By Charity L. Cohen
Special to The Alamance News
Kurt Pearson never thought the short story he wrote, on a dare from his daughter Mia six years ago, would turn into a full-blown novel.
Today, with three years novel under his belt and counting, Pearson can’t see himself as anything other than a storyteller.
“I really love writing. If I could do this full time, I probably would,” Pearson said with a laugh. “I don’t know why I enjoy it so much, I just do.”
Pearson, who lives in Mebane with his wife Christina and daughters Ava and Mia, currently works as a real estate agent and appraiser. He and his wife own and operate a real estate agency and appraisal company. Pearson is also a longtime member of Mebane’s planning board.
Much of his work as a real estate agent and appraiser involve writing, so even in the monotony of his full-time career, he is never too far from his passion.
Pearson says he’s constantly plotting out the next stories he wants to tell – developing characters and mapping new worlds.
“When I’m writing a book, I don’t ever really get away from it,” Pearson concedes. “You’re doing your other jobs, and all the things you have to do, and you just can’t wait to get back there [to writing].”
His first two novels, The Mystery of the Stones: The Awakening (Book 1), which debuted in 2018, and The Mystery of the Stones: The Calling (Book 2), published in 2019, are part of a fantastical, mystery, and adventure-oriented series.
The first installment follows two middle-school neighbors in their journey through the “forbidden forest,” set in Mebane, and the mysterious things that go on there. The second installment takes readers ever-deeper into the forbidden forest and a battle of good versus evil, through dramatic twists and turns, for a morality tale intended to highlight the enduring power of friendship and family, based on the publisher’s description.
Feeling like he was stuck in an unrelenting reel of bad news, Pearson says he needed to reorient himself, so he took a break from The Mystery of Stones series to work on a new project he hoped would uplift readers.
His new novel, The Candy Kane Editorials, follows the journey of seventh-grader Asa, who has lost both of her parents and finds herself being bombarded with tribulations at every turn. She discovers her purpose through writing guest editorials for the local newspaper, in hopes of sharing her story and inspiring others.
“I think the parallel between me [and Asa] is just realizing how she struggled with finding an outlet and a way to do some good in the world,” Pearson explains. “It’s maybe exactly what I’m trying to do through this book.”
Through themes of friendship, hope, mercy, second chances and trusting God, The Candy Kane Editorials shines a light in the darkness. “I just like telling a story, and I like this one so much because I felt like I was telling a good story, that people could take something positive from,” Pearson elaborates.
Like Asa, Pearson has learned to trust God and allow God to speak to others through his writing, both using their gift to spread good news and positivity.
“I’m not someone that could easily go out and tell my story, or even be a witness,” Pearson says. “I really feel like God helped me write this story, it just came too easily and every time I sat down, I would pray and just allow Him to write through me.”
He plans to continue using his passion and gift to talk about God. He’s also hoping to expand Asa’s story into a series – which he says has a message everyone can relate to – and bring new stories and characters to life.
Pearson says he just hopes people are transformed and encouraged by the message he conveys with The Candy Kane Editorials. If just one person gets something good from it, Pearson says, “all of the time and effort is worth it.”
Pearson is currently scheduled to hold a book-signing for The Candy Kane Editorials at Solgarden in downtown Mebane this Saturday from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m., and at Things Above bookstore in Graham next Saturday (December 17) from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. The book is also available online from major booksellers and from Amazon.com.
Pearson may be reached at kepearson@triad.rr.com.
