Author’s Bio: Award-winning screenwriter and director Bonné Bartron has always loved books, but it took the world shutting down for her to finally write one. Whispers is a spine-tingling thriller with a sharp satirical perspective, the perfect genre for her to cozy up to in these unprecedented times. The most humorous moments live in the tension of fear, and Bartron serves both up in her debut novel.
On October 6, 2020, Whispers debuted at #13 on the satire best seller charts, and #10 on the Amazon new release best seller list. On October 8, 2020 Whispers took #1 and #2, for the paperback and e-book respectively, on the Amazon Best Sellers New Release charts in the following categories: sociology of abuse, satire, mystery, and political misconduct.
Deliah Lawrence: What inspired you to write your book?
Bonné Bartron: It was more of a response to feeling silenced. I saw something else spreading with COVID and realized if I was going to have any chance of helping or contributing at all, I couldn’t wait for the film industry to come back online. I decided to write a book because I needed to say something and it was the medium that presented itself to me during these times.
DL: Describe
your writing process?
BB: This is farcical in my house. There are four parts to my writing process, the research/absorption phase (which can look like a lot of reading, visiting places, talking to people, walking around feeling the world as it is in the story, or like playing endless hours of games like Bloodborne, Fallout 4, Dark Souls, Population One etc.) followed by the development, plotting and structure phase. After, or sometimes in conjunction with this phase, I start to figure out where all the characters are in their lives and where they are going, what things will affect them, at the same time I write my first draft. When I finish the first draft, I go back and read it for character arcs and make sure all the threads of the side stories are pulled through and payoff anything I set up and forgot about.
This book, Whispers, was essentially a first draft, and it’s one of the reasons I feel it was given to me to write. I researched, cross referenced, listened to editorialization and exposed myself to the propaganda, but the sisters and their journey, that came out in a fully formed progression. It was as if the characters led the story and I was just trying to keep up. Whispers was special to write and when the editor got a hold of it, she didn’t have story notes, but wow did Heather end up finding a thousand and something spelling errors! Ahhh inspiration and accuracy are rarely absolute, and even more rare to have them coexist. Thank the Goddess for editors!
DL: What do you
think makes a good story?
BB: That’s hard, I love all kinds of stories I even like some of the “bad ones”. There’s something magical about condensing life into words and that is always worth doing and sharing, even with one other person.
I think there are certain things that set a good story apart, voice, characters, vivid language, active and driven scenes, and of course the “purpose”. My motivation for writing is the thing I notice first in the stories I love the most, the simple question. What authentic moment leads us to a conclusion that will help people see ourselves and each other more clearly? Specifically, what is it that connects us?
DL: What were
some of the challenges when writing this book?
BB: I knew I needed to say something about what I was observing and experiencing with the people in my life. I was deeply affected by the murder of George Floyd, just as I was with Breonna Taylor and Tamir Rice, and Ahmaud Arbery and the man who was reaching for his ID when he was murdered by police across the street from my old apartment in Durham, North Carolina. As well as the continued senseless murders and systemic terrorism of Black people in this country.
I also knew it
wasn’t my story to tell. As a female filmmaker, I have often lamented the fact
that women don’t see our authentic stories told by women. I wasn’t about to
perpetrate that against another group of people who have been misrepresented
and underrepresented by people who look like me.
I did, however, want to point out things that I realized through my life. I have a lot of people of all backgrounds that are my family. I also grew up in the military, specifically the Special Forces, so my community has always been very diverse. However, I realized that the “woke” white person makes so many assumptions and mistakes and since we are so “woke” we often don’t even recognize how our lack of understanding hurts the people we want to lift up.
I knew I couldn’t write the book from a Black woman’s perspective, so I pulled from my real-life family and made it about three sisters, two by blood, one by marriage. I highlighted some of the things that I had unknowingly done in my relationship with my sister-in-law and my nieces.
I hope that my failings can help others be better allies. This topic felt terrifying for me to write about, so I knew I needed to. I had a number of close friends give me input and my dear friend, Belinda Skinner, opened up so much about what it is like to be a Black woman in the USA. I hesitated for a moment before I even answered this question, but racism was created by white people, so it should fall on us to have these difficult conversations and stop putting all the weight of explaining on the ones we victimize with our words, actions and inactions.
