It gives me great pleasure to welcome Berneta L. Haynes onto the website today. Following her studies in the fields of English and Law, Berneta went on to practice environmental law in Chicago and Atlanta, before shifting focus to public policy and consumer protection. She has also written two novels; and a third is in the offing.
Alex: How would you describe your writing, Berneta? And are there particular themes that you like to explore?
Berneta: I write because I rarely see marginalized, unconventional people of color centered in fantasy and science fiction genres, my two favorite genres. I recently co-wrote Eve and the Faders because I wanted to tell a story with an unconventional hero: a queer black woman from the working class. In some ways, Eve is a typical young woman, struggling to pay bills and dealing with a quarter-life crisis. She's queer and unsure about her relationship. On top of all that, she has special gifts that have put her on the radar of a little-known government agency. For me, telling what amounts to a superhero origin story that elevates a queer black woman is important. I want women like me to see themselves reflected in fiction.
Alex: Are you a writer that plans a detailed synopsis or do you set out with a vague idea and let the story unfold as you write?
Berneta: My process is a bit technical in some ways but so much fun. I start with an outline of the core character, detailing the character's physical features, occupation and education, core personality traits and beliefs, and more. Then, I quickly summarize the character's internal and external conflicts. Only once I've done all that do I finally outline the general plot of the story and list secondary characters. I do all of this before I ever pen a word of the story. I'll be honest: this part before writing the story is the most invigorating part of the writing process!
Alex: How would you describe your writing, Berneta? And are there particular themes that you like to explore?
Berneta: I write because I rarely see marginalized, unconventional people of color centered in fantasy and science fiction genres, my two favorite genres. I recently co-wrote Eve and the Faders because I wanted to tell a story with an unconventional hero: a queer black woman from the working class. In some ways, Eve is a typical young woman, struggling to pay bills and dealing with a quarter-life crisis. She's queer and unsure about her relationship. On top of all that, she has special gifts that have put her on the radar of a little-known government agency. For me, telling what amounts to a superhero origin story that elevates a queer black woman is important. I want women like me to see themselves reflected in fiction.
Alex: Are you a writer that plans a detailed synopsis or do you set out with a vague idea and let the story unfold as you write?
Berneta: My process is a bit technical in some ways but so much fun. I start with an outline of the core character, detailing the character's physical features, occupation and education, core personality traits and beliefs, and more. Then, I quickly summarize the character's internal and external conflicts. Only once I've done all that do I finally outline the general plot of the story and list secondary characters. I do all of this before I ever pen a word of the story. I'll be honest: this part before writing the story is the most invigorating part of the writing process!
Alex: How much research do you do and what does it usually entail?
Berneta: I spend a lot of time researching! In fact, a significant amount of the time I spend outlining includes long Google research rabbit holes. For example, for my recent novel, Eve and the Faders, I spent a lot of time researching the bureaucracy of U.S. intelligence agencies and also basic gun use. For my upcoming sequel to Eve and the Faders, I spent even more time researching everything from geopolitics, the structure of the United Nations, to names of fantasy superpowers. I’m sure my Google search history is bizarre to any non-writer.
Alex: I know the feeling. LOL. Tell us about your latest novel.
Berneta: My latest novel, Eve and the Faders, was released this past January and is the first book in the Faders and Alphas duology, co-written with Lornett B. Vestal. The novel was recognized in Lambda Literary’s “January’s Most Anticipated LGBTQ Books” this year, and I couldn’t be more proud! It’s a science fiction fantasy novel centering on Eve Cooper, a woman who has spent her whole life hiding her extraordinary abilities until a mysterious opportunity comes knocking on her door. Eve and the Faders has been so well-received and praised by readers so far, who have called it “intersectional” and described it as “better than tv!”
Here’s a quick blurb:
The first time it happened, Eve almost killed a kid. That’s when she learned the importance of secrecy—after all, it was nobody’s business that she could disappear or break most things with her bare hands. Years later, she lives an ordinary life as a high school English teacher, with a bank account as bleak as her social life and nobody aware of her special gift. As it turns out, an ordinary life sort of sucks.
When she receives a lucrative offer to join the Special Procurements Initiative, she learns of the existence of others like her—faders. Desperate for money, she accepts the offer. Everything seems to be looking up for once, that is, until an incident during training results in a mysterious murder. Now she’s a fugitive on a quest to uncover the truth about the Initiative’s peculiar interest in faders. After spending her whole life living in secrecy, can she hide long enough to expose the Initiative and free herself…?
I’ve also published to my blog a short story serial based on the novel, and I’ll be publishing the sequel novel next year.
Berneta: I spend a lot of time researching! In fact, a significant amount of the time I spend outlining includes long Google research rabbit holes. For example, for my recent novel, Eve and the Faders, I spent a lot of time researching the bureaucracy of U.S. intelligence agencies and also basic gun use. For my upcoming sequel to Eve and the Faders, I spent even more time researching everything from geopolitics, the structure of the United Nations, to names of fantasy superpowers. I’m sure my Google search history is bizarre to any non-writer.
