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New reviews coming soon! I'll be importing my work from the past two years, but in the meantime,
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Thursday, September 13, 2007

Interview with Author Debbie Robins

Interview of Debbie Robins, author of "Where Peace Lives"
by Heather Froeschl



Debbie Robins spent over 20 years in the entertainment industry. She was the president of Roland Joffe’s Warner Brothers company, Lightmotive, a producing partner with director John McTiernan and Donna Dubrow, a producing partner with Penny Marshall, and a vice president at Disney. After achieving success in the entertainment industry and working with some of the top stars, Deb realized a call to action to help strengthen our Peace “muscle,” and to make it our most dominant, global trait. A portion of the proceeds from the sale of “Where Peace Lives” will go to City Hearts, a non-profit dedicated to healing the effects of violence and discrimination through the inclusion of Art in the inner city classrooms (www.cityhearts.org) and to Earth Rights Institute, which is dedicated to securing a culture of peace and justice throughout the world.

Heather: Thanks so much for taking time for an interview. I so enjoyed “Where Peace Lives,” and hope to be of some help in spreading the word about it.

Debbie: I appreciate your support beyond words, Heather. Peace is calling and we are answering the prayer. There is more war/hatred on our precious planet than ever before. It is my passion and purpose now to help children and grownups alike, myself included, strengthen their peace muscle.

Heather: “Where Peace Lives” is as much for adults as it is for the younger reader.
How did you come up with the idea to write such a far reaching children’s book?
Was “The Little Prince” something you read as a child?

Debbie: “The Little Prince” was not only a book I read as a child but a story I have treasured as an adult. The creative, magical, seemingly non-sensical style in which Saint Ex addresses a universal theme – gratitude for what you have rather than a focus on what you don’t have- is, for me, sheer brilliance. Because of that I’m sure it will come as no surprise to your readers that my second favorite book is “Jonathan Livingston Seagull”! I slept with “The Little Prince” on my nightstand for three years.

Heather: What prompted the idea of having the Angel, Peace, locked in a box?

Debbie: That’s a great question. And you are the first to ask it. Peace being trapped in a box is really my metaphor for our present day reality. Globally, we say we want peace, yet we are actually creating more of it. The book was, in part, my journey to discover what the gap is between our intentions and our reality. What I discovered is that we have peace imprisoned in the wrong box. We treat peace as an ideal, a hope, a prayer, when in fact it is a discipline, a muscle, a choice, a skill, a skill set. And until we choose to make peace a part of our global educational curriculum it is unlikely we will have more of it.

Heather: Have you heard back from children, or their parents, that they understand the imagery and symbolism?

Debbie: The response from children and adults alike has been humbling. I have over 250 letters kids have written me, ages 8 to 18, telling me that the book has changed their lives. They also include their promises for peace. I have also had the experience of being a volunteer peace teacher in the Los Angeles public and charter school system. What I can share with you is that our children are viscerally aware of the heightened level of violence on this planet. They want to make a difference but they’re not sure what it is they can do. "Where Peace Lives" seems to be answering that prayer.

Heather: Have you done a good deal of study on the wise people your six central characters are based upon (Martin Luther King, Jr., Siddhartha, Ghandi, Jesus, Moses, and Muhammad)?

Debbie: Yes, I have read a lot about the peacemakers celebrated in the book but am, by no means, a historian or expert.

Heather: Why put the story in parable form? Why not in “real” circumstances with “real” people characters instead of animals?

Debbie: There were many reasons I put the book in parable form, primarily its natural ability to speak to all ages. Since peace is a choice, at every age, this was very important to me. The use of the animals was because animals tend to open our heart charka even more. And peace, as I’m sure you have experienced, lives in the heart.

Heather: What was your greatest challenge in writing the story?

Debbie: The greatest challenge for me, although I love every part of the process of writing, is getting a first draft done. It is that gigantic leap of faith and demands tremendous trust and perseverance.

Heather: Are there more books in the works that readers can look forward to?

Debbie: Thank you for asking. Yes, your readers should expect two more books in 2008. “Where Happiness Lives” and “Where Peace Lives; The First Challenge”.

Heather: Do you have other goals to work toward that involve this same peaceful theme?

Debbie: I feel that all my creative expressions, be it my consulting practice, film producing or writing are all, at their core, about peace. I work with clients and companies to create more peaceful and aligned environments from which to generate their success. I write movies about love, the home to peace. And my books of course, hopefully speak for themselves.

Heather: What has been the most interesting response you have gotten from readers? Does it seem that the message is being received?

Debbie: The interesting experience has been the enormity of the positive reaction to the book from children and adults alike. The book is touching the same chord; it is acting as a universal call to action to remember that peace is a choice, at every age, and we can make a difference. Also, the buying patterns have been in multiples. Few people purchase just one copy of “Where Peace Lives”. Instead, they buy books for themselves, their children, friends, colleagues, mothers, fathers, nieces, nephews, favorite teachers, non-profits, at risk youth centers, libraries, etc. Peace is back by popular demand!

Heather: And thankfully so! Thanks so very much Debbie, for visiting with me, but more for writing "Where Peace Lives."

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