Moms to Know: Sorboni Banerjee
From the set of a television studio to the pages of a book, Sorboni Banerjee has mastered the gifts of compelling character development and award-winning story-telling. And while one chapter has closed in her brilliant media career, it is in this season that she is finding her true fairytale. Combining the experiences and skills she has gathered over the years, Sorboni is writing a plot twist into her own story so that she may serve the community, support business owners, and live happily ever after.
Take us through your story. How did you get to this place today?
Sorboni Banerjee: I’m a news anchor turned novelist and media coach. I’ve had the adventure of a lifetime as a television journalist, and now I’m taking everything I learned and pouring it into media coaching. I’ve started my own coaching firm right here in Tampa Bay, Bronzite Media Group, with my former investigative reporter husband. We’ve built out an incredibly experienced team.
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I also am a talent coach with Talent Dynamics, traveling to newsrooms across the country to help anchors and reporters with their performance, delivery and mindset. This is an amazing and fulfilling next step I’m incredibly grateful for because I wanted to give back in a more concerted and intentional way.
I was a news anchor for two decades, helming live coverage of everything from blizzards to deadly tornadoes to the Boston Marathon bombing. When we relocated to Tampa, I got back in the biz as a consumer reporter helping people save time, stress and money on Fox13 for years.
At the core, I care about the community, telling the stories that help us be better. I reached a point where I wanted to work in an environment that truly values experience and diversity, integrity and creativity. For me, that means coaching others to know their worth, find their competitive edge, and make an impact. This platform meshes with my career as an author, entrepreneur and mother.
I want my son to know that you can take the risk of starting your own business, that it’s always worth it to make the necessary changes to surround yourself with those who truly appreciate what individuals bring to the table and push each other to higher levels of achievement. I want him to see me take action to create a fulfilling life that pays it forward, so he knows it’s possible to turn dreaming into doing.
As a newer firm, Bronzite Media Group is already experiencing exciting growth with the talent level of the team and all that you offer prospective clients. Can you share more about this and how these services support business owners?
Sorboni Banerjee: Ah! I’m so excited by our team. My husband and I have more than 20 years of on-air experience each, and our coaches are all incredible Emmy Award winning broadcasters and public figures. From long time Fox13 news anchor Cynthia Smoot, to three-time mayor of Plant City John Dicks, these are names that you’re going to recognize as key players in our community. I can honestly say Bronzite Media Group might have some of the most experienced media coaches around, helping local business owners and entrepreneurs tell their story to sell their brand.
I can’t tell you how frustrating it was when I was on television and would receive poorly crafted pitches that I knew cost hard earned money or watch someone fumble through an interview and not leverage the opportunity to its fullest. Everyone at Bronzite Media group can offer unparalleled insider information about what emails got deleted and why, versus which stories got major play. Every person has an area of expertise, a message of value, and an impactful story.
It’s all about finding that hook, not only to get exposure but to become go-to contributors and thought leaders in their field.
You have accomplished so much as a published author of five books with an expansive network of authors, agents, and publishers. When did you start writing, and at what point did you know what you wanted to be a Young Adult (YA) author?
Sorboni Banerjee: Before I could even write words, I drew my stories, binding them with construction paper covers. I grew up in a family where storytelling is front and center. My father is from Kolkata, India, where the art of verbal storytelling is still alive and well, and he spun stories aloud to us. My mother read to us every night, and showed me the incredible world of books.
I was a very shy, insecure teenager, and books kept me company. I’m drawn to writing young adult books because of that. They hold a special power for readers at a formative age to feel seen. I always knew I wanted to write in this sphere because of how important that is. Young adults are full of curiosity, passion, fire and fight. They’re our future. And I just hope my words can help entertain, comfort and inspire.
Your latest four-book series has been co-authored with your best friend, Dominque Richardson. What are these stories about, and how did that writing process look?
Sorboni Banerjee: How did the process look? Ha! Roller-coaster in a tornado? Wild and wonderful. We each took two characters and told the Everbeach series in alternating points of view, writing four books together in just six months. It’s romantic suspense, putting a contemporary twist on fairy tales as four teens try to solve the disappearance of their friend, only her chopped off golden braid left behind. (Rapunzel anyone?)
Our “princesses” are strong, diverse young women. Red as Blood is Snow White, drawn from my co-author’s life, following a Jamaican-American girl, raised by her Black mom but with skin as “white as snow” from her dad. A Stolen Voice is The Little Mermaid, pulling in my Bengali heritage, with an aspiring Indian singer discovering her unique voice. A Deadly Sleep introduces a pastor’s daughter who needs to wake up and find her own version of faith in a Sleeping Beauty retelling. And finally, A Clock Strikes digs into economic disparity with a Cinderella story. This series is lush, sweeping, and fast-paced. It’s basically Riverdale meets fairytale! But it is also the story of our hearts, both of us growing up bi-racial. We explore haves and have-nots, racism, cultural identity, feminism, found family, and most importantly, finding the courage to fight for truth.
In addition to changing careers, working alongside your husband, writing four books and rewriting another, getting a puppy, and being a very fun boy mom, you’ve also decided to start a nonprofit and host a literacy/ leadership event this October. What is this all about?
Sorboni Banerjee: Turning readers into leaders! I co-founded YA by the Bay with my coauthor after we attended several reading festivals and wondered if we could enhance the value for teens. Instead of just a chance for fans to meet authors, we wanted to create a leadership festival where they could learn from them. We have bestselling and award-winning authors like R.L. Stine, Tiffany Jackson, and Jeff Zentner, along with important, fresh, new voices like Jumata Emill attending, to name a few.
It’s more important than ever to make sure diverse stories are making it into the hands of teens who deserve to see themselves on the page to reflect, connect and develop as empathetic, conscientious, and open-minded thinkers bettering our society. We want to inspire teens through the power of story, that you can envision and activate your dreams, that you can “be the author of your own life.”
How can the Tampa Bay community serve the mission of YA by the Bay?
Sorboni Banerjee: Come! It’s at the Tampa Convention Center next October 13 and 14. That Friday is a day dedicated to students. We are partnering with Hillsborough Public Schools and Public Library to bring kids in for workshops, and teachers for professional development with authors. The next day is a big, fun festival open to the public featuring panels and meet and greets and signings.
We are actively recruiting sponsors as we look for long-term partners who share our values. You can donate, or volunteer. We also give away books. We’ve already been able to offer more than 100 free copies of Red As Blood, book one in the Everbeach series, courtesy of donations to Title One schools. Check out www.yabythebay.org
What is your favorite thing to do in Tampa Bay with your husband and your son?
Sorboni Banerjee: Everything! Haha. What an amazing, vibrant, growing city! We are so lucky to live here. I guess if I have to pick a favorite, we love to go boating. There’s nothing more magical than spotting dolphins and manatees, jumping in the turquoise water to swim and shell hunting on rustic islands. Moving to Tampa Bay was the best thing we ever did for our story.
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Originally published in the May 2023 issue of Tampa Bay Parenting Magazine.