Adler, Warren Madeline's Miracles ISBN 13: 9781558023482

Madeline's Miracles - Softcover

9781558023482: Madeline's Miracles
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When a commercial artist, her stockbroker husband and their twin daughters move to Los Angeles, they unwittingly fall prey to a woman who convinces them that she is a psychic and can foresee their future. By persuading them that she holds the key to their success and can protect them from the dangers that threaten them, she gradually takes full control over their careers, their parenting, even their sex lives, until they become her willing accomplices. This chilling tale rises to a tense crescendo as the psychic dissects and manipulates the family's beliefs and paralyzes their will to protect themselves. This classic story of brainwashing offers a cautionary tale for anyone who has lost the ability to question an illogical certainty.

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From the Author:
How I Got the Idea for Madeline's Miracles

As a confirmed skeptic I do not believe in anything that is outside the orbit of logic. I eschew anything new age, from strange repetitive rituals to self-professed gurus who allege they have "the answer" and demand obedience. I do not believe in anything in the supernatural realm, and that includes fantasies, fairy godmothers, angels, superheroes, absurd conspiracy theories, miracles, doppelgangers, and the thousands of other mysterious ideas and imagined events that fall into this genre.

Hordes of people will disagree with such skepticism. It would be pointless to argue since there is no empirical evidence to the contrary and the end game of the argument will always remain unresolved.

The Subconscious

Nevertheless, I do believe in the power of the subconscious, which is essentially a mystery, although science continues to uncover more and more empirical evidence on the inner workings of the human brain. As a novelist, I know I am drawing on this still mysterious subconscious power although I cannot explain how or why it works. I accept it since I know it is the essential tool in the fiction writer's art.

That said, there have been moments in which self-interest or, admittedly, blind fear, trumped logic and I found myself willing to buy into a bizarre supernatural mindset. This recounting goes to the heart of that persistent question: "Where do you get your ideas?"

An Encounter with a Psychic

I got the idea for Madeline's Miracles from this ubiquitous fount. A friend of mine was having a party in Beverly Hills. When I arrived, I was seated at a table next to a woman who greeted me warmly. When I gave her my name, her response was: "I know." I had never met her before and was somewhat confused by the response.

Without missing a beat, she announced that she was a "psychic" and that she was certain that I would have a successful career in Hollywood. I was dumbfounded. I had been in Los Angeles less than a week when I was invited to this event. I was, of course, both baffled and flattered. I had never met an acknowledged "psychic" before and here was this stranger predicting my success.

Of course, she was playing into my aspirations. One of my books, The War of the Roses, was in the early phase of development and I had relocated to Los Angeles in the hopes that I could speed the process and perhaps interest the movie crowd into optioning my growing collection of fiction. I was, of course, completely skeptical. After all, this was weird and woolly Hollywood. Nevertheless, I was intrigued by her assertion about my alleged future success. Who wouldn't be? To make the matter more baffling, she then told me that she could actually pick which of my books would be the next one to attract Hollywood producers.

An Equally Bizzare Meeting

Against my better judgment, I found myself going along, figuring that this was yet another creative hustling ploy in la-la land. Mostly out of curiosity, I made a date to meet for breakfast at the Bel Air Hotel the next day. She instructed me to bring four of my books for her "analysis." What the hell? I told myself. I decided to go with the flow.

When I arrived at the Bel Air she had an executive from 20th Century Fox with her, which greatly enhanced her credibility. She then took each of my books, closed her eyes, put the flat of her hand on each and in some mysterious incantation she handed one of the books to the studio executive. "This is the one," she told the executive--she had chosen The Henderson Equation out of Banquet Before Dawn, Senator Love, and We Are Holding the President Hostage. It took great discipline on my part to hide my astonishment.

Suddenly she stiffened and seemed to go into a trance, then rose from the table remarking that she "sensed" that a person in this dining room was a hit man assigned to kill one of her clients. She rose from table and told us that she had to phone her client to warn him. The executive from the studio hardly reacted to this strange behavior. I was, to say the least, bewildered. It struck me as an Alice in Wonderland moment, challenging my concept of reality. She returned to the table and the conversation went on as before. The executive from Fox seemed to treat her action as perfectly normal. Did they know something I didn't? Worse, I felt my entire belief system challenged.

Another luncheon meeting with the psychic was arranged at which the book was discussed and I was assured that an impending sale was being arranged. The female executive was present at this luncheon and told me that it was happening, that the studio powers were on the cusp of a decision and that she would call me soon to announce the purchase of the rights. The psychic nodded her approval. Despite all my previous skepticism, I sensed that my previous logic system was being challenged. I felt myself becoming a believer.

Not Quite in the Cards

After this luncheon I was ecstatic. I had no doubt that what was promised would happen. It seemed so credible. My skepticism had miraculously vanished.

I waited for the call that was going to announce that the deal was sealed, convinced in my gut that these people were on to something that had alluded me all my life. I was hooked and knew it. I was completely convinced that another movie was in the hopper. I waited. Be patient, I told myself. It was a done deal. I continued to wait. And wait.

I never heard from these people again, although I tried reaching them but they never returned my calls. Because I was in thrall to this supernatural circumstance, I began to believe that somewhere down the line I had thrown out bad karma that scotched the deal. After awhile logic began to surface again and I returned to the normality of my skepticism. Why such an elaborate charade? I am still baffled by the experience. I felt like a fool, a naïve and gullible idiot. I still do.

I know this story strains credibility, but it is absolutely true in every detail and it gave me the idea for Madeline's Miracles, a novel in which a family became the pawn of a psychic who eventually dictated their every move. And yet, even today, I ask myself: Did this woman really believe she had a psychic gift or was she merely manipulating me for her own profit? I was naïve and in ambitious pursuit of my hopes and dreams. There is a lesson here that still resonates and raises a red flag on the road ahead for anyone with outsized aspirations. More importantly it shows how easily our vulnerabilities can be manipulated by people bent on gaining their own rewards. Anyone who has ever had an experience with a cult as I did will understand the dilemma this incident poses.

Still, even as I condemn myself for my naiveté, a tiny window of believability refuses to close completely. By some measure, one might say that I have done well in tinsel land. I have overall sold or optioned over ten of my books to Hollywood. Two have been made into movies (The War of the Roses and Random Hearts) and one became a trilogy on PBS (The Sunset Gang). Does that constitute "success" as predicted by this psychic. I'm not sure.

The book chosen through incantation by the psychic was never made into a movie. But perhaps someday...
From the Inside Flap:
When Virginia and Jack Sargent took the twins and moved to sunny Southern California, they were filled with hope and eager expectations. But soon, doubt and loneliness crept in. Then--was it by chance?--Virginia met Madeline.

Beautiful, mysterious, irresistible Madeline . . . who knew so much about them, things no one could know . . . Madeline who made predictions that came true . . . Madeline who had powers that could make Jack rich, make Virginia famous. She moved into their lives, their home . . . their bed.

Soon, her relentless scheming takes control of the entire family. But no one knows how it will end or what miracle or madness will happen next. Not even Madeline.

This chilling tale rises to a tense crescendo as the psychic dissects and manipulates the family's beliefs and paralyzes their will to protect themselves. This classic story of brainwashing offers a cautionary tale for anyone who has lost the ability to question an illogical certainty.

"About this title" may belong to another edition of this title.

  • PublisherLynx Books
  • Publication date1989
  • ISBN 10 1558023488
  • ISBN 13 9781558023482
  • BindingPaperback
  • Number of pages339
  • Rating

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