Tara Robinson describes herself as “well organized.”

She needs to be for the double life that she leads – Math teacher at Badin High School by day, Science Fiction writer under a pseudonym by night. Robinson is able to keep it all together -- and has a fun time doing it.

“I like to read, but I never thought I would write,” said Robinson, who has been teaching for more than 20 years and writing for the last 10. “I love to learn. And I love teaching – when kids are excited about what they’ve learned, that makes me feel good.”

Robinson is in her sixth year teaching at Badin, where she handles Pre-Calculus classes as well as Engineering II. And she is quick to point out that she doesn’t do much writing during the school year except during the various school breaks. She generally saves her author’s hat for the summer.

Writing under the pen name of Tara Tyler, which is her middle name, she has had seven novels published since 2013 and is working on an eighth.

“I had an idea for a pop thriller and I sent it to Michael Crichton,” Robinson said, only to find out that Crichton, the famous SciFi author, had died. “So, I thought, maybe I can put this idea together myself. I sent the book into a contest. It didn’t win – but one of the readers was a publisher and he liked it. He said he’d like to do something with it.”

Thus was born Robinson’s – or, in this case, Tyler’s – futuristic science fiction detective thrillers. She’s ready to work on the fourth book in that series. Her other series, this for young adults, is one she calls “Beast World.”

“That series is about teenage fantasy creatures in high school – I have a lot of material for those books,” she laughs. “All of the creatures have stereotypes, and they’re trying to break out of their stereotypes.”

“When Tara joined the staff at Badin, our community gained a math teacher, an accomplished author and a true life-long learner,” BHS Principal Patrick Keating said. “In her time at Badin, she has been an incredible addition to the school.”

Robinson, a graduate of Harding (Ark.) University, is married with three adult sons. Born in Plymouth, Mass., she taught for five years in Atlanta and has been in Greater Cincinnati for more than two decades.

“I started in robotics – I sat in a computer lab all day and I didn’t like that,” Robinson said. “I wanted to help people. I understand math and I like to teach. I like to help people understand it.”

“Tara has such a desire to grow and learn,” Keating said. “When the need for an additional Engineering teacher emerged, Tara immediately stepped up and went through the certification process with Project Lead the Way. She’s an incredible educator who truly meets the students where they are. She has really done so much to benefit the students that call Badin home.”

Robinson worked for Pratt and Whitney, an aircraft engine company, for five years and that helped develop her love of engineering.

“How do you get the ideas (for novels)? I like to think, ‘What if?’” she said. “It’s why I enjoy teaching engineering. You can explore so many creative options. The students really come up with some great ideas.”

She looked at a smart watch and said, “Today we have a smart watch. In the future, we’ll have a smart watch and it will be in 3D. What will we be able to do with that?”

Her latest novel includes a teleport experience – the company is having trouble with the teleportation, but isn’t telling anyone. The detective who is investigating the situation has to use the teleport, with all the complications involved.

“I love doing research,” said Robinson, who has also written four published novellas and two screenplays. “I love coming up with gadgets we’ll have in the future. I read a lot. Lee Child writes the ‘Jack Reacher’ books. Those have really helped me get better as a writer.”

As a teacher, Robinson is very popular in what can be a difficult subject.

“I like to read the room – I like to see if what I’m teaching is sinking in,” she said. “I like to relate it to things they might understand. For example, what does this Math word mean to you in English? I love making connections that relate to other things.”

Robinson’s first year at Badin was interrupted by the pandemic, but she said, “It’s been so enjoyable to teach at Badin. It’s a very supportive environment, and I have a lot of freedom. There are so many opportunities, and I love spending time with the students.”