Author: Norman Ober

ISBN: 13: 978-1-933918-11-2

           10: 1-933918-11-X

Today, Norm Goldman, Publisher & Editor of Bookpleasures.com is excited to have as our guest, Norman Ober author of Anita’s Heaven.

In “Anita’s Heaven,” Norman covers a lot of ground in recounting the many channeled letters that are rich with emotion and love that he shared with his deceased wife.

Good day Norman and thanks for participating in our interview.

Norman:

It’s my pleasure, Norm. you and I have the same first name. Do you think it’ll be clear which one of us is the interviewer and who’s the interviewee?

Norm:

I’ll call you Norman and you call me Norm. Tell me, How would you respond to potential readers who might be skeptical about the source of the book - namely, automatic writing?

Norman:

Norm, some of my best friends are atheists. I was until Anita turned me around. I tell skeptics to read the book and decide for themselves. From what a lot of readers write, they find it believable. One of my dearest and still holdout friends says the book made him WANT to believe it.    

Norm:

When Anita was alive, did you have conversations with her about topics she brings up in her letters, like abortion, Gay relationships, heaven and God? If so, were her views any different in her letters from when she was alive?

Norman:

After our messages started it took me fourteen months to decide I wasn’t writing these letters to myself.  When I became a believer she’s twitted me plenty about my pontificating that there was no God. Apart from that we were always liberals and both pro-choice, had gay friends and hated war and inequity.  Like most religious souls arriving in heaven, Anita believed in God. I didn’t. Now that I know better, I can’t wait to run my course and be with her there.

Norm:

How did the idea of writing Anita’s Heaven originate?

Norman: 

I was a broken man when Anita died and for the three years before she learned to connect us.  The more messages I received, the more apparent it was to me that I had to write “Anita’s Heaven.” It took me fourteen years to finish it.

Norm:

What was your biggest goal in writing this book and do you think you have accomplished it?

Norman:

“Anita’s Heaven” is no bible. It describes paradise as it is, not as prophets define it in their self serving definitions of sins, sinners and such. Anita’s loving God won’t punish even the wicked and takes us all back again and again for repair, rehabilitation and reincarnation. My editing, faithful to Anita’s letters, distills over 3,000 messages into the bare truths she has told me. 

Norm:

When you were receiving messages from Anita, how did you write them out? Did you look at your computer screen and typing Anita’s replies to your many queries about heaven? Did you make any corrections? Did you meditate? Could you describe the process to us?

Norman:

Starting at your last question, I never learned to meditate. I’m not naturally or unnaturally psychic. I have no special powers. I was a writer retired after seventy years producing books, shorter fiction and articles, radio dramas, a little television, film scripting and a mountain of corporate copy. What I am now is Anita’s messenger who decided, with Anita’s help, what to write and what to leave out.

At first, we didn’t WRITE anything. The book tells how I begged, bullied and ordered a God I didn’t believe in to send her back to me. It describes how our contact started – as pulsating beats in my mid-section. When that stopped, I began spending an hour or two every night with pad in hand burning for Anita to communicate with me. It took three years for my pen to begin moving. Later I found out I could print her letters on my computer. She never stood for editing she felt missed her point. She wrote once that if something I edited wasn’t what she meant, she edited me right back.     

Norm:

Have you read paranormal fiction or non-fiction? If so, which are your favorites and why?

Norman:

I used to enjoy science fiction years ago but didn’t have scientific savvy to write any myself. I had very little respect for the paranormal before we began writing to each other. I thought it was as fictional as God.  As my writing went along, I began reading other books about heaven – the introduction to the book has a long list of authors I read, from Sylvia Browne to Rinpoche, and studied the schisms between followers of orthodox church dogma and other Christians who didn’t believe in the divinity of Christ – an argument that goes on to this day. My views on that subject are in “Anita’s Heaven.”

My favorite book is “The Da Vinci Code.” Anita and I think a lot of what’s called paranormal are delusional or for-profit. Anita says nothing in heaven is regarded as paranormal. The miracles she describes are part of normal everyday heaven.  

Norm:

What aspects of writing Anita’s Heaven did you find the most difficult and why?

Norman:

Norm, it wasn’t hard writing the book. It was hard deciding what to leave out. My first problem was making up my mind that these letters were really from Anita. She sensed my agony and claimed I didn’t want to share author’s credit with her. I get all kinds of kidding from her and love it. In fact, right through “Anita’s Heaven” there are flashbacks that recall our 47 year loving marriage.      

Norm:

So, Norman, do you worry about the human race?

Norman

We both do. Anita marvel at God’s infinite patience with evil, crime and murder. She says the aboriginal population of heaven, who helped Him create the universes, often petitions Him to clean the slate and start over again. One peopled planet already destroyed human life. She’s afraid that one day God will listen to the aboriginals and terminate His experiment altogether.

Norm:

As a follow up, if humans had the ability to reset the future-at this time in our history do you believe we’d use this gift wisely?

Norman:

People who worry now for the future of mankind have no power to rein in the destructive energy of this planet’s greediest corporate, government and industrial interests. Our best hope is, before they destroy life on this planet, scientific programs long in work in heaven succeed in implanting permanent appetite for peace and love in all reincarnates, love that won’t dissolve under human differences or economic stress, greed, ambition or ornery meanness.  

Norm:

Do you feel that communicating with your wife has made you a better person and if so, how?

Norman:

I was a loving husband and father, like my father honest and willing to work for what I wanted. Anita began making me a gentler, more likeable person the day we were married. The inspiration of her love after her death accelerated it.   

Norm:

Why do you believe books concerning the paranormal are so popular today?

Norman

I think because so many are disillusioned and disheartened, seizing on whatever gives meaning and promise to their lives.

Norm:

When you go to heaven and reunite with your wife, how do you want people on earth to remember you?

Norman:

To be honest, I don’t need anyone to remember me, I guess except my second wife and my cherish daughters and their families.  I’d like to see many more people than we’ve reached yet reassured and inspired by “Anita’s Heaven.” The major media give short shrift to self published books. Major bookstores take the same attitude. I knew it when I wrote the book. But my own strong feelings for Anita’s material made me tackle the job anyway. Nothing in the book will outdate it. God is forever. Love is forever. When enough people read it, it will do some real good.

Norm:

Is there anything else you wish to add that we have not covered and what is next for Norman Ober?

Norman:

If my shaky health lets me, I’ll write. I want to see “Anita’s Heaven” spread its message of love to the whole world and give hope, reassurance and peace to millions. So saying I’d be remiss if I didn’t add that anyone can buy the book by visiting the website www.anitasheaven.com for ordering information. That’s www.anitasheaven.com.    For an autographed copy contact me at anitasheaven@optonline.net.

Thanks once again and good luck with Anita’s Heaven.

 To read Norm's Review CLICK HERE