Heroes come into our lives at unexpected moments. That is true for Robert Marion, the main character in Rich Merritt’s Trials of a Legal Junkie. Rob was a closeted gay man serving in the United States Marine Corps in the 'Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell' era....

Rich Merritt grew up in Greenville, South Carolina, where racism and homophobia were equally rife. He was educated at Bob Jones University, the Fortress of Fundamentalism, where, except for meeting his forever best friend Gary, it ended up being a specter that showed up in...