JENNI L. WALSH
  • Home
  • About
  • Books
    • Adult >
      • Sonora
      • Ace, Marvel, Spy: A Novel of Alice Marble
      • Unsinkable
      • The Call of the Wrens
      • A Betting Woman: A Novel of Madame Moustache
      • Side by Side: A Novel of Bonnie and Clyde
      • Becoming Bonnie: A Novel
    • Middle Grade >
      • Outlook Unclear
      • The Bug Bandits
      • Operation: Happy
      • Over and Out
      • By the Light of Fireflies: A Novel of War Hero Sybil Ludington
      • I Am Defiance: A Novel of World War II
      • Hettie and the London Blitz: A World War II Survival Story
      • She Dared books
  • News
  • School Visits
  • Events
  • Contact

Download Becoming Bonnie for only $1.99!

4/20/2019

 
I'm excited to share that the ebook of BECOMING BONNIE is currently on sale for only $1.99 through the month of April!

Download now from:
Amazon

Barnes & Noble

Apple Books
Or wherever you purchase your ebooks!

One of the really interesting aspects of writing BECOMING BONNIE was how both Bonnie and Clyde were musically inclined. Clyde played both the guitar and the saxophone (the later found in the back of the car they were killed in.) And, Bonnie was a singer, having sung in her church's choir.⁣

Bonnie was also known for her poetry. So taking into account their musical abilities and Bonnie's love of words, I thought it'd be really fun to include an original song in the novel, where Bonnie and Clyde write each verse as their story together grows and unravels.

And, here's the scene where I began their song 🎶


Clyde’s head tilts down, and he looks up at me from under his lashes. “I started this here song a while ago, but she ain’t done,” he says. “Was hoping you’d help me finish her.”

“Me?”

His fingertips slide down the strings once, letting the soft sound vibrate ’round us. “You’ll see.”

He goes back for more, a dark melody forming with each stroke, and moistens his lips. Clyde says, more than sings, “Death is a five-letter word, with a five- finger clutch.” His head stays down, his jaw relaxed, eyes closed. “It cornered him, pitting him against the bigger man . . . By the throat, edging closer, nearing Death’s final touch.”

The rhythm quickens, the beat an unexpected surprise.

“Then there she was, light in the dark, defying Death’s plan . . . She stared it down, held on tight, fired off a shot all her own . . . Ohh”—he draws out the word, as if taunting Death—“Oh, oh, oh, death for the boy has been postponed.”

Clyde’s fingers shift to a higher pitch on the guitar. He smirks and sings from the corner of his mouth, “’Cause lean closer, listen close . . . How the story ends, no one knows . . . But one thing’s clear, you’ll see . . . Bonnie and Clyde, meant to be, alive and free.”

That last line, that last note hangs between us.

I forget how to breathe.

“That’s all I got for now,” Clyde says softly. “Thought maybe we could do the next verse together.”

“Together?” I wring my hands, staring into the eyes of Clyde Barrow, the criminal, the charmer, the . . . boy who wrote me a doggone song to show me how he cares.

​“Yeah, Bonnie. You and me. What do you say?”


I hope you enjoyed the excerpt and I hope you'll download your copy of BECOMING BONNIE now -- for only $1.99!
Amazon

Barnes & Noble

Apple Books

BECOMING BONNIE is Now Available in Paperback

5/22/2018

 
BECOMING BONNIE—the story of Bonnie before Clyde—is now available in paperback, joining the hardcover, ebook, and audio options! 
Picture
Grab your copy from your favorite local bookstore or on ​Amazon, Barnes & Noble or IndieBound! 

The ebook of BECOMING BONNIE is on sale for $2.99!

3/21/2018

 
Picture
I'm so excited to share that for the eBook of my debut novel BECOMING BONNIE—the fictional story of Bonnie before Clyde—is on sale for only $2.99!

This is the very first time the eBook's been discounted, so if you don't own a copy yet, I hope you'll snag a copy and step into the 1920s with Bonn and me.
​

Purchase the BECOMING BONNIE eBook at your local bookstore's website or at any online retailer, including:
Amazon Kindle
Barnes & Noble Nook
eBooks.com
Google Play
Kobo
iBooks

​No eReader? Read BECOMING BONNIE on your Phone, Computer, or Tablet!
Both Amazon and Barnes & Noble make it easy to read eBooks, even if you don't have an eReader. Simply, download a free app for your phone, computer, or tablet.

