keepaustinweird

Evening, ya'all.  I have been MIA here for the last month, but I promise you, it has been for a good reason.  Or reasons...
          	
          	Three days after my last update(s), my father died.  It's ok - his health had been declining for several years and it was just a matter of time.  But I still had to fly out to Indiana and help my sister with everything, have his service, help my sister with more things, and fly back home.
          	
          	This past Thursday, my husband had another open-heart surgery to replace his malfunctioning aortic replacement valve and replace his aorta, which had developed an aneurysm.  He is doing well - far better than his first surgery 12 years ago - but recovery will still be a very long 8-12 weeks.
          	
          	In between both of those events, my younger son (14) had an...intervention?...with us.  I don't really know what to call it.  His friend, and her mother, came over to tell us that he was depressed and was self-harming himself.
          	
          	So, we have gotten him a therapist and have put him on anti-depressants, but all of that takes time.  And, being a teenager, anti-depressants may actually increase depression instead of lessening it, as they do with adults.  
          	
          	And the cherry on top of all of that wonderfulness in my life right now is that Microsoft updated my computer without warning and I lost approximately 12 pages of chapters for the four books I was working on at the time.
          	
          	I think I'm a little justified in my lack of creativity right now.  Just saying...
          	
          	I am repairing the damage and treasuring what silence and peace I do have.  It will all be ok.  I know that.  And I have been reading a lot on self-harm and coping skills for it.  
          	
          	Oh, and still going to work and taking care of my employees.  Summer is our busiest season, and they need to be supported too.
          	
          	That being said, has anyone heard from @HelenGraul?  She's usually in my first three voters/commenters, but I haven't heard from her in over a month.
          	
          	Do I need to drive up to CO?  Is she ok?  Missing my Miss Helen...

keepaustinweird

@HelenGraul I'll let him know to behave himself or I'll give you his number ;-)
Reply

daveytiff

Well, I was here to post a 'loving your writing, strange but wonderful, nothing else quite like it' type message, but I guess you have more important things on your mind at the moment. My thoughts are with you at the moment, hope everything works out well for you and your family.
          
          

keepaustinweird

@daveytiff Thank you for your kind words.  Life happens - it will be ok.  Husband home from the hospital and much stronger than this point the last time.  Son...seems stable, or, at least, not spiraling downward.  I started writing because I have and English degree and I was bored.  Well, I'm not bored right now...  But, once everything gets sorted out, I will be again.  And I'll be back.  Claire and crew aren't going away.  They've quieted down (some), during this time, but they're still there.  ♥
Reply

keepaustinweird

Evening, ya'all.  I have been MIA here for the last month, but I promise you, it has been for a good reason.  Or reasons...
          
          Three days after my last update(s), my father died.  It's ok - his health had been declining for several years and it was just a matter of time.  But I still had to fly out to Indiana and help my sister with everything, have his service, help my sister with more things, and fly back home.
          
          This past Thursday, my husband had another open-heart surgery to replace his malfunctioning aortic replacement valve and replace his aorta, which had developed an aneurysm.  He is doing well - far better than his first surgery 12 years ago - but recovery will still be a very long 8-12 weeks.
          
          In between both of those events, my younger son (14) had an...intervention?...with us.  I don't really know what to call it.  His friend, and her mother, came over to tell us that he was depressed and was self-harming himself.
          
          So, we have gotten him a therapist and have put him on anti-depressants, but all of that takes time.  And, being a teenager, anti-depressants may actually increase depression instead of lessening it, as they do with adults.  
          
          And the cherry on top of all of that wonderfulness in my life right now is that Microsoft updated my computer without warning and I lost approximately 12 pages of chapters for the four books I was working on at the time.
          
          I think I'm a little justified in my lack of creativity right now.  Just saying...
          
          I am repairing the damage and treasuring what silence and peace I do have.  It will all be ok.  I know that.  And I have been reading a lot on self-harm and coping skills for it.  
          
          Oh, and still going to work and taking care of my employees.  Summer is our busiest season, and they need to be supported too.
          
          That being said, has anyone heard from @HelenGraul?  She's usually in my first three voters/commenters, but I haven't heard from her in over a month.
          
          Do I need to drive up to CO?  Is she ok?  Missing my Miss Helen...

keepaustinweird

@HelenGraul I'll let him know to behave himself or I'll give you his number ;-)
Reply

keepaustinweird

Well, evening, ya'all.  I promised yo another chapter of Meagan before the weekend was out, and so it shall be.
          
          A am most anxious for your thoughts and feelings about this chapter, as this is the first time, at least privately, she has shown a little backbone.  I assure you, she will grow into her own.  
          
          And I am most-curious about your thoughts regarding her relationship to the Queen.  An insights?
          
          And Percival - what to make of him?  Are you shipping them yet?  I warn you, don't be so ready, despite their obvious attraction.  There is a lot more to go.  More complications.  More drama.  More teen-angst.
          
          You will have your fill - and more - by the time I am done ;-)
          
          Have a lovely week.  Looking forward to your votes and comments on both SA and Meagan.  It's rare that I can push out two chapters on two different books in one weekend ♥

keepaustinweird

Evening, ya'all, and OMG!  A new chapter of Saints Alive has been posted!  It's actually not new, but revised and edited.  And it is shorter than I usually post, but still a lot of action.  And no cute YouTube video or anything else.  Sorry - not everything in this book lines up with a song.  Just most.
          
          Yes, Claire finally gets out of her choke-hold ;-)
          
          And I will have another chapter of Meagan up soon too - likely by the end of the weekend.  The companion book is far-enough along that I will start posting it soon also.
          
          On a personal note, we have a surgery date.  My husband gets admitted on 6/15 and some more tests will be done, and his surgery will be 6/16.  And it's a little more intense than the last time.  Not only will they be replacing his aortic valve, again, but they will be replacing his actual aorta also.  At least, from where it exits the heart to the first branch.  
          
          So don't look for many updates from me at the end of June, which is when he will be out of the hospital.  I may have nothing better to do between his surgery and when he gets out, so I may be able to push a couple of chapters out on all three books then, but after that, it's likely I won't have the time or energy to write for a while.  Two to eight weeks, more than likely.
          
          Have a lovely week and, as always, look forward to your feedback :D