Viola Davis To Collaborate With James Patterson On New Novel

Viola Davis is going from an award-winning actress to teaming up with a best-selling author for a new novel collaboration.

The 58-year-old is currently working alongside James Patterson, 77, to co-write a new story, which has yet to be named, centered around an influential figure facing a crucial decision.

This new project comes two years after Viola Davis released her own memoir.

The "How To Get Away With Murder" actress is teaming up with James Patterson to co-write a novel, which will be set in “present-day rural South,” according to People Magazine.

According to the book's synopsis, it tells the story of a "dynamic and brilliant" female judge, Mary Stone, poised to make a decision that will have "seismic repercussions" for her small county and potentially the entire nation.

"James' ability to weave compelling narratives with depth and suspense is unparalleled, and I am honored to work alongside him,” Davis shared in a statement, per People, about working with the best-selling author. “Writing about a character as compelling as Judge Mary Stone has been an extraordinary experience, and I believe readers will be deeply moved by her journey."

"This collaboration is a dream come true, and I can't wait to share the fruits of our creative synergy with the world," she added.

The 77-year-old best-selling author echoed Davis's remarks in his own statement. “It is an honor to work with Viola Davis … Her memoir, 'Finding Me,' was among the most insightful and uplifting I’ve ever read," he said.

"Her gift of storytelling in film and beyond, as well as her generous spirit, is without peer," he continued. "And there has rarely been a more important time to spotlight the subjects raised in this novel. I could not have asked for a better partner than Viola.”

Patterson has also teamed up with Bill Clinton and Dolly Parton in the past.

In 2022, Viola Davis released a memoir titled "Finding Me," which she also recorded an audiobook for.

"Recording the audio version of 'Finding Me' was a very vulnerable experience," she told The New York Times. "I felt I was living through those moments with every word I spoke. It made me question how I remember things. It also made me celebrate what I did remember and what I was able to express."

"More important it brought me to a very powerful realization," she continued. "And that is that the past no longer exists. It has no power to hurt me anymore. It’s different from my acting work because the only person I could hide behind was me. There was no other character."

Little, Brown and Company will publish the novel in hardcover, ebook, and audiobook formats in collaboration with Davis’ company, JVL Media. It will be distributed by Hachette Book Group in the U.S. and Penguin Random House UK in the UK and Commonwealth.

“At the heart of any unforgettable narrative is a story you haven’t heard before, with characters you root for and ideas that challenge you and leave you forever changed. James Patterson and Viola Davis are two artists and storytellers at the absolute height of their game who do this with every work they engage in,” Sally Kim, publisher of Little, Brown and Company, said of the upcoming project.

“This collaboration is a thrilling gift for everyone who values story.”

When speaking with The New York Times, the award-winning actress revealed her guilty pleasure books are one of the most popular franchises to date.

"Absolutely my guilty pleasure books were the 'Twilight' saga," she told the outlet. "I think I consumed all of them within a few days and it was pure, unbridled entertainment. I did it to feel closer to my niece, but I ended up enjoying them myself."

She also opened up about her "ideal reading experience," which involves "a nice cup of tea, most probably Earl Grey" and "a nice comfy chair."

"One that you can both sit up in to be alert and lie down to be relaxed and contemplative," Davis explained. "A great book transports you and transforms you. It transports you into the world the author has created. And hopefully you see yourself in the minutiae of all of the characters, in their stream of consciousness. A great book is the perfect meditative experience."

Neither the novel's release date nor title has been announced.