Chapter 15 is under way!

I am surprised that the words are flowing out as quickly as they are. But I'm returning to the core elements of FoE writing and having fun with it. I have managed 5k words today, which is a great start for the chapter. But I have already gotten into the action and struggle with not 'going over the top' with things, but I felt Caliber deserved some spotlight! I'm also getting into the nitty gritty of the MoM and some things that went on in Site 103. I am also-also trying to edit as I go so that I don't get done and have this mountain of work waiting on me.

Someone suggested that I get a proofreader from one of the groups here, and I deeply thank you! But I can't do that. When I started this journey, I had an editor named Mike. Poor Mike had his work cut out for him, too. I flunked every English class I even looked at. I'm sure that fact does not shock you the least, lol! Anyway, Mike helped me through the uphill process of learning proper English, the subject, not the language. It's ironic, being that he is from Czechia, and it wasn't even his second language (((I think))). Mike helped me learn how to learn and taught me many things regarding writing, grammar, and punctuation. If not for his work on this story with me, this story would have died at chapter 3.

We would stay up (I would stay up, he would wake up), and we would live-edit the story. He would read it aloud and give his honest opinion, and tell me the corrections that needed to be made, both canonically and grammatically. It never once felt awkward or strange. We had a flow together. Sure, we had a few fallings out, but who doesn't? I'm sure you are waiting for me to level some 'beef' on this topic and talk about how we fought and blah blah blah... But no. that was not the case at all.

We drifted apart; it was 100% my fault, too. My life got busy, and I forgot the story for far too long. I fell out of writing while I was dealing with depression, and I couldn't even have the energy to remember things. Important things! Mike, to me, was and still is a dear friend, someone I look up to, someone who took the time out of their life to help me, and I just... failed him. At this point in my life, I am so embarrassed and undeserving to speak with him that I have effectively exiled myself from most of the community and him out of fear that I would let him down again. Maybe I am punishing myself, maybe I am being too rash, but I don't want to hurt another human any more than I already have. It would not be fair to him.

That said, I feel that it would be in both bad taste and not honoring the work that he did and the help that he gave if I took on help from anyone else. He did the work of a team of people over the internet for nothing more than to help me. I don't want to hurt that memory or, by extension, him.
Mike, if you are out there somewhere, know that I can only do the work that I do because of you. Like so many others, I had a story in my heart but no way to get it out there for others to enjoy. You gave me the wings and taught me how to fly.

Sorry to Trauma dump guys. I'll get back to work now.