Meet Robin W. Pearson

We were lucky to catch up with Robin W. Pearson recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Robin W., so excited to talk about all sorts of important topics with you today. The first one we want to jump into is about being the only one in the room – for some that’s being the only person of color or the only non-native English speaker or the only non-MBA, etc Can you talk to us about how you have managed to be successful even when you were the only one in the room that looked like you?

Our nine-member family often draws attention, not that we seek it. We’ve often been the only black homeschoolers in a room. My husband and I constantly remind our peeps (and ourselves), “You are an individual, unique part of a community.”—but not necessarily because of their skin color. How they think and use their gifts and talents sets each of us apart. Even among believers and within our home’s walls, our faith is our own and so are our opinions, expressed at varying volumes. We are each “fearfully and wonderfully made” (Psalm 139:14). I encouraged them to choose scriptures to hold close, and my oldest daughter selected 1 Samuel 16:7: “But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him. For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” That passage stuck with me as well.

I’ve learned I can’t look to other people to make me feel stronger, happier, less lonely, or more comfortable with who I am. Only God can do that—whether I’m standing shoulder to shoulder in a conference room with thirty other brown, vertically challenged women or the only small drop of coffee in an overwhelming sea of cream-colored men and women. In the end, I’m the only person that thinks, acts, and believes like me—and probably the only one dressed in an orange sweatsuit. I’ve taught my peeps that it’s natural to feel uncomfortable, but we must remain true to who we are and Whose we are. To always remember that God sees our heart. That He formed each of us and that we are His image bearers. He will make room for us wherever He leads. After all, the Lord continues to make room for me in an industry that doesn’t have many contemporary, Southern fiction authors of color whose writing leans literary and whose message points straight to Him.

A large part of achieving anything—whether it’s writing, public speaking, or winning hotdog contests—depends on my willingness to wear my own shoes rather than clomping around in someone else’s or walking barefoot so I don’t make noise. I can’t look, do, or sound like someone else…or no one else. That also means what I consider success may differ from another’s idea. Being effective entails using my own husky voice and standing in faith on my own platform, knees knocking, and going where I don’t necessarily feel welcomed or accompanied. I must trust that God invited me and said, “This is the way, walk in it…” (Isaiah 30:21).

Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?

Whenever someone asks me, “What do you do?” I feel Hubby’s eyes burning a hole in my forehead. Why? Because he encourages me to say, “I write” and then tie “…and homeschool” like a bit of string to a bright-orange balloon. But it’s not that simple for me, describing the different parts of my life. One looks prettier when it floats, but the other is more than an attachment that trails behind, forgotten.

I consider both my callings as an author and homeschooler important parts of my recipe. They show who God made me to be, not only what He put in my hands to do. Take a jar of Duke’s mayonnaise. When you read the label, you know there are more eggs than cider vinegar by what comes first on the list. That’s okay. But if you’re preparing a roux, you need equal parts bacon grease and flour, as any Southern foodie knows. Too much or not enough of one or the other simply messes up the texture, consistency, and color of your gravy. I’m as much a homeschooling author-mama as I am a writing homeschool-mama, and I celebrate all the parts that make my life tasty and colorful.

During our thirty-year (and growing) marriage, God has blessed us with seven amazing children and the best dog ever, so there’s always something to fix and anticipate. We’re grateful we get to shepherd these young people, though we often feel like the students. Soon we’ll graduate our fifth and watch her follow her oldest siblings’ footsteps to college where she’s sure to blaze her own trails. Our third-born recently proposed—what we’re still getting used to since he’s still two and not twenty-two in our eyes—and we’re excited to watch our family simultaneously shrink and grow.

