Beginning of 30 : A Rodeo Man in a Magic World, a Novel Based on a True Story

It’s not often that a leprechaun finds himself at the Salinas Rodeo! In this fantastic adventure, Fluffernutter O’Lanigan arrives there with his adopted charge, Eric Coster.

The leprechaun has followed Eric ever since he was a student at Christ’s Hospital School. Eric’s own father is a rigid minister. He refuses even to try to understand his son. O’Lanigan unofficially takes charge of the young boy, and the two soon leave Ireland for America. There, Eric secures a job as a freelance reporter for the San Francisco Examiner.

In the decades that follow, both Eric and O’Lanigan bear witness to some of the most important cultural and societal changes of the twentieth century. Eric works under William Randolph Hearst, writes publicity releases for the fledging 20th Century Fox movie studio, and handles publicity for the Salinas Rodeo. Along the way, he starts a family of his own.

Eric’s career may be exciting, but his personal life slowly deteriorates. He has always put his career first and simply can’t connect with his son. In this fictionalized memoir full of magical realism, he must choose what he wants to fight for in this life, before it’s too late.

Lewis W. Heniford has been directing and producing plays since 1947. This director, producer, playwright, actor, essayist, educator, librarian, and writer has worked on more than a thousand plays.

Heniford has taught drama and directed plays in North Carolina, Montana, California, Germany, and Mexico. He received a grant from the US Office of Education to create the Pan-American Community Theater Organization.

Heniford has a bachelor's degree in English from the University of North Carolina, a master's degree in library and information science from San Jose State University, and a doctorate in speech and drama from Stanford University. He received his training in the Carolina Playmakers theater program of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.