Richard Dietrich Maddox - Enlightenment, Permanent Bliss and Peace

Richard Dietrich Maddox - Enlightenment, Permanent Bliss and Peace
Richard Dietrich Maddox

Richard Dietrich Maddox is the author of a couple of number-one Amazon-bestselling Enlightenment novels. Maddox grew up in the Midwest and graduated with honors from Princeton University. Before he became a full time author, he studied literature in Europe, taught meditation and served as the Vice President of Sales for seven successful high-tech startup companies. As our Author of the Day, Maddox talks about enlightenment, meditaion, baby boomers and much more.

Please give us a short introduction to what Remembering Eternity is about.

Remembering Eternity is a 9-volume novel that operates on several levels:

1) it is a story of life in the latter half of the 20th century, detailing the culture, music, and politics of that era.

2) it is a spiritual quest in which the protagonist seeks to recapture the timeless bliss experienced in early childhood.

And 3) it is a literary experiment, which moves forward and backward in Time Zones and offers the reader the beauty of rich prose.

What inspired you to write this book?

It was a lifelong dream and I prepared for it for decades, studying various fields of knowledge, delving deep into the English language and its possibilities, and traveling the world.

Why do you feel meditation is important?

The goal of life is Enlightenment, Permanent Bliss and Peace. Enlightened Masters have attained It. Meditation is the quickest method of moving toward that great goal.

What made you decide to leave the business world and become a writer?

My plan was always to make enough money to be able to retire early, in order to write the books I wanted to, rather than what would just make money. Also, I needed to evolve spiritually to be able to write from first-hand experience. And, as I mentioned, I had a lot of studying to do in order to write at the level I wished to.

Have you always wanted to be an author? What is one aspect of being an author that you didn't know about going in?

Ever since college. The business aspect of it is rather dreary. ;-)

Besides writing, what other secret skills do you have?

I spent my life in high-tech startups as VP Sales, so I have a fair knowledge of how to sell.

Tell us more about Skylar Seequn. What makes him so special?

Skylar experienced Pure Consciousness, the basis of Enlightenment, as a child. Many children have this experience. Then his environment and the world at large chased away this heavenly experience. He dedicated his life to regaining it. RE is the story of the various routes he took in this search.

Did you know from the start that you were going to make this into a series? How do the other books in the series tie in with this one?

I wrote RE as a single book. But it came to nearly 1 million words, so I was advised that it had to be broken up into shorter works. The nine volumes were made by breaking it at logical points. They all continue the story. As I said, the first half of the book moves the reader forward and backward in time, from first- to third-person narration, in Time Zones.

Why did you name the book "Remembering Eternity"?

I took a lot of time deciding on a title. "Eternity" seemed an ideal explanation of Pure Consciousness, as it Is Timeless. The "remembering" references getting everyone back to what their real nature Is.

Some refer to this book as an "ode to the baby boomer generation" - why?

It's set in the 1950-2000 time period. It contains the music, politics, and events of that period.

Readers report that the writing was vivid and provided a sensory experience - how did you pull this off?

When I write, I sink down to a very quiet level and "hear" the words in my head. I am also able to "see" people and objects with my inner eye.

Do you have any interesting writing habits? What does an average writing day look like for you?

I am very structured. I wrote RE over 5 years of writing and editing. I spent 4 hours straight writing and editing as I went.

What are you working on right now?

A short story for a short-story collection.

Where can our readers discover more of your work or interact with you?

http://richardmaddox.com/

https://www.facebook.com/rememberingeternity/

https://twitter.com/richarddmaddox

https://www.quora.com/profile/Richard-Maddox-9

This deal has ended but you can read more about the book here.