The Pipe Dreamers
A freshman on another Ohio campus during the shootings at Kent State, Sandra Gurvis spent nearly 25 years researching the reasons behind the turmoil during the Vietnam era. In her quest for answers, she wrote two books, the first of which was THE PIPE DREAMERS (Olmstead, 2001, reissued by Hydra, 2019).
Set mostly at fictional Hayes University, a state college in the small town of Hampton, Ohio, it encompasses the student unrest regarding Vietnam, the sexual revolution, the rejection of parental values, and the recreational use of drugs. The main character is Julia Brandon, an innocent sorority girl who gets into trouble when she tries to bail her radical roommate out of jail and becomes increasingly involved with the protest movement, which erupts in violence, death, and destruction.
Julia falls irrevocably in love with handsome, carefree, soon-to-be drafted Win. Fifteen years later, trapped in an arid life, Julia glimpses a man whom she believes to be Win. She embarks upon a journey that leads her to the brink of devastation. Can she accept the truth about what happened so long ago without destroying herself and those she loves?
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Myths and Mysteries of Ohio
Why would the people of Sabina embalm the corpse of a random black man and put him on display for the entire world to see? What was the real story behind Johnny Appleseed’s fascination with teenage girls? And what was it about Marietta, Athens/Ohio University, and the Golden Lamb in Lebanon that made these places such as ghost magnets? And where are the dead aliens at Wright Patterson AFB? MYTHS AND MYSTERIES OF OHIO explore these and other urban and perhaps not-so-much legends. Consisting of thirteen extensively researched chapters, this book combines ghost stories, unsolved crime tales, and haunted places into a “myth busters” of popular history with the author’s trademark twist on the bizarre. Explore the new abnormal … MYTHS AND MYSTERIES OF OHIO is available at bookstores everywhere and can be ordered online from Amazon.com.
111 Places in Columbus That You Must Not Miss
From “Cowtown” to the biggest town in Ohio, Columbus has always been an incubator for new ideas and products. As the home of The Ohio State University (yes, the “The” is capitalized) it is a college football crazy city with an intellectual flair and a test market for everything from brews (Starbucks) to burgers (McDonald’s, White Castle headquarters) to beer (BrewDog) to ice cream (Jeni’s, founded here).
The intellectual firepower of some 50 colleges and universities combined with research powerhouses such as Battelle and Chemical Abstracts draw great minds from all over the world.
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Country Club Wives
“Not many women can say they’ve been left for season tickets to seats on the 50-yard-line at Ohio State football games.” Thus begins COUNTRY CLUB WIVES, a contemporary parable about women, money, and homeless animals set in the affluent suburb of “New Wellington,” Ohio.
Although the plot centers around the fate of four self-proclaimed “drama queens,” the heart of the book belongs to its first-person narrator, Tish McLean, who has been left high and dry, both financially and emotionally, by her husband of over 20 years. Brian is about to marry Susan, another drama queen, a wealthy widow whose spouse unexpectedly died of a heart attack, and Tish’s one close unattached friend.
Tish goes from inheriting $250,000 tax-free, which she immediately spends on a house, luxury car, and membership to New Wellington Country Club (“The Club”) to near poverty, while drama queen CeCe, her sister-in-law, leaves Brian’s not-too-bright brother Brett for an independently wealthy businessman, receiving not only a healthy divorce settlement but an upgraded, lavish lifestyle. Shelia, the only drama queen unscathed by marital upheaval, builds a home in the most expensive and exclusive part of New Wellington and then discovers a lump in her breast. And then there’s Susan, “the social chameleon who slithered away” with Brian, who believes that being alone is the worst fate of all.
At the novel’s outset, the women are in their late 30s and very much concerned with appearances, getting their kids into the right schools, and living in the most prestigious neighborhood possible. By the end of the book, all are grappling with deeper issues. Tish, whom a boyfriend once pegged as “beautiful but with the soul of a nerd” struggles not only to realize her dream of opening a shelter for abandoned cats and dogs but also with her love for Dr. Nick Fairchild, a very married veterinarian. How she achieves her professional goals, financial self-sufficiency, and personal happiness, despite losing nearly everything, is the core of the novel.
There’s sex, drama, and murder, not to mention lots of reveals about the cubic-zirconium studded underbelly of a fiefdom developed by a local billionaire. One dollar from each novel sold will go to various local and national no-kill animal shelters.
For Kindle, click here to read a sample from Amazon and download the book! For all other e-readers, click here to read a sample from Smashwords and download your copy. To learn more, watch this video.
