Robin Layne

Update as of July 13, 2012:

Robin Layne received her BA in English with a minor in writing from Portland State University (Oregon) in June 2012. She earned a certificate in editing online from UC Berkeley the following August. She does freelance editing and as Robin Layne Enterprises..."for writing that sings," and for Barking Rain Press. (Go to my Writing That Sings website for all the links mentioned in this bio.)

Robin loves fiction, and is presently working on a YA vampire series. Her research on vampire folklore and literature inspired two of her Hubs. For years she was managing editor of a mental health activities newsletter. She enjoys writing plays, poetry, and songs as well as nonfiction. She does most of her writing at the computer in her room, inspired--and sometimes annoyed--by her shrill-voiced cockatiel, Angel.

In 2000, she created the desktop-published Enlarging the Tent: Poetry and Prose by Robin Layne to benefit Good Samaritian Ministries. In 2011, she printed a second edition. A few copies arwe still available for sale.

Robin has two zines (do-it-yourself booklets), for sale. The first is an anthology from a Write Around Portland Seasoned Writer's group, in which she has two pieces of flash fiction. It's called Repeat Offenders. The second is her own creation, mostly illustrated by herself, titled A Chracter Sandwich. It features short pieces about fictiional characters sandwiched in between pieces about herself. Her next zine, Turtle Soup: On Finding My Voice, Issue 1, will soon be available.

In August 2009, she won AuthorsbyDesign.com's Twisted Fairytale contest. Read the winning story, "Mother of All Good Children," at AuthorsbyDesign.blogspot.com. In May 2006, she won her first contest on AuthorsbyDesign for "Blood Ties," a short story based on her novels-in-progress. When she read this story at Kumoricon that year, it won "best original fiction." Characters from the same vampire series are included in the first two zines mentioned above. You can read more about the series on her Wordpress blog. She also has a Goodreads author's page with a blog called "From the Red, Read Robin."

At Portland state Spring term, she took a book editing course, and then took publishing studio for two terms, on staff at Ooligan Press, the college's student-run book publisher--the only student-run trade book publisher in the world. She worked primiarily in the editing department.

A note to those who have read my grammar/punctuation Hubs, especially Life Without Grammar: I feel I was a bit rough on people who struggle with these issues. This doesn't mean I advocate improper or sloppy writing by any means. But some of the books I have been reading about the subject show a compassion I lacked when I wrote the past articles. It is hard to get all the rules right. But I think if we want to be taken seriously as writers, business people, teachers, etc., we ought to care enough to edit what we write, and to get help with it if we need to. Spell checker and grammar checker can't catch everything. And we ALL need help at least from time to time.

Okay. Off my soapbox now.

I am a single mother of a 24-year-old daughter who moved to Florida, and later to Illinois. Yes, Robin is an empty nester! My daughter is an artist who specializes in manga and anime (Japanese style comics, graphic novels, and animation), and she did three of the illustrations in A Character Sandwich.

The apartment we used to share was largely taken over by my daughter's cat Zidane, who you may remember from the addendum to Cats I Have Loved. He grew big and buff, tore up the bathroom hamper with his claws, left litter all over the bathroom floor, and ambushed people when they walked by. Altogether an amusing and beautiful cat. Now that my daugther and her cat are gone, Angel can come out into other rooms of my new apartment.

A big thanks to all readers who encourage and sometimes correct me. You are all needed. I wish I had more time to read other Hubbers' work.

In the Spotlight

Apostrophes for Dummies

I’m a stickler for correct punctuation and word use. It seems like the rest of the world is not. Read some of the basic rules for use of apostrophes, with examples, peppered with humor. First in a series.

In the Spotlight

Abortion: Where Both Sides are Wrong

From my experiences as an unwed mother, I have learned that the labels and slogans on both sides of the abortion debate miss the point. Here's why.

In the Spotlight

The Lighter Side of Vampires

“Dracula Sucks,” reads a bumper sticker I’ve seen around town... Did you know that vampires can be downright hilarious? From the obsessive-compulsive habits of folklore's traditions to modern novels and films, sink your teeth into your own funnybone with these examples. Accompanied by original color cartoons.

In the Spotlight

Imaginary Lover: First in a Series of Love Stories with Poems

This is the first of a series of love stories told in prose and poetry. My first love poems were about someone I invented who was very real to me and very dear. Sometimes we have to step outside ourselves and look in to get--and give--the nurturing we need.

