I was always falling...falling into a deep dark hole that seemed to go on forever. The light from above got smaller and smaller. They always say if you hit bottom in a dream you die. I never did. I touched the dark sides of my prison and would realize it was dirt with roots sticking out from both sides. Slowly, and with determination, I would climb, falling several times and starting all over again until finally I was almost at the top. A hand reached down to help me up, which I gratefully accepted. Suddenly, the helping hand became a vicelike grip. When I looked at the hand it became skeletal and I was soon face to face with a rotting corpse with flesh hanging from its bones. A manic laugh came from its lips as I backed away from this specter of death. I heard moans and screams coming from all directions. A mist that had covered the land lifted. I saw bodies crawling on the ground, in pain with various forms of injuries. I saw bodies hanging from trees and some that had been nailed to crosses with their flayed flesh hanging off of them. They were crying out for mercy...they were crying out for death. It was the dreams. Not dreams of my past lives, but something yet to come. Horrible images of death and destruction. I always woke up in a sweat, frantically searching for my children.
About the Author: Patricia Ann Elliott was born in Memphis, Tennessee. She was raised by a loving mother who struggled just to keep food on the table. She had three siblings: two sisters and a brother. Most of her young life, she was raised in an inner-city project called Lamar Terrace. She was married for the first time at seventeen. This marriage was abusive and lasted for seven years. Two children were born from this marriage. The oldest, Frances Danielle, is the illustrator for both books, "Once Upon a Time...Upon a Time" and "Rue Knight and Future times". Carol Ann, the second daughter, is featured in the second book, the author is sorry she killed her off. Her second marriage was to James Elliott. They just celebrated their 40th anniversary. A son was born who they named Elmer Joseph. Both Carol and Joe served their country in the Army, stationed in Afghanistan and Iraq. After all the children were on their own, Patricia decided to follow a dream she had always had, to be a nurse, so at 49 she went back to school. In her Junior year of nursing school, a lump was found in her right breast. She was diagnosed with stage three breast cancer. She continued classes while getting chemo and radiation after a double mastectomy. She graduated with her class with honors. After school she worked with the V.A. as a psychiatric nurse, until she was diagnosed with stage four liver disease. Now she's following another dream, writing. The two books are a culmination of three generations of women. She wrote, her daughter illustrated, and her granddaughter was the model that brought the characters to life.