Robert Reynolds

Vanilla Doo-Wop shares accounts of various white vocal groups originating along the Atlantic Coast during the late fifties and early sixties. Many of these artists became endearing music legends, recording many lasting tunes. Others achieved notoriety as a one-hit wonder with a single tune. In Vanilla Doo-Wop, read how a melody composed for one promising group was unceremoniously given to another and became a Top Five hit. See how a popular group turned down a song that would be recorded by their former lead singer and become one of the top rock and roll songs of all time. Learn of the vocalist whose hit record came out while he served military duty. He later joined one of America's most successful rock groups to sing lead on their biggest hit ever. Stroll down Memory Lane as we recall many of the era's great songs, by some of the finest doo-wop artists. These intriguing stories are all here, plus many more in Vanilla Doo-wop.

Motor City Legends explores the rich history of Detroit area and Michigan related competitive sports and individual athletes through the careers of old-time greats as Al Kaline, Doak Walker/Bobby Layne, Gordie Howe, Joe Louis and George Yardley. Also recent legends Barry Sanders, Isiah Thomas, Steve Yzerman, Chauncey Billups, Miquel Cabrera, the Fab Five, defunct teams Michigan Panthers and Detroit Shock, goalie fights, odd Tigers' trades in the 1959/60 seasons, Benton Harbor's House of David baseball teams, and Lions Alex Karras squaring off against pro wrestling bad man Dick the Bruiser. The messy results of Gates Browns' unusual slide into second base. There's the time a rival ball player stole home against the Tigers twice in a single game. Countless items of trivia are presented in this stroll down Michigan Sports Memory Lane. Much of the book centers on a large Who's Who section of many athletic personalities who were raised in Michigan, attended a local school, or played on an athletic team.

TROUBLE'S GARDEN tells a heartwarming tale of a lost cat that is rescued by a caring family and taken into their home. The family's small daughter soon befriends the stray animal. It's a poignant story of friendship that will warm your heart and make you cry. A delightful read for all ages, come and experience TROUBLE'S GARDEN.

A temporary truce has been agreed upon between South Vietnamese and Communist aggressor forces for Tet, the Vietnamese New Year. Similar initiatives have been tried in the past with little success. During Tet 1968, the Communists initiated attacks along the entire length of the country, including direct assaults on major cities and military installations, small outposts and the American embassy, in Saigon. With pathos and humor, Dragon Fire relates the exciting tale of a U.S. Navy security force tasked with safeguarding a cargo-offloading ramp near the only bridge leading into the city of Da Nang.

Set in Michigan's harsh Upper Peninsula during construction of the Soo Locks, this old-fashioned western-influenced tale takes the reader on an exciting romp across the U.P., as Newly Fischer hunts down a co-worker whose misdeeds have brought harm to others. Newly tracks the man across the Upper Peninsula, discovering evidence that leads him to believe his quarry is nearby. Thus Newly settles into a small Lake Superior settlement. Relationships develop as he awaits the wicked Virgil Sikes. Evil intentions, romantic encounters, broken bonds, harmful actions, rugged wilderness, unforgiving blizzards, and wild animals come into play before the score is settled. Join Newly Fischer in this thrilling old-time western that unfolds in the upper Midwest. Gray Wolf Pass is an exciting tale of vengeance and redemption.

Johnny Rivers seemingly became an "overnight" success when music lovers discovered his popular shows His rise to fame resulted in a #2 hit with "Memphis. Many more followed, including his #1, "Poor Side of Town" and #3 "Secret Agent Man".The Music of Johnny Rivers tells the story of how young John Ramistella of Baton Rouge, Louisiana pursued his dream to follow in the footsteps of Fats Domino and Elvis Presley and make a career in music. But, success did not come easy, nor did it come quickly. A name change by legendary disc jockey Alan Freed began Johnny's journey to stardom. Not simply an entertainer, Rivers sang, wrote and produced hit records, and formed his own record company. He traveled to Vietnam to entertain the troops and he won a Grammy for producing a 5th Dimension #1 hit. Among Johnny's other major hits are: "Mountain of Love", "Rockin' Pneumonia", "Slow Dancin'", "Baby I Need Your Lovin'. RIvers placed 17 records in the Top 40, and sixteen LPs in the top album charts.

In the mid-60s, a group of studio musicians turned an Alka-Seltzer commercial into a novelty hit, "No Matter What Shape (Your Stomach's In)". Unwilling to go on the road to promote it, a new group was formed by Dan Hamilton, Joe Frank Carollo and Tommy Reynolds, who were then credited with the song. When its popularity waned, the three formed a new group using the name "Hamilton, Joe Frank & Reynolds." Their first record resulted in the hit song "Don't Pull Your Love," and earned a Gold record, Reynolds unexpectedly left the band. Soon Hamilton, Carollo and Alan Dennison signed a contract with Playboy Records, with the stipulation they keep their original band name. They struck gold again with their first record for Playboy, "Fallin' In Love." It was Playboy's only #1 pop hit. This is the story about how this great soft rock group came to be. It looks carefully at the group's entire music legacy and explores previously unreleased songs that were discovered during research for the book.

The beautiful Hawaiian Islands set the backdrop for this intriguing tale of romance and mystery. A young woman's body is found along a leeward beach. The discovery sets in motion a investigation into the cause of death. Was it an accident or was it intentional? HPD Detective Manny Piccolo delves into the mystery, checking leads that point to a nearby beachside homeless camp. In the meantime, Piccolo courts the lovely but flawed Daniela Puzon. Along the way, the reader encounters surf bums, dope dealers, military lawmen, beautiful island women, the rich and the poor. The multi-hued ORCHIDS and SAND is an exciting page-turner that races you across the exotic islands of Hawaii.

