Ricardo Orestes Forni:

“The issues I write about come looking for me”

The well-known author of many successful books and contributor
of this publication talks about his experience and the
process of writing his books

	Ricardo Orestes Forni (photo) was born in the city of São José do Rio Preto and lives in Tupã, in the Brazilian state of São Paulo, where he works as a volunteer at the Spiritist Centre Allan Kardec. He is also one of the contributors of this publication. His first contact with Spiritism was through the book, Nosso Lar (Our Home). He has published many
books and talks to us about his inspiration for all his work, which includes short stories, Spiritist textbooks and Spiritist novels.

Where does your passion for writing come from? 

Since I was a teenager I have always enjoyed reading, which might have helped me becoming a writer one day. What happens concerning what I am going to write is very interesting. The issues I write about come looking for me. I have rarely gone out looking for them. That is why it is so difficult for me to explain my writing experience. 

How many books have you published? How many of them are novels, how many are theory books? 

I have published 18 books and I contributed to another one, by Orson Peter Carrara. Other books are being considered for publication at the moment. Eight of those 18 books are novels.  

How do you construct your novels? 

As I said, the issues come looking for me. The inspiration comes to me. Very often I think that something I start will lead nowhere, because I can’t see the middle, let alone the end. However things end up falling into place and we come to an end. What I can say is that the original idea comes up and from that things begin to happen. 

From all your books, which one has meant the most to you? 

I have absolute passion for the animals. I see them as younger brothers, as explained in The Spirits’ Book. They are brothers and sisters who require respect and help, in the same way we ask for help from the Spiritual Benefactors. That is why the book that meant the most to me was O Amor pelos Animais (Love for the Animals), in which I discuss the spirits progression from animal to human being. It was a homage to a little dog I had and that I loved very much. 

Tell us a bit more about your book, Filhos (Children), published by Mythos. 

I cannot say how I came up with the idea or how I moved on once I had started to write. I just hope that the readers enjoy that book and that it can be useful in some way. 

What has been your most remarkable experience as a writer? 

The author’s blood, bones and soul are in what a writer writes. All his being is part of an unconditional mechanism of total dedication to the reader. When reader and author can recognise that connection, this dedication is materialised. The one who is giving can see him protected in the inner self of the person who receives him. I had the opportunity of living that experience a few times and being recognised in that special manner has been an encouragement for me to carry on with my work, without stopping. 

Is there anything else you would like to add? 

I must thank all the publishing houses that give me the opportunity of going being myself to deliver a bit my inner self to the readers. It is not a huge contribution, but little by little we can contribute and one day something bigger will come up. Without these opportunities, I keep my meditations and thoughts to myself in a selfish way. I would like to ask you, my dear readers, to embrace the real treasure that is present time. From the past, keep only the lessons. Leave the bitter taste of defeat behind and forget about it. When you look into the future, try to have hope in better days. But our real time is the present. The past is already gone. The future, who knows whether it will exist. But the present moment is real. Hold on to it and make of each day a hymn of achievements for a better man who wants to help build a better world where love will be the perennial sun and hatred will only be a bad dream that will never come back. Peace to you all!