CC Robinson on Hope, Resilience, and the Stories That Shape Us | S5 EP232: Book Banter Podcast
- Dianne Burckhardt
- Jul 22
- 5 min read
Discover how dreams, travel, faith, and everyday moments help CC Robinson create stories filled with hope, heart, and unforgettable characters.
Hello My Happy People,
Every once in a while, I finish an interview and find myself thinking less about the book itself and more about the fascinating journey that brought the author to write it. That was certainly the case with this week's guest, CC Robinson. While we spent time talking about her young adult dystopian series, Divided, I found myself captivated by the story behind the story and the experiences that shaped both the books and the woman who wrote them.
One of the first things that surprised me was learning that before Divided, CC had written only short stories. Then one night, everything changed. She experienced a vivid nightmare that introduced her to the characters who would eventually become the heart of a four-book series. During that dream, one of those characters, Marcos, told her that she needed to free them. As she explained during our conversation, she came to understand that her assignment was to write her characters into freedom. What began as a nightmare became the beginning of an entirely new chapter in her writing career.
As remarkable as that story is, it wasn't a one-time experience. CC shared that the characters have continued to visit her in later dreams. Whenever she feels like she's getting off track or not moving quickly enough, they seem to return for another little meeting to nudge her back in the right direction. If you're a writer, you probably smiled at that story as much as I did. We also laughed about those moments when fictional characters seem determined to make life difficult for their authors. CC talked about one character who made choices that completely complicated the story, leaving her wondering why the character would do that and, more importantly, how she was ever going to write her out of the mess she'd just created.
Our conversation eventually turned to why she chose to tell this story as a young adult novel instead of writing it for an adult audience. I thought her answer was particularly thoughtful. She believes young adults are at a stage in life where they're not only discovering the world around them but also discovering their place within it. They're still forming opinions, asking questions, and deciding what they believe. For CC, that makes young adult fiction the perfect place to begin conversations about difficult subjects through the safety of a story.
She also shared another reason she enjoys writing for this audience. She doesn't enjoy reading or writing graphic adult content, and she appreciates that young adult fiction allows her to focus on the characters, relationships, and ideas without feeling the need to include explicit scenes simply because they're expected. Her priority has always been telling a meaningful story rather than relying on graphic content to make an impact.
Another part of our discussion that really stayed with me centered on balance. Over the years, CC has worn many hats, serving as a physician, pastor, nonprofit leader, and now novelist. Rather than viewing those experiences as separate parts of her life, she explained that they all inspire one another. She also spoke candidly about how therapy and a serious illness taught her to slow down, let go of the guilt she once felt about resting, and focus her energy on the things that truly matter.
By the end of our conversation, I realized Divided isn't simply a dystopian series inspired by a nightmare. It's the product of faith, life experience, imagination, and a deep desire to encourage readers to think about the world around them. Whether she was talking about listening to her characters, choosing to write for young adults, or finding balance in her own life, one theme kept resurfacing: stories have the power to start conversations that matter.
I hope you'll join me for this week's episode and hear CC Robinson tell these stories in her own words. I have a feeling you'll come away thinking about much more than just her books.
Enjoy,
Dianne
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