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?
It 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 out as a quest for answers, turned into a fictionalized, chilling story of what could happen if a divided mind was left untreated.
“A Divided Mind,” was a book that wrote itself and one I am immensely proud of.
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 an admirer of short stories and writers like Benjamin Percy. Authors like Percy, O’Dell, Berg and Lamb, who are at the top of their game with superior craftsmanship – character development, engaging plots, and emotion that is palpable – make me thrive 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 Kovac 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?
I always encourage the writers in my classes to believe in themselves and the story they’re writing. If a writer isn’t invested in the work, it shows on the page. It lacks engagement, emotion, and energy. When a writer is passionate about the story they’re writing, it pops. It comes alive with all those elements it lacked: engagement, emotion, and energy.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
The piece I always return to is something Alexandra “Bo” Fuller said during a writing conference in Jackson Hole, Wyoming.
“Write to keep drunks awake around a campfire,” she suggested of writing.
If I can do that, then I’ve done my job!
What are you reading now?
Elizabeth Berg’s, “What We Keep.”
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 big – just everything I’ve always dreamed for my work!
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,” Audrey Niffenegger
“Open House,” Elizabeth Berg
“Back Roads,” by Tawni O’Dell
“On Writing,” by Stephen King
Author Websites and Profiles
Mary Billiter Website
Mary Billiter Amazon Profile
Mary Billiter’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account