Alex: I know the feeling. LOL. Tell us about your latest novel.
Berneta: My latest novel, Eve and the Faders, was released this past January and is the first book in the Faders and Alphas duology, co-written with Lornett B. Vestal. The novel was recognized in Lambda Literary’s “January’s Most Anticipated LGBTQ Books” this year, and I couldn’t be more proud! It’s a science fiction fantasy novel centering on Eve Cooper, a woman who has spent her whole life hiding her extraordinary abilities until a mysterious opportunity comes knocking on her door. Eve and the Faders has been so well-received and praised by readers so far, who have called it “intersectional” and described it as “better than tv!”
Here’s a quick blurb:
The first time it happened, Eve almost killed a kid. That’s when she learned the importance of secrecy—after all, it was nobody’s business that she could disappear or break most things with her bare hands. Years later, she lives an ordinary life as a high school English teacher, with a bank account as bleak as her social life and nobody aware of her special gift. As it turns out, an ordinary life sort of sucks.
When she receives a lucrative offer to join the Special Procurements Initiative, she learns of the existence of others like her—faders. Desperate for money, she accepts the offer. Everything seems to be looking up for once, that is, until an incident during training results in a mysterious murder. Now she’s a fugitive on a quest to uncover the truth about the Initiative’s peculiar interest in faders. After spending her whole life living in secrecy, can she hide long enough to expose the Initiative and free herself…?
I’ve also published to my blog a short story serial based on the novel, and I’ll be publishing the sequel novel next year.
Alex: How do you market your books?
Berneta: I actually rely on Twitter and Goodreads a lot, but my co-writer leans heavily on Facebook and Instagram. In terms of social media, I think it's best to zero in on two or three platforms to avoid spreading yourself too thin. Most importantly, keep evolving and know when to abandon a platform when it’s just not useful anymore.
Alex: What are your interests aside from writing? And what do you do to unwind?
Berneta: I’m super into PC gaming and particularly RPG-oriented long-form games like Assassins Creed: Origins and Horizon: Zero Dawn. Fantasy RPG games help me think through the science fiction fantasy worlds I create and have given me a lot of great writing ideas. Besides gaming, I also garden to unwind. It’s wonderful watching something grow from one tiny plant to dozens of peppers, tomatoes, potatoes, etc. The process of gardening is a bit like writing… you don’t know what you’re going to get at the start, but you keep nurturing and caring for it… then, one day you have this huge amazing thing that’s nourishing and sustaining.
Alex: Which authors do you particularly admire and why?
Berneta: There are so many that it's difficult to name them all (after all, I spent years just reading novels when I was studying English in graduate school)! Off the top of my head: James Baldwin, Kwame Dawes (his fiction), Zora Neale Hurston, Terry McMillan, Charles Dickens, George Schuyler, Toni Morrison, Bernice McFadden, Alice Walker, Octavia Butler. I'll stop because this list is simply endless. I admire these authors because all of them, although writing in different genres, capture something very essential about human nature. When I read their stories, I see full people and multi-layered lives rather than just characters and stories.
Alex: Thank you so much, Berneta for giving us a fascinating glimpse into your writing life, and best of luck with your books, though I'm sure you won't need it.
Berneta: Thank you Alex. It's been lovely to talk like this.
Berneta: I actually rely on Twitter and Goodreads a lot, but my co-writer leans heavily on Facebook and Instagram. In terms of social media, I think it's best to zero in on two or three platforms to avoid spreading yourself too thin. Most importantly, keep evolving and know when to abandon a platform when it’s just not useful anymore.
Alex: What are your interests aside from writing? And what do you do to unwind?
Berneta: I’m super into PC gaming and particularly RPG-oriented long-form games like Assassins Creed: Origins and Horizon: Zero Dawn. Fantasy RPG games help me think through the science fiction fantasy worlds I create and have given me a lot of great writing ideas. Besides gaming, I also garden to unwind. It’s wonderful watching something grow from one tiny plant to dozens of peppers, tomatoes, potatoes, etc. The process of gardening is a bit like writing… you don’t know what you’re going to get at the start, but you keep nurturing and caring for it… then, one day you have this huge amazing thing that’s nourishing and sustaining.
Alex: Which authors do you particularly admire and why?
Berneta: There are so many that it's difficult to name them all (after all, I spent years just reading novels when I was studying English in graduate school)! Off the top of my head: James Baldwin, Kwame Dawes (his fiction), Zora Neale Hurston, Terry McMillan, Charles Dickens, George Schuyler, Toni Morrison, Bernice McFadden, Alice Walker, Octavia Butler. I'll stop because this list is simply endless. I admire these authors because all of them, although writing in different genres, capture something very essential about human nature. When I read their stories, I see full people and multi-layered lives rather than just characters and stories.
Alex: Thank you so much, Berneta for giving us a fascinating glimpse into your writing life, and best of luck with your books, though I'm sure you won't need it.
Berneta: Thank you Alex. It's been lovely to talk like this.
