Author Robin Yocum Visits BHS
After reading A Brilliant Death and The Sacrifice of Lester Yates, Mrs. Tricia Zaccagnini’s Advanced Junior English class was blessed by a visit from the author Robin Yocum. When teaching at Buckeye Local, Mrs. Zaccagnini remembers seeing an article about Robin Yocum returning to the area for a visit and reaching out to him. “Robin and I have become friends over the years, and he is always willing to speak to my students about his books and the writing process,” said Mrs. Zaccagnini.
Robin Yocum was born in Brilliant, Ohio. He attended Bowling Green State University and graduated in 1978 with a degree in journalism. He started his career at The Times Leader in Martins Ferry. From 1980 to 1991, Yocum was a crime and investigative reporter with The Columbus Dispatch, receiving over thirty local, state, and national journalism awards. Currently, Yocum records a podcast about crimes covered while working at The Dispatch called Dead Before Deadline. He has written seven novels, two nonfiction books, and several contributions to anthologies. A Brilliant Death was a finalist for both the 2017 Edgar Award and the Silver Falchion Award for best adult mystery. His book, Favorite Sons, was the 2011 Book of the Year for Mystery/Suspense by USA Book News. He is the president of Yocum Communications, a public relations and marketing firm in Central Ohio.
Yocum stated that the reporting job at The Dispatch was the best job he ever had but he wanted to write fiction. He stated, “When you’re a reporter, you’re always writing about other people’s accomplishments, or if you’re a crime reporter, their deeds or misdeeds.” He continued, “I wanted to start with a blank sheet of paper and create something that was uniquely mine.” Yocum encouraged the students to find a creative outlet themselves.
Yocum also shared how he goes about writing a novel. He suggested capturing ideas at the moment of impact in a notebook or dictating ideas into his phone. Yocum also stated, “I won’t put words on page one until I know what’s going to be on the last page. I’ve kind of played it out in my head enough to know where I’m going.” Yocum added that sometimes the characters surprise him, and the story takes a detour but ultimately it veers back to his planned ending.
With the average length of his novels being 90,000 to 110,000 words, Robin Yocum writes 500 words per day. He does not have a set routine each day due to other commitments. Yocum commented, “I really believe writing is just like playing a saxophone or shooting a basketball or playing golf or whatever. The more you practice, the better you get. And I try to read a lot, and I just keep working at it.”
A student asked Yocum if he had a favorite character. Yocum’s response was, “It’s always the one in the book I’m working on.” He shared that all his main characters are based on real people. However, Yocum said that in The Essay there is a character named Edgell, which he has a soft spot for from all his main characters.
Robin Yocum has a new novel being released this fall called The Last Hitman. It is about Angelo, an aging hitman in the Ohio Italian Mafia. The “family” took a turn for the worse, when the old boss died and his son, Little Tommy, became the leader. The FBI wants Angelo to become an informant. Angelo must decide whether to work with the FBI or kill Little Tommy.
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