I know I should never repeat myself on more than one group or blog, but this week has been a little frightening in that …holy shit …way.
If you have read my book, Shaking Off the Dust, then you already know that the character Tom Mecurio enters the story after he is killed in a plane crash as it takes off from Madrid airport. He and over 150 people are killed in that crash. Now in my story it is a terrorist bombing, but it was a scene that played out in my head and at times in my dreams.
I was a little freaked out this week when the news of the plane crash in Madrid was released. It was this eerie sense of déjà vu. It almost seemed as if the timeline was also accurate. The timeline of the book takes place in October and the plane crash was a month or so before.
One of the other authors at the SamhainCafe asked that I don’t write in any other disasters in my books, but maybe I could cure the common cold. I laughed…sort of.
Has your life taken a too real turn form your imagination?
Rhianna
When I heard about that on the news, I thought of your book first thing. And yeah, I read your post over at Samhain and thought it interesting. They don’t think it was a terrorist thing though, otherwise I would have really been shocked.
Well, you have claimed that disasters follow you. You really need to cut that out. Seriously now. Stop it.
Has your life taken a too real turn form your imagination?
Well I don’t like to add to the moroseness and freakiness of this post, but I was walking home around 9 PM one night when I was living in San Diego. For some reason I decided it was a great time for a huge gulp coffee. One time I was glad for my coffee addiction.
I kept having this funny feeling and then my mind went through this whole scenario in which this guy came up behind me, turned and grabbed me and I threw the coffee in his face. I thought it’s just my overactive imagination and paranoia since it was dark and late, and dismissed it as just an imaginary thought.
About 20 mins. after that “vision, imagined scene,” whatever it was, I turned around and there was this huge guy behind me and so I started to prep just like I had imagined the whole thing mins. before in my head. I wanted to give him the benefit of the doubt that he wasn’t up to no good so I didn’t run or anything like that. I was also thinking that I didn’t want to give him any ideas either. So I stayed calm.
Well, it all played out just like in my imagination. He came up from behind me, turned around and grabbed me by the shoulders and I threw the coffee in his face. He screamed and his hands went to his face, but he ripped my shirt in the process. I used that confusion and took off. Luckily I was only a block from home. This guy was so full of rage I don’t even want to think about what he would have done. But I was lucky that night.
I remember thinking afterwards how uncanny it was that I had imagined the whole thing play out exactly as it did. Maybe it’s why I didn’t feel real fear when the whole thing went down; it was like I was acting a part in a movie.
Comment by MB (Leah) — August 24, 2008 @ 1:44 am
Sorry, screwed up the bold on that last post.
Comment by MB (Leah) — August 24, 2008 @ 1:45 am
Hi Leah!
It is reassuring that it was not a terrorist bombing. The current book I’m working on is an urban fantasy, so I think we are save from future disasters, unless my mythology all ends up coming true. That would be amazing because there are some characters that I would love to climb all over.
Your late night encounter sounds both frightening and eerily possible. I know a lot of us, who have survived taking chances in our lifetime work from the principle of worst case scenario. A sort of – ”What if this happens, what will I do?”
I am thankful that you managed to stay calm and use your Déjà Vu to thwart what may have been a very dangerous moment in your life. Some days we are given gifts and some days we are the gift, I wonder which of those things happened that day?
Rhianna
Comment by Administrator — August 24, 2008 @ 2:22 pm
Happy Birthday Rhianna!
I hope you have tons more.
Leah
Comment by MB (Leah) — August 26, 2008 @ 10:45 am
Thanks Leah!
I came home this evening after my 5 am alarm day and two meeting before 0700, only to find this really fun package from Seattle. I spent the better part of 15 minutes unwrapping small gifts of varying delight. (Excuse me, I just burped my salted and smoked caramels, I ate them in one sitting and didn’t consider sharing them.) Thank you to my Seattle friend!
My boss gave me a sweatshirt that reads, “Careful, or you’ll be in my next novel.” I want to add…”as a sex toy.”
Rhianna
Comment by Administrator — August 26, 2008 @ 10:50 pm
Rhianna I missed the news story, but my mind is reeling from the similarity. Thank heaven that it wasn’t a terrorist action (in real life)… but still ~ the loss of life in any circumstance such as that is frightening. And yeah, keeping real-life possibilities out of your story? Good idea… sure wouldn’t want you to become a harbinger of disaster!
Leah, that is so freaky! I’m a firm believer in the old adage “there are more things in heaven and earth Leah (instead of Horatio)….” (well guess it’s more of a quote than an adage, eh?) And I’m so glad that being forewarned was forearmed ~ and who woulda thought that coffee could be used as a weapon. Sheesh!
And I’ve only ever experienced deja vu through dreams; dreams that are, instead of my ususal fantasy (story-like) dreams, based on small real-life snippets. They deal with situations and / or people in my future, but they’re clear, vivid and, as I said, taken from a real-life perspective which is SO not the norm. Then, usually, years later they come to pass ~ and I think to myself “Oh, that’s where that came from. I’ve always been fairly blasé about them… just ’cause they’ve always been a part of me… cool, but not spooky like what either of you’ve experienced.
Comment by KathyK — August 27, 2008 @ 3:06 pm
HI Kathy!
The timing of everything is so wierd, isn’t it? Yes, my heart and prayers go out to all of those who were injured or died in that plane crash. They are in my prayers.
You sound like you have the same kind of Deja Vu I usually have, which is pretty much normal life. With a small snippit of the future in your dreams.
My paranormal, turned very para…normal.
How’s the tempature in the north, are you already starting to cool down?
Rhianna
Comment by Administrator — August 27, 2008 @ 5:40 pm
Hey Rhianna…. boy with summer heading into autumn the weather is all over the place again. It’ll be really (really) warm for two or three days, then back to nice and cool ~ rainy and/or gray. I’ll take the latter over the former any day. But it’s back to school for my daughters next week. My youngest is going into grade 11 and the next youngest (or third oldest) will be starting her final year of college. She’s already doing some work in her chosen field ~ Clinical Psychology of all things ~ so she’s a good bit ahead. She’s even more sure now that what she’s been working for is, indeed, what she wants. So very cool I think….
My two oldest are both on their own; my son, and oldest, lives in town and has just started a new job where he is actually working in a field about which he’s quite passionate ~ wine of all things.
My oldest daughter, and second child, is in Cairo, Egypt and finally, finally relief weather-wise is definitely getting closer! It’s been around 40 to 45C for the last two months ~ frankly I’da died by now ~ but with autumn approaching she’s looking forward to being able to have to wear a sweater. She moved there in January ~ she and her friend hope to head to India this fall… hope being the key word. World travelers those two… but talk about a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
And WHOA, did I digress! And all because you asked about the weather… Oops! *blush*
Comment by KathyK — August 27, 2008 @ 7:32 pm
I enjoy hearing about your family, so no Oops. I think it is so cool that your daughter is in Cairo. It is so independent and…hot. I think the young can tolorate the heat. Not me, I am a candy ass from the way back, when air conditioning came in to my life. the AC and I have a very happy relationship.
You may start to notice your other starting to analyze everything you say. Thy not to let any fraudian slips fall from your lips, though be sure to tell her how much you like younger men and see how icked out it will make her. *snort*
We had a slight cold front come in on sunday, so the last couple of days have not been bad, but it will not last.
Rhianna
Comment by Administrator — August 27, 2008 @ 10:38 pm