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Multiple Personality Disorder?

posted by Loucinda McGary aka Aunty Cindy

Way back when I was an AYU (As Yet Unpublished) writer (Was it really only 2 years ago?), I never envisioned having this problem. Just a couple of weeks ago, I attended the RWA National Conference in Washington DC and during the conference, I signed copies and talked to readers about my debut release, The Wild Sight. As soon as I got home, I had to finish up work on my third book, The Wild Irish Sea, scheduled for a Spring 2010 release. Meanwhile, I'm about to embark on my whirlwind blog tour for The Treasures of Venice, due to hit bookstores on Sept. 1st.

I know, I know! We should all have such problems... But honestly, I'm beginning to feel a bit like I'm suffering from Multiple Personality Disorder! Which book am I working on? Which characters am I channeling today? Am I promoting? Writing? Revising?

Silly me, I never stopped to consider what it would be like to keep all these things going at the same time. Waay back in August, 2007 I just wanted to sell a book! Not that I'm complaining, mind you! Heck! What's a little Multiple Personality Disorder among friends? I mean, I've heard voices for years... my characters that is! That doesn't make me schizophrenic... does it?!?!

Okay, before I freak myself (or anyone else) out about the state of my mental health, let me share an excerpt from The Treasures of Venice which will be released in slightly over three weeks. This book features a dual storyline in both contemporary and 1485 Venice (Oh no! My poor book has Multiple Personality Disorder too). This time, here's a look at Nino, the hero in 1485:

Mortified, Serafina dabbed at her face with the edge of her shawl.

The handsome young sculptor touched her arm and she opened her eyes into his worried gaze--a gaze as wondrously blue as the background of his trumpeting angel medallions. Her breath momentarily caught in her throat. His hand felt warm and comforting, and a sudden urge to throw herself into his arms and weep seized her.

No! She had already been far too familiar with this stranger. Her mother would be beside herself if she found out. Serafina could hear her scolding voice sternly reminding that no matter his talent, this young man was far below her social station. Such things were of the utmost importance to her mother and father. As their only surviving daughter she could not disgrace herself further.

“Please don’t cry, milady, for surely your sister rests in a better place now.” The concern in his soft voice sounded genuine, caring.

Her intentions wavered like the flickering candle flames.


“Oh, Nino, I don’t deserve your sympathy,” she admitted, dropping her rosary back into the pocket of her gown. “I weep for myself, not my poor sister. I’m a selfish monster who fears ending up like her.”

“You are hardly selfish and far from a monster.”

His rough thumb rubbed away yet another tear trailing down her cheek. His touch was surprisingly gentle and made a ribbon of warmth wind through her.

“Few of us seek death, even though he always finds us.”
*~*~*~*~*~*

Ever felt like your grip on reality might be just a wee bit shaky? You can tell us CasaBabes! Or maybe Aunty is alone in her mental instability? Naw! I've still got my voices!

Please join me for my Launch Party on Aug. 31st! There will be cyber-bubbly, fun, games, and REAL prizes! Aunty promises.

Comments

  1. Okay, I have to admit everytime my coworkers mention anything, screen monitors for the card catalog, posters for the walls, I opt for wolves. I took a picture of one of my garden areas and there's a lion statue sitting in the middle of it...and I'm thinking, I've never seen a wolf garden statue. Why not? So yep, perpetually I have wolves on the brain. :)

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  2. We're all nuts, Cindy! We'd have to be to want to be in this business! LOL!!

    Love the excerpt. My friend was once married to a guy named Nino!

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  3. Oh I hear you on the "who am I today" thing! At least we can check in here to keep us sane.

    Or not. :)

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  4. Okay, the other day I called my dog Baci (a female)by the name of the dog in my WIP (Buddy). As you can see, it's not even the same gender.

    Here's hoping that in a um, tender moment, I don't call my husband by the name of my hero. Not sure I could explain that one. . .

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  5. I shook reality from my feet years ago. On any given day I could be homeschool mom, the seamstress at the upholstery shop, a college student, or a writer.

    And even though I'm working on two completely different series, a Highlander set and a Western, I find peace and a sense of stability in writing. Somehow, as confusing as it may be to keep it all straight, it keeps me sane.

