Let me tell you a secret. Time misses not a single beat, it counts down and refuses to miss a moment. As we may struggle through these storms that tear apart our hopes, plans, dreams, homes, and feelings…time continues to nick away at our mental stability with each breath. It is the thing we do not understand and as such, many fear. A month and a half has passed since I last wrote, picked some up today. Right at the cusp of closing out the first half of Hail. 
I almost lost my son in that time, could have lost my older brother, too. My younger brother has joined the service, and in a week me and my chitlins will be moved into our new home. The job that pays my bills has been filled with so many highs and lows I’m wondering how I managed to get onto this roller coaster. How do you remain steadfast in your faith? When I believe I’ll finally break, when it’s impossible to take any more strain, that’s when I find the core of my faith, and God has never failed me here. There are plenty of things I wish I could do better, so many I’m working to improve. Yet, same as when I wrote the first and second book, same is with everything else in my life, all things come in due time. Just as they are meant to happen, when they are meant to happen. You cannot rush life, love, nor time. 

Take a breath.

I have to admit, I’ve been receiving the brunt of life by the gallon-ful, and I’ve been drowning. I’m working on taking smaller portions, by the teaspoon as the title states.

My son has been sick, in the hospital over the holidays, and needing my attention/care more than before. At one point he almost didn’t make it, and it was the most horrifying thing to experience. To understand how close that loss was, no parent should ever experience. My older brother, as well, was sick, though in a different way. Thankfully, by the Grace of GOD my son is still here with us, and so is my older brother, and I have been doing everything I can to ensure a better future is ahead for my little family. I’ll be getting the shots I need for my migraines, I’m avoiding brain surgery for now – though I have had more symptoms crop up – and thanking God for the many more blessings that have granted to me and mine.

My house has a buyer, I found a house, contracts on each, and moving ahead! Should be moving early-ish February, and so thankful that we’re landing where we have!

Now, all this news I’m breaking today means I have not been able to write. At all. I even had to stop my reading sprint. I will be getting back at it ASAP! I need it, I have so much I want to write, especially after I reached that pivotal point in the book! Everything is moving along, just not how I expected. Is it ever, though?

One day I’ll share more on all that has transpired, for now, hold those you love dear close. Offer to be a shoulder to cry on, an ear to listen, and know you are Valued, Needed, and Wanted in this life. You never know who you will meet, or whose life you will change or impact. You never know that you can make the difference between someone having a family a year from now, keep them on the path to saving someone else’s life. And you will never be able to put a number on the lives that can be impacted and influenced with one simple, kind gesture. Each of us is here for a reason, even when things are hard and painfully, keep hope. Keep faith. God is working through you in mysterious ways.

www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org
http://www.samhsa.gov/find-help/national-helpline

Oh sweet lands I read the book (finally) all the way through, and could not be happier! Follow the link below to see what I had to say, though I did not reveal anything as I want future readers to give this series a-go on their own. No doubt they will find the action, love, and adventure that I did hypnotizing!

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2915652154
The Spark of Divinity (The Monster of Selkirk, #5)
by C.E. Clayton (Goodreads Author)

Mikayla Elliot‘s review
Dec 23, 2019  ·  edit
it was amazing
Where do I even begin? I’m such a fan of C. E. Clayton’s works at this point, it’s hard to not gush about Book V, The Spark of Divinity, in The Monster of Selkirk series! Enthralled, enamored, so Much Action! It is a swift ride with so many elements moving within I’m honestly floored. If I can produce something even Half as good as what Clayton has given in this series, I could die a happy writer! There is love and loss, scores old and new to be settled, and in interesting turn that is unexpected. I love how the characters each have their different levels of understanding, individual roles, yet each knows they need one another without a doubt. It’s a bond of love and family beyond that of blood ties, all while incorporating political games that painfully believable. Excellent transition of chapters, and just the right amount of happiness to keep the reader readily engaged.

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Ooohohoho it feels so good to write! So wonderfully freeing to return to my characters and get this work flowing once more! And the story that is continuously unfolding delights my heart and soul. Something I have missed greatly, more than I think I realized. Added 2,500+ words, that’s great, but not the best part. The best part is reaching a critical milestone in the story that I planned back in the first book, and that’s the sweet spot. It sets up for the second part of Hail out of the three it will contain! I finally feel like I will complete this work, like I’m not a lost cause with too many personal issues that have impeded my efforts. I can feel it, and that’s how I know. It’s so much later than I planned, but I believe I will have this published by March 2020! Taken much longer than I would have liked, and anyone else would I know! So sorry, and thank you to my readers who have been so wonderfully patient and understanding❤️.

I can’t wait to reach back out to my beta readers.☺️

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving! Mine was pretty darned good, all things (F-YOU MIGRAINE!) considered :).

