Eloise Daniel lived a brutal life colored by violence, racism, abuse, addiction, and abandonment. Twenty--seven years in prison created a barrier between her and her children that she struggled to breach but could not. But against the odds, Eloise reinvented herself, obtained a college degree, and fashioned a life of productivity and service to others facing the very obstacles she had to overcome. Amongst the Ruins is her story. Eloise Daniel completed an associate's degree at Georgia Military College, attended Mercer University for two years, and is presently studying computer programming. She wrote this book to provide answers for her children, who are estranged from her, and to serve as a beacon for others who have trodden her path.