Masnick

CHARLES TOWN — Six months after their wedding in 2008, Robin Masnick’s husband was hit by a drunk driver while riding his motorcycle on the way home from work.

The couple’s days of newlywed bliss instantly turned into days at the hospital. It was during that difficult time that Masnick found herself writing again.

“Writing was always a passion of mine,” Masnick said. “But for a long time, I was raising a family and working full time in IT. There was no time for me to do anything more than read for many years.”

Masnick retired from her federal career after the accident happened, so she could care for her husband as he braved the recovery process. Through her faithful support and his resilience as a veteran of the Coast Guard, Masnick’s husband not only survived but also regained the ability to walk for short distances.

“We are very blessed. We’re done with operations. We’re done with hospital beds. Now, we’re just adjusting,” Masnick said.

In her extra time, Masnick began taking creative writing classes through the Jefferson County Adult Education Program and later, Shepherd University Lifelong Learning, after the Jefferson County Adult Education Program was ended. She then joined a writing group, The League of Eclectic Authors, in 2015.

One writing prompt posed by The League of Eclectic Authors was for members to all write a short story. Masnick did just that and wrote her most successful story to date, “Evelyn Smythe.” The story, inspired by her love for film noir, won second place last year in West Virginia Writers, Inc.’s annual West Virginia Writers Writing Competition. It has since achieved even greater acclaim this summer, being published on the Saturday Evening Post’s website.

“For me, it feels like a sign that I’ve reached that next level as a writer,” Masnick said of her story, which is about a retired detective and a mysterious new resident of the posh care home, Ravenwood Manor. “It was so encouraging. I’ve been writing short stories for several years now.

“This is my passion — stories and books. I’m so blessed that this is what I get to do now,” Masnick said. “To be able to be published and win competitions like this, it’s a dream come true.”

She said the award and publication of her short story have given her the extra push she needed to write her first novel.

“My end goal has always been to write a novel,” Masnick said. “It was just the encouragement I needed.”

The novel will ultimately be a story “about a young woman and her dog.” Set in the modern day, it will feature elements inspired by noir and Appalachian culture — a new literary subgenre she refers to as “Appalachian Noir.”

“Evelyn Smythe” can be read for free on the Saturday Evening Post website at https://www.saturdayeveningpost.com/2025/06/evelyn-smythe.