Viola Davis Says It Was A Childhood Dream To Write Judge Stone Book

Viola Davis in a recent appearance on CBS Sunday Morning, Davis revealed that writing a novel like Judge Stone had been on her mind long before she became one of the most decorated performers in Hollywood. “I wanted to be a writer when I was 9 years old,” Davis said in the interview. “It was my fantasy.” she explained that books like the Bobsey Twins series sparked the idea that storytelling could be a life path. Now, decades later, that childhood ambition has materialized through Judge Stone, a legal thriller she co-wrote with bestselling author James Patterson. The book marks Davis’ first major foray into fiction and arrives as the actor continues to expand her creative portfolio beyond film and television. Known for her powerful performances in projects such as Fences and How to Get Away With Murder, Davis said storytelling has always been central to how she approaches her craft. Writing, she noted, is simply another extension of that instinct. Judge Stone centers on Mary Stone, a respected Black circuit judge in a small Alabama town who finds herself presiding over a deeply divisive case involving a teenage girl who becomes pregnant after a sexual assault. The story explores complicated legal and moral questions, including reproductive rights, a subject Davis said was intentionally chosen. “That’s exactly why,” she said when asked about tackling a controversial topic. “Because we’re going into areas that people aren’t talking about and we need to talk about it.” Davis also shared that elements of her own life helped shape the book’s emotional core. In discussing the novel’s victim, she explained that her perspective was informed by personal experience. “I felt a responsibility to women who have been sexually assaulted and raped, especially children, as I am one of them,” Davis said. “What they also deserve is the truth of how it made them feel.” The collaboration with Patterson developed after the two connected creatively despite very different backgrounds. Patterson, who has partnered with figures ranging from Dolly Parton to former President Bill Clinton, said he admired Davis long before the project began, particularly after reading her bestselling memoir Finding Me. Released through Little, Brown and Company, Judge Stone arrives as Davis continues to build on a literary presence that began with her memoir, whose audiobook helped secure her EGOT status. While the actor says she is unsure what the next chapter of her career will look like, writing remains firmly on the table.

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