Dr. Robert James Austin from William R. Leibowitz's cross genre thriller MIRACLE MAN

We’re thrilled to be talking to Dr. Robert James Austin from William R. Leibowitz's new cross genre thriller, MIRACLE MAN.  It is a pleasure to have him with us today at Pimp That Character!

 Q: Thank you for your interview, Dr. Austin.  Can you tell us your story?

A:  No one (including me) knows why I have the extraordinary intelligence that I have.  My IQ is so high that it can’t be accurately measured.  Tests indicate that my intelligence is 10X that of Albert Einstein.  Many tragic things have happened to me, starting immediately after my birth. Maybe that’s why I decided to devote my life—and my special gifts—to one thing, finding cures for diseases.  I did this when I realized that the big pharmaceutical companies have no interest in curing diseases –they just want to sell expensive pills to treat symptoms.  While you might think that I’d be a really popular guy given what I’ve accomplished, the sad fact is that my life’s work has created many enemies who actively seek to destroy me –and those enemies aren’t just people;  there are much more powerful forces in the universe than people.

Q:  Can you tell us about one of your most distinguishable features?

A:  My most distinguishable features are my intelligence and my laser-like focus.  Physically, my most distinguishable feature (I’ve been told) are my eyes ----they’re a very clear piercing translucent blue;  they seem to make some people nervous.

Q:  What would I love the most about you?

A:   I think you’d respect the fact that I’m working so hard to do good things for humankind and I’m not interested in being a celebrity or getting anything for myself.  I just want to make a big difference by helping people.

Q:  What would I hate the most about you?

A:   Probably my “one-track mind.” 

Q:  What is in your refrigerator right now?

A:   A bottle of Bombay Gin, some previously frozen chili, cheddar cheese, and a big box of pretzels (I came them in the refrigerator so they don’t get stale).

Q:  What is your greatest fear?

A:  I know that there are very powerful forces that are out to kill me or drive me insane.  I’m afraid that they’ll get me before I can finish my work.

Q: Do you think the author portrayed you accurately?

A:  Definitely not.  William R. Leibowitz meant well when he wrote Miracle Man and perhaps he did his best.  But his limited abilities got in the way.  No matter how much time he spent with me, he never really understood me.

Q:  Are you a loner or do you prefer to surround yourself with friends?

A:  Unfortunately, I have almost no friends.  Growing up, I was always the youngest kid in any class—I was taking college and graduate courses when I was 7 years old.  Everyone always treated me like I was a circus curiosity.  People seem intimidated by me, which really bothers me because I don’t judge anyone.  But the biggest problem is that I’ve always been spending my entire time working—so I haven’t left time to establish many friendships.  

Q:  Who is your best friend?

A:  My personal assistant—Susan Corwin.  She’s really more than a friend –she’s  my surrogate mother.

Q:  If you knew you were going to die tomorrow, what would you do today?

A:  The same thing I do every single day. I’d push myself to the breaking point to try to cure another disease before I died. The fact is that I live every day like it’s my last—I’ve been doing that since I was 20 years old.

 

About the Author:

William R. Leibowitz has been practicing entertainment/media law in New York City for a number of years.  He has represented numerous renowned recording artists, songwriters, producers and many of the leading record companies, talent managers, merchandisers and other notable entertainment businesses.  At one point, he was the Chief Operating Officer/General Counsel for the Sanctuary Group of Companies, a U.K. public company that was the largest ‘indie’ music company in the world (prior to its acquisition by the Universal Music Group). 

William has a Bachelor of Science degree from New York University (magna cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa) and a law degree from Columbia University.  He lives in the village of Quogue, New York with his wife, Alexandria, and dog, George. 

William wrote Miracle Man because of its humanistic and spiritual messages and because he feels that in our current times – when meritless celebrity has eclipsed accomplishment and the only heroes are those based on comic books, the world needs a real hero –and that, of course, is Robert James Austin, the protagonist in Miracle Man.  Miracle Man won Best Thriller in the National Pacific Book Awards.

For More Information

• Visit William Leibowitz’s website.
• Connect with William on Facebook and Twitter.
• Visit William’s blog.

About the Book:

REVERED   REVILED    REMARKABLE

The victim of an unspeakable crime, an infant rises to become a new type of superhero. 

Unlike any that have come before him, he is not a fanciful creation of animators, he is real. 

So begins the saga of Robert James Austin, the greatest genius in human history.  But where did his extraordinary intelligence come from?

As agents of corporate greed vie with rabid anti-Western radicals to destroy him, an obsessive government leader launches a bizarre covert mission to exploit his intellect.  Yet Austin’s greatest fear is not of this world.

Aided by two exceptional women, one of whom will become his unlikely lover, Austin struggles against abandonment and betrayal.  But the forces that oppose him are more powerful than even he can understand. 

For More Information

• Miracle Man is available at Amazon.
• Pick up your copy at Barnes & Noble.
• Discuss this book at PUYB Virtual Book Club at Goodreads.