fOCUS, The (almost 100%) True Tale of an Intrepid News Photographer, is like nothing you've read before. This exciting novel is based on true-life stories of an experienced news videographer named Ron Sharp. Ron's career has highs, lows, grinding boredom and heart-racing excitement, sometimes all in the same day. Beauty, Heroism, Tragedy, and Evil - All part of the job.
Covering horrendous, unthinkable stories, of course, can damage a person's psyche. With someone like Ron, whose profession requires an artistically trained eye behind a video camera, exposure to real heartbreak and tragedy can be life changing.
Ron realizes, after years as a photojournalist, witnessing unimaginable events that most people will never see, that his experiences have taken a toll on him, and he attempts to "grow a suit of armor" to protect himself and those around him. When a new romantic relationship springs up in his life, this becomes his biggest challenge of all, forcing him to assess his values and the precious nature of love and life itself.
When Ron meets the woman of his dreams, the word complicated doesn't begin to describe his attempt at a relationship with her. Ron's dedication to journalism gets him into awkward situations with the station's new management, who have little understanding of what he does or how he does it. Ron sees the world differently from other people and while he loves his job, he would never wish its dark side-effects on anyone he cares about, particularly, the new love of his life.
Take a thrilling ride with Ron and discover what the world of a photojournalist is really like.
Rodger Howard spent over 30 years covering television news in the city of Los Angeles as a photojournalist. He believes that while his profession provides a videographer the opportunity to share stories and experiences with the public, it also carries a tremendous responsibility. Photographers have the obligation to tell the whole story, to provide some perspective and critical information along with visuals.Originally from Long Island, New York, Rodger Howard spent the majority of his youth in Los Angeles, graduating from James Monroe High School in the San Fernando Valley.Rodger studied broadcasting at Los Angeles City College, but furthered what he calls his real-world education working in the news business on the streets of Los Angeles, a vibrant city with a rich history and millions of stories to tell. As he likes to say, learning to operate a video camera can be done in a classroom, but becoming a photojournalist requires time and experience that can only be found on the streets.Rodger HowardOver the years, Rodger has been the recipient of numerous awards for news videography, including five Los Angeles Area Emmy Awards, Three Golden Mikes and more.After "retirement", Rodger was the Director of Photography on the documentary film "The Weight of Honor", produced by his wife, Stephanie Seldin Howard. The film was a labor of love, and tells the stories of five families whose lives are changed forever when they suddenly find themselves caregivers to their severely wounded veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. Rodger Howard, can now add "author" to his list of accomplishments. He has completed his first novel, fOCUS, with Briton Publishing; its target release date is late Spring 2021.A die-hard Dodgers fan and jazz aficionado, Rodger has four children, three grandchildren and a wacky Husky named Loki. He and Stephanie live in the Santa Clarita Valley, north of Los Angeles.