My experiences as a Southern-grown mother, homeschooler, sister, and daughter inspire my fiction and nonfiction. I write about God’s love and how it pursues us and shapes our every experience and relationship. I’m thrilled about the “birth” of my fifth novel, The Stories We Carry, because it drives home the themes of found and restored family, forgiveness, reconciliation, healing, and of course, the wonder of reading (the love of every true homeschooler). Sometimes it’s hard to determine where my family life ends and my author life begins, they’re so intertwined. One inspires another.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

My twenty-plus-year journey to getting published didn’t always take me in a straight or unbroken line. If I squint my eyes and look back on it, it’s more a series of dashes and arcs; it nearly disappears in places as it dips down into valleys and winds upward around hills. Even as I crane my neck to peer ahead, the path curves and zigzags towards the next stop, unknown destination.

Yet, what carried me then and what holds me now are my faith in Christ; my resolve to write my own story—in life and on paper; and the blessing of grace, both extending it and accepting it. I wouldn’t call any of these a quality or skill, especially since I’m still learning and growing in all these areas. There’s no sense of having “arrived.” They’re part of my testimony that’s always in the making because I’m certainly a work in progress.

When I started out, I thought writing the book was the hardest part. Turns out, churning out 100,000 words is a piece of cake by comparison. Authors often share about the challenges of getting a book read by the “right” people and building a platform. But my greatest—daily—struggle is not giving up when the words or a readership are slow in coming and rejection slaps me in the face. And I mean hard.

I encourage others who’re standing at the beginning of their journey to hold fast to their “why,” whatever their calling and whatever their story. Trust that God will finish what He began. They should resist the temptation to copy what others are doing because there’s no magic formula, only grit and creativity, and you can’t borrow that from someone else. And just as God extends great, unmerited grace, we need to show that same generosity to ourselves and to others—coming alongside to help and share whenever we can and accepting that our imperfections, flaws, and vulnerability shape us as individuals and unite us as a community.

Looking back over the past 12 months or so, what do you think has been your biggest area of improvement or growth?

My husband broke his leg a few years ago, and healing was painful. But I’d wager that my longstanding bout with people-pleasing hurt nearly as much. While I still have a ways to go before I can claim “recovered,” I will say that over the past 12 months, I’ve tucked a nugget of wisdom in my pocket that eases personal and professional growing pains: Choosing gratitude.

First, I have to remember the world is fickle, so I can’t let its acceptance or rejection affect what I think about myself or my writing. I’m thankful for blessings like winning the Christy Award for my debut, A Long Time Comin’. But I’m also told in James 1:2 to “count it all joy” (emphasis mine). That “all” includes tough circumstances like rejection, illness, writer’s block, tight deadlines, a season of overwhelm…and the five books I’ve authored, sitting on library shelves.

Along those lines, I have to keep myself from reading and internalizing all those reviews I’m constantly asking for. And if I do read them, I should remember they reflect opinions; they’re not scripture. Sure, people may take issue with one of my characters or they may love my plot development. But they didn’t come to my house and tell me I’m a bad cook and a worse housekeeper or applaud my every keystroke and hang on my every “Um….” I must be thankful that folks have taken the time to read my work and share their thoughts about it and not let what they say make or break me.

I’ve learned that it’s not my job to please readers. I want to impact them, form connections, and simply tell a good story. But I can’t make everybody happy, and trying to do so affects my ability to work effectively—and sometimes, at all. I love when someone responds to my newsletter or shares how my character sounds like their beloved—or loathsome—aunt. I take that as confirmation that I’m painting a vivid picture and eliciting emotion. I’m grateful for that!

Finally, yet importantly, I need to remember who I’m ultimately working for—the Lord. I don’t have to earn His love or pleasure. He’s inspired me to write and spread the truth of His Word through my fiction, and I’m thankful for the ability and the resources to answer His call.

Contact Info:

Image Credits

Bobbie Brown Photography

Suggest a Story: BoldJourney is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems,
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
Highlighter Series
What do the first 90 minutes of your day look like?

Coffee? Workouts? Hitting the snooze button 14 times? Everyone has their morning ritual and we

Highlighter Series
What have been the defining wounds of your life—and how have you healed them?

Our deepest wounds often shape us as much as our greatest joys. The pain we

Highlighter Series
Are you doing what you were born to do—or what you were told to do?

Culture, economic circumstances, family traditions, local customs and more can often influence us more than