A dream or a nightmare?

Jenna sat on a soft, red-and-white gingham blanket spread out over plush green grass. She looked down at a small doll, no bigger than her hand, as it sat in the lap-hammock created by her pink dress. She heard her mother call, and when she looked up, she could see that her mother stood in the doorway. Jenna noticed how young and healthy her mother looked. Her mother was tan, with sun-streaked light brown hair that hung a few inches past her shoulders. Her mother’s smile was radiant and her light blue eyes shined brightly. Her mother waved to her, scooping the air in towards her stomach, motioning for Jenna to return to her. As Jenna stood, a little girl, no older than eight or nine, rode past her on a purple bicycle. Long, shiny brown hair hung over her thin shoulders down to her waist. The girl proceeded to ride down the sidewalk and before Jenna could speak, she rode away and did not look back.

Introduction to Elijah

A passage from Chapter 2 of Restless Mind:

When Jenna opened her eyes again, Elijah was looking longingly at her. His face was beautiful, strikingly handsome, with his ocean blue eyes and angled jaw. His shaggy dark blond hair combed straight up and back, creating a dramatic wave at his temple. His style was much like you would see on the cover of a men’s magazine. He was wearing his work uniform, but somehow, he made the white button up shirt look as good as a Versace suit. Elijah’s muscular biceps seemed to be stretching the short sleeves, and his shirt was tucked into his navy slacks, complete with a black belt around his flat tummy. She saw behind his shoulder that it was dark outside now. She wondered how long she had slept. Elijah’s crystal blue eyes wrinkled as his lips curled into a coy half-mouthed smile, which oozed sex appeal.

“Hey, you.” He said quietly.

“Hey you.” Jenna blinked her eyes a few times as she sat up in bed a bit. Images of a distant dream she was having were still swirling in her head. Elijah’s radiant face took a moment to come into clear vision.

Both of Elijah’s large hands were wrapped around Jenna’s right hand. He was leaning forward, sitting on the edge of the chair next to Jenna’s bed, pensively awaiting her consciousness.

An intimate look at Restless Mind

Restless Mind is a suspenseful, rollercoaster ride about one woman's struggle with mental disorder.  Jenna Cooper is the heroine, and though she spends much of the book in total bewilderment, she's easy to like.  Jenna is slightly reserved when it comes to matters of the heart, and fairly independent, with the exception of her relationship with her best friend, Debbie.  Her attachment to Debbie is stronger before the story begins, and when Jenna recognizes that she is having psychological problems, she gently pushes Debbie away out of shame and fear of institutionalization. 

As we come to know her, Jenna is leading a successful life as a real estate agent in Portland, Oregon, despite her young age of twenty-five.  She owns a beautiful, but modest home, and is devoted to her career.  She dates, but not seriously, as she makes her career - and her fear of commitment - top priorities.  Jenna is an only child, and an orphan, having lost both of her parents by age twenty.  Jenna's only living family member is her mother's brother, Doug.  Jenna hasn't spoken to Uncle Doug since her mother's funeral five years ago.

As Jenna leaves Debbie's home one evening, a drunk driver collides with her vehicle.  Jenna is significantly injured in the crash, suffering a laceration on her face above her eyebrow, a minutely-fractured arm, and most importantly, a three-day-long coma.  When she wakes, she hopes to return to her life as quickly as possible.  Much to her chagrin, her mind has been irrevocably altered.

As Jenna begins her recovery, her new, somewhat-casual boyfriend, Elijah, longs to aid her in the process.  She's reluctant to accept his help, but relents at Debbie's urging.  Her relationship with Elijah becomes a pivotal one for her as she learns to trust him.  Despite her reluctance, his tender caretaking, unconditional acceptance and selfless sincerity cause her to fall for him, albeit slowly and carefully.

Before long, Jenna notices that she can't remember things.  She realizes that blocks of time are blanked out from her memory.  Her amnesia quickly escalates to whole days of missing time.  Every time she wakes, she has no idea how long it's been since she was last "present" in her own life.  Her disorientation is amplified by waking in bizarre places and situations, having no idea how she arrived there.

Just when Jenna is treading water to stay afloat in her own psyche, she discovers that she was viciously attacked, but cannot recall even the smallest detail about the event.  As her suspicion spikes, Jenna's trust is suddenly broken.  Everyone is suspect, even Elijah.  Jenna is reluctant to report the incident for lack of details but knows she should at least try to apprehend her attacker so others won't suffer the same fate.  After talking to the police, Jenna learns that her attacker might also be her stalker.  Terror dwells inside her over the ordeal.

Through research and the discovery of a few important clues, Jenna realizes that she has dark secrets tucked away behind locked doors in the corners of her mind.  Terrible things from her past that she had long since dismissed, but not forgotten.  Jenna's determination to understand her condition grows with each new tidbit of information from her childhood, culminating in a devastating epiphany that sends her straight to the psych ward - one of her worst fears actualized.