Get a free Kindle reading app, then get BECOMING BONNIE on Amazon.com
​

Get a free Nook reading app, then get BECOMING BONNIE on B&N.com

​Praise for BECOMING BONNIE
"Walsh's rollicking narrative will have readers rooting for Bonnelyn-turned-Bonnie every (dance) step of the way." - Shelf Awareness

"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

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

"Booze-soaked, southern-fried, and fully immersive, BECOMING BONNIE is a rocking good read." - Heather Webb, bestselling author of Last Christmas in Paris
​

After you read, I'd love to hear what you think, too. Thank you and happy reading!

Side by Side Has a Cover!

10/18/2017

 
It's always so exciting to see your book baby get a face and I'm so excited to share the cover of Side by Side!

The cover and title is inspired by Bonnie Parker's own words, from her poem The Trail's End.

Someday they'll go down together
they'll bury them side by side.
To few it’ll be grief
To the law a relief
But it’s death for Bonnie and Clyde.

And without further ado... the cover!!
Picture
And in more exciting news, the forthcoming paperback edition of Becoming Bonnie got a facelift to match!
Picture
What ya think? Beauties, right?

Both are available for preorder here, with Side by Side releasing June 5, 2018 and the paperback of Becoming Bonnie coming May 8, 2018!

Being Bonnie is now Side By Side!

8/25/2017

 
The title for my next book has gone through quite the transformation. It began as Being Bonnie, the sequel to Becoming Bonnie (Book 1). And while Book 2 is still a sequel, it's very much a book that can stand on its own (without first having read Becoming Bonnie).

My publishing team and I have gone through a few different titles, but I'm excited/happy to announce we have a final title: 
Side By Side. This title was inspired by Bonnie's real-life poem, The Trail's End, and in particular, these few lines:

"Some day they'll go down together
they'll bury them side by side. 
To few it'll be grief,
to the law a relief
but it's death for Bonnie and Clyde."

I hope you're getting excited! I sure am, especially for seeing the final cover (coming soon)!

Shelf Awareness Reviews Becoming Bonnie

7/7/2017

 
Thank you to Shelf Awareness for the kind words and review of Becoming Bonnie! 
Jenni L. Walsh imagines the story of the quintessential good girl turned gangster's moll in her debut novel, Becoming Bonnie. Bonnelyn Parker has always been a straight-A student and a straight-arrow girl. Since her daddy died, she's toiled extra hard to help her mama around the house while working nights and weekends at a local diner. But times are tight in Prohibition-era Dallas, and when Bonnelyn loses her diner job, she's not sure how her family will make ends meet. Her rebellious best friend Blanche drags her along to Doc's, a local speakeasy that might have jobs for them both, and Bonnelyn starts down a different path--one that will change both her life and name. 

Bonnelyn's first-person voice is distinctive and charming: she's bookish, plainspoken and fiercely loyal to her family and to Roy Thornton, the boy she's loved since they were little. But she has dreams of her own, and they include more than scraping by. "This here is the twenties," she says. "Women can vote; women are equals, wanting to make a name for themselves." Bonnelyn is unsettled but seduced by the free-and-easy atmosphere of Doc's and the tip money that begins to ease her family's financial burdens. As her new life (complete with an appealing new boy, Clyde) barrels toward her old one on a collision course, Bonnelyn must decide what name she wants to make for herself. Walsh's rollicking narrative will have readers rooting for Bonnelyn-turned-Bonnie every (dance) step of the way.
​--Katie Noah Gibson, blogger at Cakes, Tea and Dreams


Discover: Jenni L. Walsh's debut novel brings to life the woman who became one half of gunslinging duo Bonnie and Clyde.
See the review on Shelf Awareness here. 

On This Day in History: Bonnie and Clyde's Crime Spree Came to an End #BonnieAndClydeVersary

5/23/2017

 
Picture
On this day in history, May 23rd, Bonnie and Clyde's twenty-two month life on the lam came to an end in a flurry of bullets.

