Dear Reader,
Thank you for taking a moment to step into my world, a world that began in the wild, electric pulse of Hollywood in the late 1960s and 70s, and the unexpected twists life throws at a young person trying to find his place in it. My book, Tender Dreams, Harsh Reality, is more than a memoir; it is a journey through a turbulent era that shaped a generation and, ultimately, shaped me.
I grew up in a time and place overflowing with contradictions, sunshine and grit, dreams and danger, innocence and upheaval. Hollywood wasn’t just my hometown; it was a character in my life: unpredictable, seductive, and sometimes unforgiving. Graduating from Hollywood High in 1967 meant stepping out of the classroom and straight into a storm, Vietnam, the draft lottery, the drug culture, the music that defined a movement, jail time in Mexico, and the social awakening that changed everything.
As I look back, I feel privileged to share with you the period of my life when I truly became a man. It didn’t happen in a single moment, and it didn’t arrive wrapped in clarity. It emerged in the quiet spaces between chaos, during nights when the world felt uncertain, during friendships that pushed me to be better, during losses that forced me to grow, and during opportunities that challenged me to rise to my own potential. Those years were rough-edged and unpredictable, but they carved out my understanding of responsibility, courage, and how to keep standing when the ground beneath you shifts. To invite you into that time is an honor, because those memories aren’t just stories, they are the building blocks of who I became.
For years, I worked with wayward teens, believing deeply in the power of second chances. The work was meaningful, but it also burned me out. Teaching psychology at a junior college taught me patience, but the routine left me restless. Being a therapist was trying as it was to stationery and routine. In time, I discovered that my true calling was creating my own path, building my own marketing and advertising firm from scratch. That leap didn’t just give me a career; it gave me back my voice.
In writing Tender Dreams, Harsh Reality, I wanted to capture both the tenderness and the turbulence of a life lived fully, sometimes recklessly, often imperfectly, but always honestly. My hope is that as you read, you’ll recognize pieces of your own story: the dreams you chased, the mistakes that taught you, the moments that shaped who you are today.
Thank you for letting me share this journey with you. It means more than you know.
Warmly,
John Beilharz
As a Ph.D. in psychology, John Beilharz has had an illustrious career in various fields. From practicing as a therapist to teaching at a junior college, he eventually founded his successful marketing and advertising firm. Yet, despite his success in these endeavors, John has always been drawn to the art of storytelling.
Through his memoirs, John shares his life experiences in a poignant and captivating way. This collection of short stories is a testament to the power of the human spirit and the enduring resilience of the human soul.
You can visit his website at https://jbadvertising.com or follow him on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/people/John-Beilharz-Author/61573799214000/.
Tender Dreams, Harsh Reality make up the memoirs in John Beilharz’s lifelong dream to share his most cherished life experiences with friends and loved ones, and perhaps with a broader audience.
In this collection, readers travel through a collection of short stories about John’s coming of age in the 1960s and 1970s amid a rapidly changing world. From his idyllic childhood in Hollywood, California, to his adventures in unknown territories, John’s stories capture the essence of his rites to manhood.
Readers discover John’s life challenges as they delve deeper into his world. However, amidst the chaos of drugs, music, prison, wilderness, and Vietnam, his guardian angels seem to appear during his most significant times of need, offering guidance and support when he needed it most.
Read sample.
Tender Dreams, Harsh Reality is available at Amazon at https://a.co/d/fSnC3fN .
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