Managing the Telecommuting Employee
In today’s business environment, telecommuting just makes sense—after all, it’s a great way to trim the budget, retain the best employees, and reduce the company’s eco-footprint. In fact, it’s estimated that in 2009 upwards of 21 million Americans will work via telecommuting. But what does this dramatic change mean for managers? In Managing the Telecommuting Employee: Set Goals, Monitor Progress, and Maximize Profit and Productivity (Adams, 2009) telecommuting experts Sandra Gurvis and Michael Amigoni show today’s managers that this change doesn’t have to be painful—in fact, it can be enjoyable, productive, profitable, and a great way to grow an organization.
Supervising the telecommuting employee poses many unique challenges for the modern manager, from motivating and communicating effectively to building schedules and enforcing deadlines. In Managing the Telecommuting Employee—the first book to deal with the management of telecommuters—Amigoni and Gurvis provide answers to the most complex and important challenges that managers face, such as:
- Conducting meetings and conferences efficiently with off-site employees.
- Monitoring productivity.
- Determining if the program is a success.
- Deciding when the arrangement isn’t working.
- Using expert advice, case studies, checklists, and sample forms and charts.
- Managing the Telecommuting Employee teaches managers how to make telecommuting enjoyable and profitable for themselves, their employees, and their company.
Confessions of A Crazy Cat Lady
Essays, footnotes, and pictures on everything from hair-straightening to hairballs**! This is the go-to handbook for anybody who has ever wanted to know how my mind works … a scary thought indeed! Seriously though, periodically people ask me for copies of my essays, many of which originally appeared in Columbus Monthly, blogs, and various small magazines and anthologies. And I am happily willing to oblige!
The title essay, CONFESSIONS OF A CRAZY CAT LADY, is original and provides a detailed history of my relationship with pets from my parents’ dog Duke (or “Puke” as we lovingly called him because of his colitis)*** to my current team of feline bosses, Sasha and Savannah. In between, there’s a rock-swallowing goldfish, a suicidal grow-a-frog, and a potentially rabid hamster. Not all ends badly.
Where Have All The Flower Children Gone
So whether readers vaguely remember the ’60s, claim to have forgotten them entirely, or never even lived through them,
WHERE HAVE ALL THE FLOWER CHILDREN GONE? brings to life a colorful, complicated era that made a huge impact on our collective memory and culture.
Whatever happened to the Vietnam protesters? “Where are they now?” The answers to these and many other questions about what some might still call those “damn hippies” can be found in the interviews, narratives, and photos of WHERE HAVE ALL THE FLOWER CHILDREN GONE?
Chapters examine such aspects as the origins of the student protest movement and the conservative backlash as well the fates of draft evaders, expatriates, and conscientious objectors. Other topics are covered as well: the conflict between the various generations over Vietnam, Iraq, and other issues; what happened to the “average” child of the ‘60s and how they reconcile their pasts with the present; and communes and alternative lifestyles that continue to thrive today.
The book puts a contemporary face on the Age of Aquarius. Along with interviews with Senator Chuck Hagel (R-Nebraska), Bernadine Dohrn, and one of the last with the late Ossie Davis, the story of Myra Aronson, typical of many of the generation, is one of the many startling examples of the “future shock” that Baby Boomers have encountered. The major and minor players of Kent State and Jackson State, where students and others perished at the hand of the militia weigh in as well, as do the generations preceding and succeeding the Baby Boomers.
So whether readers vaguely remember the ’60s, claim to have forgotten them entirely, or never even lived through them, WHERE HAVE ALL THE FLOWER CHILDREN GONE? brings to life a colorful, complicated era that made a huge impact on our collective memory and culture.
Ohio Curiosities
Your round-trip ticket to the wildest, wackiest, most outrageous people, places, and things the Buckeye State has to offer! Whether you’re a born-and-raised Ohioan, a recent transplant, or just passing through, Ohio Curiosities will have you laughing out loud. Walk among 109 human-size ears of corn, through a collection of some 1,000 autographed hot dog buns; and over perfectly good subway tunnels that have never been used. Belly up at the Beer Barrel Saloon of Put-in-Bay, where the 405-foot bar is the world’s longest. Meet Juno, the transparent, talking woman. See Pretty Boy Floyd’s fate immortalized in a death mask, and examine three pickled and preserved fingers.
Welcome to Ohio, the weirdo state!
Careers for Non-Conformists
Occupations that require individualism, creativity, and even eccentricity are much more common than most people realize. For people who have never fit the corporate mold and want to go their own route, Careers for Nonconformists is an essential handbook. Sandra Gurvis reviews the nuts and bolts of being one’s own boss. She showcases 75 jobs and touches on dozens more within 15 areas of interest, from animals and the outdoors to entertainment and arts and crafts. She covers what it takes to break into a field, what to expect, and what people will need to do to thrive. The book includes complete reference information on professional associations, Web sites, trade magazines, and other useful resources, as well as 30 profiles of real people who have succeeded in unusual endeavors. Selection of the Quality Paperback Book Club.