People turn to many different things in times of heartache. Brookhaven native Robin Smith turned to songwriting.

“I was depressed, going through a divorce,” said Smith.

In 2006, she began to use her pain to write lyrics, and what better way to write about heartbreak than through country music. She decided to submit one of her songs, “I Wish I Would Have Been” to Paramount, a Nashville songwriting company, and the company offered her a songwriting contract.

“I submitted it and when I got the songwriting contract, I was just tickled to death,” said Smith.

Paramount writes the music to her lyrics, including the song, “I Pray,” which was recently published in a songbook, “Songs of Inspiration.” Paramount sent “I Pray” to Hilltop Records in California and the record company decided to use the song for one of its recording artists.

“I Pray” was originally a country song, but Hilltop Records recorded it as R&B.

” ‘I pray’ is about my ex-husband, and me praying that the Lord sends him back,” said Smith.

In the song, he comes back, but hasn’t changed, so she prays for him to leave again.

“When I write, it’s from the heart – personal experience,” she said.

“Songs of Inspiration” will be sold in select music stores and at hilltoprecords.com.

Smith received an honorable mention for “I Pray” in the Song of the Year songwriting contest in 2011. Song of the Year receives entries from all over the world. For her song, “New Year,” Smith earned a semi-finalist placement in the Song of the Year contest in 2012. Semi-finalist is a high achievement, just under the winner and four finalists from each category.

In 2012, she also received The Director’s Award for “New Year” with The Nashville International Songwriting Competition. Smith is a member of the Nashville Songwriters Association, SGA and BMI.

The majority of her songs are country, but she writes Gospel lyrics as well.

“The Lord lays it on my heart to write them,” said Smith.

She has written 100-plus songs, many not made into demos by Paramount. The company has put music to 13 of her songs so far.

She has had two songs recorded by artists, “I Pray” and “Catch a Rising Star”. A 13-year-old girl will soon be recording a version of “I Pray,” “She Prays.”

“I’m proud of my mama,” said Smith’s daughter, Kristy.

Smith dreams of one of her songs playing on hit radio stations one day.

“I’m waiting for the day that I can hear one of the big stars singing my song on the radio. Everybody says it just takes one song, so I’m waiting for my big song to hit,” she said.

Smith is a customer service representative at Hunsucker Insurance and a member of Brookway Baptist Church. She has two children, Kristy, 26, and Jere “Bubba”, 24.

She has always enjoyed writing poetry.

“Back when I was little, I always wrote poems for my little boyfriends,” she said.

You can listen to Smith’s songs at www.reverbnation.com/msbluesgirl and Brookhaven radio station B92 plays a few of her songs.

Smith is looking forward to the future, anticipating hearing her song on hit radio.

“I have faith in God’s time, it’s going to happen.”