Books published by Casa Flamingo Literary Arts

"Tim O'Brien's Roadside Pics & Picks - The Huge, The High, The Half-Buried is an exhibition of photos culled from thousands taken during the last decade by Tim O'Brien, an award-winning observational-style photo-journalist. This book is an outrageously offbeat exhibition of his favorite roadside photos, divided into four chapters. In Roadside Giants (the Huge), a variety of tall Muffler Man statues are featured, along with a bevy of Pink Elephants, dinosaurs, donuts, and a number of eccentric and one of a kind structures. In the Things-on-a-Pole (the High) chapter, featured are items mounted on poles of all heights. Pole toppers include the world's largest catsup bottle, the world's largest soda pop bottle, a full size tractor trailer truck, cars, trucks, airplanes, and ice cream cones. The Half-Buried chapter features planted funky, rusty and sometimes colorful vehicles, ranging from a full size school bus to a little red wagon to farm combines and of course cars. Cadillac Ranch, Bug Ranch, Carhenge, Boathenge, and Truckhenge are among those highlighted. In the highly eclectic Roadside Art Parks chapter, Tim explores the creative world of several outsider artists who use upcycled material to create assemblage sculptures, including Dr. Evermor's Forevertron, Billy Tripp's Mindfield, Elmer Long's Bottle Tree Forest and the creative souls living in East Jesus, California. This collection is a whimsical photographer's glimpse of roadside America. However, the true stars of this exhibition are the creators whose visions were fulfilled without the baggage of cultural influence"--

Harrison "Buzz" Price was a true Disney Legend and his son David Price has now written the ultimate professional and personal tribute to his father and mentor. Part memoir, part consulting primer, and part love story, "Buzz Stories at Thirty Thousand Feet" contains stories written by those with whom he shared his intelligence, humor, passion and wit. It brings you closer to understanding the birth of an industry and a life lived The Buzz Way. Each chapter stands on its own as a tribute to a well-rounded, intelligent, one-of-a-kind pioneer who saw numbers not only as the means to an end but as a portal to magical worlds of entertainment . Known as Walt Disney's "Numbers Guy," Buzz created the magic formulas for where to build both California's Disneyland and the later, Walt Disney World in Florida. It was his "rollercoaster math" that made building a successful theme park possible, in an age before real theme parks existed. Everyone who ever knew Buzz has countless stories to tell of their relationship. Some are sad, some are funny, some are enlightening, and some are not suitable for print. But all show the brilliance of the man and help explain why he is today recognized as the dean of entertainment attraction consulting. This volume is an entertaining and informative read about the life and times of Harrison Buzz Price.

Hold on tight! "Always Cedar Point, a Memoir of the Midway" gives the reader an insider's view of the operations of the world's greatest amusement park, Cedar Point. From a summer as a 20-year old ride operator on the Frontier Lift to becoming the park's general manager 35 years later, John Hildebrandt brings the reader inside the fascinating world of what it takes to market and operate a destination built for fun. Hildebrandt walked the midway every day for 40 seasons, talking to guests and employee. He collected a lifetime of stories. There is humor, history, disappointment, thrills, and excitement in his storytelling. And there are memorable people as well. Cedar Point truly is The Amazement Park.The focus of the book is Hildebrandt's relationship with the park's most iconic attractions-its legendary collection of world class roller coasters-including Millennium Force, Top Thrill Dragster, Magnum, Maverick, Corkscrew, GateKeeper (to name just a few). As marketing vice president, it was Hildebrandt's job to introduce these magnificent scream machines to the world. From how the coasters were named to thrilling first rides to the creation of memorable advertising campaigns, Hildebrandt gives the reader a unique perspective, including lessons learned."Always Cedar Point" is one of the best books yet written about life inside an amusement park. Part memoir, part history, part business brief, part autobiography, "Always Cedar Point" is also Hildebrandt's love poem to a remarkable place, a nearly 150-year old amusement park and resort in Sandusky Ohio on the shores of Lake Erie.