My grandfather, Edward Austin Reno was the son of Edward Munn Reno, Dean of American Magicians, a pioneer in the entertainment field of Illusions. Edward Austin Reno took his big top tent theater along the Circuit Chautauqua and rural Redpath route. His daughter, my mother, gave birth to me while they entertained a week in each town offering stage plays, comedy routines and of course, Ed Reno's magic act. Reno's Funmakers had a history in show business. It was what they did. It was all they knew. It was a life they loved with all their hearts.
The Great Depression coupled with WW2 finally brought the family off the road. They always planned to return once the war ended. Like so many plans we make ourselves, theirs didn't materialize.
I grew up in the midst of their disappointment, thus the book. My career took a different path. First college, majoring in business, chemistry and art. (my medium being oils). Followed by management positions and later, with a partner, forming my own manufacturing company called Pilot Industrial Battery. After selling the company I consulted to the battery industry until retiring here in Florida. I'v always been interested in writing. But, mostly as a guest columnist in newspapers and technical articles. Reno's Funmakers is my first novel. My second is currently being worked on.