In the Spotlight

Common Comma Confusions

Comma misuse, like apostrophe misuse, is a plague that drives me crazy. I’m not the only one, but I’m in therapy to overcome the trauma (just kidding). The purpose of a comma is to indicate certain kinds of pauses. I say certain kinds because, although comma usage is sometimes optional, one cannot use one just whenever one would choose to take a breath.

In the Spotlight

My Childhood Poetry

This article is about me—not the current me, but the little me. The me who created an illustrated book of poetry at age 10. I recently rediscovered this treasure and have begun publishing some of the poems within.

• 
  6
  Abortion Issues

  Abortion: Where Both Sides are Wrong

  14 years ago

  From my experiences as an unwed mother, I have learned that the labels and slogans on both sides of the abortion debate miss the point. Here's why.

• 
  9
  Commercial & Creative Writing

  Life Without Grammar: A New Babel

  15 years ago

  I’m one of the rare perfectionists some call grammar Nazis. The more I see commas in between subjects and predicates and apostrophes to indicate plurals, the more I shake my fist and cry, “What do they teach in these schools?” Everyone is writing differently, disregarding all the rules. It’s the...

• 
  10
  Books, Literature, and Writing

  Common Comma Confusions

  15 years ago

  Comma misuse, like apostrophe misuse, is a plague that drives me crazy. I’m not the only one, but I’m in therapy to overcome the trauma (just kidding). The purpose of a comma is to indicate certain kinds of pauses. I say certain kinds because, although comma usage is sometimes optional, one cannot...

• 
  2
  Gender and Relationships

  Love Me Blind: Imaginary Lover 2

  15 years ago

  Matthew returns in this second installment of my series of Love Stories with Poems--eventually to be replaced by someone more real and loving than could ever be expected.

• 
  4
  Poems & Poetry

  Imaginary Lover: First in a Series of Love Stories with Poems

  15 years ago

  This is the first of a series of love stories told in prose and poetry. My first love poems were about someone I invented who was very real to me and very dear. Sometimes we have to step outside ourselves and look in to get--and give--the nurturing we need.

• 
  4
  Books, Literature, and Writing

  My Childhood Poetry

  15 years ago

  This article is about me—not the current me, but the little me. The me who created an illustrated book of poetry at age 10. I recently rediscovered this treasure and have begun publishing some of the poems within.

• 
  0
  Holidays and Celebrations

  What's with These Crazy Christmas Carols?

  15 years ago

  Ever think twice about the carols we sing each winter? As a singing bell ringer, I have plenty of time to consider the lyrics. Some are glorious, some funny, some downright strange. Here we focus mostly on strange. Also features a video of me singing my own verses to "Jolly Old Saint Nicholas."

• 
  7
  Pets and Animals

  Cats I Have Loved

  15 years ago

  Cats who have owned my family and me have invaded our home and hearts, been snuck in as stowaways, made us laugh, and even inspired poetry. Why do cats make such special pets?

• 
  2
  Entertainment and Media

  The Lighter Side of Vampires

  11 years ago

  “Dracula Sucks,” reads a bumper sticker I’ve seen around town... Did you know that vampires can be downright hilarious? From the obsessive-compulsive habits of folklore's traditions to modern novels and films, sink your teeth into your own funnybone with these examples. Accompanied by original...

• 
  8
  Books, Literature, and Writing

  Apostrophes for Dummies

  13 years ago

  I’m a stickler for correct punctuation and word use. It seems like the rest of the world is not. Read some of the basic rules for use of apostrophes, with examples, peppered with humor. First in a series.

• 
  1
  Gender and Relationships

  Random Writing on a Dare

  15 years ago

  Okay, so a person I don't know has dared me to do a free writing... Writing on writing, writing on relationships, writing on spontaneity.

• 
  3
  Religion and Philosophy

  Small Things, Great Love

  15 years ago

  Have you ever seen an angel? This was a question posed by someone on HubPages. This is my answer, regarding some encounters with Heaven in everyday life.

• 
  3
  Pets and Animals

  Gabriel: Remembering an Exceptional Cockatiel

  15 years ago

  It's said that one should not replace a lost pet too soon, because it will never live up to the first pet's memory. Even after many years, I cannot find another bird like Gabriel. Read how remarkable he was!

• 
  0
  Education and Science

  Vampires: Folklore vs. Fiction

  15 years ago

  Test yourself to see if you know which traits of this revenant are from folklore, which from literature that authors and filmmakers created later, and which fit both.