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Hello and welcome to my website!!





I'm John Reynolds and  live, with my wife Bess, in Torbay, a marine suburb in Auckland, New Zealand. 

I'm a freelance writer, educationalist and broadcaster. Bess is a drama teacher.
 
We have three sons, who have all left home. Shane and Justin live in Auckland and Christian lives in Sydney, Australia.

Shane has five children - four daughters, and a son; Emilia, Olivia,  Indie, Blake and Finn. They often visit us,  particularly in the summer when they enjoy swimming in our pool.

I have worked in a number of countries, including New Zealand, Australia, England, Canada, Zimbabwe, California USA and travelled to many parts of the world. All these experiences have informed my writing.

At the top of this page you can click to find details books, musicals, bio notes, news, and contact details.


 

MY BOOKS

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.My new autobiography In With Both Feet: A Passport Full of Memories has just been released. It's available at Amazon as an eBook or print. Or, if you'd like a personally signed copy, email me: jbess@xtra.co.nz.

Reader's comment: 

"Nothing seems to daunt John and he describes his journey through life in an amused laconic style which invites his readers to enter into his experiences and share them with him.

Altogether this is an enjoyable and challenging read, challenging because it makes one realise how limited most of us are by our lack of adventure. Well done, John for daring to go into life with both feet."

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                                       In With Both Feet Chapter One  

With the other ten-year-olds I sat barefooted and cross-leggedon the grass at a Takapuna Primary School assembly whereprizes were being awarded for sports and academic achievement. Irecall being only mildly interested as individual pupils, on hearing theirnames called, stepped up to receive certificates and occasionally smalltrophies from Mr Preston, the headmaster.Suddenly the boy seated next to me jabbed my ribs. Angrily Iswung round, but he was pointing towards the front.‘They just called your name!’‘My name?’‘Yeah!’I glanced up to see the headmaster looking in my direction. Iimmediately clambered to my feet, and he beckoned me forward.‘John Reynolds,’ he said. ‘A prize for the best Standard Four essay.’I was both bemused and pleased. The previous Friday night mydad had taken me to an auction, a weekly event in central Takapuna.Intrigued by the antics of the auctioneer and the way in which theparticipants shouted their bids, I used the experience as the basis formy class essay – a fictional story about what happened to a boy whowent to an auction.The essay is long gone but winning the prize for writing stayedin my mind. This affirmation stayed with me during my chequeredprogress through the school system and into adulthood.Without a doubt, that day began my writer’s journey, which hascontinued ever since.

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