A Divided Mind
M. Billiter
Published by: Tangled Tree Publishing
Publication date: July 27th 2019
Genres: Adult, Psychological Thriller
Sometimes that little voice in your head isn’t always yours.
What if the only friend you have isn’t real? When the voices in his head begin to make sense, high school senior Branson Kovac turns to the one friend he’s still got… only to discover he’s not really there.
Tell us about
yourself and how many books you have written.
Hello! I’m M. Billiter. “A Divided Mind,” is my 15th
book, but my first work of domestic fiction. After writing more than a dozen
romance stories, the universe brought a different type of story into my life
that I knew had to be told and one I was uniquely qualified to write.
What is the name of
your latest book and what inspired it?
“A Divided Mind,” started with a phone call. It was the day
before a major college kickoff event I had helped plan for more than a year. I
was crazily finalizing last-minute details when my son, Kyle, called saying he
needed to talk. I still remember my exasperation from being bothered at work.
What? What could it be now? With four children to support, I was finally
getting my boots on the ground as an adjunct professor. My placement on the
planning committee was a huge step forward in my career. An interruption at
work meant a disruption in what I was trying to build.
When I pressed Kyle for an answer, he started to back away
from the conversation. That's when I knew. I knew it was more than a phone
call. And suddenly, I couldn't breathe or stop my mind from racing - pregnant
girlfriend, drugs, failing a class? What I heard in reply wasn't at all what I
expected.
“I’m hearing voices.”
I didn't understand what was happening to my son. I only
knew I wanted it to go away. The campus event no longer mattered. In trying to
build "something," I let what truly matters - family, children, home
life - break down. As I sat in the waiting room at the counseling center while
Kyle saw an emergency intake specialist, my only focus was on my little boy.
At, 6'1 my 18-year-old was far from little. He was my gentle
giant, my brave heart. Together we navigated the world of mental health without
any clue what was ahead. During this time, the journalist in me surfaced. I
asked a lot of questions, which I wasn't always sure I wanted to know the
answer.
By delving into the darkness, Kyle shared with me demons I
never knew he battled. It was heartbreaking and heroic. The story we lived
became the story we told - with a twist. What started as a quest for answers
turned into, “A Divided Mind,” a fictionalized, chilling story of what could
happen if a divided mind was left untreated.
Do you have any
unusual writing habits?
Lately, I’ve traveled a lot for work. When random pockets of
time present themselves, I’ll pull out my phone and start writing. The “Notes”
section on my iPhone is my go-to for writing. Whether I’m in line for coffee or
the Metro, a note is open and I’m text/typing or voice messaging into the
folder. It’s amazing how much I can accomplish in a short period of time - like
answering a Q&A for a book tour! I cut and paste the questions into the
note section, answer them and then email myself the file. That’s key! I backup
my work by emailing or texting myself the file.
What authors, or
books have influenced you?
When Oprah began her book club, I discovered a lot of great
authors – Tawni O’Dell (Backroads), Elizabeth Berg (Open House), or Wally Lamb
(I Know This Much Is True). Her monthly book selections that focused on
domestic fiction, women’s issues, and literary works were gems that expanded my
library.
I’m also a admirer of short stories. Benjamin Percy’s short
story work is phenomenal. Authors like Percy, O’Dell, Berg and Lamb, who are at
the top of their game with superior craftmanship – character development,
engaging plots, and emotion that is palpable – challenge me to put my best work
on the page.
What are you working
on now?
“The Divided Twin,” is a stand-alone work of domestic
fiction. For readers of, “A Divided Mind,” the story picks up four years later
in the lives of the Kovak family.
What is your best
method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Great question! I find book tours and book blogs reach
readers more effectively than any social media I post!
Do you have any
advice for new authors?
Chose to stop listening to that doubtful voice in your head.
That voice is a bully that stops you from thinking and worse, creating.
Stand up to that voice. If your little brother or sister
were being bullied, you’d stand up for them. Do the same with that voice. Talk
to that doubt – address that doubt – with all you’ve already accomplished. Let
all those certainties become your guiding belief.
Doubts are traitors that steal from us. Choose to stand up to those doubts. It’s our choices that show who we really are.
What is the best
advice you have ever heard?
Hmmm. My sister likes to remind me of all the authors who
didn’t hit it big until much later in their career, which always makes me laugh.
However, what I’ve always remembered was something Alexandra “Bo” Fuller said
during a writing conference in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, “Write to keep drunks
awake around a campfire.” If I can do that, then I’ve done my job!
What are you reading
now?
“What We Keep,” by Elizabeth Berg
What’s next for you
as a writer?
The New York Times Bestseller’s List and a featured spot, in
Oprah’s magazine. You know, nothing too big – just everything I dream and hope will
happen!
If you were going to
be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what
books would you bring?
“Time Traveler’s Wife,” by Audrey Niffenegger
“Open House,” by Elizabeth Berg
“Back Roads,” by Tawni O’Dell
“On Writing,” by Stephen King
What inspires you to
write?
I’m not going to lie – when I meet a reader, who shares with
me something about my work they connected with – it makes the long nights, lost
weekends, and all that time I devote to writing worth it. I’m so immensely
grateful when readers take the time to approach me, email or leave a review –
those connections feed my writer’s soul and inspires me to bring my “A” game.
Tell us about your
writing process
I steal pockets of time – while I’m in line at Starbucks, in
between work meetings, and always during my lunch hour – I write. Whether it’s
on my phone, scribbled on meeting minutes, or on my laptop – I write. I don’t
have a set number of words I write in a day, but I do focus on completing
chapters within a day or two of starting one. Once I begin a new chapter, the
storyline and characters consume my thoughts until I finish what they’ve
started. And honestly, THAT’S the best part of writing – when the characters
take over the story. I’ve often described myself as a stenographer because it
often feels as though I’m simply transcribing what they show me.
What do you think
about the future of book publishing?
Good question. Since my first book was agented and published
in 2011, I’ve seen great changes. Authors have more accessibility to agents,
editors, and publishers. As with any growth in an industry there are advantages
and disadvantages. Vetting the source that will market your work and you as an
author is paramount.
—
EXCERPT:
For everyone’s concern about me hurting myself or someone, cutting into a frozen frog didn’t prompt any crazed thoughts. Now the kid next to me who kept tapping me on the shoulder like he had a nervous tick, he deserved a beatdown just for annoying me.“Branson, help me out. What is this?” He pointed to a part of the frog.
“For the hundredth time, it’s the liver.”
“Oh, that makes sense.”
No shit.
I was identifying the other parts of Kermit’s anatomy when tick boy tapped me again on the shoulder.
“What?” I glared at him and he backed away. That sudden jolt of anger triggered the shadow people. I shook my head, but it was still there. I saw a shadow of a person pick up the scalpel and attack tick boy with exact precision, cutting him across the throat. The only color I could see was red.
Author Bio:
M. Billiter is the alter ego of contemporary, award-winning romance author, Mary Billliter.
After writing more than a dozen love stories, she is exploring the other side. Best known for her emotional honesty, Mary doesn't write about well-adjusted people, but rather the wounds in life.
M. Billiter writes with clarity and raw emotion to explore difficult subjects and issues close to her heart.
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