Today, I'll be taking part in a #BonnieAndClydeVersary event where I'll be talking Bonnie and Clyde and also about my novel, Becoming Bonnie, which tells the coming-of-age story of how Bonnie Parker becomes half of the infamous crime duo during the 1920s. See below for various essays, giveaways, interviews, and excerpts.
Giveaway of Becoming Bonnie on Amazon
Enter Now
Giveaway of Becoming Bonnie with Suzy Approved Book Reviews
Enter Now
Chapter 3 of Becoming Bonnie and a Giveaway with Criminal Element
Enter Now
Review of Becoming Bonnie and a Giveaway with EvieBookish
Enter Now
"Bonnie and Clyde: What's in a Name?" at Heroes & Heartbreakers
Read Now
"The Bonnie and Clyde from Becoming Bonnie" at Women Writer's
Read Now
"Bonnie Parker: Rebel with a Cause?" at We So Nerdy
Read Now
"The Aesthetics of the 1920s within Becoming Bonnie" at Jorie Loves a Story
Read Now
"15 Questions for Bonnie Parker Pre-Clyde" at the Debutante Ball
Read Now
​History from a Woman's Perspective sits down with Jenni L. Walsh
Read Now
Jenni L. Walsh in conversation with Leah DeCesare
Read Now
Audra McElyea interviews Jenni L. Walsh
Read Now
Bonnie and Clyde photos, more giveaways, and other anniversary/Becoming Bonnie goodies:
Confessions of a Book Addict
What's Better Than Books
One Book At A Time
Becoming Bonnie is now available in retail stores and online at Amazon, BN.com, and more!

Please Help Me Spread the Word About Becoming Bonnie

5/9/2017

 
Picture
Becoming Bonnie is now available in retail stores and online at Amazon, BN.com, and more!

I'd be truly grateful if you helped me spread the word about the release of Becoming Bonnie, which tells the untold story of how wholesome Bonnelyn Parker becomes half of the infamous Bonnie and Clyde duo during the 1920s.


​Especially for a newbie author like myself, word of mouth is the main way that a book makes its way into new hands. Below are a number of ways you can help!

If you are on Goodreads:
- Add Becoming Bonnie to your shelves
- Rate Becoming Bonnie
- Recommend Becoming Bonnie to a friend

If you are on Facebook:
- In my announcement post, tag a friend who you think may enjoy Becoming Bonnie
- or, share your own post. Please be sure to tag me (type @ and Jenni L Walsh and my page should populate)!
 
If you are on Twitter:
- Tweet about Becoming Bonnie. Here's some sample language:

Happy release day to @jennilwalsh and #BecomingBonnie, the story of how Bonnie becomes part of THE Bonnie & Clyde https://www.amazon.com/Becoming-Bonnie-Jenni-L-Walsh/dp/0765390183

If you belong to a library:
- Request a copy of Becoming Bonnie to be added to their shelves

If you are on Amazon:
- Leave a review for Becoming Bonnie (this matters, a ton)

If you have a local bookshop nearby:
- Go in and ask for Becoming Bonnie by name to show interest
- If all you can see is Becoming Bonnie's spine, face the cover out for all to see.
- Send me photos of Becoming Bonnie in the wild!

If you're part of a book club:
- Recommend Becoming Bonnie! If you're local to Philly, I'd love to stop in. If not, I'd love to Skype! I even have a Reader's Guide you can use for the occasion.

If you got a special gal or teacher in your life:
- Consider gifting a copy of Becoming Bonnie for Mother's Day or birthday
- Consider gifting a copy of Becoming Bonnie for your child's teacher


If you've bought Becoming Bonnie (THANK YOU):
- Carry the book around for all to see :)

Thank you in advance. I sincerely appreciate your support!

Becoming Bonnie Releases Today!

5/9/2017

 
Today's the day! Becoming Bonnie is now available from Tor/Forge (Macmillan)!
Amazon
Barnes & Noble
IndieBound
Book Depository
There are so many emotions involved in this moment and if I begin, I may become a blubbering mess, so I want to say a simple, but heartfelt thank you to everyone who helped in my journey to become a published author, including all the wonderful book-related blogs who are helping to shout about Bonn today!

On each of these blogs, you can find the first chapter of Becoming Bonnie:


History from a Woman's Perspective | A Glass of Wine | Jorie Loves a Story | Brenda Drake ​| Laura Heffernan | Sandi Ward Books | ​The Book Whisperer | First Impression Reviews | What Is That Book About | The Maiden's Court | Sapphyria's Book Reviews | Celticlady's Reviews | I Heart Reading | The Lit Bitch | A Literary Vacation | Reading Lark | Passages to the Past | Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers |  Ageless Pages Reviews  | What's Better Than Books | Impressions In Ink
And also...
For a giveaway of a signed hardcover
of Becoming Bonnie


