Robert N. Reincke

BOOK INFORMATION

Death of a Past Life
ISBN:978-0-9794241-0-6
Library of Congress: 2008907144
Publisher: Spunky Books (www.spunkybooks.com)
Third Edition Release Date: 10/10/2008

Falling Off the Catwalk
ISBN: 978-0-9794241-1-3
Library of Congress: 2008905137
Publisher: Spunky Books (www.spunkybooks.com)
Release Date: 8/8/08


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Hi and welcome to my website.

Here's the latest: Mike and I are in the process of moving. We've both decided that it is time to live in a larger residence in a more tranquil environment. And, quite honestly, the vibe in L.A. (not that it was ever tranquil per sey) has become increasingly agressive (Mike totaled his car and I've been tortured with noise pollution and unrelenting summer heat). Portland Oregon is the place that we will soon call home.

I've added a page called "Art" to this website. I've been doing a lot of work lately on my painting and have decided to display it here. I've taken inspiration from the financial meltdown (although I've entertained a lot of "lessons" from money over the entirety of my life), and noise pollution that has been the Universe's way of telling us it's really time we "get out" of West Hollywood. I also recently received a wonderful commission to paint a Harper image, which I love, and have attached with the other photos under "Art."

In October, 2008 "Death of a Past Life" was re-released as a Third Edition to honor my grandmother, "Omi," who passed away July 9, 2008 at 101 years of age. I'm very proud of this book, which keeps getting great reviews from readers. Please note, however, that being that the book was released by a small independent press, it didn't benefit from the mainstay reviewers readings. So be it. There are plenty of reviews on Amazon and Library Thing as well as the Spunky Books website (link to the right) if you are interested in what others have to say (not the reviewers who are in bed with the agents and editors that make up the old school of the crumbling empire that was the publishing industry-not meant to sound bitter, but honest (I have nothing to be bitter about since I was never interested in the old-school publishing industry).

"Falling Off the Catwalk" was released in August, 2008. Quite honestly, I had expected it to receive broader publicity, especially since I believed the content-modeling, the fashion industry, addiction, homophobia, religiosity-to be both current, and, yes, sensational. In some ways, I'm grateful that society has advanced to the point that those combined issues are no longer scandalous.

I also want to be completely honest here:

I wrote the book during the time of the James Fry incident, in which Mr. Fry took it upon himself to write pure fiction and call it a memoir. As a recovering man and professional business writer, I believe in complete honesty. I therefore wrote the book using journal entries in an effort to create two voices--one my ill former self, and, the other, my healthy, recovering current self. I also approached three very difficult subjects--homophobia, religiosity, and addiction--since all are elements of my truth.

Writing from honesty limits the author in his ability to develop characters outside of what is the truth, create scenes outside those that were there, or create an arc in the story that may be expected. I had to use the material I had...PERIOD. This offered a great deal of challenge that I faced in writing the book: life doesn't always have clean beginnings and endings, for instance. So, quite honestly, only one of the three issues is even partially resolved by book's end. It would take many more years for all three to be approached-far too long to contain thoroughly in one book.

I want you, the potential reader of "Falling Off the Catwalk," to know all of this, because it's important you understand the book as a work of non-fiction is exactly that--in every respect. Having written all of that, I also understand that this also brings challenges to the reader. Challenges that create difficulties when there are so many emotional, spiritual, and even metaphysical elements that I had been hoping would come through the way I was able to experience them.

Finally, I wish to impart to anyone still reading this long introduction that I am a big believer in the new independent publishing industry. Both my partner and I chose to create our own publishing enterprise and did not submit our books to big publishers. Why?

Why would we submit a book to a large publisher when we would be responsible for a good portion of our marketing anyhow? Why submit a book to a big publisher when profits on books are so small to begin with? Why submit our books to a publisher (of any size, actually) when after several months they will just push us aside and ask for the next book? No, we intend to keep all of our material, in house. The tools are there for any author to utilize this new form, we believe in it wholeheartedly, and are helping those who ask. We hope that the changes in the publishing industry continue to allow many artist's voices to be heard.

Peace and Love,

Robert