given us so many voices to choose from. I’m actually super picky about books, and the older I get, the more I DNF! (Shh… I know that’s sacrilage to some, lol)
Thank you, Narelle! 💚
Right! It’s nice to be able to come back to it for a pick-me-up when we need it.
Oh what an awesome story! God bless her!
I have enjoyed all of your books that I have read. I agree with you – I am a person who loves to give books. And you can never know just what will speak to another person. I am grateful that I live in a time when there is so much Christian fiction available. My mother would have loved having so much great reading material as I have today. Keep writing!
Hi Sharon! Thank you for commenting, and of course, thank you for reading! You are the winner of the paperback. I’ve just emailed you for your details. :) And yes, it’s awesome how many choices we have. Sometimes I get stressed that I’ve got more to read than time to read! lol