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For Once in My Life:
The Authorized Biography of Arlinda Willis
Publishing August 27, 2026

In 1963, eleven-year-old Arlinda leaves Alabama's Jim Crow racism to reunite with her mother. Convinced she must earn her love through achievement, she becomes a national TV dancer, Miss Black Cleveland model, and San Francisco legal secretary. But each fleeting accomplishment only deepens her belief that love must be earned.

Unemployed and enduring a medical system that devalues Black women's pain, a cancer diagnosis strips away her independence and her carefully constructed image of strength. Left with nothing, she must finally prove she is lovable without the performance.

The Bowl of Truth is a free collection of Arlinda's wisdom. Think fortune cookies, but honest. Just print the two-page file, cut out the slips, fold and place them in a bowl. When life gets real, pull a slip and read it.

Sign up for the newsletter and get the Bowl of Truth game instantly. You'll also receive behind-the-scenes stories, excerpts from the manuscript, and exclusive updates as For Once in My Life moves toward its August 27, 2026 launch.

Rob Cole met Arlinda Willis at a San Francisco law firm in 1994. What began as a cubicle friendship became one of the most important relationships of his life. At Arlinda's request, he documented her life story. For Once in My Life is the result of nearly 20 years of friendship, research, and devotion to getting her story right.

Rob Cole holds a degree in English with specializations in Creative Writing and Comparative Literature. He is the founder of Fellowship for Perpetual Growth, an animal sanctuary on the Big Island of Hawaii, where he lives and writes.