#that took forever

tkwrtnewsfeed:

Newsfeed #122 December 5, 2020 (5 Ringarë)

I Am Back: I do not need to tell you about 2020()

For me, it all began when Northern Italy went into Quarantine in February/March. My best friend @fortunatelyclevercandy (writer of @thehouseofdurin) lives there and I decided to go into quarantine with her in solidarity. Everything was fine until COVID-19 came to my country. I was living in relative safety when:

1. My Car Died–I walk everywhere now
   
2. Stores Closed–I get nearly everything delivered
   
3. My Heating and cooling system fell apart–now I require fans and space heaters in every room
   
4. I got sick (twice–not with COVID)
   
5. My stepmother died suddenly (no one in the family expected it to happen–it has been two years since my father died)
   

So, finally, after making some adjustments (while also starting another book project @thesecretofthehouseofbourbonbook) to what has got to be the YEAR from HELL (and in my country aka the USA, 14.4 million COVID cases and counting, I spend my time being extra cautious as I am High Risk COVID due to a very rare immunodeficiency disorder and was already masked up for the worst allergy season in 10 years). The only good thing I can say, I was right in the middle of writing when all items 4 and 5 happened back-to-back so I am not behind anything. I am, however, slightly perturbed that so much got in the way of doing my favorite thing–writing.

Now, I know I could not be expected to work after the sudden death of my last parent in this world (and I tried repeatedly only to find myself becoming emotional because like the spread of COVID, her death was also avoidable–even at her advanced age). She may have been my stepmother and we may have been estranged but I had known her all my life and she was part of our family long before she married my father. I was practically raised with her own children who became my step siblings. My natural instinct was to mourn then to react in anger over the situation. Luckily, I’m still in Quarantine–since March–so I only vented in the privacy of my own home (and couple times only to which my BFF and co-author of “The Secret of the House of Bourbon” scolded me and reminded me to behave–I was still on a bet to see if I could control my temper and outbursts for a year.

By the way, I was able to control my temper and outbursts for a year and counting. Congratulations to me. (On the downside, adding King Louis XIV to my list of Kings to be has made me into a rather combustible personality and even more of a little spitfire–approach with caution). 

But it that time of the year once again–and so far, I’ve managed to make it here in one piece through hell and high water and tragedy. I’m eager to continue with work and put 2020 far far far far behind me. That can’t happen soon enough in my opinion. I look to Monday to make my announcement of what is up and coming. I will be spending 22 days making up for lost time across many social media platforms that are eagerly awaiting all that is coming at the end of this year and into the next. Sorry for the inconvenience.–Jaynaé Marie Miller, author of TKWRT.

Image: ©2002. Warner Brothers Pictures. The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers. All Rights Reserved.

Don’t ask. It has been one hell of a year.