Bruce C. Bee — the storyteller living in the gray
I’m a storyteller from Richmond, Virginia, now based in Atlanta. After years of chasing a life I thought I was supposed to want—the corporate ladder, the safety of a plan—I realized I was performing someone else’s script. I built a life in CPG supply chain (PepsiCo), but the burnout was real. I walked away without a blueprint, but with the undeniable knowing that I was meant for something more.
That leap launched a journey of deliberate unhinging. I embraced the gray areas of life, the uncomfortable truths, and the freedom to explore. The cubicle silence was replaced by the vibrant chaos of the world. From back-alley conversations in cities often misunderstood to shared meals with people who didn't grow up like me—I found perspective, clarity, and truth in places we’re taught to avoid.
My pivot wasn't clean or linear. I tried consulting, but it wasn't it. After getting laid off from a supply chain software role, I decided to stop running back to "jobs" and bet entirely on myself. For years, I had been investing my energy in other people's ideas; this time, I poured it all into my own.
I invested fully in the book I had been secretly writing, a story inspired by my own journey. I spent the summer in Cali, Colombia, drinking viche, listening to salsa, while I put all my energy into releasing it. In July 2024, I self-published it 100% on my own. This was the first time I had ever fully invested in my own vision.
The catalyst for this entire writing career came one night in December 2023 in Los Angeles.
I was at Deja Vu on the Hollywood Strip. I stepped outside for some air, and a guy asked me for a light. We started chatting, and I shared a few of the stories I had accumulated over the years by simply being a free spirit and, frankly, unhinged. We talked for almost twenty minutes, and before he left, he looked me dead in the eye and told me, "You definitely need to be writing these stories."
My friends had been telling me the same thing for a decade—usually late at night, a little drunk, so I never took it seriously. But coming from a stranger, in that place, at that moment, it hit differently. The very next day, I started writing the short story, The Night She Owned, which would ultimately become the base for my debut novel, Burn Me Whole.
My writing is a direct result of my unapologetic curiosity and freedom. My personal motto is to Live Freely and Explore Boldly, and I believe the best stories live off the beaten path. Whether it’s stumbling down a random dark alley in Puerto Rico that leads to the barrio of La Perla, or following a taxi driver in Havana that takes you to an underground casino where I played Baccarat like Chris Tucker in Rush Hour 3 and they make the world's best mojitos—these are the moments that truly inspire me. I write about what it means to feel, to fumble, to confront what we instinctively try to tuck away.
My stories are raw and unfiltered, cinematic in rhythm, and layered with the quiet weight of things unsaid. They are grounded in cultural immersion and emotional honesty.
Each project begins with a deep, deliberate immersion. I spend time exploring the world of the story, allowing the setting and the characters' backstories to become as rich as the places I’ve visited.
The first draft is where I give myself permission to let it all hang out—it’s messy, it's a brain-dump, and it's essential. The magic happens in the revision. That is the stage where the rhythm and the truth of the story emerge. I write for the ones still figuring it out—and the ones who thought they already had.
When I’m not writing, you’ll find me seeking out the next authentic experience. My life outside of writing is all about exploration: whether that’s getting lost in a new city or just digging into a great meal. I'm proud of the path I’ve carved, and I'm always looking for the next corner to turn.
Get exclusive content, writing updates, and behind-the-scenes insights directly to your inbox.