The Book Whisperer
​
Suzy Approved Book Reviews
For a review of Becoming Bonnie

A Glass of Wine
​
​Meghan Masterson
​The Misstery
​Joy's Novel Thoughts
For a "$25 Amazon Giftcard and
Becoming Bonnie Mug" giveaway

​
Brenda Drake
​
Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers
​
I Heart Reading
​
Unabridged Chick
A Glass of Wine
​
Sapphyria's Book Reviews
​
A Literary Vacation
​
Celticlady's Reviews
History from a Woman's Perspective
​
Laura Heffernan 
First Impression Reviews​
​What Is That Book About
​
The Maiden's Court
​
The Lit Bitch
​
Reading Lark
​
Impressions In Ink
For exclusive Interviews about
​Becoming Bonnie

Jorie Loves a Story
​Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers
​What Is That Book About
The Maiden's Court
I Heart Reading
​Creating Herstory
​​Meghan Masterson
​Reading Lark

Becoming Bonnie Releases in One Week! Enter to Win a Prize Pack!

5/1/2017

 
Becoming Bonnie releases in a WEEK, so let's have some fun with a giveaway!

There are 3 ways to enter to win this prize pack of a signed hardcover of Becoming Bonnie, 16x20 print featuring a excerpt from the novel, a faux newspaper print, and an exclusive mug:

1. Like the giveaway post on Facebook

2. RT the giveaway tweet and follow my account on twitter

3. Subscribe to my newsletter
Picture

Ends 5/8 11:59pm EST. US only.

Good luck!
<<Previous

    Archives

    May 2025
    April 2025
    March 2025
    January 2025
    November 2024
    May 2024
    February 2024
    January 2024
    December 2023
    August 2023
    July 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    June 2020
    March 2020
    December 2019
    August 2019
    April 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    August 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    December 2017
    October 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    November 2015
    August 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015

    Categories

    All
    A Betting Woman
    Accolades
    Accoldades
    Ace
    Adult
    Amazon Editor's Pick
    ARCs
    Audiobook
    Becoming Bonnie
    Being Bonnie
    BonnieandClydeVersary
    BookBub
    Book Deal
    Booklist
    Brave Like Me
    By The Light Of Fireflies
    Capstone
    Children's Book Council
    Contest
    Cover
    Debutante Ball
    Deleted Scenes
    Educator Resources
    Edyson Entertainment
    Eleanor Dumont
    Events
    Fantasy
    Foreign Rights
    Giveaway
    Goodreads
    Harper Muse
    Historical Fiction
    Historical Novel Society
    I Am Defiance
    Instagram Tour
    Junior Library Guild
    Kick-Butt Kidlit
    Kirkus
    Madame Moustache
    Marvel
    Media
    Merchandise
    Middle Grade
    Midwest Book Review
    Nashville Book Review
    Netgalley
    New York Journal Of Books
    Nonfiction
    Operation: Happy
    Over And Out
    People Magazine
    PitchWars
    Preorder
    Publishers Weekly
    Quiz
    Reading Guide
    Release Day
    Review
    San Francisco Book Review
    Scholastic
    School Library Journal
    She Dared
    She Reads
    Side By Side
    SLJ
    Spy
    Street Team
    Sybil Ludington
    The Bug Bandits
    The Call Of The Wrens
    The Messenger's Secret
    Tor
    Toronto Star
    Translations
    TV
    Unsinkable
    USA Today Bestseller
    Wyatt Mackenzie
    Wyatt-Mackenzie
    Zonderkidz

    RSS Feed

SIGN UP FOR JENNI'S NEWSLETTER

Thank you!

You have successfully joined Jenni's mailing list(s).

.

© 2025 Jenni L. Walsh

Privacy POlicy


Jenni L. Walsh is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.

  • Home
  • About
  • Books
    • Adult >
      • Sonora
      • Ace, Marvel, Spy: A Novel of Alice Marble
      • Unsinkable
      • The Call of the Wrens
      • A Betting Woman: A Novel of Madame Moustache
      • Side by Side: A Novel of Bonnie and Clyde
      • Becoming Bonnie: A Novel
    • Middle Grade >
      • Outlook Unclear
      • The Bug Bandits
      • Operation: Happy
      • Over and Out
      • By the Light of Fireflies: A Novel of War Hero Sybil Ludington
      • I Am Defiance: A Novel of World War II
      • Hettie and the London Blitz: A World War II Survival Story
      • She Dared books
  • News
  • School Visits
  • Events
  • Contact