Release Day for Becoming Bonnie by Jenni L. Walsh

Becoming Bonnie by Jenni L. Walsh

Publication Date: May 9, 2017

Forge Books

Hardcover & eBook; 304 Pages

Genre: Historical Fiction

From debut historical novelist Jenni L. Walsh comes the untold story of how wholesome Bonnelyn Parker became half of the infamous Bonnie and Clyde duo.
​
​The summer of 1927 might be the height of the Roaring Twenties, but Bonnelyn Parker is more likely to belt out a church hymn than sling drinks at an illicit juice joint. She’s a sharp girl with plans to overcome her family's poverty, provide for herself, and maybe someday marry her boyfriend, Roy Thornton. But when Roy springs a proposal on her and financial woes jeopardize her ambitions, Bonnelyn finds salvation in an unlikely place: Dallas's newest speakeasy, Doc's.

Living the life of a moll at night, Bonnie remains a wholesome girl by day, engaged to Roy, attending school and working toward a steady future. When Roy discovers her secret life, and embraces it—perhaps too much, especially when it comes to booze and gambling—Bonnie tries to make the pieces fit. Maybe she can have it all: the American Dream, the husband, and the intoxicating allure of jazz music. What she doesn't know is that her life—like her country—is headed for a crash.

She’s about to meet Clyde Barrow.

Few details are known about Bonnie's life prior to meeting her infamous partner. In Becoming Bonnie, Jenni L. Walsh shows a young woman promised the American dream and given the Great Depression, and offers a compelling account of why she fell so hard for a convicted felon—and turned to crime herself.

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | IndieBound

Praise for Becoming Bonnie

"A compelling account of a nation and a life in disarray--readers will feel for Bonnelyn as she finds herself scrabbling for survival in a world turned upside down." - Lauren Willig, New York Times bestselling author

"Jenni L. Walsh delivers an intriguing insight into the life of one half of the infamous duo, Bonnie and Clyde." - Hazel Gaynor, New York Times bestselling author

"Debut author Jenni L. Walsh deftly pulls the reader into Bonnie’s world, and then deeper into her mind, so we see exactly how and when she made her choices—and her bed. Booze-soaked, southern-fried, and fully immersive, BECOMING BONNIE is a rocking good read." - Heather Webb, author of Rodin's Lover
​
"A dazzling and compulsively-readable adventure of self-discovery, with a voice both singular and irresistible. I dare you not to fall in love with Bonnie, and her intoxicating, wholly immersive world." - Lee Kelly, author of A Criminal Magic ​

"A biographical sketch of the early life of a legendary woman... Walsh’s debut historical novel brings the Prohibition era, the Great Depression, and American gangsters to life through the personality and circumstances of a notorious moll who starts out as a good girl... Look forward to the sequel for later exploits of these notorious bandits." (Booklist)

About the Author

Jenni L. Walsh spent her early years chasing around cats, dogs, and chickens in Philadelphia's countryside, before dividing time between a soccer field and a classroom at Villanova University. She put her marketing degree to good use as an advertising copywriter, zip-code hopping with her husband to DC, NYC, NJ, and not surprisingly, back to Philly. There, Jenni's passion for words continued, adding author to her resume. She now balances her laptop with a kid on each hip, and a four-legged child at her feet.

For the mamas, Becoming Bonnie (Tor) is her debut novel that tells the untold story of how church-going Bonnelyn Parker becomes half of the infamous Bonnie and Clyde duo during the 1920s.

For the kiddos, the Brave Like Me series (Scholastic) is her middle grade debut that features true stories from heroic women who, at a young age, accomplished daring feats of perseverance and bravery.

For more information, visit Jenni Walsh's website: http://www.jennilwalsh.com