Set against the backdrop of Watergate and the post-civil rights movement era, Malcolm and Me is a gritty yet graceful examination of the anguish teens experience when their growing awareness of themselves and the world around them unravels their sense of security—a coming-of-age tale of truth-telling, faith, family, forgiveness, and social activism.
We had the pleasure of chatting to author Robin Farmer about her debut novel Malcolm and Me, as well as when she discovered her love for writing, book recommendations, and much more.
Hi, Robin! Tell us a bit about yourself!
Hello! I am a night owl who will never understand how people can be happy about getting up early. All of my projects, including poems, screenplays and short stories, deal with girls discovering their voice and becoming social justice advocates. I’m thrilled to realize my childhood dream of writing for a living. Sometimes I slog (slow jog) and fool around on my guitar. Pre-pandemic, I loved to travel (hope I can hit all seven continents sooner than later). Friends say I have a youthful spirit, which makes me think that’s a gentle hint to act my age. My favorite place to be is with my hubby.
With the current state of the world, what are you doing to cope with the changes we’ve had to make with our day-to-day?
It’s a blessing that since March I have focused my attention on Malcolm and Me, which was originally scheduled for release in June 2021. The book release was pushed up seven months because many of the novel’s themes were being amplified today after George Floyd’s murder. I finished writing Malcolm and Me July 1. After editing, I immediately started working to promote it, which left less time to fret. How lucky am I? In my free time, I read, walk, work on screenplays and poetry, watch Netflix, and shop way too much on Amazon. I desperately miss working out in my gym so I purchased a weighted hula hoop. Unused, it lives in the garage. I promise I will wiggle in it tomorrow!
When did you first discover your love for writing?
My mother taught me how to read and write when I was 4. Books opened up a magical world for me and I read everything I could. In second grade, we learned cursive handwriting, which was a big deal. “Ice” was the first word I wrote like a “big kid.” I recall running into the house after school with a page full of “ice” copied in my best pencilled penmanship and telling Mom, “I’m a writer.” Yes, I was confused, but by the age of 8 I had a better understanding. That’s when I decided to become a reporter and write stories for a living. Around 12 or 13, I decided that one day, I wanted to be an author, too. Two books that influenced my decision were The Autobiography of Malcolm X and To Kill A Mockingbird.
Your debut novel, Malcolm and Me, is out November 17th! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?
Emotional, honest, layered, inspirational, and thoughtful.
Now tell us a little more! What can readers expect?
Prepare to enter the world of a girl who may be more like you than what you anticipate. Because we all have felt powerless , which left us angry, confused and hurt. Roberta is also funny, thoughtful and courageous, with something to say. You may find yourself cheering her on. Like many young teens, she’s trying to find her voice and figure out her place in a world where adults seem to have trouble telling the truth. Set during the 1973-74 school year, even President Nixon lies as the Watergate scandal unfolds.
What inspired you to write this novel?
The opening chapter involves a fight between a young teen and her homeroom nun, who ends up hurling a racist insult at her. That actually happened to me. Only in real life, I was 11 when I witnessed racism and religion collide. Traumatized, I didn’t talk about it at length until I started working on the novel. I knew the incident had shaped me in profound ways. Rather than write a memoir, I wanted to fictionalize most of the story so outcomes could be more instructive and inspirational.
What was the most challenging part to write?
Since the story is told from Roberta’s view, it was difficult to get inside Sister Elizabeth’s mind. Sister is an intriguing character with a bit of mystery. Readers will leave the book with lingering questions about Sister’s motives, mindset and background.
Malcolm and Me focuses on issues such as racial inequality, social justice, parental separation, politics, slavery, and religion. How did you go about approaching these topics?
The overarching theme of Malcolm and Me is adult hypocrisy, which is as common as corn syrup. So it wasn’t a stretch to explores different topics from my protagonist’s viewpoint. I connected topics that fit organically in scenes. I think when most people ask what is a book about, they want a pithy answer. My novel is rich with themes and topics, deliberately so. Teens can have a lot swirling in their minds.
What do you hope readers will take away from reading Malcolm and Me?
I hope readers of all ages, but especially younger ones, realize truth matters, and so does speaking and defending it. Think critically. It may be challenging to speak up, but that’s where courage comes in. Also, embrace forgiveness. Hate is a heavy load to carry and it corrodes the container it is carried in. Another key takeaway: love your family.
What’s next for you?
I am using NaNoWriMo to hammer out a draft of what could be my next novel. The story is based on another one of my scripts. (I adapted Malcolm and Me from one of my screenplays). Full of magical surrealism, the story features a young teen who becomes an advocate for environmental justice. If it doesn’t work out, I have a thriller in mind.
Lastly, are you currently reading anything and do you have any book recommendations for our readers?
I’ve recommend both books by Lauren Francis-Sharma, which carry you on unexpected journeys with stellar prose and memorable characters. Her latest is the memorable Book of the Little Axe; her debut was ‘Til the Well Runs Dry. I also recently read The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett and found it exquisite.
You can find Robin on Instagram and Twitter as well as at her website.
