Black Out

About the Book

While helping a woman who has overcome many obstacles in life, I learned a lot about myself. I met a lifelong friend, discovered the true meaning of life, and discovered that everyone has a purpose. This woman, who spent years battling addiction and abuse and grieving the loss of loved ones, called me for help. Then she spent time in psychiatric hospitals only to be told she had a mental illness. She wanted to share with me that with faith, anything is possible. I have worked very closely with her over the past few years. She has shared her private journals with me, as well as conversations she had with her therapist, and we learned a lot about one another. Today she has realized that alcohol, poor choices, and not being true to herself prevented her from having a so-called normal life. She has developed true relationships with people she considers lifelong friends and would like them to know she loves and respects them deeply. To the people she has harmed in her drunkenness and addiction, she asks their forgiveness. We would both like the reader to know that this book was not written to cause harm or offend anyone.

About the Author

Feeling like a stranger walking alone in an unkind world, M. T. Shumaker found comfort in grade school by writing in a diary. By age 14 she was receiving above 100 percent scores for Shakespearean essays. Soon classmates became aware of her skill and subsequently she was asked to write for them. The monetary offers were appreciated once she accepted. Greater than the payment was the joy felt by helping someone else. She admits to feeling a bit dismayed that their scores were always a few points higher. She got over it quickly knowing they were pleased. Writing became a habit and always produced a calming effect. Soon it became therapeutic. It was her escape from loneliness; she lived vicariously through her characters . Later in life she experienced an unexplainable force driving her to write a book. In spite of the lack of support in the beginning, she followed her heart. She never lost sight; always believing she had been gifted. Practicing daily, M.T. grew as a writer and, eventually accepted her talent. “Black Out” is the first of five in the series “What’s it all About? Or the first of the trilogy “You, Me &, Her”. Perhaps she will tell all in one little black book. (This will have to be written by someone else. Rusk just may have a bed waiting for me. Only God knows where this is going; I Just want peace, love and, happiness. God Bless!)