Warn Wilson Jr. is an electrical engineer — but not just an electrical engineer. The Jackson, Mississippi, native is also an author and illustrator of two picture books, Brown Money and Royal Counsel. Wilson is a graduate of Mississippi State University, where he obtained a bachelor of science degree in electrical engineering.
Wilson is also an entrepreneur, with two card games, Nah Bruh and the Brown Money companion card game, to his name. The engineer/entrepreneur/author put all his skills to work making Brown Money, an inspirational picture book that aims to teach children about responsibility, possibilities, and the many avenues one can take on the journey to independence and self-sufficiency. I spoke with Wilson about his book and why he wrote it.
Memphis Flyer: Have you always wanted to write?
Warn Wilson Jr.: So It’s ironic that as a kid I actually didn’t enjoy writing. It used to seem boring and tedious. My English teachers said I wrote great papers, but in my mind it just didn’t seem fun. But as time went on I began to enjoy writing because it became a great way to express inner thoughts and feelings. I also now enjoy being able to transfer my knowledge and experience to others through books. Even in my current line of work I do a lot of technical writing which requires me to break complex information down into an easy to understand format. In turn, my approach to teaching things in the simplest way possible helps others to learn faster. When I see others understand better due to my easy-to-understand format, it is a really rewarding feeling. Almost makes me feel like I should have been a teacher [laughs].
Tell me a little bit about doing the illustrations.
I actually painted each individual image on canvas — book covers included — after I wrote the dialogue of the book. I painted each image so that it would perfectly reflect the message being taught on each corresponding page. The paintings took me approximately two weeks to complete. Painting is another passion of mine that I enjoy in my free time.
Did your career in engineering influence your decision to write Brown Money?
Yes, my career in engineering played the main role in me creating Brown Money. I also wanted to share investing and entrepreneurial knowledge that I have picked up. But I am a fond believer in STEM being a super important field, especially given the direction that tech and science are headed in the future. I also believe heavily in having more than one stream of income, which is why I advocate for investing in stocks, real estate, etc.
What made you want to write Brown Money?
What made me want to write Brown Money was the lack of certain information or inspiration I had as a youth. I wanted to create a book that introduces you to a lot of the things that I didn’t learn as a youth as far as investing and having multiple streams of income. I also wanted to make STEM look cool and hopefully inspire kids to head toward that direction.
Can you talk a little bit about the importance of having a “Plan B”?
I find the importance of having a Plan B super important. Just as I teach in the book, you must always be ready just in case your Plan A falls through or doesn’t work. Having a Plan B will help you to keep moving forward in the case of something going wrong. It is also great for kids to learn the importance of a Plan B prior to getting to the adult stage. Because we as adults know that having a backup plan could save you greatly, so I want to relay that same knowledge to kids before they get to an older age.
I like the balance the father strikes between encouragement and practical advice. My parents had no business savvy — they had four evictions between them before I was a teenager — so the encouragement to dream big, with the advice of working to improve your prospects, is something I know can be valuable for young readers who might not get that encouragement or advice elsewhere. Were you thinking about that when you wrote the book?
Yes, I was thinking of exactly that! I want kids to have the mindset that they can accomplish whatever they want as long as they are willing to work hard. Which is something that I truly believe. And hopefully my book can provide that inspiration and encouragement that the next young person may need to keep striving and trying.
Just knowing they have options may help a kid have patience in finding their ultimate passion.”
I have to say again that I’m really impressed with the frank, honest discussion in the book. The father admits he’s tired of work sometimes, but it’s vital to take care of responsibilities. Was it important to you to treat children with respect and honesty?
Yes, I believe that treating children with respect and honesty are super important! Even though they are young, they deserve respect. And I believe that if they are shown good examples of respect then they will know how to give respect back as they mature. I also believe in providing children with truth and transparency no matter how it affects their feelings. I believe that providing them truth will help that child to really build strong trust with their parents as they get older. My parents always treated me this way, which is why I advocate for providing children with respect and transparency. Being raised that way truly helped me a lot in life, especially when dealing with others. And I also have seen great results from using this approach with my younger siblings and nephew.
A wide range of potential careers is on display. How did you decide what careers to include?
So in the book, I did mention a wide range of careers [laughs]. But that’s the thing — I wanted to give examples of many options being available to you, so that you never feel restricted. I want kids to know that success does not have one path and that you can take routes to get to a meaningful life. So even though I love the idea of college, I want to show that there is also success in taking up trades or investing as a way to make a living. Regardless, I just want kids to keep an open mind and be willing to work hard for whatever life they want to have. Just knowing they have options may help a kid have patience in finding their ultimate passion.
You have another book, too, right? Can you tell me a little bit about Royal Counsel?
Yes, I have a second book named Royal Counsel. I wrote it shortly after my debut book Brown Money. With Royal Counsel, I also painted all of its illustrations on canvas. Royal Counsel was written as a tribute to my mother and grandmothers. It is filled with inspirational sayings and positive messages that they provided me with growing up. I wanted every reader to feel uplifted after reading it.
Is there anything else you’d like to add?
I am planning to release my next book Brown Money 2 this summer. It is a continuation of the story of the first one but will elaborate more upon the dad’s life as an engineer. Moving forward, I plan to keep writing books, creating games, providing electronic products for the public, and inspiring the youth. I also cut hair [laughs]. I have been my own barber since the 9th grade — which is why put pristine haircuts on the character illustrations in Brown Money [laughs]. As you can see, I truly believe that we can do whatever we set our mind to and I plan to keep showing just that in my daily life. Thanks again for this opportunity and taking time out to learn about my life.
