Richard Robbins’ novels explore the complexities of family dynamics to address important moral questions, while imparting a strong sense of location. His first novel, Love, Loss, and Lagniappe takes to the streets of New Orleans and New York City to explore the journey of self-discovery after heartbreaking loss, while revealing the scientific basis for the meaning of life. His second novel, Panicles, covers the lives of two intertwined families in and around Washington DC, while addressing the price of fame and fortune.
His new release, The Tormenting Beauty of Empathy, follows Hana, a young Guatemalan immigrant mute from childhood tragedy, as her quiet life is upended by the birth of a daughter who turns out to be different. And special. The kind of special that soon draws worldwide attention, for the better, and worse…
Richard was named Louisiana Independent Author of the Year for 2020, and his works have won numerous awards, including the Feathered Quill Book Awards and the Readers’ Favorite Book Awards. He lives in New Orleans and New York City with his wife Lisa, near their beloved grown children.
WEBSITE & SOCIAL LINKS:
Website: www.Robbinsbooks.com
Title: THE TORMENTING BEAUTY OF EMPATHY
Author: Richard Robbins
Publisher: Evolved Publishing
Pages: 251
Genre: Literary / Spiritual Fiction
BOOK BLURB:
Hana, a young Guatemalan woman who fell mute from a childhood tragedy, flees the brutal Civil War ravaging her country in search of a better life in the United States. Soon after arriving, she discovers she’s pregnant, and is banished from her new home and sent to live in a Mayan community in Indiantown, Florida.
There, she settles into a peaceful life of embroidery and raising her child, a daughter who turns out to be… different… and special—the kind of special that soon draws worldwide attention, for the better and worse.
PRAISE
“…a heart-warming, somewhat traumatic journey into the world of spirituality and the human condition. I was deeply touched by The Tormenting Beauty of Empathy. This is a beautiful, touching, and redeeming tale that I can highly recommend to everyone. When as a reader you feel better inside for having read a book, you know the author has achieved his or her goal. This is such a book.” ~ Readers’ Favorite Book Reviews, Grant Leishman (5 STARS)
“Like the simple faith aspired to in The Tormenting Beauty of Empathy by Richard Robbins, the story moves with basic grace…. This tale is told with heartfelt belief, but also with an unswerving directness that feels preordained… appealing to the contemporary Christian message of love and kindness.” ~ Readers’ Favorite Book Reviews, Joel R. Dennstedt (5 STARS)
“…a thoughtful take on an age-old theme.” ~ Readers’ Favorite Book Reviews, Lucinda E. Clarke (5 STARS)
ORDER YOUR COPY
Amazon → https://amzn.to/2OOFbup
We welcome you to My
Bookish Pleasures! Can you tell us how you got started writing fiction?
I had wanted to become a writer when I was young, but chose a more traditional, practical career path. However, I never lost the desire, and later in life decided to give it a try. My wife had a critical illness early in our marriage, when we had three children under the age of five, and my unresolved feelings inspired my first novel, the semi-autobiographical Love, Loss, and Lagniappe. The words and emotions flew out of my heart and onto the pages, and I was honored that I was recently recognized as Louisiana Independent Author of the Year for this work.
Describe your writing
process. Do you plot or write by the seat of your pants? When and where do you
write?
I am an outliner. Each of
my novels began as a single idea or theme, such as exploring the relationship
between a boy and a girl who have been best friends since birth, or the way
that organized religion would react to a chosen one who was outside their perception
of who that should be. I then make a skeleton outline of the story and
gradually fill it in, chapter by chapter. First in broad strokes, then
progressively more detailed.
Can you tell us about
your most recent release?
My current release is
titled The Tormenting Beauty of Empathy.
Here is the blurb;
One mute peasant woman
flees Civil War-torn Guatemala for the United States, and soon—and
forever—changes the world as we know it.
Hana, a young Guatemalan
woman who fell mute from a childhood tragedy, flees the brutal Civil War
ravaging her country in search of a better life in the United States. Soon after
arriving, she discovers she's pregnant, and is banished from her new home and
sent to live in a Mayan community in Indiantown, Florida.
There, she settles into a
peaceful life of embroidery and raising her child, a daughter who turns out to
be... different... and special—the kind of special that soon draws worldwide
attention, for the better and worse.
How did you get the idea
for the book?
Like many others, I have been troubled by the anger and tribalism in today’s culture, and the inability of some to empathize with the plight of other human beings. I have also felt that some of those who claim to be the most righteous or religious are actually the least kind and tolerant, behaving directly counter to the teachings of the major religions. I have tried to address those issues in this work. Hopefully it will cause at least one person to reevaluate their motivations and actions, and perhaps open themselves emotionally and spiritually to the needs of others.
Of all your characters,
which one is your favorite? Why?
I like Deisi, from my
most recent work. She was always overlooked as a child, considered the runt of
the litter, so to speak, in her school. But during a crisis, much to her own
surprise, she rises up and becomes a leader. Sometimes greatness summons the
least expected.
What was the most
challenging aspect of writing your book?
The biggest challenge was
writing my first book. Not because it was my first, which in some ways was
easier since I knew very little about writing and therefore spent less time
worrying about playing by the rules. The book was very autobiographical, and
dealt with the painful personal memories and experience of my wife’s illness. I
spent plenty of hours drying my eyes in the corner of a Starbucks, trying to avoid
people seeing my tears. However, I found the experience therapeutic, and it
helped me work through my suppressed emotions.
What projects are you
currently working on?
I’ve just finished the first draft of my next book, currently untitled, which
is my first work of historical fiction. It is based on the formation of the
American Mafia in New Orleans, which few people realize, occurred earlier, and
perhaps more advanced than in New York City. It’s based on the real-life story
of a family of Sicilian wine merchants who come to America to pursue an honest
living, but find themselves drawn into conflict with the emerging Mafia, as
well as its nastier stepchild, The Black Hand.
What advice would you
offer to new or aspiring fiction authors?
Go ahead and write! For me, the actual writing is the most enjoyable part of the process. It is a pleasure to have an outlet for your creativity, and looking down at the page after a writing session and seeing a character you created come to life which didn’t exist beforehand is very satisfying. Don’t try to be perfect on your first draft, just get the words down on the page, you can change and fix things in future drafts. If you would like to discuss the process, or have questions, you can reach me at www.Robbinsbooks.com. I’m happy to communicate with readers or writers.
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