161 ratings | 19 reviews | avg rating:3.66

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Richard L. Black

Goodreads Author

Born

San Diego, The United States

Website

http://www.richardlblack.com/

Genre

Historical Fiction

Member Since

March 2014

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Richard earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Finance from California State University Long Beach. His diverse professional background has spanned from the 104th floor of the original World Trade Towers in New York as an Institutional Stock Trader to a major software corporation working closely with the Department of Defense and the Intelligence Community.

Maximus is his first novel. He defines it as a ten-year research project that became a labor of love. Richard is currently working on his next project entitled Starfish, the saga of a young Danish woman who immigrates to the timber country of Humboldt County in Northern California during World War ll.

Richard grew up in San Diego, California. He and his wife of 50 years, the former Marian ...more

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Popular Answered Questions

What’s the best thing about being a writer?

Richard L. Black The ability to create an imaginary world full of imaginary people. And in the course of creating a story always asking "what if?" and being able to di…moreThe ability to create an imaginary world full of imaginary people. And in the course of creating a story always asking "what if?" and being able to dictate the answer. I don't think people understand the amount of research a writer has to do in order to write historical fiction. The benefit is what you learn and you have to enjoy that process or it will be a burden. In writing "Maximus" I learned 100 times more than what actually ended up in the manuscript. For example; How long did it take to sail from Rome/Ostia to Caesarea in a merchant ship at that time. I did hours of research to validate one sentence. You have to enjoy the research process and be excited about the things that you will learn that you may never write about.

The independence is a great benefit. You have to enjoy working alone and pushing yourself - although I found that the publisher and editor have a great deal to say about your work; all in the spirit of helping you pen a better and more marketable yarn. You are putting yourself out there. I was fortunate, no, beyond fortunate to have someone like my first novel. You always think you are writing a good story but until you risk putting it out there for criticism you will never know if others will feel the same as you do. My day job has been in sales so I'm not a stranger to rejection. I can't tell you how emotional it was for me when I got the email from my publisher saying they liked the story and wanted to publish it. I was blown away. I'm still in "pinch-me" mode. It's like anything else we do. We are all still children in a way, hoping for validation and approval that we've done a good job. (less)

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How do you deal with writer’s block?

Richard L. Black I read "Day of the Jackal" by Frederick Forsyth recently. I did some research on the author and found this gem.
Frederick Forsyth was in his study on…moreI read "Day of the Jackal" by Frederick Forsyth recently. I did some research on the author and found this gem.
Frederick Forsyth was in his study one day. His young son came in and asked, "What are you doing Dad?"
"I'm working son," was his response.
"No you're not, you were staring at the wall," his son accused.
"That is working!" the author argued.
Sometimes I stare into space. Sometimes I walk the dog. Sometimes I close my eyes, reset the movie projector in my mind, turn it back on and try to describe what I'm visualizing in my imagination. In my way of thinking, writers block is not a bad thing. Writing is not a mindless exercise. It requires thought and meditation. Starting and stopping along the way. Perhaps a cut, edit, change in direction or maybe a complete rewrite. One truism; you can't edit unless you've written something. So write something. I do believe there are times you just need to walk away from the process and figuratively ask the characters to start talking to you and helping you out. That sounds corny but it works for me. (less)

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Combine Editions
Richard L. Black’s books

Average rating: 4.03 · 442 ratings · 100 reviews · 3 distinct works • Similar authors

	Maximus 4.03 avg rating — 441 ratings — published 2015 — 10 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Ninth Year Mathematics (ARCO REGENTS REVIEW SERIES) it was ok 2.00 avg rating — 1 rating — published 1983	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Timmy and Tommy the Adventurers 0.00 avg rating — 0 ratings — published 2011	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

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Richard is Currently Reading

Richard Black is currently reading

Wild Dark Shore

by Charlotte McConaghy

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Apr 22, 2026 09:17PM

Richard Black is currently reading

Tortilla Flat

by John Steinbeck

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Apr 09, 2026 05:00AM

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Where Angels Fear to Tread

by E.M. Forster

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Apr 08, 2026 10:56PM

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Richard’s Recent Updates

Richard Black rated a book really liked it The Forgotten Bookshop in Paris by Daisy Wood	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Apr 25, 2026 03:37PM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of The Forgotten Bookshop in Paris by Daisy Wood. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — The Forgotten Bookshop in Paris by Daisy Wood <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Richard Black is currently reading Wild Dark Shore by Charlotte McConaghy Goodreads Choice Awards Nominee in Readers' Favorite Fiction	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Apr 22, 2026 09:17PM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Wild Dark Shore by Charlotte McConaghy. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Wild Dark Shore by Charlotte McConaghy <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Richard Black rated a book really liked it A Far-Flung Life by M.L. Stedman (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Apr 14, 2026 10:34AM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of A Far-Flung Life by M.L. Stedman. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — A Far-Flung Life by M.L. Stedman <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Richard Black rated a book really liked it The Secret Sewing Society: An utterly gripping and heartbreaking historical novel full of family secrets by Siobhan Curham (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Apr 11, 2026 09:53PM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of The Secret Sewing Society by Siobhan Curham. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — The Secret Sewing Society by Siobhan Curham <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Richard Black is currently reading The Forgotten Bookshop in Paris by Daisy Wood	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Apr 09, 2026 08:56PM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of The Forgotten Bookshop in Paris by Daisy Wood. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — The Forgotten Bookshop in Paris by Daisy Wood <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Richard Black is currently reading Tortilla Flat by John Steinbeck	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
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Richard Black is currently reading Where Angels Fear to Tread by E.M. Forster	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Apr 08, 2026 10:56PM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Where Angels Fear to Tread by E.M. Forster. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Where Angels Fear to Tread by E.M. Forster <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Richard Black rated a book really liked it The Only Woman in the Room by Marie Benedict (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Apr 08, 2026 10:29PM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of The Only Woman in the Room by Marie Benedict. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — The Only Woman in the Room by Marie Benedict <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Richard Black rated a book really liked it A Short Walk Through a Wide World by Douglas Westerbeke	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
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Richard Black did not finish Middlemarch by George Eliot	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
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