Bio
I was born and raised in Pennsylvania. I have lived in California for the last twelve years.
I graduated from Bucknell University with a BS in Chemical Engineering and a BA in Sociology. I worked as a research analyst until starting a family, when I began freelance writing, and also worked as an editor, tutor and counselor.
I returned to Bucknell to get my Master's degree in English. My graduate program made it possible for me to combine my critical work with creative writing, and I completed the first draft of a novel while in school. My critical work analyzed the myriad of influences that contribute to the creation of literary texts.
I taught literature and writing at Cedar Crest College, incorporating literature-to-film adaptation into my first-year writing courses and designing an advanced writing course entitled Lit, Flicks, & Chicks. The material for this course grew out of my book, Analyzing Literature-to-Film Adaptations: A Novelist's Exploration and Guide, published in 2011.
When I moved to California, I began to work in the mental health field, continued to write, and taught part-time. I now own a business, LarkinWorks Writing & Coaching*, that allows me to bring together my writing and counseling experience for the purpose of helping others realize their dreams, one step at a time.
*My pen name for my non-academic writing is Merre Larkin.