Arlinda tells it like it is, good, bad, or beautiful.

Don't expect sympathy, cuz she'll only give you the truth.

​

Arlinda Willis escaped Jim Crow Alabama at eleven, danced on national TV with James Brown and Stevie Wonder, and climbed the corporate ladder, only to face medical racism that nearly killed her. Her authorized biography, For Once in My Life, publishes August 27, 2026. But you can get your copy today.

BONUS! Get your free printable collection of Arlinda's Bowl of Truth game, plus exclusive updates about Arlinda's soon-to-be-released biography, For Once in My Life: The Life of Arlinda Willis by Rob Cole.

​

What People Have Said

Love all the specifics on locations and restaurants (I'm an OG San Franciscan and remember most of those places).
Pia Hinckle
I really like how you weaved the history of Black people in America into the story--Arlinda’s journey reflects it well.
Judy Judge
You have excellent prose and great descriptions. The care and deep respect that Rob has for Arlinda is conveyed very well. It is apparent early on that they share a strong love of food. Arlinda is a very interesting person with a fascinating history.
Alina Pitman

​

Bowl of Truth

  1. Sign up for the newsletter.
  2. Download/print the PDF.
  3. Cut the paper into slips, like a fortune cookie but better.
  4. Fold and place them in a bowl.
  5. Read one as needed.

​

For Once in My Life

In 1963, eleven-year-old Arlinda leaves Jim Crow Alabama for Ohio to reunite with the mother who had abandoned her. Determined to prove she is worthy of her mother’s love, she becomes a dancer on the national TV show Upbeat, sharing stages with Stevie Wonder and James Brown. She wins a trophy half her size in the first Miss Black Cleveland pageant. She climbs the corporate ladder at Eastman-Kodak and a prestigious San Francisco law firm. Despite escaping the overt racism of the South, she is subjected to covert medical racism at SF Bay Area hospitals. After overcoming alcoholism and her body failing her, she must decide: die “strong” and alone, or risk all vulnerability for one last chance at love.

Publication date: August 27, 2026.

​