WELCOME TO THE
HOME PAGE OF DIANA
DIRKBY, WRITER

Author of "The Overlife" and "Three
Kidnapped, Three Siblings, Three Furies"
For news of my forthcoming novel "Three Kidnapped, Three Siblings, Three Furies," which will be published soon, see the "My Next Novel." page of this website.

Diana Dirkby

My recent novel "The Overlife, A Tale of Schizophrenia," is about characters living with schizophrenia and psychosis, and about mental health, and family and relationships. In my novels, some of the characters live with mental illnesses and brain disorders. They are meant for a general audience.  "The Overlife" is about a mother and daughter living with paranoid schizophrenia. Although fictional, the material for my book is based on my personal experiences of the same situation. I live with schizophrenia, as did my mother. The choice of fiction gave me greater scope to include plot elements that I did not experience personally and also to leave out some that I did. It also gave me greater artistic freedom.

Amazon Best Seller

Best Seller in parenting hyperactive children & children with disabilities

My Forthcoming Novel

My new novel: “Three Kidnapped, Three Siblings, Three Furies,” explores the complications of sibling relationships within three families in the fictional town of Vrayboro through the lens of the Three Furies of Greek mythology.

Three Kidnapped

The town of Vrayboro is shaken by the simultaneous disappearances of three of its teenagers: Mary Bell, Fred McCarthy, and Sebastian Ward. The increasing suspense surrounding their whereabouts turns to horror through the notes left by the kidnappers on the doorsteps of the parents of the kidnapped teens.

Three Siblings

The ransom notes demand the involvement of the siblings of the kidnapped teens in confessions that reveal hidden secrets about the relationships in the three affected families. A heroine of the story is a scholar of Greek Mythology, Isabel Morse, who lives with paranoid schizophrenia.

Three Furies

The kidnappers identify with the Three Furies (or Erinyes) from the Greek Myths, who are known to punish wrongdoing within families. The sibling confessions reveal their families' inner secrets, and the question is: "Who is to blame?" The siblings, the kidnapped teens, or the parents?

NEW YORK WEEKLY

Diana Dirkby’s New Thriller Explores the Dark Side.

“The Overlife, A Tale of Schizophrenia,” by Diana Dirkby

The author of this book, Diana Dirkby, is an Australian-born research mathematician who lives with paranoid schizophrenia, a severe brain disorder, as did her mother. The title, "The Overlife," suggests that a diagnosis of schizophrenia can be the beginning of a new, worthwhile life and not simply the death of the hopes and dreams that preceded the diagnosis. This book gives a fictional account of a mother and daughter living with paranoid schizophrenia. We follow the widely disparate effects of this brain disorder on Sarah, the narrator, and her mother, Jodie. We also meet Dalaigh, Jodie's husband and Sarah's father, with his violent resentment at being trapped in a marriage he doesn't want. By age eight, Sarah is Jodie's caregiver and must negotiate her mother's rapidly worsening mental health and her father's white-hot fury. The weight of these adult conflicts on the shoulders of one so young seems impossible to bear.

Video Trailers

Amazon Best Seller

Readers Reviews

Nominated for the 2020 Religious News Association Non-Fiction Book of the Year

The Overlife is a interesting, honest look at how it is to live with someone you love who struggles with paranoid schizophrenia while in turn beginning to experience those struggles within oneself. Dirkby paints a clear picture of the difficult times Sarah endured both while experiencing the closeness to her mother and the fear of her father. Her life became increasingly difficult as her mother's disease progressed and her own started to appear. A must read for anyone interested in understanding the mind of someone who experiences the difficulties that come with paranoid schizophrenia. The book is also a fascinating look at another person's perspective of living in and experiencing Australia.

Excellent read P. Henderson

Diana Dirkby gives readers a real-life look at schizophrenia through spinning a fascinating tale about the lives and relationship between a mother and daughter, both of whom have the illness. While fiction, this wonderful book is informed by the author's own first-hand knowledge of paranoid schizophrenia.

Inside Look at Schizophrenia Mindy Greiling

"The Overlife" by Diana Dirkby is an absolute gem that delves deep into the complexities of family history, mental health, and the enduring human spirit. This book captivated me from the very beginning, offering a compelling narrative that beautifully unravels the layers of a rich family history.
One of the most striking aspects of this book is how it delves into the individualized nature of schizophrenia. Dirkby's poignant account of her mother's experience, as well as her own, is both eye-opening and profoundly moving. The raw honesty with which she describes their struggles and triumphs with this condition is nothing short of awe-inspiring.
The book brilliantly paints a vivid picture of how trauma and PTSD can cast long shadows over a person's life. Through Dirkby's words, we witness the resilience it takes to face these demons and how love, acceptance and interpersonal support play a role in the cultivation of agency when it comes to mental illness.

An Intimate Account of the Lived Experience of Schizophrenia Kindle Customer