Good Lord. I  need to stop saying, “Could things get any harder?” Because life is LEGIT taking that as a personal challenge! Good news first: I’ve been a busy bee writing, and will continue to do so tomorrow :). Painstakingly slow, but I’m getting further along.

The…rough patches. Trying to sell my house and buy another…during the time of year it’s slowest, but all necessary. All stressful. I understand when Gob Bluth says he made a terrible mistake. Real deep, it’s kinda hurtful I understand it so well.

Migraines:  sweet mother of mercy give me relief! I’ve been through the gambit of medications, reached the point now where…it’s botox. BOTOX shots in my HEAD! Nope, not cool brain, NOT COOL! Two weeks back now I found out I was quite allergic to a medication, that was a fun ER trip. Still…it’s been a bit crippling. It’s been a major wrench in my writing progress, unfortunately. The reality is, I’m tripping over my words all the time as of  late. Written, spoken, thought. Forgetting things-I eventually remember, but it’s several, constant bouts of temporary memory loss of things, which is in turn impacting my writing. If life were a physical being, I would have choked it out for this garbage! Oh well. Onwards and upwards…upwards and onwards? Oh, you get the  gist!

My plan is to knock out an almost ridiculous amount of writing tomorrow, after I have a showing of my own home and see another while that’s happening. And my keyboard is messed up, no thanks to my son. Monitor is crooked AF now too. Not a happy mom, not a pleased author, and feeling the feels real strong these days. Should make for excellent material, no?

There is something so beautiful about writing. I don’t believe I am the only writer to feel this way, returning back to the work in progress and re-reading what I have already produced feels right! It is something I have missed far more than I realized. It is that feeling of coming home, being where I belong, and I must continue to make this house my home for all my days. The plethora of ideas that have been tumbling from my imagination the last few weeks has been awe-inspiring for me.

As I review what I have already written, and refine some pieces as I go, it makes me giddy! For what’s ahead, I am ecstatic to finish this work. Not to be “done” with it, but to see that final product and present it to the readers. I hope it does not disappoint, that with each book I have written and publish it is a constant state of improvement.

Loving this.

Aside from reading and reviewing the wonderful works of C. E. Clayton I have been having a whirlwind of the last two years! This month has been crazy, ups and downs, but by far more ups than downs :). I am 35, officially. I went to Colorado with a friend and saw more, enjoyed the state I miss the most, and wish I was there with my family now! I’ve posted pictures in here, as well. My sister had my newest nephew to the batch as of October 22nd, making the 4th Libra in our family! The last few days were difficult, the fresh fear and shock that my sister went through having him (her 4th child/boy) with an emergency c-section was quite the adventure. Not one I imagine she is eager to go through again (the emergent c-section), but oh, how we love him already!

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Writing. I have done some writing. As such, the wheels began turning once more, and the ideas are overflowing! I KNOW! I MUST WRITE! AHHHH! Hah. Well, I will be focusing on it once more, as I put the issues with the Chiari to the side. Now, this does  not mean I am not taking care of myself! It means…I have to see a specialist, out of state, because Texas has No Chiari Specialists, and see one elsewhere. At a later date. I need to finish this book, it pours out of my mind like hot lava, devouring everything else in its path. This will be my focus. Trying to get out an exercise more-walking with my kids, or by myself- and getting this book Knocked Out. I’m honestly already sick of dealing with the Chiari and the plethora of ignorant doctors. So, my energy is better spent elsewhere. I’ll manage this as best I can, for now.

I know where I belong in life at this point in time, and what I need to be doing. Reading, Writing, Praying.

I cannot fawn enough over C. E. Clayton’s writing, and Book IV did not disappoint! I’ve already begun Book V, but needed to share my review for IV.

See below ;)! I keep impressing, and will continue to, read C. E. Clayton’s work! You are missing out if you haven’t, yet!
The Intrigues of Arcadia by C.E. Clayton

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

😍😍😍 Is this not an appropriate review? No? Alright, fine! I will write a detailed review tonight or tomorrow! Going to start the next book ASAP!

Here we go…Intrigues of Arcadia indeed! Absolute love, rolled straight into the next book already. This book contains so many wonderful bows I can’t help but feel true bliss. Though it does end on a bit of a cliff hanger, it’s not in a way that made me feel crazy/angry! Instead, I was left Elated! You enter a world of political plays taking advantage of our beloved group, using their dire situation to their gain. The benefactor, as much as she can be called, is indeed as shrewd as you can imagine. A perfectly cast character who you know, as a reader, to be wary of for our protagonists. Yet, the benefactor is only one moving part in this game of chess played within Arcadia. Desires for earning higher rank, pirates, loves blossoming, fruition of hopes and dreams all come together to lead into book V! The detail must be appreciated, as I could see and feel all that each character went through. A beautiful balance, for me, of the undercurrent of events, fighting, and romantic endeavors that wavered and crested. Read, Love, Enjoy!

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