Today we’d like to introduce you to Denny S. Bryce.
Hi Denny, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I write historical fiction. Each of my novels feature a cast of courageous, flawed, and sometimes dangerous female protagonists.
My books explore the African American and/or Black experience in well-researched stories that I am proud to share as one of the Black authors worldwide telling these stories.
A former public relations professional, I spent more than 20 years running my marketing and public relations firm. For nearly 10 years, however, I wrote and read Buffy/Spike fan fiction. I am a devoted fan of genre television, and Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Firefly, and Angel (the TV series) fit the bill. These days, I am revisiting my love of classic film, jazz, and R&B (with a bit of hip-hop and rap thrown in because–why not?).
Before fanfiction and my days as a PR Diva, I was a professional dancer, part-time singer, and “bad” actress. I worked with professional dance companies in Chicago and New York and was cast in a theatrical production, which almost debuted off-off-off-Broadway. In college, I was a theater and dance major with a minor in history. But my love of American, European, and African history I credit to my maternal grandmother, Ella Elizabeth Joseph, who immigrated from Kingston, Jamaica, to New York City in 1923. I also must give my maternal grandfather some love, too. He was born in French Guiana and fought in the Great War (WWI) in France. In exploring my ancestry, like many African Americans, my family’s roots are in West Africa, today’s Nigeria. I am also a first-generation Bermudan (on my father’s side) and second-generation Jamaican (on my mother’s side).
I could go on and on about my family and my adventures, but those tales are part of the reason I write–I love storytelling–and I have many to write and share:)!
Currently, I live in Savannah, Georgia, but I’m formerly from Washington, DC., Chicago, and New York City. Yes, I’ve moved around.
I love to travel, and I’m always a toothbrush away from my next flight to the nearest beach or mountaintop.
HONORS AND FELLOWSHIPS:
2021 New Author of the Year (Go On Girl National Book Club); Tin House Workshop Fellow; RWA Golden Heart Winner
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
My writing career included several years of trying to finish my first book, but once that was done, I was off and running. That debut novel, WILD WOMEN AND THE BLUES, continues to be one of my most popular.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I am most proud of the books I’ve written and will write. Once I began this journey, there was no holding me back. I love research, writing, editing, and editing some more. It is what writing historical fiction is all about. I learn, I write, and I strive to entertain, and I tell stories that grab the heart as well as the mind.
If we knew you growing up, how would we have described you?
I was raised on a small farm and an average child. I am inquisitive, an extrovert (although I call myself somewhat introverted now), and fascinated with everything and everyone around me.
My interests were reading, playing, jumping rope for hours, and digging for worms. Yes, there are some things I just must confess. I also ate dirt—and don’t ask me why. 🙂 I have no clue.
Small-town living soon led to city life, where I thrived. I love cities, and when it came time to leave Ohio, I chose the college farthest away from home. So, I ended up in Chicago. It fit my personality—big, bustling, and lots of action.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://dennysbryce.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dennysbryce/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dennysbryceauthor/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/denny-s-bryce-025120a9/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/DennySBryce
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC72NdECXn4adQA99Ar_G35Q
Image Credits
Valerie Bey Photography