When things go awry on the cattle drive, the Fairchild brothers go to the hard luck Texas town of Sorrowful. Encountering a small band of ruthless killers, trouble ensues. The murderous ringleader escapes, leaving young Wylie Fairchild to exact vengeance. Wylie takes up arms and begins a chase that leads into the depths of the rugged Palo Duro Canyon. Encounter cattle drives, good guys, a scarred woman, vengeful townsfolk, and a chase that only naive young Wylie will take to set things straight. Ride across the wild Texas prairies and into the canyon as we Chase the Devil!

In 1991, Mount PInatubo awoke after 500-yrs dormancy. Nearby, America's Clark Air Base evacuated military personnel and dependents to Subic Bay Navy Base. One thousand Air Force and civilians remained to safeguard Clark AB. A series of violent volcanic eruptions hurled ash, rock and gas into the sky. At the same time Typhoon Yunya blew in off the Pacific and earthquakes repeatedly rattled the Philippines countryside. As the rain-laden ash fell back to earth, aircraft hangars, warehouses, homes and buildings crashed to the ground as muddy ash covered the terrain. When the eruptions let up, military officials began evacuating tens of thousands from the country while those deemed mission-essential began salvage operations. This is a true account of this historic event from the perspective of a small group of civilians who were present throughout.

SHOWERS IN THE RAIN tells a tale of a young American who returns to Da Nang, Vietnam as a civilian. Visiting the war scarred city where he had served, he encounters a fetching young woman. Cultural differences and family commitment create problems for them. Both have hopes for their relationship, but fear their differences may cause grief for the other. It's a different kind of Vietnam story and paints a vivid portrait of life in Da Nang in 1970. SHOWERS IN THE RAIN is one of a series of short stories available in the collection entitled: ALONG THE QUAY: The Da Nang Stories

In 1991 the Philippines' Mt. Pinatubo near Clark Air Base awoke after 500 years dormancy. Base officials evacuated non-essential personnel to Subic Bay Navy Base. Soon, the first eruption sent ash and gas towering into the sky. A climactic explosion blew the top off the mountain. Day turned into midnight as thick ash blocked the sun and pumice and rock rained down. Aircraft hangars, warehouses and buildings collapsed. Earthquakes repeatedly rattled the area. Simultaneously, typhoon Yunya blew in causing muddy lahars to flood the countryside and sweep away bridges and homes. Volcanic ash buried parts of the base. Similar devastation occurred miles away at the Navy base. Military personnel and their families departed the devastated island via ships. However, some remained to conduct salvage operations before relinquishing the base. It was the 2nd largest volcanic eruption of the century. This is the exhilarating story leading up to this catastrophic event.

Bobby Vee got his break when Buddy Holly's plane crashed, killing all aboard. Vee's amateur combo answered a call for volunteers to carry on the ill-fated Winter Dance Party. It was a serendipitous beginning to one of the most successful careers in 60s music. Vee scored a #1 hit with the classic Take Good Care of My Baby and followed it with #2 Run to Him ensuring his place in history as one of the most consistent hit makers of his generation. His star dimmed when British groups took over, but bounced back with one of his biggest hits, "Come Back When You Grow Up". He racked up racked up 38 Top 100 hits. This looks at all of his recordings. Some of his best music came long after his name vanished from the music charts. He encountered Bob Dylan, worked with Leon Russell, achieved success with Holly's Crickets, and met the Beatles. Misfortune kept him from songs that became top hits for others.

ALONG THE QUAY presents five unique stories (fiction) that take place during the Vietnam War. A host of colorful characters, military and civilian, bring these stories to life along Da Nang's gritty waterfront. In these unforgettable tales you'll find love and heartbreak, poignancy and pathos, humor and hope. Ride along with Navy SPs as they encounter perilous wartime situations. Stroll the city's grimy streets with U.S. civilians and visit off limits establishments where military personnel are prohibited. Enter innocent villages where tragedy has unexpectedly come. Visit quaint cafes and shops where money illegally passes hands. Watch life on the wide, busy river slip by. Experience sweltering Southeast Asian streets. Reynolds served 27 months in Da Nang, receiving the Navy Achievement Medal. He returned there to work as a civilian, which led to a career in retail loss prevention. He has written several books. He holds a Bachelor's Degree from Cameron University.

TROUBLE'S GARDEN is a heartwarming tale of a cat lost, then found by a caring family. The family's young daughter takes a special liking to the old cat and they become inseparable. Throughout this family-friendly story the mother tends to her splendid flower garden, a spot in which Trouble the cat has taken as her own. The affection between the cat and her humans grows as summer flowers blossom in beautiful hues. TROUBLE'S GARDEN is a poignant tale of a special bond between the gentle animal and young child, leaving the reader both happy and sad as April learns to cope with unexpected surprises.

This is the first Australian book to question the decline of gay life. It studies the changing face and purpose of the Mardi Gras, which has always attracted thousands of gay visitors to Sydney. Employing a strong narrative, powerful and often moving and written for a general audience, it includes interviews and the real life stories of 10 gay men and includes the author's reflections on his own journey.This book spans a generation of gay life, from the early activist origins of Mardi Gras to the confident, perhaps even tired, gay Sydney of today. Charting the life stories of ten very different gay men, Robert Reynolds asks whether gay life has contemporary relevance, or if being gay has lost its air of transgression and simply become another lifestyle niche. The answer may surprise you.

From Camp to Queer traces the history of a group of Australians in the 1970s who posed some radical questions. Who are we as homosexuals? Who might we become? How are we to act politically? In short, how are we to live? In lively prose, Reynolds looks at how these men and women undertook what is now a universal task: the re-invention of the self in an era of uncertainty and change, where old answers no longer suffice, and sexuality is a core preoccupation.