DL: If you were
hosting a dinner party which three authors would be your dream guests and why?
BB: Mary Shelley, I’d love to discuss our dreams, I think we share a few. I’ve also had more than one of my screenplays inspired by the stories that play on the back of my eyelids. I think it would get weird really quick, and I’m so there for that.
Maya Angelou, because every time she opened her mouth, she had something world-mending to say, and I’d love to experience that kind of communication. She also radiated a wisdom that I’d just like to be near.
Patricia C. Wrede, I have actually talked with Patricia a number of times throughout the years, when I was sixteen, I called her and told her that one day I wanted to turn her books into movies. We’ve kept in touch over the years and even attempted to meet up a number of times, but we’ve never successfully connected in person. The Enchanted Forest Chronicles were the first books I read where I recognized myself as the main character. She was unconventional, stubborn, driven and fearless, but she was also a princess…who knew how to fight.
I think dinner with these ladies would be the best night ever.
DL: What tips
would you give to aspiring writers?
BB: Your story is important; you are the only one who can tell it. You owe it to the world to write your story to the best of your ability and with the most authenticity you can grasp from the fear well inside you.
DL: What do you
like to do when you are not writing?
BB: Hard to say, before COVID I was so busy with filmmaking. Finishing this, prepping for that, meeting with executives, agents, actors, producers, going to premiers, etc. Now my days are more like, rubbing my dog’s belly, tending to my flower boxes, making colorful crystal candles, playing a sickening amount of VR, and watching movies with my boyfriend.
I am only half-joking, truly my life is full of tasks for the book, and I popped some of my candles on Etsy expecting them to trickle off the shelves, but now I am pouring candles every day. I only have limited numbers up because I can barely keep up with the orders. Between that and stuff for Whispers, my days have been blessedly full. I also have a weekly twitch show with my boyfriend Kenny Boucher, and it does count as fun because we really just play street fighter, talk shit and hang with our internet friends on Saturday mornings.
DL: Can you share
an excerpt from Whispers?
BB: Sure, here you go:
“What the fuck did you just call me?” The mother asked, a specific kind of fury I recognized taking over her face.
He was calling this woman, who just stuck up for her daughter, an angry black woman. And there it was. Angry. The most dismissive slur a man can wield at a woman. Not just hurtful and degrading, but something that can’t be argued without becoming a self-fulfilling prophecy. A killing blow.
No woman wants to be known as “mad.” Even the word has implications of insanity, a person not to be reasoned with. That kind of depiction is enough to end a career. It’s worse than a scarlet letter, a slap of the masculine, an undermining of all that it is to be feminine. Women simply cannot be graceful and angry.
The beautiful one, the strong one, even the brave one, sure...but the angry one? No. Angry is bad, it’s malicious, it’s untrustworthy, it’s abusive.
Angry is a darkness too deep for any woman to wear as her mantle. Here I was, experiencing the delicacy of this woman’s predicament, as it was being hurled at this mother I couldn’t help but feel sympathy for.
Beyond all of this, it was racist as fuck, too! So, this is where I stood up, right? Just like any decent human being would? No, I can’t lie to you. I didn’t say a fucking word. I didn’t move, I didn’t do shit.
DL: What new
projects are you currently working on?
BB: I am thinking of doing a follow up novel to Whispers, and as soon as COVID is under control it will be back to filmmaking. I also have two audio-books coming out including A Soul Under Construction which one of my movies is based on. I have a project in post right now that I’m finishing and two features I need to check in on, so, you know, every day just plugging away. I’m also collaborating with another author, Michael Haspil on a book, and kicking around doing a podcast with Richard Fairgray. Richard if you’re reading this it means we have to do it already.
DL: Where can
readers learn more about you and purchase your book?
BB: They can
find out more here:
- Website: www.whispersbooks.com
- Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Bonne-Bartron/e/B08KQ9D6SR/ref=dp_byline_cont_pop_ebooks_1
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bonnebartron
- Instagram: @bonnebartron
Book Buy Links:
- https://amzn.to/3lAuwyY
- www.whispersbooks.com
- Buy a signed copy with the limited "mystery gift" at https://www.etsy.com/shop/BurningGemCandles
DL: It’s been a
pleasure having you here with us today. I know my readers will enjoy getting to
know you and your work.
BB: Thanks for
having me.
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