Behind the Pages: What It Really Took to Bring My Memoir to Life

When people hear I wrote a memoir, most nod in support—maybe with a smile, a “congrats,” or a “wow, that’s brave.”

But what most don’t realize is…

I didn’t just write a book.
I built one.
From scratch.
By hand.
By heart.

There was no publishing team. No corporate budget. No agent making connections behind the scenes. Just me—at a kitchen table, between responsibilities, after my kids went to sleep, eyes blurry from hours of writing, re-writing, researching, designing, learning.

Everything you see—every word, every page, every pixel—came from me.

Writing the Story Was the First Battle

Pouring my life onto paper wasn’t therapy—it was surgery.
I bled into every chapter.
I wrote about trauma I hadn’t said out loud in decades.
I brought my past into the light: the gang life, the abuse, the abandonment, the survival, the healing, and the God who met me in the silence.

There were nights I stared at the screen with tears streaming down my face.
Nights I almost walked away from the story—because reliving it felt like too much.
But I kept going. Because this book isn’t just about me.

It’s for the ones still carrying what they’ve never said out loud.
The ones still split between survival and healing.

I Designed the Cover Myself

The image that now sits on the front of this book—cracked in half, torn between two worlds—was born from my hands.
I didn’t outsource the design. I lived it.

I created the artwork while thinking about the boy I used to be, the man I became, and the one I’m still becoming. The colors. The texture. The symbolism. All of it carries the fingerprints of someone who didn’t just imagine the story… but survived it.

This wasn’t a marketing decision.
It was an emotional one.

The Store? The Shipping? The Distribution? I Built That Too.

When I tell you I did the work—I mean all of it.

• I built my own website.
• I configured the product page.
• I researched international distribution channels.
• I studied ISBNs, metadata, retailer guidelines.
• I tested PDFs, adjusted margins, converted files to meet specs for Amazon and IngramSpark.
• I figured out how to offer signed copies, how to collect shipping info, how to run my own ecommerce store.

I didn’t know how to do any of this at first.
But I taught myself.
Because that’s what survivors do—we figure it out. Even when we’re tired. Even when it feels impossible.

I Also Became the Marketing Department

From designing my launch graphics to running Meta ads…
From email newsletters to press release outreach…
From local churches to trauma healing networks…

Every audience I reached—every word I wrote to promote this book—came from the same heart that wrote the chapters.

Not because I’m a marketing expert.
Because I believe in this story that much.
Because I believe someone out there needs this book.

Why I’m Sharing This

Not for applause. Not for sympathy.

I’m sharing this because sometimes people assume a book just shows up on a shelf.
They don’t see the late nights. The second-guessing. The tech issues. The imposter syndrome. The battles behind the scenes.

They don’t see the emotional labor—the kind that doesn’t show up in the word count, but stays in your chest long after you hit publish.

So when you buy Split Down The Middle, know this:

You’re not just buying a book.
You’re holding a piece of someone who refused to stay silent.
A man who chose healing over hiding.
A father rewriting a bloodline.
A survivor telling the truth—no matter the cost.

Ready to Read?

If you’ve been on the fence…
If you’ve been waiting for the right moment…

Here it is.

Grab your copy. Share it with someone who needs it.
And know this: you’re part of something real.

Pre-Order Your Copy Now →
Orders of 2 or more ship free—because stories like this aren’t meant to be kept to yourself.