ORANGE PARK – In between saving lives, general surgeon Debbie Berlin, MD, always finds time to pick up a pen and paper and write out a world of possibilities.

It’s her favorite pastime and a peep into one of her biggest dreams.

Which recently came true. 

“It’s always been a bucket list thing,” she said. “So, [I] set my mind to it. I want to be a published author. And, here we are.” 

In December, Berlin debuted her novel, The Third Estate: Secrets of the Manor.

Berlin said her novel tells the parallel stories of a professional assassin who gunned down a seemingly ordinary woman 12 years ago and is now back with a new target and Sophie Allard, a promising jet pilot cadet at a prestigious military academy. 

Sophie is plagued with the tragic news of her estranged father’s death in a mysterious lab explosion at her family’s estate. A routine investigation soon spirals into hidden truths that Sophie has to face, including her father’s involvement with a powerful and secretive organization – the Third Estate – which could hold the key to her survival and downfall.

In a tale of thrill, mystery and espionage, the book parallels the worlds of the assassin and Sophie and examines the consequences of every decision you make. 

“That’s a common theme that runs throughout the book,” she said. 

Berlin said she’s always had a love for storytelling. While majoring in biology at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Berlin also minored in writing, and the book's idea sat in her head for years. She said it officially took off around five years ago. 

Even when away from her usual surgical scenery of scalpels and forceps, Berlin said writing her novel was still filled with meticulous planning – from sending it through rounds of copy editing to making sure the cover visual was perfect. But the experience was nonetheless profound.

Since its release, the book has already garnered Berlin several 5-star reviews and accolades, including the Literary Global Book Award–Young Adult and the Literary Titan Gold Book Award. 

Berlin said that knowing that people are receiving and enjoying the book as she intended brings a smile to her face.

“When people say nice things, it's motivating,” she said. “It just keeps you going.” 

And, Berlin isn’t stopping anytime soon. The author said she plans to make the novel into a series, having already completed much of her second novel.

“When I write, I write because I want to. Because this is what I want to do with my spare time,” she said. 

Berlin reached her initial dream of being a published author, and she said it’s only up from here. Her next goal is to join the New York Times bestselling authors list. But, she said whether she gets there or not, it doesn’t matter. Her purpose remains to do what she loves. 

“If I just line my shelves with my books and nobody else buys them, I’m ok with that, too … I’m happy with what I do,” she said. 

The novel is currently available online on Amazon and Barnes & Noble.