Writing fantasy books finally becomes reality for resident
July 6, 2007
Marc Robling, a local data processing professional and budding author, is putting the finishing touches on his first novel, a story he hopes will inspire today’s young people to enjoy the boundless limits of their imagination that comes with reading.
"I didn’t read a lot when I was young, so much so that I was very bad at it," Robling said, "so I made it my challenge in life to get better as a reader. A lot of young people don’t read, and I’d like to change that. I wanted to write a book young people would want to pick up and read, a book filled with action, entertainment and excitement."
A Norwalk native, Robling moved to Southington about 22 years ago. He has worked as a computer programmer in the state for 30 years.
Robling’s interest in writing began when his children were young, sparked by the original bedtime stories he told them as he tucked them in.
"I used to make them up as I went along," Robling said, "and the kids thought they were good, so I started to write them down. Pretty soon, I had about 30 or 40 stories on paper, ones I thought were pretty decent."
Robling had two of the stories published in a children’s magazine, which further whetted his appetite for writing.
"But the work schedule of a full-time career kind of put those endeavors on hold," Robling said.
The desire to write never really left him, however, and he gradually came back to his calling in 2004, when he began work on his first novel, "Trigon: The Riddle of the Keys," due for release early this month.
The book is intended for youngsters from the ages of seven through 14, and is a fantasy story about three loners caught in the eternal struggle between good and evil.
"Each of the three children has certain strengths," Robling said, "but they are even stronger once they come together as a team. People who work together succeed. That’s the message of the book."
Robling had some help from his family during the writing process.
He would write a chapter and e-mail it to his daughter, Melissa, who was attending UConn. She would edit it, offer suggestions, and e-mail it back.
"She was my first editor and critic. She was honest and pulled no punches, so I listened to her," Robling said.
He made corrections and then let his three sons, then ages 10 through 17, review it and offer their ideas.
"They were my second editorial layer, and I valued their feedback," he said.
Citizen photo by Harry Kyle
Local author Marc E. Robling reads from his first young adult novel, “Trigon, The Riddle of the Keys”, as he waits for its release early this month. The book is written for middle school youngsters and Robling said he hopes it will increase their desire to read.
PERSISTENCE PAYS
Once completed, the book was submitted to a number of publishers and magazines, and Robling said he received "30 or so rejections."
"I did get some positive comments, and almost all of them said not to get down and to keep on trying," he said. "That’s what I did."
Robling’s work finally paid off when a small publisher, Whiskey Creek Press, agreed to publish the book.
"Trigon: The Riddle of the Keys," will initially be available at the publisher’s Web site as an e-book or paperback, and Robling is also working to have it listed on Amazon.com.
He is also building his own site at www.merobling.com which, in time, he hopes to expand.
Robling is working on the second book of the series, "Trigon: The Riddle of the Book," which has a scheduled release date of early 2008.