    I love your duel worlds, and I'm waiting impatiently for Venice to hit the shelves.

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  6. Hey Terry,
    A wolf statue in the garden makes far more sense to me than a lion! Does that mean I've been hanging around you too long?!?!

    Oh well, there are FAR WORSE things to have on the brain than wolves! ;-)

    AC

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  7. SHHHH, Marie!

    That big wad of crazy in our lives is suppose to be a secret! Isn't it?

    How cool that your friend married a Nino! Did he have blue eyes and curly hair? Look like a Botticelli painting? Okay, I got my inspiration for Nino from the latter. Somehow I doubt your friend's DH looks like Botticelli,though if he does... YUM!

    AC

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  8. You're right, Judi,
    Or not! Sometimes sanity isn't all it's cracked up to be and multiple personalities and hearing voices isn't so bad...

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  9. Rosemary,
    Did you name your dog after that Yummy Italian candy? I'm sure she forgave you your little name mix-up. Dogs are sweet like that. I've called mine by my deceased dog's name (they look NOTHING alike) and even my son's name (DITTO!)!

    Now the hubster might not be so forgiving. *AHEM* Please watch yourself!

    AC

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  10. Renee,
    I envy your ability to multi-task and keep everything together! See? Multiple Personality Disorder can be fun. :-)

    I hope you'll come back for my launch party (I'm having several on other blogs as well) and that you LURVE TToV.

    AC

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  11. Aunty Cindy, of course, I'll come back. I'll follow you all over at the risk of being coined stalker if you ask. ;)

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  12. We're all nuts. It's part of the personality and we wouldn't know what to do if we weren't.

    But it also makes us more fun. :}

    Linda

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  13. Cindy,

    It's even worse when you have two names! I have found myself signing Gloria on my Amelia Grey e-mail and not all my fans know that Amelia is not my real name! But maybe you have that problem, too as you are Cindy, Loucinda and Aunty Cindy.

    Amelia

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  14. Renee,
    Sweetie, you'd NEVER be a stalker! I'll be all over cyber-space starting around Aug. 26th with my TToV blog tour. I hope everybody will come to a few of my stops because I'll be giving away LOTS of copies of TToV.

    AC

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  15. Hey Linda,
    You are SO RIGHT! Being crazy does make us more fun! ;-)

    AC

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  16. LOL Gloria! I mean Amelia!

    You really do have a bad case of Multiple Author Personality Disorder! How DO you keep it all straight?

    Luckily my last names all start with "M" and my handwriting is so bad that I can "fake" which name I write. ;-) Now you know my secret!

    AC
    who is Aunty Cindy to almost everybody

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  17. Insanity goes with the territory, in several ways. Fortunately I am writing all the same characters, so that does help. But then I have been writing them for some three or four years in their timeline, so my problem is remembering what they did when! Which child do they have now? Which holiday are they on? Who is married to whom? You get the picture!

    Can't wait for the book, Cindy. Even if is was written by a mental patient. :)

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  18. I don't think any of us had any clue just how hard it would be to keep all of this stuff straight. I used to crank out books right and left. I wrote them the length that I felt the story required, read through them a few times, and then passed them on to my friends. Now it's: "I have to rewrite, edit, blog, promote, sign WHICH book?
    LOL! I guess it's nice to have problems like that....

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  19. Which child do they have? Which holiday are they on? Who is married to whom?

    Sharon, that sounds like my family! Honestly, you need a score card for this stuff. And I'm not a mental patient, I'm in DENIAL! LOL!

    AC

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  20. Cheryl,

    Yup, you know what I mean. Write, revise, blog, promote?!?! It is so much more complex than I imagined! But yeah, in the grand scheme of problems, I'll definitely take these! ;-)

    AC

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  21. how did you get my picture out of my album??? giggle

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  22. I'm just heading out to walk my neighbor's dog and discuss the next few chapters with my characters... hope nobody hears me...

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  23. Hodge, I'll never tell! :-)

    And don't worry Sheila, just pretend you're wearing a blue tooth.

    AC

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