Author's Note: As of right now, I'm taking a break from updating "Into My Work" until further notice. Please read on for details:
First of all, don't worry! I still love "Into My Work," and I'm absolutely going to finish it. That said, it's probably going to be a while now before I update again. I'm finally facing facts, and there is just too much going on in my life right now for me to be able to also handle making sure I get this story updated every two weeks. Besides, it's important to me that I don't write under a feeling of obligation. That'd make the quality of my writing suffer, and it wouldn't be much fun for me, either. (What can I say? Like Cinna, I channel my emotions into my own artistic work. That means that to create an inspired, passionate story, I need to write when I feel inspired and passionate.)
So, what's likely to happen is that for at least the next three or four months, I either won't update or I'll update occasionally, but not on a schedule. I'll definitely let you all know when I'm ready to get back to focusing more of my time and energy on this story, and try to keep you posted on how soon my next updates are likely to be. As for my every-two-weeks schedule, I may or may not ever go back to that. Even if I don't, though, I expect the time to come when I have the energy and inspiration to be posting fairly often.
Finally, I'm sorry to leave you all at such a cliffhanger! I do want to say again, though: by the end of "Into My Work," everything will be okay! There are more adventures ahead, and some of them will be very difficult, but Cinna will pul through it all with flying colors. That's just his way, after all! :) Katniss, once she shows up, will also have her challenges to face, but she'll be okay too. I have way too much faith in her to imaagine that she'd ever really let herself be taken down by life. There will be no defeated, exhausted, emotionally bruised Mockingjay exiled in disgrace to District 12 in THIS story, I guarantee you that! Yes, she's still wounded, but she's going to heal. And so will Cinna. As the story goes along, he's going to be learning to face the fact that HE is important too, and he can't just go through life making sure everyone ELSE is okay, but not him. Cinna and Katniss, who are both so good at loving and protecting others, are going to find that in their true healing, they'll be learning how important and wonderful it is to love and protect *themselves*, too.
I can't help saying this: that's also an important lesson I've been learning recently in my own life. And I think it's something that's valuable for all of us to think about. Too often, in life, we learn that we'd better take care of everyone else and put ourselves last. And that kind of a choice DOES have its place, just like what Cinna's been doing for his friends all this time in my story - he's right to do it, of course! What other choice could he possibly make in that situation, and be able to live with himself?
But that's not always what we need to do. Think about it: I'm not the least important person in the world, and neither are you. In fact, there ARE no least important people in the world! (That kind of thinking was President Snow's mistake, wasn't it?) And that includes ourselves. So hold your head up, and be proud! You deserve to give yourself just as much love as you give everyone else.
And with that, I'm signing off! See you in a few months, or now and then before that. Oh, and if anyone wants to check up on how I'm doing, or my latest ideas on when I might update, or just say hi, I'll still be reading my PMs and I'll try to answer any messages you send me. Bye for now, and as always, you guys are the best! ^-^
-Lysana
July 10th, 2014